I’m So Glad Frozen Didn’t Cut Its Best Song After “Let It Go”

Disney’s animated movie Frozen almost saw one of its most popular songs not make the final cut. Loosely adapted from the fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen, Frozen tells the story of sisters, Anna and Elsa, Princesses of Arendelle, who are separated by their parents when Elsa loses control of her ice powers; when Elsa accidentally reveals her powers at her coronation and turns summer into winter, Anna must find her sister and put things right. Frozen was released to critical and commercial acclaim, becoming one of the highest-grossing films in history, grossing more than $1.2 billion worldwide, and receiving praise for its characters and screenplay.

The movie’s soundtrack was also received with high praise; songs such as “For The First Time In Forever” and “Love Is An Open Door” are some of the most streamed Disney songs online (via Scotsman). Elsa’s main song “Let It Go” is one of the best Disney songs ever written and, among its many accolades, won an Oscar for Best Original Song. Behind the scenes, one of the movie’s most popular songs nearly didn’t make the final cut, but was thankfully reinstated at the last minute.

Frozen Almost Made A Huge Mistake Cutting “Do You Want To Build A Snowman?”

It Was Removed and Reinstered Multiple Times During Production

The story of Frozen was notably difficult to create during the initial production stages; different elements of the story were changed multiple times before the plot was finalized and several songs originally written for the movie were cut and replaced. One notable song that was nearly cut was the catchy “Do You Want To Build A Snowman?” sung by Kristen Bell’s Anna at the beginning of the movie.

Producer Peter Del Vecho revealed that during the early screenings of the film, while certain aspects of the film were strong, they didn’t feel that the song was working for the story (via Business Insider). There was the worry that the song may be too sad for a Disney movie; however, after test audiences questioned why the song was removed, it was decided that it would ultimately remain in the movie (via John August). The decision to keep “Do You Want To Build A Snowman?” in Frozen proved to be the correct one; the song has since been covered and parodied multiple times in pop culture and has become one of the most streamed Disney songs in history.

Why Anna’s Song Is Crucial To Understanding Frozen’s Story

The Song Depicts How Anna and Elsa Grew Up and Grew Apart From Each Other

“Do You Want To Build A Snowman?” was sung by Anna at three stages of her life; when she was five, nine, and seventeen. At each stage, she knocks on her sister’s door, trying and failing to get Elsa to spend time with her as they had done before; Elsa never answers, fearful that she may harm Anna with her powers. During the final stage, after their parents are lost at sea, the sisters are shown on different sides of the door, wishing to open it but aren’t able to; this symbolizes the unwanted distance that has grown between the sisters over the years.

This song is crucial to audiences in understanding Frozen’s story; had it not been included, it would have been extremely difficult to show how Anna and Elsa grew up and grew apart from one another. This is a huge element of the story and the catalyst for the rest of the story and their eventual reunion. Considering the song’s significance to Anna and Elsa’s bond, it’s a big relief that the producers of Frozen decided not to remove it from the movie.

Sources: Scotsman, Business Insider, John August