Top 20 DreamWorks Songs That Didn't Have To Go THAT Hard
#20: “For the Dancing and the Dreaming”
Top 10 DreamWorks Songs That Didn't Have to Go THAT Hard
“How to Train Your Dragon 2” (2014) Not enough people remember the “How to Train Your Dragon” franchise for its amazing soundtrack. But there’s one moment in the second installment that gives us way more feels than we expected. At the beginning of “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” Stoick thinks his wife Valka is long dead. When he discovers she’s alive, emotions come flooding back in the form of “For the Dancing and the Dreaming.” The song itself is quite simple in instrumentation and lyric, but the emotion behind everything elevates it to a new level. Stoick and Valka sing it together as a way to profess their renewed love – and as a way to make us weep uncontrollably.
#19: “The Trail We Blaze”
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“The Road to El Dorado” (2000) For such a lighthearted movie, the music team really did not hold back. Then again, the men responsible for it are none other than Hans Zimmer and John Powell, so that definitely explains things. With lyrics by Tim Rice and vocals provided by Elton John, “The Trail We Blaze” goes hard! It comes at the point in the movie when Tulio and Miguel have just docked on land after being stranded at sea and escaping imprisonment. With renewed inspiration to find the City of Gold, they set off through the jungle and… cue the music! In contrast with the despair and low energy of the scene right before, this song is the perfect way to renew gusto.
#18: “Better Place”
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“Trolls Band Together” (2023) Guess who’s back, alright?! For the third “Trolls” movie, NSYNC reunited to give us this banger and ‘90s boy band fans everywhere rejoiced. Led by Justin Timberlake or Branch in the movie, we get a modern spin on something that is so undeniably boy band-esque. It’s a fun pop song that, even while aimed at younger audiences, feels like it should easily be heard on the radio. In the movie’s version of the song, we get some extra vocals, like those by Anna Kendrick, whose voice adds some nice dimension. Much like ““Can’t Stop the Feeling!”, this is a great pick-me-up from the franchise.
#17: “Car Wash”
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“Shark Tale” (2004) With this number, DreamWorks took it back to the disco era. “Shark Tale” was a giant hit when it hit theaters in 2004, although critics only gave it middling reviews. But one thing that everyone could agree on was its expert use of the 1976 song “Car Wash.” The number doesn’t have much to do with the film’s mafia plot – and yet, it’s become one of the things most closely associated with “Shark Tale.” At the end of the movie, Missy Elliot and Christina Aguilera perform the song as fish versions of themselves – and it goes HARD. There’s really no reason for this animated, under-the-sea dance sequence to exist. But that doesn’t stop it from being the best part of the movie.
#16: “Heist”
“Over the Hedge” (2006) “Over the Hedge” may be one of DreamWorks’ more forgotten films, which is a shame because it’s also one of the most enjoyable. The film follows a group of woodland critters who plot to steal food from the new suburban development that’s invaded their forest. Who, might you ask, would be suited to provide the soundtrack for these inevitable hijinks? Why, Ben Folds of course – and he put his whole soul into this one. “Heist” is a jaunty little track from the movie that perfectly sums up the film’s vibe in just a few chords. Folds provided some other tunes for the film, but nothing quite hits this high.
#15: “I Like to Move It”
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“Madagascar” (2005) In 2005, there were a few truths we held dear. And one of those truths was “I Like to Move It.” The DreamWorks film “Madagascar” follows a group of zoo animals who become shipwrecked on the Indian Ocean island. As you might expect, things start off … not great. But when they meet the island inhabitants, the party begins. A group of lemurs, led by the great King Julien the 13th, live deep in the forests of Madagascar. And they love to dance. As soon as the movie came out, “I Like to Move It’ was inescapable. It became a true blue dance hit, which is more than we can say for most DreamWorks songs. To this day, it still makes us want to move it.
#14: “You Know Better Than I”
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“Joseph: King of Dreams” (2000) You’ve probably heard of “The Prince of Egypt,” but its later prequel film, “Joseph: King of Dreams,” is a little less well-known. Although not on the same level as its predecessor, one song from Joseph’s story leaves us reeling every time. Joseph sings “You Know Better Than I” at a time in his life when he begins to trust in a higher power once more. Up until this point in the film, the songs have left us a little wanting. But when that piano starts and the beautiful tenor voice of David Campbell begins to let loose, we can’t help but fall in love. Given how so-so the other songs are, they definitely didn’t have to go that hard on this one.
#13: “Good Tonight”
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“The Bad Guys” (2022) Even in animation, stories are beginning to feel repetitive and, with so many reboots and sequels, originality seems hard to come by. While “The Bad Guys” may not have blown us out of the water, it is really not talked about enough when it comes to original animated movies put out this decade. It’s a spin on a classic trope and it’s got humor for days. What it also has is a surprisingly comprehensive score with one original in particular that we want to highlight. Created by Daniel Pemberton and Anthony Ramos, “Good Tonight” is that fun, bopping party jam no one dislikes. If it’s supposed to be the distraction, consider us willingly distracted because, much like Police Chief Luggins, we just can’t stop ourselves from dancing!
#12: “The Plagues”
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“The Prince of Egypt” (1998) This movie still has a massive fanbase today, despite being quite underrated as far as animated movies go. A big part of that fan hype is owed to the soundtrack, which has a number of brilliantly composed originals. For this entry, we’re focusing on “The Plagues”, a number that feels written specifically for theater kids with its grand arrangement and dramatic notes. It works especially well for animation because we get all sorts of impactful visuals that perfectly compliment the devastation of this climactic moment. With strong backing vocals and a duet that showcases both sides of the fight, there is so much to admire about this one.
#11: “You Can’t Take Me”
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“Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron” (2002) This movie has a phenomenal score, and it’s mostly thanks to Hans Zimmer and Bryan Adams. “You Can’t Take Me” comes at the first major turning point in the movie, when Spirit, who was born to be wild, has now been captured. The fight is so clearly still alive within him, even after he gives up his struggling, an emotion that is perfectly underscored in this song. Slower than some other iconic numbers in this movie, “You Can’t Take Me” manages to be soulful rock at its finest – or should we say spirited rock? Either way, it deserves every bit of praise it gets.
#10: “Flip, Flop and Fly”
“Chicken Run” (2000) This one just makes our criteria thanks to it being a cover recorded expressly for this movie. It comes during the dance party Rocky hosts and he really could not have picked a better song to lift everyone’s mood. The original “Flip, Flop and Fly” was released in 1955 and sung by Big Joe Turner. It has since been covered several more times, perhaps most notably by The Blues Brothers in 1978, before being revived again by Ellis Hall for “Chicken Run”. If you’re listening to it right now and thinking it sounds incredibly familiar, that is likely because its arrangement is super close to a slightly more famous song put out just the year before by its original artist.
#9: “Way Back When”
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“Mr. Peabody & Sherman” (2014) How dare they tuck away a bop like this in the credits and in the credits alone?! As one of two original songs for the movie, “Way Back When” is one of those cozy, feel-good songs you put on when you want to feel inspired or motivated, or maybe just on a road trip. As alternative rock music, it’s honestly a great listen for a variety of different moods. We would have loved to see it supporting a fun scene or montage or something like that, but we suppose we’ll just have to be content with it backing the names of all the people who put so much time, dedication, effort, and heart into crafting this film.
#8: “It’s Tough To Be a God”
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“The Road to El Dorado” (2000) As a writing duo, Elton John and Tim Rice have never let us down. From “The Lion King” to “Aida,” they know how to combine their talents and write a hit musical number. “It’s Tough To Be a God” occurs at the point in the movie when Miguel and Tulio are mistaken for deities. Instead of telling the truth, they embrace the lie full-force and erupt into this high-energy dance number. And it’s better than it has any right to be. The music and the lyrics are both pitch perfect – seriously, Tim Rice did the thing when he wrote, “any normal man would bridle if he’s forced to be an idol.”
#7: “Accidentally In Love”
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“Shrek 2” (2004) If there’s one DreamWorks franchise that never disappoints when it comes to music, it has to be “Shrek”, hands down. Aside from the plethora of beloved classics they include, they’re also known to have some fantastic original songs written up to highlight exactly the atmosphere they’re going for. Enter “Accidentally In Love”. The vibes are immaculate, the tune is catchy, and the lyrics do a great job of summing up Shrek’s feelings for Fiona (and Fiona’s for Shrek, we suppose)! The beauty of it, though, is that the song describes such a universal experience, it can be listened to whenever you’ve been struck by the love bug.
#6: “El Dorado”
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“The Road to El Dorado” (2000) This is the opening song of the movie, which really sets us up for the wild watching experience we’re about to embark on. It tells the story of the creation of El Dorado, though it’s a bit hard to concentrate on all the exposition we’re being given when the melody is so on point. There’s actually a version sung by Elton John which differs from the film’s version but it’s hard to pick a favorite between the two. They’re both full of life, with the kind of rhythm that sort of makes you want to sway unconsciously every time you hear it.
#5: “Where No One Goes”
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“How to Train Your Dragon 2” (2014) The score that accompanies flying scenes in this franchise always makes us emotional. “Where No One Goes” is heard during Toothless and Hiccup’s first flight in the second movie and maybe the best way to describe it is ‘moving’. We feel the sheer exhilaration of their soaring and like we’re really there with them as they zoom over the water and attempt all kinds of cool tricks midair. Our heart skips and lurches, and beats in time with that rousing thrum. Music is a big part of immersing audiences, especially in animation, and “How to Train Your Dragon” really knows what they’re doing.
#4: “Here I Am”
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“Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron” (2002) Although we also love the gentle thrum of “Brothers Under the Sun,” nothing beats this movie’s opening theme. “Here I Am” follows Spirit as he grows from a young foal to a headstrong stallion. The best part of the song is it truly feels like a Bryan Adams joint – from the production, to the instrumentation, to his signature vocals. “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron” is a strong film on its own – the story is beautifully told and the animation is stellar – but the music really does so much to help set the scene and give us insight into Spirit’s emotions. In this case, from the slow, gentle start to that inspiring breakthrough of a chorus, “Here I Am” never fails to be invigorating.
#3: “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”
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“Trolls” (2016) If you weren’t living under a rock in 2016, you remember that this song was everywhere. While we wanted to grow tired of it, something about the beat of “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” was undeniable. The tune accompanied the DreamWorks picture “Trolls,” and instantly became a hit. It became not only a number one single for Justin Timberlake, but was the best-selling song of 2016 point blank. “Trolls” had plenty of other songs, but the funky melody and disco beat of this one was just impossible to ignore. We always knew JT was going to give us a hit, but we had no idea he would go this hard for a movie called “Trolls.”
#2: “Holding Out For a Hero”
“Shrek 2” (2004) Not only does “Shrek 2” introduce a slew of new characters, like Puss in Boots, it also might just be the best when it comes to soundtracks. As the evil fairy, Jennifer Saunders delivers a rousing rendition of Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out for a Hero.” When a song is as famous as this one, there’s a lot to live up to. But Saunders pulls no punches in making the number her own and one of the most memorable in the film. Then again, we probably should have expected something like this after the sheer awesomeness of her own introductory number.
#1: “Deliver Us”
“The Prince of Egypt” (1998) There was clearly no expense spared in any part of this god-tier film, but especially not in the music department. “All I Ever Wanted” is beautifully sung by Amick Byram and we adore the intricate harmony in “When You Believe.” But there’s no better choice for a story of this scale than its most impressive number, “Deliver Us.” The song is a choral masterpiece, seamlessly interspersing gentle melodies with harsh ones, and adding in strong percussion for dramatic emphasis. No DreamWorks opening number has ever had an easier time getting our attention.
