Toon Talk Special: The 101 Greatest Disney Songs - Part 2 of 2
Page 10 of 12
#96 - "My Strongest Suit"
Aida - 2000
Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Tim Rice
"Whether wig or hat or turban
Whether clad boudoir or urban
Not to strut your stuff
Outrageously is a crime"
Lead Vocals: Sherie Rene Scott as
Amneris
Source Album: Aida Original Cast Recording
Behind the Music:
- Tony Award for Best Score, Grammy Award for Cast Recording.
The Spice Girls contributed a surprisingly tamer version for the Aida Concept Album.
(c) Disney
#97 - "Elaborate Lives"
Aida - 2000
Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Tim Rice
"We all live in extravagant times
Playing games we can't all win
Unintended emotional crimes
Take some out take others in"
Vocals: Heather Headley as Aida
and Adam Pascal as Radames
Source Album: Aida Original Cast Recording
Track Note: There are two version of this song in the
show: in the first act led by Radames, in the second act by Aida. The latter
version is preferred.
Behind the Music:
- Elaborate Lives was the original title of the musical.
Headley goes solo on the Aida Concept Album.
#98 - "Easy As Life"
Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Tim Rice
"All I have to do is pretend I
never knew him
On those very rare occasions when he steals into my heart
Better to have lost him when the ties were barely binding
Better the contempt of the familiar cannot start"
Vocals: Heather Headley as Aida
Source Album: Aida Original Cast Recording
Behind the Music:
Tina Turner provided her usual brassy delivery on the Aida Concept Album.
#99 - "I Know The Truth"
Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Tim Rice
"I try to blame it on fortune
Some kind of twist in my fate
But I know the truth and it haunts me
I learned it a little to late"
Vocals: Sherie Rene Scott as
Amneris
Source Album: Aida Original Cast Recording
Behind the Music:
- Amneris, not Aida, gets the "11th hour" song in the show.
This song has already been covered many times: an Elton John and Janet Jackson duet on the Aida Concept Album, Donny Osmond on his This Is the Moment disc and Michael Crawford on his upcoming Disney Album CD.
#100 - "Perfect World"
Music by Sting and David Hartley, Lyrics by Sting
"He's the sovereign lord of the
nation
He's the hippest dude in creation
He's the hep cat in the emperor's new clothes"
Lead Vocals: Tom Jones as Theme
Song Guy
Source Album: The Emperor's New Groove Original Soundtrack
Behind the Music:
- In one of the original treatments, Kuzco himself sang this song.
- A reprise for Eartha Kitt's Yzma, upon taking over the kingdom, was eventually nixed from the film.
In the film's finale, Kuzco learns what a truly "perfect world" is.