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DreamWorks has given us some of the most gloriously wicked musical moments in animation, from sneaky singalongs to full-on show-stopping threats. Join us as we celebrate the villain tracks that ooze style, swagger, and chaos, including unforgettable numbers from Shrek, Trolls, Madagascar, The Prince of Egypt, Shark Tale, and more. Which devious tune is your favorite?
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00:00You're playing with the big boys now.
00:05Playing with the big boys now.
00:08Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:10And today, we're counting down our picks for the tracks that let DreamWorks bad guys strut, scheme, and steal the
00:16whole movie for a few glorious minutes.
00:18We're primarily focusing on songs performed by the villains, rather than instrumental scores.
00:23Where have all the good men gone?
00:27Morning, where are all the good?
00:32Number 20. People Ain't No Good, Shrek 2.
00:36Nick Cave's gloomy track is a pretty brutal soundtrack for Shrek's rock bottom moment.
00:41People just ain't no good.
00:46A thing that's well understood.
00:50As he drowns his sorrows in the poison apple, the song sung by Captain Hook turns his heartbreak into something
00:56almost funereal.
00:57With mournful piano and aching violin doing plenty of emotional heavy lifting.
01:02More importantly, those bitter lyrics tap straight into Shrek's growing belief that people really are no good.
01:09Especially when it comes to an ogre finding his happily ever after.
01:12Hey, why the long face?
01:22It's a wonderfully miserable fit for the scene, capturing that point where it seems like, on this occasion, the bad
01:29guys get to win.
01:30Then, naturally, things get even worse.
01:40Number 19. Welcome to Duloc, Shrek.
01:44You might not expect a chirpy tourism jingle to qualify as a villain song, but then again, Lord Farquaad has
01:50never exactly been subtle about his priorities.
02:01Welcome to Duloc turns his kingdom into a smiling little nightmare, with robotic choreography and relentless cheer masking an obsession
02:09with order and obedience.
02:11The bright, bouncy melody feels almost aggressively pleasant, which makes the authoritarian undertones even funnier.
02:17Please keep up on the grass, shine your shoes, wipe your face.
02:22Every perfectly timed lyric sells Duloc as a spotless paradise, while quietly revealing the ridiculous control behind it.
02:30It's basically propaganda wrapped in a catchy tune, introducing Farquaad as an ego-driven leader who compensates for his small
02:38stature with an iron grip.
02:39Duloc is, Duloc is, Duloc is, Duloc is a perfect place.
02:49Number 18. Death's Whistle, Puss in Boots, The Last Wish.
02:53Forget a villain monologue, this wolf only needs two notes to make your blood run cold.
03:07That eerie whistle becomes his calling card as he stalks Puss, turning every appearance into a reminder that this isn't
03:14another fairytale villain our hero can simply outsmart.
03:17There's almost nothing to it musically.
03:20A lonely, echoing whistle cuts through the soundtrack, often backed by sharp percussion that gives the whole thing a grim,
03:26ticking pulse.
03:42More importantly, it strips away Puss's confidence and leaves him facing something he can't charm, fight, or outrun.
03:49For a character with nine lives, that's a terrifying reality check.
03:53You know we will meet again, right?
03:57Si, hasta la muerte.
04:05Number 17. Mi Gente, Trolls World Tour.
04:09Reggaeton usually means party time, so hearing Mi Gente during a high-stakes moment gives the scene a deliciously sinister
04:16twist.
04:25Tresillo uses the track while Branch is being captured, making that irresistible beat feel less like an invitation to dance
04:32and more like a command.
04:34The relentless rhythm keeps everything moving, making the sequence feel slick, energetic, and dangerous.
04:47Even the song's celebratory message about unity takes on a different meaning here.
04:52Togetherness isn't exactly comforting when a villain is the one calling the shots.
04:56It's a great example of the franchise weaponizing familiar pop hits, proving a catchy song can make a villainous moment
05:03even more irresistible.
05:04Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!
05:07Why does Barb get to decide which music gets to be saved?
05:11All music should be saved.
05:17Speaking of infectious beats that keep you hooked, if you want a constant stream of pop culture obsession that never
05:23stops taking over your screen, head over to Ms. Mojo's 24-7 live stream right now.
05:28Scan the QR code on screen to join us live for non-stop pop culture fun.
05:32Now, there's no time to debate this. Let's go.
05:35Number 16. Little Drop of Poison. Shrek 2.
05:38The Poison Apple isn't exactly the sort of bar where you'd expect to find a karaoke night, and this moment
05:43makes that immediately clear.
05:46I like my town.
05:50With a little drop of poison.
05:53Tom Waits' smoky, gravelly voice gives the tavern a grimy atmosphere as all manner of fairytale villains gather,
06:00and the king sneakily plots against Shrek.
06:03The bluesy piano and murky late-night sound feel like they wandered in from a seedy crime movie,
06:08which suits this den of outcasts perfectly.
06:11No body.
06:15Excuse me.
06:17Then there are the lyrics, built around the idea that everyone carries a little poison inside them.
06:22It's practically the house philosophy.
06:24No wonder this feels like the musical welcome mat to Far Far Away's criminal underworld.
06:29You see, I need to have someone taken care of.
06:34Who's a guy?
06:35He's not a guy, per se.
06:38He's an ogre.
06:42Number 15. Marketplace.
06:45Joseph, King of Dreams.
06:46Talk about a song that refuses to let you look away.
06:49Marketplace plays as Joseph is sold into slavery,
06:52and its frantic energy makes the cruelty feel immediate.
06:55Behold the glory, behold the wonder,
06:59what we have made shall not be torn asunder.
07:02Such vast achievement, stone and papyrus,
07:05beneath the gaze of Isis and Osiris.
07:09Driving percussion, racing strings,
07:11and swelling choral vocals create a sense of panic
07:14as people are treated like merchandise.
07:16That contrast is what makes the number so disturbing.
07:18The music is sweeping and cinematic,
07:21but the human reality underneath it is brutally transactional.
07:37The traitors aren't the kinds of villains young audiences might be accustomed to,
07:41but their cold indifference does the job.
07:43Evil doesn't always arrive with a grand speech.
07:46Sometimes, it's simply people deciding another person has a price.
07:50From your every step to your every soul.
07:55Who's doing?
07:57You're done.
07:58He's ready for work.
08:01Number 14. Mountrageous.
08:03Trolls band together.
08:05Velvet and Veneer don't exactly do subtle,
08:07and here's the proof.
08:09The pair explodes into this pop spectacle
08:11while celebrating the fame,
08:13wealth, and stolen talent they've built their act around.
08:16Sweet dreams are made of this.
08:19Who am I to disagree?
08:23Everything about the number is excessive,
08:25from the sparkling production
08:27to the dance beats and vocal effects.
08:29But beneath all that glitter is a nasty idea.
08:32Why bother developing talent
08:33when you can just take somebody else's?
08:43That makes the song a perfect showcase
08:45for their fame-at-any-cost mentality.
08:48It's flashy, ridiculously catchy,
08:50and shameless.
08:52If you're going to be a villain in the music industry,
08:54you might as well have a stage show.
08:56Baby, let's live for my name.
09:09Number 13. Bad looks so good.
09:12The bad guys, too.
09:13Mr. Shark, voiced by Craig Robinson,
09:16gets to channel his inner rock star here.
09:18And frankly, the man has range.
09:20The bad guys gave up crime.
09:23They finally cleared their name.
09:24But alone came the bad girls
09:26and Kitty changed the game.
09:28The swaggering number proudly arrives
09:30as the bad guys return to crime,
09:32while rival bad girls turn it into a stylish competition.
09:35A funky bass line, punchy brass,
09:38and a smooth, danceable groove
09:39give the track the confidence of a heist
09:41pulled off in designer sunglasses.
09:43Mr. Shark's got disguises,
09:45Mr. Wood's got class.
09:47Tarantulas got computer skills,
09:49and piranhas got gas.
09:50Mr. Snake's got a girlfriend
09:52who may be a double-crossed.
09:53The lyrics celebrate rule-breaking
09:55with enough charm to make crime look glamorous.
09:58It's exactly the kind of song
09:59that makes you want to join the gang,
10:01even while knowing that is probably a terrible idea.
10:04Criminal activity has rarely sounded this much fun.
10:08Hey, bad looks so good.
10:11I see us up on the big screen.
10:14We're coming to your hood
10:15Cause the bad guys, the bad guys, the bad guys look so good.
10:23As the son of the forever iconic fairy godmother,
10:28Prince Charming should know a thing or two
10:30about belting out a chorus.
10:31I'm strong and brave
10:33And dashing my way there
10:35Speed with might
10:37With soft and bouncy
10:39Okay, whether he actually does
10:42is probably up to personal taste,
10:45but we're gonna go ahead and say
10:46his mom was probably a little more gifted
10:49in the musical theater department.
10:50During the musical production,
10:52Rapunzel's voice actress,
10:53the lovely Maya Rudolph,
10:55outdoes herself.
10:56Locked up here, please set me free
10:59My new life, I almost see
11:02A castle
11:03You and me
11:05Yes
11:06On the other hand,
11:07Rupert Everett,
11:08the man responsible for Prince Charming's voice,
11:10manages to capture the
11:12it's so bad, it's good portrayal to a T.
11:15While this isn't a duet we're praising
11:16strictly in terms of talent,
11:18it is one that made us laugh
11:20and all the more with Shrek's commentary.
11:23Prepare, foul beast,
11:25Your time is done!
11:27Oh, if you don't mind,
11:28could you kill me and then sing?
11:32Be quiet!
11:33Number 11
11:34Smooth Jazz Chaz
11:36Trolls World Tour
11:37You hear something?
11:44We know we said we were going to avoid instrumentals,
11:47but since Chaz is the one responsible
11:49for this warm, soulful ballad,
11:51we figure we can make an exception.
11:53A la Careless Whisper,
11:55Chaz plays this tune in order to lure
11:57and capture Poppy Branch and company.
12:00I can't feel my face.
12:04It's like I'm being paralyzed by it.
12:08We get a fun little montage
12:10of the couple swept away to a beachy paradise,
12:13though we find out quickly enough
12:15that it's all a trance brought about
12:17by the hypnotizing melody that is smooth jazz.
12:19Can't say we blame them for falling for it.
12:22Hey, who tied up our hands?
12:24Gotcha, pop babies.
12:26Soon, Barb is going to have your string
12:29in the world to be rid of cheesy, pointless pop music.
12:32Once and for all.
12:34Number 10
12:35Sirens
12:36Sinbad, Legend of the Seven Seas
12:38While this enchanting melody doesn't have lyrics,
12:41we'd like to make the argument
12:43that it doesn't need any.
12:48Sinbad, I...
12:52Sirens!
12:55The Song of the Sirens is an ancient tale,
12:57and it's always interesting to hear
12:59how different kinds of media take on the idea.
13:02Sinbad went with a beautifully haunting vocal ensemble,
13:05one that's just as alluring to us
13:07as it is to the men aboard the ship.
13:11Sinbad!
13:12Jin?
13:13Link?
13:15Come and get it, ladies!
13:19Kale?
13:19Come with me,
13:21and we'll speak of love.
13:23Not only is the scene visually stunning,
13:25it's also spectacularly intense,
13:28as Marina rushes this way and that
13:30in order to save the crew.
13:32These are villains we don't get to hear a lot from,
13:34and that's actually a good thing.
13:56I know what every princess needs
14:01for her to live life happily.
14:07So, alright, this is less
14:09bibbidi-bobbidi-boo
14:10and more here's my business card,
14:12but it works.
14:13The Fairy Godmother's introduction to Fiona
14:15is anything but mundane,
14:17and its overwhelming chaos
14:19definitely alludes to more sinister intentions
14:22beneath the magic wands and fairy tale fixings.
14:2440 carriage to ride in style,
14:27sexy man-boy show for Kyle,
14:29banish your blemishes,
14:30tooth decay,
14:31silly-like pies will fade away,
14:33all the day,
14:34have a visual frisee!
14:35Her entrance starts off slow and magical,
14:39which is really lovely,
14:40before voice actress Jennifer Saunders
14:42kicks things into high gear.
14:44She's definitely not your grandmother's fairy godmother.
14:47We have to wonder just how many takes it took for Saunders
14:50to get the lyrics right without getting tongue-tied.
14:52Don't be dry, you'll be fine,
14:54your physical apple-todd ass,
14:55geese's flavor's I say,
14:57have some chicken-tickers,
14:58I live for top,
14:59here at the glass,
14:59that prince with perfect hair!
15:01Number 8.
15:03Watch Me Work.
15:04Trolls Band Together.
15:05Velvet and Veneers' Watch Me Work
15:07is a musical mission statement.
15:09Fame first,
15:10morals never.
15:11It turns that shameless shortcut
15:13into a full-blown pop spectacle
15:14as the siblings drain the magical talent
15:16from their captive performers.
15:28The pulsing electronic production
15:31and strutting bass line
15:32give them all the confidence
15:33of genuine superstars,
15:35while their success is built on exploitation.
15:37That contradiction makes the song
15:39especially fun.
15:41If you want to be as famous as me,
15:44you gotta work,
15:45gotta work,
15:47gotta work.
15:48Watch Me Work.
15:49They're practically bragging about hard work
15:52while doing none of it themselves,
15:53and the track knows exactly
15:55how ridiculous that is.
15:56It's darkly fun,
15:58obnoxious,
15:59and catchy.
15:59Essentially the musical equivalent
16:01of two villains admiring themselves
16:03in an unearned mirror.
16:04Oh my God!
16:06Oh, girl!
16:08Number 7.
16:09He is Dave.
16:11Penguins of Madagascar.
16:12He's a creature from
16:14deep down in the ocean.
16:18Performed by Lauren Balfe and Anthony Genn,
16:21this feels like James Bond meets the Pink Panther,
16:24but make it nautical.
16:25Honestly, all of Dave's theme has a fun spy parody feel to it,
16:29but we have to admit we're partial to the version with lyrics.
16:32Seriously, it's a whole bop.
16:35You can run, you can hide,
16:37you smell the fear in your eyes.
16:41It's Dave!
16:43Dave is one of the best parts of this movie,
16:46so we're happy to see that he got a track
16:48worthy of his tragic backstory
16:49and epic villainy.
16:51Balfe and Genn really didn't have to go that hard,
16:54but boy are we glad they did.
16:56My friends dressed in black and white,
16:59better run for their lives,
17:01he's coming again tonight.
17:03He's Dave.
17:13As much as we love Dave,
17:15it's safe to say Chantelle Dubois
17:17takes the lead as best villain of the Madagascar franchise.
17:20She's cruel, ruthless, and calculating.
17:29Also, her being French just really adds to her charm.
17:33We can't explain it.
17:34Either way,
17:36could not have been a better choice for her song.
17:49Her performance is grand and boisterous,
17:52and we understand exactly how it managed to heal her henchmen.
17:56Frances McDormand did a truly stellar job,
17:59and this might just be one of the most moving,
18:01yet hilarious scenes in the film.
18:04The commence of victoire!
18:15Number 5.
18:16Merry Men.
18:17Shrek.
18:18Look, pal,
18:19I don't know who you think you are.
18:21Ah, of course,
18:22how rude, Alala.
18:23Please, let me introduce myself.
18:26Somehow we remember Robin Hood,
18:27or, sorry,
18:29Monsieur Hood,
18:30a lot less annoying in the folklore tales of his deeds.
18:33Although he doesn't exactly reach villain status in Shrek per se,
18:37he's definitely an antagonist of the film,
18:40if for nothing other than his insufferableness,
18:43which is why it's so maddening that his song is just so darn catchy.
18:47I still phone the rich and give to the needy.
18:49He takes a wee percentage.
18:50But I'm not greedy.
18:52I risk you pretty domsels.
18:53Man, I'm good.
18:54What a night!
18:55Monsieur Hood.
18:56Make it down.
18:58There's even a tap dance break.
19:00Come on.
19:01Really, this whole sequence is awesome,
19:03from the synchronized choreography
19:04to Monsieur Hood's tongue-in-cheek innuendo
19:07to Fiona's insanely impressive martial arts skills.
19:10Keep your eyes on me, boys,
19:11cause I'm about to stop!
19:17No!
19:21Man, that was annoying.
19:23We'd say they got what they deserve
19:24for trying to kidnap someone, right?
19:26Number 4.
19:27Crazy Train.
19:28Trolls World Tour.
19:29Queen Barb choosing Crazy Train as her battle anthem
19:32is about as subtle as a guitar solo through a brick wall.
19:35Crazy!
19:38That's how it goes!
19:47In Trolls World Tour,
19:49she uses the Ozzy Osbourne classic
19:50to announce her plan to wipe out
19:52every other musical genre
19:54and put rock on top.
19:55Building on the dominance,
19:56she also establishes with
19:58Rock You Like a Hurricane.
19:59Here I am!
20:01Rock you like a hurricane!
20:05Those screaming guitar riffs
20:07and pounding drums
20:08give the sequence the scale
20:09of a full-blown concert,
20:11while the song's runaway energy
20:12fits Barb's mission perfectly.
20:14And the title itself feels
20:15almost too perfect.
20:17Barb really is driving everyone
20:19onto a crazy train,
20:20with absolutely no intention
20:22of hitting the brakes.
20:32Gold Digger offers an upbeat pop rap tune
20:36very reminiscent of the early 2000s.
20:39Performed by Ludacris,
20:40Bobby Valentino,
20:41and Lil Fate,
20:42this song serves as an introduction
20:44to the character of Lola,
20:46who is, well,
20:47pretty accurately described in the title.
20:56It's a fun way to make
20:57a relatively mature concept
20:59into something kids can digest,
21:01assuming they understand
21:02the meaning at all.
21:03And as for adults watching along,
21:06we bet they definitely got a kick
21:08out of this when it first aired
21:09in theaters.
21:18If one thing's for sure,
21:20Lola's got some fish-tastic dance moves.
21:23What are you afraid of?
21:25Afraid?
21:26Yeah, that's funny.
21:28I ain't afraid of nothing.
21:29It's just...
21:29Ooh, wow.
21:30Oh, baby, you are so tense.
21:33Yeah, you know,
21:33I've really been stressed lately,
21:35you know, just protecting the reef.
21:36You know, I do that by myself.
21:38Number 2.
21:39The Plagues,
21:40The Prince of Egypt.
21:46Given the nature of the content
21:47in The Prince of Egypt,
21:48it's unsurprising that
21:49most of the musical accompaniment
21:51is in some way chilling.
21:52The antagonist pieces are,
21:54of course, no exception.
21:56Between the big,
21:57rumbling suspensefulness
21:58of playing with the big boys
22:00and the devastatingly epic ensemble
22:02that is The Plagues,
22:03we're met with feelings
22:04of turmoil at every turn.
22:07This was my home.
22:09All this pain and devastation,
22:12how it tortures me inside.
22:14The latter is especially notable
22:16for its role in the movie
22:17as the catalyst of all the despair
22:19and loss that will eventually
22:20be wreaked upon Egypt.
22:21It's somber, no doubt,
22:23but it's also undeniably moving.
22:26Then let my heart be hardened
22:28and never mind how high
22:30the cost may grow.
22:31This will still be so.
22:33I will never let
22:35your people go.
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23:06Number 1.
23:07Holding out for a hero.
23:09Shrek 2.
23:10It's difficult
23:10to do Bonnie Tyler justice,
23:12but it's especially difficult
23:14to nail one of her biggest hits.
23:16Late at night,
23:17I toss and I turn
23:27Jennifer Saunders totally wows us
23:29once again with her cover,
23:31with a phenomenal orchestral backing
23:33and the flair of a thousand Prince Charmings.
23:36Saunders absolutely knocks this one
23:38out of the park,
23:39and it's quite possibly
23:40the perfect song to juxtapose
23:42with Shrek's whole saving act.
23:56It's a song that absolutely
23:58puts the drama
23:59in this dramatic scene.
24:01Fiona is holding out for a hero.
24:03She just doesn't know it yet.
24:06My God is strong
24:07and he's gotta be fast
24:09and he's gotta be fresh
24:11from the fight.
24:12I'm a hero.
24:16Which DreamWorks villain song
24:17brings out your bad side?
24:19Let us know in the comments.