My Top 3 Disney Villain Songs

There's no story without a villain, or at the very least, an antagonist. And Disney villain songs are a staple of classic Disney storytelling. So in this post I'm listing my top 3 and why they deserve the ranking I've given them, in reverse order.

3) "The Mob Song", Beauty and the Beast 

So when most people think of thee villain song from Beauty and the Beast, "Gaston" comes to mind. Not for me. I don't like it because I think it's way too cheesy.

 
For me, "The Mob Song" is thee villain song from this Disney classic. And for this post, I'm talking about the track from both the 1991 animated film and the more recent live-action remake starring Emma Watson.
This is more than LeFou stroking and inflating Gaston's wounded ego. This is Gaston actively planning to kill the Beast under the pretense of a threat he poses to the village. But really, Gaston is planning to kill the Beast so he can can Belle all to himself. Because we, the audience, know at this point in the film that the Beast actually doesn't pose any threat to the village. Not only does Gaston actively plan to kill the Beast, he gets the townspeople to follow him. In the animated version, it's just the men of the town.
In the live-action version, the entire village follows Gaston, including the women.

 
There are several things I love about the live-action rendition of this number:

1) Gaston sings the line "Good and dead," instead of shouting it like he does in the animated movie.

 
2) As they set off for the Beast's castle, Gaston tacitly admits he's manipulating the villagers with a new line of lyrics

3) LeFou gets a line of lyrics in which he realizes that Gaston is the monster, not the Beast

Favorite lyrics, 1991 version: 

So it's time to take some action boys, it's time to follow me
Through the mist
Through the woods
Through the darkness and the shadows
It's a nightmare but it's one exciting ride
Say a prayer
Then we're there
At the drawbridge of a castle
And there's something truly terrible inside
It's a beast
He's got fangs
Razor sharp ones
Massive paws
Killer claws for the feast
Hear him roar
See him foam
But we're not coming home
Till he's dead

Light your torch
Mount your horse
Gaston: Screw your courage to the sticking place
Mob: We're counting on Gaston to lead the way

Tally ho
Grab your sword
Grab your bow
Praise the Lord and here we go!

Bring your guns
Bring your knives
Save your children and your wives
We'll save our village and our live

Objects:
Hearts ablaze
Banners high
We go marching into battle
Unafraid although the danger just increased
Mob:
Raise the flag
Sing the song
Here we come, we're fifty strong
And fifty Frenchmen can't be wrong

Favorite lyrics, 2017 version:
*the lyrics in bold are the changes and additions that I like

So it's time to take some action, boys
It's time to follow me!Through the mist, through the wood
Through the darkness and the shadows
It's a nightmare, but it's one exciting ride
Say a prayer, then we're there
At the drawbridge of a castle
And there's something truly terrible inside
It's a beast!
He's got fangs, razor-sharp ones!
Massive paws, killer claws for the feast
Hear him roar! See him foam!
But we're not coming home
'Til he's dead!

(Villagers cheer)

Good and dead!

(Villagers cheer)

Ensemble: Light your torch, mount your horse
Gaston: Screw your courage to the sticking place
Ensemble: We're counting on Gaston to lead the way

Gaston: Call it war, call it threat 

You can bet they all will follow

For in times like this, they'll do just as I say

LeFou: There's a beast running wild, there's no question
But I fear the wrong monster's released

Ensemble:
Sally forth! Tallyho!
Grab your sword! Grab your bow!
Praise the Lord and here we go!
Bring your guns, bring your knives
Save your children and your wives
We'll save our village and our lives

Objects: Hearts ablaze, banners high
We go marching into battle
Unafraid although the danger's just increasedEnsemble:
Raise the flag, sing the song
Here we come, we're fifty strong
And fifty Frenchmen can't be wrong

2) "Hellfire," The Hunchback of Notre Dame 

For some people, this is the best Disney villain song. For me, another villain song occupies the top spot. But this track is in second place because it's that good. As much as I love Patrick Page's rendition of "Hellfire" on the Original Broadway Cast Recording album, I'm sticking with the rendition of this number from the 1996 Disney animated film. To me, no one captures Frollo as well as the late Tony Jay did. Frollo is not evil for the sake of being evil like other Disney villains. He genuinely believes he's doing good. That's what makes him such an appealing and compelling villain. And I'm all for it.

 
Fun Fact: Tony Jay couldn't sing the final note right on the first go of recording this song, so he took extra singing lessons until he could hit the final note correctly.

 
I absolutely love the fact that the words of the Confiteor are sung in the beginning and in the background. For those of you who don't know, the Confiteor is a Catholic prayer of confession often said at the beginning of a Catholic Mass. While I am familiar with an more modern English version of the Confiteor and no stranger to church Latin, the rendition in the movie is in Latin. When I saw this movie for the first time, I was singing the Latin parts of this track, right down to the "Beata Marias" that Frollo sings at the beginning.

I also sang the three "Kyries" at the end, even though "Kyrie Eleison" is sung throughout the film. In my opinion, the three "Kyries" at the end of "Hellfire" have a much larger impact than at any other point in the film, because when the chorus sings "Kyrie Eleison" at other points in the movie, it's for the victims of Frollo's cruelty. But when the chorus sings "Kyrie Eleison" three times at the end of "Hellfire," it's for both Esmeralda and Frollo, even though the latter has chosen the rather destructive and tragic "Esmeralda, be mine or die," path that ultimately leads to his eternal damnation. "Kyrie Eleison" is Greek for "Lord, have mercy."  I have "Hellfire" on my Disney & Pixar playlist and I sing the Latin parts whenever I listen to it. I do it for the animated film rendition, not Patrick Page's rendition.

 
In fact, I love the irony in the song, particularly when Frollo keeps insisting it's not his fault that he's lusting after Esmeralda, and the chorus of red-hooded figures chant "mea culpa" and "mea maxima culpa" back at him. the red-hooded figutes Also, the animation in this scene in particular is stunning. The shadows and lighting, Frollo's robes, the scarf as Frollo caresses his face with it, Esmeralda dancing in the flames, the chorus of red-hooded-figures, the chorus of red-hooded figures engulfing Frollo and then vanishing into the fireplace, the white "ghost" of Esmeralda that comes out of the fireplace to embrace Frollo and then dissipates when he touches her, and his facial expression when he turns around after the final "Kyrie."

Also, this track has inspired so many covers on YouTube. Many of the female covers put a lesbian interpretation on the song. But my favorite cover is a female cover by German YouTuber Julia Koep. Instead of keeping Esmeralda as a girl, she makes her into a guy named Esmeraldo. So she genderbends the song for the most part, but keeps Our Lady as a woman. It was nice to find a female cover that keeps the song heterosexual, especially with so many lesbian covers. I don't hate lesbians. It was just nice to see some variety. I also love that she mimics a lot of Frollo's movements in her video.

 
I love how she changed the line "Beata Maria, you know I am a righteous man" to "Beata Maria, you know of my righteousness," and the line "If in God's plan, He made the Devil so much stronger than a man," to "If in God's plan, He made the Devil so much stronger than I am." A lot of the female covers don't do that. 

Favorite lyrics:

Beata Maria, you know I am a righteous man 

Of my virtue I am justly proud 

Chorus: Et tibit, Pater (And to you, Father)
---------------------------------------------------------
Frollo: This burning desire is turning me to sin

It's not my fault!

Chorus: Mea culpa (My fault)

Frollo: I'm not to blame! 

Chorus: Mea culpa (My fault)

Frollo: It is the gypsy girl, the witch who sent this flame

Chorus: Mea maxima culpa (My most grievous vault)

Frollo: It's not my fault!

Chorus: Mea culpa (My fault)

Frollo: If in God's plan

Chorus: Mea culpa (My fault)

Frollo: He made the Devil so much strong than a man

Chorus: Mea maxima culpa (My most grievous fault)

Frollo: Protect me, Maria

Don't let this siren cast her spell

Don't let her fire sear my flesh and bone

--------------------------------------------------------

Or else let her be mine and mine alone

---------------------------------------------------------

Chorus: Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy) 

Frollo: God have mercy on her

Chorus: Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy)

Frollo: God have mercy on me

Chorus: Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy)

Frollo: But she will be mine or she will burn!

1) "Be Prepared," The Lion King

Not even "Hellfire" can top this song. For this post, I'm talking about the 1994 animated film rendition of the track, not the Broadway rendition or the mediocre live-action film rendition. Just like no one played Frollo as well as Tony Jay did, no one played Scar as well as Jeremy Irons did.

 
In fact, there's a deleted reprise of "Be Prepared" which Scar attempts to serenade Nala with in an effort to persuade to her to be his Queen, but Nala isn't having any of it. And then after Nala challenges him in front of the lionesses, this deleted reprise of "Be Prepared" continues with Scar introducing the hyenas.

But back to the main version of this awesome Disney villain number. You can enjoy this song without endorsing Scar's evil intentions, just like one can enjoy "Hellfire" without condoning Frollo's intent to force Esmeralda to be with him or kill her if she refuses and just like one can enjoy "The Mob Song" without approving of Gaston inciting a mob to kill a beast and attack the Beast's castle under the false pretense that the aforementioned beast poses a threat to the community when really Gaston just wants the Beast out of the picture so he can have Belle all to himself. My dad and I both like this song a lot because it illustrates Scar's character so well, not because we endorse Scar's plan to murder Mufasa and Simba. Just to clarify, the latter part of my prievous statement was not a confession that my dad and I do endorse Scar's evil intentions. We don't endorse his intent at all.

 
But it's also a fun song. The melody and the rhythm are fun. The lyrics are fun. And Jeremy Irons does a good job of singing this song.

 
I really like the bit at the beginning where Scar jumps down from that high cliff he's lying on, drums beat in time with his jumps, the song begins as Scar walks forward like he's sneaking up on his prey/behaving regally, and then, steam from fissures hiss and rise rhythmically in time with the chorus vocalizing.

 
Favorite lyrics: But we're talking kings and successions
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Be prepared for sensational news

A shining new era is tiptoeing nearer

Shenzi: And where do we feature?

Scar: Just listen to teacher

------------------------------------------------

And in justice deliciously squared

Be prepared

------------------------------------------------------
Shenzi: Great idea! Who needs a king?

Shenzi, Banzai, & Ed: (singsong voice) No king, no king, la, la, la!

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Meticulous planning
Tenacity spanning
Decades of denial
Is simply why I'll
Be king undisputed
Respected, saluted

And seen for the wonder I am

Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared (Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo)
Be prepared!
Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared
Be prepared!