Rank Disney (WDAS or more) opening Musical Numbers

[The Disneynerd]

Since the outstanding and extremeeeely catchy "Were back" from Moan 2 (Belle could never) will join the list of Disney Musical opening Numbers, how would rank them? U can include WDAS, Cheapquels and more!

[PatchofBlue]

It's unfair to do just a straight ranking seeing how many of them accomplish different purposes. The Circle of Life is infinitely more impactful than Fathoms Below, but Circle of Life was designed to be this thesis on the grandeur of both the setting and the theme, while Fathoms Below was functionally just a trampoline from the dreary real world to the fantastical otherworld. But for these purposes, I'm choosing to rank them strictly along the lines of which songs get the strongest emotional reaction from me.

I'm cheating with some of these. The opening song from Frozen II ought to be All is Found, but Some Things Never Change functionally behaves more like what I'd consider an "opening number." It feels comparable to the difference between Beauty and the Beast's Prologue and Belle.

I'd have to do a separate ranking for songs that played over the opening titles during Walt's Day like When You Wish Upon a Star or The Second Star to the Right.

I haven't listened to Moana 2's soundtrack yet.

Anyways,

1. Circle of Life
2. Belle
3. The Bells of Notre Dame
4. Once Upon a Time in New York City
5. Some Things Never Change
6. Where You Are
7. Two Worlds
8. The Gospel Truth
8.5 The Family Madrigal (totally forgot to include it)
9. Arabian Nights
10. Fathoms Below
11. Down in New Orleans
12. Virginia Company + Steady as the Beating Drum
13. Frozen Heart
14. Welcome to Rosas

I nearly had my ranking set, but then I remembered the Once Upon a Time in New York City from Oliver in Company is actually a fantastic piece of work and absolutely deserved recognition.

[DisneyFan09]

1. The Bells of Notre Dame
2. Two Worlds
3. Circle of Life
4. Fathoms Below
5. Belle
6. Perfect World

[Josh123]

1. Hele mele no lilo
2. The bells of notre dame
3. Down in New-Orleans
4. Belle
5. Arabian nights
6. The gospel truth

Then, I like most of them. But I hate "The family Madrigal" which is one of the worst thing I've ever heard. Also hate "Frozen heart". Not sure yet where to put "We're back", I have to see the movie first.

[Disney's Divinity]

1. "Belle"
2. "The Bells of Notre Dame"
3. "Some Things Never Change"
4. "The Gospel Truth"
5. "Down in New Orleans"
6. "Arabian Nights"
7. "Where You Are"
8. "After Today"
9. "Two Worlds"
10. "Fathoms Below"
11. "Welcome to Rosas"
12. "The Family Madrigal"
13. "Circle of Life"
14. "Frozen Heart"
15. "Once Upon a Time in New York City"
16. "Virginia Company/Steady as the Beating Drum"

I can admit CoL is a great song/scene, it just doesn't do much for me. "Frozen Heart" is one of the weaker songs from Frozen, but it does start the film off well with that touch of fear (a similar thing to "Fathoms Below" starting TLM with the right mood). The only one I always hated was Pocahontas' opening, it was always so dull.

I know we pretend they don't exist, but many of the DTV sequels of the '00s had these types of opening numbers, too. I particularly loved Alison Krauss' "There Is Life," and also sort of liked the opening songs for Return to the Sea and Scamp's Adventure.