Other Disney Lyricists
Other Disney Lyricists
#1Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/6/13 at 7:36pm
I've been wondering this for a while, but other than the great late Howard Ashman (My favorite lyricist for Disney and other works), which other Disney lyricist do you all like?
EDIT:
Sherman Brothers
Tim Rice
Stephen Schwartz
David Zippel
Randy Newman
Glenn Slater
Kristen Anderson-Lopez
Updated On: 7/6/13 at 07:36 PM
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#2Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/6/13 at 7:53pm
The Sherman Brothers were the top composers for Disney in the 60's and I still remember their wonderful work.
The weakest lyricist of the list I put up is obivously Glenn Slater, I can't even believe the stuff he considers a song lyric like:
"When Will My Life Begin" from Tangled:
"And then I'll brush and brush and brush and brush my hair".
"And I'll keep wondrin and wondrin and wondrin and wondrin".
Seriously?? Oh and Randy stinks as well...
Updated On: 7/6/13 at 07:53 PM
#3Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/6/13 at 7:56pm
David Zippel should be writing a new Broadway show every 2 years. When he's good he's really terrific. (And keep him far away from any review directing, please!)
Sadly I think his work for Mulan and Hercules are among his least good stuff.
#4Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/6/13 at 8:02pm
^Yeah David's stuff has always been hit/miss with people, to me he's alright.
I forgot, Slater's lyrics for Mother Knows Best (and it's awesome reprise) and I've Got a Dream are better; thank god...
Updated On: 7/6/13 at 08:02 PM
#6Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/6/13 at 9:01pmThe Sherman Brothers could write a lyric like no other.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
#7Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/6/13 at 9:03pmSherman Brothers, hands down.
"Through The Sacrifice You Made, We Can't Believe The Price You Paid..For Love!"
#8Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/6/13 at 10:54pm
Personally, I can't wait to see what Robert Lopez and his wife will do with their music and lyrics for Frozen.
Fun Fact: When Frozen was called: The Snow Queen, Alan Menken and Glenn Slater were supposed to write the songs when the project came back in 2009. I guess the powers that be thought it would be a better idea to get a new team for it.
JohnyBroadway
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/12
#9Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/6/13 at 11:03pmFunny that Menken has said that slater's style of writing is the closest to that of Howard Ashman.
#10Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/6/13 at 11:30pm
When it comes to the WAY the song is written, yes, but does that excuse Slater for not being inventive or clever with some of his lyrics most of the time? Love Never Dies and Slater's abuse of the word "beautiful" anyone?
Thank god Charles Hart revised a lot of Slater's work, especially making "Dear Old Friend" a more dark and witty song.
Updated On: 7/6/13 at 11:30 PM
#11Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/7/13 at 6:59amThe Sherman Brothers and Howard Ashman
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#12Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/7/13 at 2:34pm
""And then I'll brush and brush and brush and brush my hair". "
I actually like that lyric--it repeats the word to show how bored she is. But I agree Slater is often pretty weak.
MusicalMaster--actually Snow Queen was set to be a live musical show at TokyoDisney--and Menken/Slater DID write a score for it. I've heard bits, and it's beautiful--but the gossip is Disney thought it was too dark. Amon Miyamoto, the often wonderful Japanese theatre director who did the Pacific Overtures revival but in Japan has done acclaimed productions of much of Sondheim's work as well as commissioning and doing a version of The Nutcracker with LaChiusa (!) had even started to direct.
Funny, I never thought anyone would praise Charles Hart's skills--but I agree with you.
#13Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/7/13 at 3:11pm
^I don't know Eric, that lyric could've had different words that at least rhymed.
Didn't know that Alan Menken and Glenn Slater's work on Frozen was supposed to be FOR a theme park show but okay. I heard Love Can't Be Denied and it IMO, contains some of Slater's best work as a lyricist.
I'm glad you agree about Hart, he really did help Love Never Dies to the point where it's tolerable now.
#14Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/7/13 at 3:34pmTim Rice, of course! It's not easy to write for Disney. I've tried and may try again.
#15Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/9/13 at 2:05am
I'm suprised that no one's talked about Schwartz at all.
His lyrics to Hunchback of Notre Dame is amazing, especially Hellfire.
henrikegerman
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/29/05
#17Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/11/13 at 9:12pm
I still wonder which modern Disney lyricist is close to Howard Ashman's introspective, inventive, witty lyrics. Any ideas?
Updated On: 7/11/13 at 09:12 PM
#18Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/11/13 at 11:24pm
I will accept no putdowns of the great Randy Newman!
"When She Loved Me" is one of the few songs almost guaranteed to make me cry. I'm also quite partial to "I Will Go Sailing No More" from the first TOY STORY, and "If I Didn't Have You" is a lot of fun, though I'll eagerly admit that his Pixar turnout is a shadow of his original singer/songwriter material. But Randy Newman's shadow is still a whole lot brigher than those Glenn Slater lyrics...
Words don't deserve that kind of malarkey. They're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other, so if you look after them you can build bridges across incomprehension and chaos. But when they get their corners knocked off, they're no good anymore…I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.
#19Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/12/13 at 2:00am
Randy Newman's work with Pixar is great.
But for the Princess and the Frog... With the exception of Almost There and Dig a Little Deeper, the songs in that movie are so forgettable and bland (music and lyrics wise) it's not even funny.
I think as of right now. Kristen Anderson Lopez is showing a lot of promise and I still am waiting for Frozen to finally be released.
Thank god I'm not alone on how much Glenn Slater's lyrics are really lacking at best.
#20Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/13/13 at 12:14pm
There was only one Howard Ashman. All others pale in comparison, especially Tim Rice and Glenn Slater.
#21Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/13/13 at 5:47pm
I think Schwartz's lyrics for Disney are some of his best work.
I love Tim Rice's early work but by the time he got to Disney I'd lost interest in his work.
To me, there's been a real stagnation in Disney's musicals since Ashman died.
#22Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/16/13 at 9:24pmJohnPopa, that is true but Hunchback and Tangled (hopefully Frozen as well), do come very close.
#23Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/17/13 at 1:16pmZippel's lyrics to Hercules are my favorite.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
#24Other Disney Lyricists
Posted: 7/27/13 at 12:21pm
Some of Zippel's lyrics to Hercules are good but with the exception of I Won't Say I'm in Love, the songs in the movie are average at best.
There was a video on YT, about Let It Go which is Elsa's song in Frozen and from a singing preview the lyrics are really nice. With the girl in the video singing it for us.
Let it go, let it go.
I'm one with the wind and sky.
Let it go, let it go.
You'll never see me cry
Let the storm rage on
The cold never bothered me anyway
Videos