The live-action The Little Mermaid is set to be released in May 2023, adding to the collection of spectacular live-action remakes. While Disney fans love to see their favorite heroes and heroines readapted, they also love to see how their favorite villains are portrayed.
While there’s nothing like seeing the protagonist come out victorious in the end, these villains performed some of the most entertaining songs in these films. When it comes to Disney villains, Redditors have chosen these musical numbers as the most entertaining songs.
“The Elegant Captain Hook” – Captain Hook And Crew in Peter Pan
Captain Hook is one of the most iconic Disney villains, but audiences can’t help but find him humorous and entertaining. When he has the Lost Boys and Wendy captured on his ship, his crew sings a song dedicated to how wonderful they think their captain is.
One Reddit user said, “I love how the pirates are acting all fun and should I say it, jolly, that it makes it look like joining Hook’s crew would be fun and games.” This song is ridiculous by nature, but it’s so catchy and convincing that the audience can’t help but enjoy the show.
“My Lullaby” – Zira in The Lion King II
Though not as popular as the original, The Lion King 2 is packed with excitement and interesting villains focused on taking revenge on Simba’s pride. Towards the beginning of the film, Zira sings a song about how she sleeps better at night imagining the future when Kovu will help them take back the Pride Lands.
Reddit user SmartieLion said, “Such a great call to arms. Very underrated.” Though she has a twisted way of thinking, Zira’s song is powerful and eerily imaginative.
“Gaston” – LeFou in Beauty And The Beast
Gaston is one of the most arrogant villains known to Disney. However, that arrogance makes for some very entertaining and catchy music. When Gaston is upset about Belle rejecting him, LeFou starts singing about how great he is, encouraging Gaston and others to join in.
Reddit users have a lot of fun poking fun at the lyrics to this song, mocking it while also pointing out how entertaining it is. One Reddit user added into a thread about the song, “No one plots like Gaston! Takes cheap shots like Gaston! Plans to persecute harmless crackpots like Gaston!”, pointing out how easy it is to get caught up in the tune.
“Oogie Boogie’s Song” – Oogie Boogie In The Nightmare Before Christmas
Oogie Boogie is the main antagonist in The Nightmare Before Christmas, trying to show Jack up as the scariest ghoul around. While he is creepy and intimidating, he also has one of the most entertaining musical lines in the whole film.
One Reddit user said, “Yet another catchy song where the villain is mocking the hero. Now while Santa isn’t exactly the hero, he is still a big figure.” This film is known for its creepy appeal, and what better way to portray the villain.
“Hellfire” – Frollo in The Hunchback Of Notre Dame
As a religious extremist, Frollo is one of the scariest Disney villains to date. He acted terribly and did horrific things to Quasimodo, but it’s even more chilling that he does it believing he is righteous and doing the best thing.
Reddit user TheMidnightScorpion said about Frollo, “He was such an amazing and terrifying villain and the song was perfect.” What made this one of the best Disney villain songs is how eerily captivating it’s sung. Nothing is more engaging in a film than a villain that thinks they’re the hero.
“Friends On The Other Side” – Dr. Facilier in The Princess And The Frog
Dr. Facilier is one of the spookiest villains in Disney, though he is also one of the most entertaining. This song brings some of the best visuals and lyrics to the animated Disney world.
Reddit user eltrotter said, “Dr Facilier is a really underrated Disney villain, but the music plus the visuals really makes this a standout villain song.” Fans of this song felt this scene had a perfect balance of imagery and eery music to keep the audience engaged.
“Shiny” – Tamatoa From Moana
When it comes to catchy villain songs, Tamatoa’s tune is one of the best. In this film, Tamatoa is one of Maui’s nemeses, being out to get Maui since the demigod defeated him in the past. His most distinguishable feature though is his greed and fascination with valuable things, hence his song “shiny”.
Reddit user Vlaxthrax called this song the “best part of that movie.” Though he is a villain, Tamatoa is a secondary villain in the film that seems to only be there to make their adventure a bit more exciting.
“Mother Knows Best” – Mother Gothel in Tangled
Based on this song, which portrays how selfish and manipulative she is, Mother Gothel is one of the most evil villains. What is most chilling about Mother Gothel is how she raises Rapunzel, pretending to be her loving mother hiding her away for the girl’s own safety.
The Reddit user yongf mentioned “Mother Knows Best” as their single choice for the best Disney villain songs. Mother Gothel on the surface is a greedy, selfish individual that steals a young girl’s youth for her own personal gain, but that’s one of the reasons why she’s so entertaining.
“Be Prepared” – Scar in The Lion King
While Scar’s main personality trait is the desire for power, he is still considered the best Disney villain by fans. Though he does terrible things to Mufasa, Simba, and the Pride Lands, he’s also entertaining because of his sarcasm and evil plotting.
Reddit user Hufflepuffdragon11 said, “My personal favorite has to be Be Prepared.” A lot of fans appreciate this song because of the gusto he sings it in and the ominous visuals.
“Poor, Unfortunate Souls” – Ursula in The Little Mermaid
While Ursula is one of the most conniving villains known in Disney animated films, she’s also one of the most likable evil doers. Fans of The Little Mermaid appreciate Ursula’s personality despite her evil plans.
Reddit user Masterofgames453 said, “DEFINITELY poor unfortunate souls it captures her persona SO good.” There’s no denying Ursula took advantage of Ariel’s desires and youthful mindset to get what she wants, but she pulls off quite the entertaining musical number while she does it.
