7 Empowering Songs from Disney

Well, readers-mine, November was a complicated month, and I just watched the live-action Mulan. It got me thinking about Disney songs and the power of them. When I looked up lists empowering songs from Disney, many of them weren’t actually about empowerment, but were fun to sing or were simply the song certain movies are known for. That’s all well and good, but I thought we could do with a list of songs actually about empowerment from what I consider recent Disney movies and I wanted them to be songs that either students have talked to me about or I have played for my class. So, in no particular order, here are some songs about finding the strength to be yourself. (And, yes, I am aware that I left out a lot of songs.)

“How Far I’ll Go” from Moana (Auli’i Cravalho)

I’ve been staring at the edge of the water
‘Long as I can remember, never really knowing why
I wish I could be the perfect daughter
But I come back to the water, no matter how hard I try
Every turn I take, every trail I track
Every path I make, every road leads back
To the place I know, where I can not go, where I long to be

See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me
And no one knows, how far it goes
If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me
One day I’ll know, if I go there’s just no telling how far I’ll go

I know everybody on this island, seems so happy on this island
Everything is by design
I know everybody on this island has a role on this island
So maybe I can roll with mine
I can lead with pride, I can make us strong
I’ll be satisfied if I play along
But the voice inside sings a different song
What is wrong with me?

See the light as it shines on the sea? It’s blinding
But no one knows, how deep it goes
And it seems like it’s calling out to me, so come find me
And let me know, what’s beyond that line, will I cross that line?

The line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me
And no one knows, how far it goes
If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me
One day I’ll know, how far I’ll go

“Show Yourself” from Frozen II (Idina Menzel and Evan Rachel Wood)

Every inch of me is trembling
But not from the cold
Something is familiar
Like a dream, I can reach but not quite hold
I can sense you there
Like a friend I’ve always known
I’m arriving
And it feels like I am home

I have always been a fortress
Cold secrets deep inside
You have secrets, too
But you don’t have to hide

Show yourself
I’m dying to meet you
Show yourself
It’s your turn
Are you the one I’ve been looking for
All of my life?
Show yourself
I’m ready to learn
Ah-ah, ah-ah
Ah-ah, ah-ah-ah

I’ve never felt so certain
All my life, I’ve been torn
But I’m here for a reason
Could it be the reason I was born?
I have always been so different
Normal rules did not apply
Is this the day?
Are you the way
I finally find out why?

Show yourself
I’m no longer trembling
Here I am
I’ve come so far
You are the answer I’ve waited for
All of my life
Oh, show yourself
Let me see who you are

Come to me now
Open your door
Don’t make me wait
One moment more
Oh, come to me now
Open your door
Don’t make me wait
One moment more

Where the North wind meets the sea
Ah-ah, ah-ah
There’s a river
Ah-ah, ah-ah
Full of memory (memories, memories)
Come, my darling, homeward bound
I am found

Show yourself
Step into the power
Grow yourself
Into something new
You are the one you’ve been waiting for
All of my life
All of your life
Oh, show yourself

Ah-ah, ah-ah
Ah-ah, ah-ah
Ah-ah, ah-ah

“Touch the Sky” from Brave (Julie Fowlis)

When the cold wind’s a-calling
And the sky is clear and bright
Misty mountains sing and beckon,
Lead me out into the light

I will ride, I will fly
Chase the wind and touch the sky
I will fly
Chase the wind and touch the sky

Where dark woods hide secrets
And mountains are fierce and bold
Deep waters hold reflections
Of times lost long ago

I will hear their every story
Take hold of my own dream
Be as strong as the seas are stormy
And proud as an eagle’s scream

I will ride, I will fly
Chase the wind and touch the sky
I will fly
Chase the wind and touch the sky

And touch the sky
Chase the wind, chase the wind
Touch the sky

“Loyal Brave True” from Mulan (Christina Aguilera)

War is not freedom
Over my shoulder
I see a clearer view

All for my family
Reason I’m breathing
Everything to lose

Should I ask myself in the water
What a warrior would do?
Tell me, underneath my armor
Am I loyal, brave, and true?
Am I loyal, brave, and true?

Losing is easy
Winning takes bravery
I am a tiger’s fool

Out in the open
No one to save me
The kindest of whispers are cruel

Should I ask myself in the water
What a warrior would do?
Tell me, underneath my armor
Am I loyal, brave, and true?
Am I loyal, brave, and true?

Cold is the morning
Warm is the dream
Chasing the answers
‘Til I can’t sleep
Will I be stronger
Or will I be weak
When you’re not with me?

Who am I without my armor?
Standing in my father’s shoes
All I know is that it’s harder
To be loyal, brave, and true

“Speechless” from Aladdin (Naomi Scott)

Here comes a wave meant to wash me away
A tide that is taking me under
Swallowing sand, left with nothing to say
My voice drowned out in the thunder

But I won’t cry
And I won’t start to crumble
Whenever they try to shut me or cut me down

I won’t be silenced
You can’t keep me quiet
Won’t tremble when you try it
All I know is I won’t go speechless
‘Cause I’ll breathe when they try to suffocate me
Don’t you underestimate me
‘Cause I know that I won’t go speechless

Written in stone, every rule, every word
Centuries old and unbending
Stay in your place, better seen and not heard
Well, now that story’s ending

‘Cause I, I cannot start to crumble
So come on and try
Try to shut me and cut me down

I won’t be silenced
You can’t keep me quiet
Won’t tremble when you try it
All I know is I won’t go speechless
Speechless!

Let the storm in
I cannot be broken
No, I won’t live unspoken
‘Cause I know that I won’t go speechless

Try to lock me in this cage
I won’t just lay me down and die
I will take these broken wings
And watch me burn across the sky
Hear the echo saying

I won’t be silenced
Though you wanna see me tremble when you try it
All I know is I won’t go speechless
Speechless!
‘Cause I’ll breathe when they try to suffocate me
Don’t you underestimate me
‘Cause I know that I won’t go speechless
All I know is I won’t go speechless
Speechless!

“Try Everything” from Zootopia (Shakira)

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

I messed up tonight
I lost another fight
I still mess up but I’ll just start again
I keep falling down
I keep on hitting the ground
I always get up now to see what’s next
Birds don’t just fly
They fall down and get up
Nobody learns without getting it wrong

I won’t give up, no, I won’t give in
‘Til I reach the end
And then I’ll start again
No, I won’t leave
I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail
I won’t give up, no, I won’t give in
‘Til I reach the end
And then I’ll start again
No, I won’t leave
I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Look how far you’ve come
You filled your heart with love
Baby, you’ve done enough, take a deep breath
Don’t beat yourself up
Don’t need to run so fast
Sometimes we come last, but we did our best

I won’t give up, no, I won’t give in
‘Til I reach the end
And then I’ll start again
No, I won’t leave
I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail
I won’t give up, no, I won’t give in
‘Til I reach the end
Then I’ll start again
No, I won’t leave
I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail

I’ll keep on making those new mistakes
I’ll keep on making them every day
Those new mistakes

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Try everything

“Almost There” from The Princess & the Frog (Anika Noni Rose)

Mama! I don’t have time for dancing!

That’s just gonna have to wait a while
Ain’t got time for messing around
And it’s not my style
This old town can slow you down
People taking the easy way
But I know exactly where I’m going
Getting closer and closer every day

And I’m almost there, I’m almost there
People down here think I’m crazy, but I don’t care
Trials and tribulations, I’ve had my share
There ain’t nothing gonna stop me now ‘cause I’m almost there

I remember Daddy told me: “Fairytales can come true
You gotta make ’em happen, it all depends on you”
So I work real hard each and every day
Now things for sure are going my way
Just doing what I do
Look out boys, I’m coming through

And I’m almost there, I’m almost there
People gonna come here from everywhere
And I’m almost there
I’m almost there

There’s been trials and tribulations
You know I’ve had my share
But I’ve climbed the mountain, I’ve crossed the river
And I’m almost there, I’m almost there
I’m almost there!