- 2 days ago
Celebrate the unforgettable melodies of Disney’s Mulan with some of the most powerful and beloved songs from the franchise. From heartfelt ballads like “Reflection” to energetic anthems like “I’ll Make a Man Out of You,” these tracks capture the spirit and strength of Mulan’s journey. Whether you love the original 1998 classic or the newer soundtrack additions, this musical roundup has something for every fan!
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00:06Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:08And today, we're counting down our picks for the most memorable and beloved music from Disney's Mulan franchise.
00:23Number 10. I Wanna Be Like Other Girls, Mulan 2.
00:27I Wanna Be Like Other Girls, Climb Up A Tree Like Other Girls Can.
00:33This early-ought sequel to Mulan left much to be desired, to put it mildly.
00:38Soundtrack-wise, though, it's not so bad.
00:41Lesson number one as an opening fits the themes and musical character of the first movie quite well.
00:48I wanna be like a new movie, I wanna be like a new movie, I wanna be like a new
00:54movie, I wanna be like a new movie.
00:57An even better showcase is this number sung by princesses Ting Ting, May, and Sue, about to be married off
01:03in loveless political alliances.
01:05To speak for myself, to sing why I'll keep!
01:08Marry someone I've met who loves me for me.
01:11No escorts, no manners, no nursemaids, no worries, no hands folded perfect.
01:16Like holding a lily.
01:18Like Other Girls is memorable and upbeat, with a solid harmonic blend.
01:22It's also a nice change to have these princesses longing to be like other girls, rather than the opposite.
01:28Just to be free like other girls, get to be...
01:38Number 9.
01:40Blossoms, Mulan.
01:41Yes, we all know the songs by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel,
01:45but we need to give kudos to Jerry Goldsmith's score.
01:48My, my.
01:50What beautiful blossoms we have this year.
01:54Blending elements of traditional Chinese music with Western classical idioms,
01:58Goldsmith's Blossoms follows Mulan's solo seamlessly into the next scene.
02:02Here, Mulan's father, Fa Zhu, supports his daughter after her disastrous meeting with the matchmaker.
02:08Quirks and all.
02:08But look, this one's late, but I'll bet that when it blooms, it will be the most beautiful of all.
02:20When the draft arrives to conscript him, Goldsmith's score returns to the more muscular imperial theme.
02:26Whether delicate as falling blossoms or grand,
02:29the score exemplifies the film's themes of masculinity and femininity perfectly.
02:33The far family!
02:35No.
02:46Number 8.
02:47The burned-out village, Mulan.
02:49One of the most striking scenes in the film is this one.
03:02The comical, a girl worth fighting for,
03:04is abruptly interrupted when the army stumbles upon a devastating scene.
03:09The invading Huns have massacred a humble village, leaving no one alive.
03:13The only thing left is a small doll.
03:26Beginning with eerily thin strings, Goldsmith's score turns to spine-chilling horror and then solemn, wordless grief.
03:33When the imperial army, including Shang's father, is also found to have perished,
03:38the score swells with a pained sense of doom.
03:40The general.
03:53The tragic impact of war has never been more effectively musicalized.
04:14Number 7.
04:15Loyal Brave True, Mulan 2020.
04:18This live-action remake was plagued with controversy on almost all fronts.
04:23One of them was its decision to eschew the beloved songs from the 1998 film, Yikes.
04:28A new end credits ballad, Loyal Brave True, was written, however,
04:32by producer Jamie Hartman, Billy Crabtree, Harry Gregson-Williams, and Rosie Golan.
04:37War is not freedom, over my shoulder, I see a clear view.
04:45Sung by Christina Aguilera, the ballad is surprisingly lyrical,
04:49with soft emotional heft even with Aguilera's powerhouse vocals.
04:53The use of the Chinese gujang is not badly done either.
04:56Should I ask myself in the water, what a warrior would do?
05:05Though not as good as the standout hit Reflection, it's nevertheless a nice compliment to it.
05:11It should have gotten a nomination for Best Original Song at the very least.
05:15To be loyal, brave, and true.
05:21Number 6.
05:22True to Your Heart, Mulan.
05:24The end credits song for the original film, however, was a much livelier number.
05:29True to your heart, you must be true to your heart.
05:33It's when the heavens will pour, and show the world what you believe in.
05:38Also written by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel,
05:40the single was performed by American band 98 Degrees and Stevie Wonder.
05:45With its upbeat, celebratory feel, it was a fitting ending number for the film's happy ending.
05:50You've got my heart, it's driving me to the way you are.
05:54Well, you can take both hands off the wheel and still get by.
05:58Critics did point out, however, that the track doesn't go as well with the other tracks.
06:02Either the Wilder Zippel numbers or the Goldsmith score.
06:06No matter, it's a bop.
06:07Raven-Simone even recorded a version for the 2004 Ella Enchanted soundtrack.
06:12With that distinct early-aughts Disney Channel sound,
06:15the nostalgia is invigorating.
06:17I know it's gone when we just take it to make it.
06:24Number 5.
06:25Mulan's Decision.
06:26Mulan.
06:27Perhaps the best piece of Goldsmith's score,
06:30you know it the instant you hear it.
06:41After an explosive fight with her father,
06:43Mulan broods outside in the pouring rain.
06:45Watching her parents' aged silhouettes in the house.
06:48The minute Mulan decides to take her father's place in the army,
06:52the score goes from a mournful Eastern score to an epic orchestral melody,
06:57complete with 90s synthesizer.
07:08The shift when Mulan cuts her hair is also a great touch.
07:12The effect is memorable, exhilarating, and downright badass.
07:16For score and animation synergy, it doesn't get much better than this.
07:30Whichever way you look at it, Mulan is a pretty heavy story.
07:34And the pounding beat, our aching feet aren't easy to ignore.
07:39Hey!
07:40Think of instead, a girl worth fighting for.
07:45Huh?
07:46That's what I said, a girl worth fighting for.
07:50So its moments of comic relief, particularly Eddie Murphy's performance as Mushu,
07:55are very much welcome.
07:57Yao, Ling, and Chen Po try to rouse their fellow soldiers' spirits
08:01with a song about the kind of girl they think is worth fighting for.
08:04My girl will think I have no fault.
08:07That I'm a major find.
08:10Uh, how about a girl who's got a brain?
08:14Who always speaks her mind?
08:17Nah.
08:17The lyrics by David Zippel are fun, witty, and in-character for the three amigos.
08:22There's also the additional comic irony of a mortified Mulan
08:26trying and failing to act as one of the guys.
08:28It's a pity it didn't receive a proper ending,
08:31but it was fun while it lasted.
08:34The girl worth fighting for.
08:39The girl worth fighting.
08:43Number 3.
08:44Honor to us all.
08:46Mulan.
08:46Opening numbers in Disney films have a high bar to clear.
08:50Fortunately, Mulan meets it without struggle.
08:53This is what you give me to work with.
08:55Well, honey, I've seen worse.
08:58We're gonna turn this sow's ear
09:02into a silk purse.
09:04In this scene, Mulan's mother and grandmother prepare Mulan
09:06for her important meeting with the matchmaker.
09:09With its delightfully lilting melody and pointed lyrics,
09:12Honor to us all is the perfect introduction to Mulan's very gendered world.
09:16A girl can bring her family grace honor in one way
09:22by striking a good match as this could be the day.
09:28It doubles as a sly parody of traditional gender roles for women
09:31and foreshadowing of Mulan's not-so-traditionally-feminine actions later in the film.
09:36Although never released as a single,
09:38Honor to Us All was popular enough to be certified gold by the RIAA.
09:43An honor, indeed.
09:44Please bring honor to us, please.
09:47Bring honor to us, please.
09:49Bring honor to us, please.
09:54Number 2.
09:56I'll make a man out of you, Mulan.
09:58Quick, what's the most popular song from Mulan?
10:01Chicken bats, big four went through.
10:05Mr. I'll make a man out of you.
10:10Chances are, I'll make a man out of you would be your answer.
10:14Led by Captain Li Shang during a training montage,
10:16the song's martial sound is appropriately badass,
10:19with a memorable chorus.
10:21You must be swift at the coursing river
10:27With all the force of a great typhoon
10:30You're a man!
10:31A counterpart to Honor to Us All,
10:33the lyrics are likewise a clever send-up of military hyper-masculinity.
10:38That Mulan is a woman disguised as a man
10:40adds an extra layer of irony.
10:42Also, Jackie Chan voiced Shang for the Cantonese dub.
10:46How cool is that?
10:55Certified three times platinum in the States,
10:57it's definitely one of the most beloved songs from the film
11:00and a source for parodies.
11:03With all the strength of a raging fire
11:07Mysterious as the dark side of the moon
11:14Praying for rain
11:16To push back the pain
11:19Praying for rain
11:21Before we continue,
11:23check out this single from Sound Mojo's Adia,
11:25Songs from Iran,
11:26reimagining Persian melodies as modern rock,
11:29metal, and pop songs.
11:31Check out the full track and album below.
11:34Come to me and save me from this wretched place
11:39Come to me and hide me in your sacred space
11:44Seal me with your grace
11:46Number one, Reflection, Mulan.
11:49When it comes to pure songwriting, however,
11:52nothing beats this hit.
11:54Look at me
11:55I will never pass
11:58For a perfect bride
12:01Or a perfect daughter
12:04Of course, Reflection was heavily promoted by Disney,
12:07released as a pop single by Christina Aguilera
12:10with her soaring vocals.
12:12But Leia Salonga's beautiful voice
12:13and pristine diction is unmatched
12:15for the actual film version.
12:17Who is that girl I see
12:22Staring straight back at me
12:27Short but powerful,
12:29Mulan laments her inability to be the perfect bride
12:31and bring honor to her family.
12:33Critically acclaimed and a massive hit,
12:36especially for Aguilera.
12:37The song was even included in the 2020 soundtrack,
12:40one of the few songs from the 1998 film To Be Included.
12:53For anyone who has ever struggled to fit into strict gender roles
12:57and societal expectations,
12:59Reflection hits especially hard.
13:15Which is your favorite song from Mulan?
13:17Let us know in the comments down below.
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