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- "Be Prepared" from The Lion King. Just to drive the point home, the chorus of hyenas backing Scar through this song up march in formation at one point, in a manner based on footage of a real-world Nazi rally. Furthermore, most Villain Songs involve the villain's evil laughter at the end. This one trumps them all, with not just Scar and his Terrible Trio laughing, but about 200 OTHER hyenas joining in with them.
- And the German version.
- The Swedish version.
- The Italian version.
- The Greek version.
- The Bulgarian version.
- The Hungarian version.
- The French version.
- The Dutch version.
- The European Spanish version.
- The Japanese version is quite something too.
- And the Arabic version has great lyrics.
- The Korean version. features probably the scariest-sounding Scar of them all.
- The Hebrew version (translation here). The scene with the hyena chorus is about as uncomfortable and scary as you'd expect when it's in the main language of Israel.
- "Be Prepared" originally had a reprise that was cut from the final film, that was to be sung as Scar took the throne. See it here
- Also worth noting, is this one was primarily for the Hyenas, as it was their introduction to the pride and they have far more lines than Scar.
- In the sequel, "My Lullaby" takes up this role.
- Versions of My Lullaby in other languages arguably outdo the original as well, especially in the cruelty department. Just listen to the beautiful voice of pure hatred:
- Brazilian Portuguese version Reported to cause repeated nightmares on Brazilian children, and for good reason...
- German version
- Russian version
- Finnish version.
- Greek version.
- Japanese version. Her voice helps.
- Hungarian version.
- Hebrew version.
- Dutch version. Has the added scare-bonus of Zira sharing a voice actress with Ursula.
- Versions of My Lullaby in other languages arguably outdo the original as well, especially in the cruelty department. Just listen to the beautiful voice of pure hatred:
- The Broadway production of The Lion King adds "The Madness of King Scar", from his catastrophic reign over Pride Rock. He's lost it.
- Over half of The Lion Guard's soundtrack is made up of villain songs.
- Janja and his hyenas get "Tonight We Strike" and "Bring Back a Legend".
- Scar gets "I Have a Plan" and "How I Got My Scar".
- Zira gets "Lions Over All".
- Ushari gets "Big Bad Kenge".
- Reirei and her jackal pack get "Jackal Style".
- Mzingo and his parliament get "All Hail the Vultures".
- Makucha gets "The Tree of Life".
- Mama Binturong gets "You Best Not Mess With Mama".
- Pinguino gets "Poa the Destroyer", though he's not exactly an out-and-out bad guy.
- In a similar vain, Tamaa gets "Bird of a Thousand Voices".
- "Prince Ali (Reprise)" from Aladdin. In fact, there were 5 separate songs made for Jafar and all but one were cut. Humiliate the Boy where Jafar does what the title suggests (cut for being too caustic). My Time Has Come where Jafar recounts how hideous his life has been and how he is going to make everyone else miserable (cut for being too slow and introspective). Why Me was basically the same as My Time Has Come (cut because the directors felt it didn't advance the story enough, they also wanted something with a big chorus). And My Finest Hour where Jafar pulls the earth into a ball and bats it around with the Genie (cut because the directors decided it was too late in the movie for an extended showstopper for the villain). Instead, the "Prince Ali (Reprise)" is a trim ditty that makes dramatic sense with Jafar turning Aladdin's entrance song into a sweet revenge where the sorcerer revels in having the upper hand.
- "You're Only Second-Rate" from the sequel. Same villain, too.
- And the second sequel, Aladdin and the King of Thieves has two. "Welcome To The Forty Thieves", which has the Forty Thieves initiating Aladdin into their group (and threatening him with death if he doesn't follow their rules), and "Are You In Or Out?", in which the villain Saluk convinces the few remaining thieves to betray their former leader.
- Bonus points awarded to "Are You In Or Out?" due to it being, in part, a Dark Reprise of "Welcome To The Forty Thieves."
- Part of "A Party Here in Agrabah" is sung by the 40 thieves discussing their plan.
- "Poor, Unfortunate Souls" from The Little Mermaid.
- Ursula gets another song, Mess With Me in the animated series of The Little Mermaid.
- Ursula wasn't the only villain to get a song in the animated series. When you cast Tim Curry as a recurring villain, you've gotta let him sing!
- In the stage version, Ursula also gets "I Want the Good Times Back" and "Daddy's Little Angel". There's also "Sweet Child" for her pet eels. "Poor Unfortunate Souls" gets a new reprise as well.
- The workshop tapes for the stage version have TWO more songs for Ursula: "Wasting Away" (bemoaning her current dreary, thin and emaciated [she thinks] state), which was replaced by "I Want the Good Times Back", and "All Good Things Must End" (where she gloats over the frailty of happy endings).
- "Les Poissons" is also from The Little Mermaid. Although Louis isn't a flat-out villain, he does try to kill Sebastian, and the song is certainly sadistic enough to qualify.
- Ursula's "crazy sister" Morgana would have had "Gonna Get My Wish" in the sequel.
- Marina del Ray gets "Just One Mistake" in the midquel.
- Ursula gets another song, Mess With Me in the animated series of The Little Mermaid.
- Headless Man from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is sung by Brom Bones about the Headless Horseman, but because some suspect him of being the Horseman...
- Professor Ratigan's "The World's Greatest Criminal Mind" in The Great Mouse Detective.
- Bonus point that we got Vincent Price voicing the "very large mouse" himself. And that he said himself that he really enjoyed the role.
- Even more points because he personally said he was flattered; those songs were specifically written for him.
- Ratigan also has "Goodbye So Soon", a "spritely little tune" he wrote specifically for Basil to hear before he is killed by his elaborate death trap.
- The Jungle Book:
- Kaa's "Trust In Me".
- Louie's "I Wanna Be Like You", about an orangutan's ambition to steal fire and thus become human... He's not particularly villainous, but he isn't a good guy either. Disney officially counts it as one, having put it on the Simply Sinister Songs CD.
- Shere Khan also had a cut song.
- In the movie, he had one sung line. And it has to count as a Villain Song, so awesome is that line and delivery.
- "Gaston", "Gaston (Reprise)", and "The Mob Song" in Beauty and the Beast
- In the stage version, "Me" and "Maison des Lunes" (the latter comes when he plots to institutionalize Maurice) also qualify as these. "Me" is an example of the unconscious villain, as it's Gaston stating the facts of his little universe - which are that he's the best and he deserves his dreams to come true, because he's every woman's dream. "Maison des Lunes" is more straightforward, in that it involves wrongfully imprisoning a weak old man so Gaston can marry his willful daughter — and relishing every minute of it.
- The musical version of "Gaston (Reprise)" includes a few new lines at the end, which involve Lefou and Gaston singing about how devious and evil he is, flat-out stating that he knows how terrible his actions are, but that he doesn't care so long as he gets his way.
Gaston: Yes I'm endlessly, wildly resourceful... |
- It's also a bonus in the Australian version because he's played by Hugh Jackman (who played Wolverine in the X-Men movies).
- The original version of The Gaston song has the additional part at the end where Lefou tries to spell Gaston's name but gives up.
- It's also a bonus in the Australian version because he's played by Hugh Jackman (who played Wolverine in the X-Men movies).
- "Hellfire" from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, where Knight Templar Complete Monster Frollo declares in relatively unsubtle terms that he lusts for Esmeralda, and that if she will not have sex with him, he will burn her alive. Because this is a kid's movie.
- Comes complete with Ominous Latin Chanting! Order now and get free Getting Crap Past the Radar!
- It was subtle enough that most kids didn't get it until they were older, though the image of Esmeralda in the fireplace and the monks in red cowls were ample Nightmare Fuel nonetheless.
- "Hellfire/Dark fire/Now, gypsy, it's your turn/Choose me or/Your pyre/Be mine or you will burn". It's a Dark Reprise of the opening song, "Bells of Notre Dame", and it comes right after Quasimodo sings his own song about how he's fallen in love with Esmeralda (Heaven's Light).
- Basically, Heaven's Light/Hellfire is Mood Whiplash done right.
- Consider that Heaven's Light and Hellfire are actually one continuous piece, and that both are about how the singer have fallen for Esmerelda. Also consider that the two songs are bridged by priests singing the first few lines of the Confiteor, a Catholic prayer for confession of sins, and that excerpts of the Confiteor are used as Ominous Latin Chanting during Hellfire, whose main lyrics are Frollo's way of saying that he's above everyone else and that his lust isn't his own fault. There are a lot of things that make Hellfire work.
- Behold, lo mortals! The German version!
- Court of Miracles from the same film has lyrics and sinister visuals worthy of a Villain Song, so it deserves a honorary mention, even if it is not actually sung by a villain.
- The first half of "Out There" may count...
- "Friends On The Other Side" by voodoo villain Dr. Facilier in Princess and The Frog, which is a delicious slice of evil hammy charlatan showmanship courtesy of Keith David. The first part of the song is a straight-up Villain Song, where Facilier sings about who he is and what he does. The second part is more expositionary, dealing with the lives of the ones he's singing to. The last third is atmospheric, backing the transformation.
- Whoa whoa whoa whoa...did you just call him a charlatan? Don't you disrespect him, little man!
- Then there's the reprise at the end, when Facilier's talisman is broken and he is dragged into an open grave by his "friends on the other side".
- Freunde im Schattenreich, the German version of this song. It deserves special mention for being completely awesome.
- Also, the title (Friends in the Shadow Realm) is great.
- The Image Song album based on the movie, Bayou Boogie, gives him two more: "The Shadow Man" and "Do What I Wanna Do."
- "Mine, Mine, Mine" in Pocahontas, at least the parts that aren't sung by John Smith. "Savages" is a half-example, as part of the song is sung by the villain for his own selfish motives. It's got a very obvious Xenophobia Is Bad Aesop.
- "Things Are Not What They Appear" was given to Ratcliffe in the sequel as he manages to show that Pocahontas would be a fraud.
- "It's Our House Now" in Mickey's House of Villains.
- "Feel Like a Million", from The Emperor's New Groove 2: Kronk's New Groove, may not be that impressive, but given the movie is almost not a musical at all, it must mean something...
- The first The Emperors New Groove had a Villain Song recorded for it, called "Snuff Out the Light", but changes in the plot left it without a place in the film. It's still really good though.
- To compensate for her Cut Song in the movie, Yzma gets Yzmopolis in The Emperors New School. Later, she gets a dueling song in the Musical Episode.
- "Mad Madame Mim" from The Sword in the Stone.
- "Temper Temper", in the new musical of Mary Poppins, which features the children's toys coming to life, growing larger than the children themselves, and holding the children trial for having lost their tempers — for, "children who lose their tempers lose everything else in the end!"
- "Brimstone and Treacle", again from the new Mary Poppins, where the Banks' second nanny, Miss Andrews, explains her philosophy that brimstone and treacle with a good dose of tyranny is the best way to govern children. (Note that there is also a Dark Reprise in which Mary comes back, sets Miss Andrews' pet lark free from its cage and there is a showdown between two singing nannies which results in Miss Andrews having a taste of her very own brimstone and treacle as well as being forced into a giant birdcage and sent down below.)
- As Disney's first take on Mary Poppins didn't have a clear villain, it would seem to be exempt from this rule, but "Fidelity Fiduciary Bank" gives it a try anyhow. Mr. Banks and his bosses at the bank are the closest thing Mary Poppins has to a villain until his Heel Face Turn; he is against Mary Poppins herself, fun, and compassion because they interfere with order.
- The Siamese Cats' "We are Siamese" from Lady and the Tramp is a bit of a special case, as the song itself is the characters' only appearance in the film. It still ends up being one of the most memorable scenes.
- The Rescuers Down Under has Evil Poacher McLeach singing his own version of Home on the Range while driving home. His lyrics are a little...different than the original's:
"Home, Home on the Range, where the critters are tied up in chains, I cut through their sides, and I tear off their hides, and the next day I do it again!" |
- This Villain Song is unique in that there is no sound save McLeach's echoing voice and that the only image on screen is of him driving his gigantic truck into the desert. The scene ends within seconds.
- "Kidnap the Sandy Claws" and "Oogie Boogie's Song" from The Nightmare Before Christmas. The former is a different take on the trope because it applies to the Quirky Miniboss Squad rather than the villain himself.
- And then we get an awesome remix/ duet between Jack and Oogie from the game, seen Here.
- In fact, there's three remixes/duets of Oogie Boogie's Song in Oogie's Revenge, with the above being the final one. The other two are Oogie's Song and Casino Clash, plus a remix of Kidnap the Sandy Claws called Hail to Mr. Oogie.
- What about Dr. Finkelstien's Song?
- And then we get an awesome remix/ duet between Jack and Oogie from the game, seen Here.
- Home on the Range gives us "Yodel Adle Eedle Idle Oo!" perhaps not as dark or sinister as some others on this list, but it's hard to dislike a song that features a yodeled version of "Ode to Joy".
- "Yodel Adle Eedle Idle Oo!" might have been meant as a parody of the archetypical Villain Song, because it starts out in a typically "dark and sinister" manner, then evolves into a cheerful yodeling tune.
- "Petey's King of France" from the direct to DVD Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers.
- Lampshaded jut moments before by the Troubador Turtle.
"When ze bad guy iz zis happy, it can only mean one thing." *pulls out tuba* "BAD GUY SONG!!!" |
- The Proud Family Movie has "Hail to the Peanut King" by Evil Dr. Carver.
- And, of course, one of the first ones! Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee! An Actor's Life For Me! Also a major Ear Worm.
- "Fee Fi Fo Fum" from Fun and Fancy Free.
- The Beagle Boys from DuckTales performed two different songs in the episodes "Time Teasers" and "Beaglemania"; their song from the latter episode (which ironically became a Missing Episode on Toon Disney) was included on the Disney Afternoon soundtrack.
- Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers:
- Fat Cat's "The Best Of Everything" from the Five Episode Pilot "To The Rescue". Not to be outdone by "The Fat Cat Stomp", initially performed by Chip and Dale in drag in "Adventures In Squirrelsitting", but later reprised by Fat Cat himself in the next scene.
- Irweena Allen ("Risky Beesness") has her own song, too ("You're The Best Bee For Me"), and Sewernose de Bergerac ("A Case of Stage Blight") joins the Pirates of Peejama performance. In fact, not even the Coo-Koo Cola jingle ("The Case of the Cola Cult") remains untouched by villains.
- In the four-part Tale Spin pilot, Don Karnage reminds his Air Pirate underlings of what they do with "Sky Pirates".
- The TV series for Disney's Hercules has Hades taking you for a tour of his taken-over city-state in "My Town".
- The Hallowishes show during Halloween at Disney Theme Parks is made up of several Villain Songs, a few The Villain Sucks Songs, and a few songs that aren't either, but are close enough.
- There's also "A Pirates Life For Me" on the "Pirates of the Carribean" ride, basically just the pirates singing about what they do.
- "Pump Me Up" from Doug Live.
- Two villains equals two villain songs in Pete's Dragon. The Goguns had "We Got A Bill Of Sale" and Dr. Terminus gleefully dissected the title character in "Every Little Piece".
- Harmless Villain Dr. Drakken tells you his life story and advertises his new product at the same time, in his very own rap! Lather, rinse and OBEY! (Caution: Dr. D's Brainwashing Shampoo and Cranium Rinse May Contain Evil...)
- Since Phineas and Ferb has songs Once an Episode, Dr. Doofenshmirtz sometimes gets one of these, like My Goody Two-Shoes Brother from "Tree to Get Ready".
- "MY NAME IS DOOF AND YOU'LL DO WHAT I SAY WHOOP WHOOP!".
- He's also quite possibly the first person to get a Villain Song about being completely apathetic towards something.
- Special mention goes to "It's A Charmed Life", set in a Bad Future where he's finally taken over the Tri-State Area.
- And from Rollercoaster: The Musical, Back In Gimmershutmp.
- And in The Movie has "A Brand New Best Friend (And It's Me) by Both doof and Doof-2
- Mother Gothel in Tangled has Mother Knows Best, which takes on the tone of a demented version of Mary Poppins. Then there's the reprise.
- The TV spinoff Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure has quite a few.
- Varian gets the Reprise of "Let Me Make You Proud", as well as "Ready As I'll Ever Be" (which is more of a "Preparing for Battle Against the Villain" number).
- Cassandra gets "Crossing the Line" and "Nothing Left to Lose". There's also "Waiting in the Wings" for her, but it doesn't start out as a straight-up Villain Song.
- Instead of a musical number, Maleficent of Sleeping Beauty gets a Villain Poem, where she mockingly tells the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale to the imprisoned Prince Philip, gloating over her victory via Sarcasm Mode and Evil Laughter. It serves the same purpose as a villain song while being creepily low-key.
- "The Mad Doctor's Song" from The Mad Doctor.
- "You're Nothing But a Nothing" from The Flying Mouse.
- Near the beginning of The Aristocats, Edgar the butler can actually be heard singing "Rock A Bye, Baby" while pouring his mistress' sleeping pills into the cats' milk so that they will all fall asleep, therefore allowing him to kidnap them all and leave them all for dead in the French countryside. But then a pair of dogs attack him...
- Notable aversion: Shan Yu, the Big Bad of Mulan does not have a Villain Song at, and therefore he is one of the few official Disney Villains (maybe drop the "official" part because all of the villains are included in that franchise) not to have one (much like Mulan being one of the few official Disney Princesses that is neither royalty by birth nor marriage). This is probably for the better since it actually does not suit his personality at all and having him sing would totally make him feel out of character.
- "Get Pluto!" from Plutos Judgement Day.
- Hocus Pocus has two! First is Bette Midler's Big Bad Winifred singing the show stopping "I Put A Spell On You", with bonus for actually hypnotizing everyone within earshot. Second is Sarah Jessica Parker singing the haunting "Come Little Children", bewitching all the children of Salem to their deaths Pied Piper style.
- "The Elegant Captain Hook" from Peter Pan.
- Actually, that was not to be the original song in the movie. There was originally intended to be another song in a different style, that got cut, called "The Pirate Song".
- In the cartoon series Wander Over Yonder, Dr. Screwball Jones, the hitherto-completely-unknown villain who Wander considers his archenemy, goes full-on Disney Acid Sequence on Wander with "Let the Pun Fit the Crime", where it finally becomes clear that, no lie, this guy's dangerous.
- "The Show Stopper" is one long, diegetic exercise in singing about what an awesome evil-doer Lord Hater is, albeit in an attempt to win over Lord Dominator... which Hater's sidekick predicts was doomed to begin with since there's no evidence that she actually cares about rock and roll. Or, very briefly, rap. (Shout-outs abound to both the doomed army of drummers from This Is Spinal Tap and, unusually, Disaster Area.)
- This was followed shortly by the intro to Lord Hater's self-produced propaganda cartoon in "The Cartoon".
- "My Fair Hatey". A particularly ambitious Musical Episode. As villain songs go:
- "How I'll Get Her", where Commander Peepers really shows his Evil Genius side drawing a plan against rival villain Lord Dominator.
- "I'm the Bad Guy". (Or, well... girl.)