"I want" - Analysing song in animation

A couple of weeks into term, we watched a documentary called "Waking Sleeping Beauty", which followed the journey of Disney during the later half of the 20th century, as it struggled financially and in success. One part that resonated closely to my personal interests was during the segment that focused on the musical side of Disney - the careers of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, two huge names in the music of Disney that is still so iconic today.

I have a big interest in musicals and musical theatre, and some of my favourite animated movies are those that also involve song to help drive the narrative.

For this post, I will look at the "I want" song in certain animated movies - the song where a character, usually the protagonist, explains what it is they are searching for and what they dream of. The difference between animation and live-action when showing this song is often the song can bring in elements of fantasy - a way to physically show what the character is yearning for.

My personal favourite is Journey To The Past from Anastasia. Even though it is "simple", in that it doesn't have huge flourishes of animation, the subtleties are what make this so magical, I think.
The little loops and flurries of shimmering snow echo the main character's yearning for something more, something special, and also allude to the fact that she is more than she believes herself to be. In addition, the personification of the dog and other animals hints to curiosity, youth, and a taste for adventure - something that might come across as hokey or false-looking in a live action film.

Finally, the reveal of Saint Petersburg at the end is made all the more dramatic and fantastic through the detail of drawing and use of colour. By contrasting the golden spires of the city with the cold white of the snow, the film exaggerates the glamour and hope that Saint Petersburg holds for Anastasia.

Another "I want" song is Jack's Lament from Nightmare before Christmas, which differs from the tradition by introducing a male protagonist (the trope is often employed by female characters), and showing it in a more miserable, depressive tone than the hopefulness in other "I want" songs. Jack mourns over the seemingly inescapable status quo, and questions his position within it through the use of song. Instead of looking forward to change and the possibilities the future holds, he wishes for something - anything - to change, to free him from the cycle he feels trapped in. The animation is beautiful and highly symbolic. Jack silhouetted against the full moon establishes his role as a nightmare "spook", who comes out at night, as well as his skeletal figure. Not to mention the fact he is surrounded by graves, ghosts, and ghouls. It is enthralling, both technically and emotionally, as we see Jack through the eyes of Sally, who hides behind a grave while watching him. 

Song can drive both story and character in animation, and I wish it was employed more often in a wider breadth of animation, and not just Disney.