Disney's Songs and the Messages They Send

            With each Disney movie there is a princess, and with each princess comes a song that she sings.  These songs can tell the princess’ story or hardships she is facing, or a love that she is longing for.  The songs are usually upbeat and melodic.  The words are easily memorized and can get stuck in your head; you will find yourself singing the song without even realizing it.  But are these songs a good influence on children? Are they sending the right message to our youth?

            Snow White is the oldest of the Disney Princesses.  Her best known song is titled “Some Day My Prince Will Come”.  Even the title suggests that no matter what she does her prince will find her.  It does not teach independence or help push young girls to go out and get what they want, but that just waiting and wishing can bring you anything.  In the song she sings, “Some day my prince will come, some day we'll meet again, and away to his castle we'll go to be happy forever I know” (Princess Lyrics).  This is another way of telling a girl that once she finds her perfect man she will go away with him to live the materialistic life of the rich, and only then can she be happy.  There is little emphasis on the fact that any man can be considered a prince, as long as he treats a lady with respect.

            Somewhere in the middle of old and new we find Belle from Beauty and the Beast. The song titled “Belle”, obviously named after her, is about how the people of her town find her beautiful, but strange.  They sing:

Look there she goes that girl is so peculiar
I wonder if she's feeling well
With a dreamy, far-off look
And her nose stuck in a book
What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle (Princess Lyrics)

The townspeople are sending a message to young girls that being interested in reading books is a negative attribute to have.   Belle is determined to learn more than what is just her little “provincial” town.  The people talk about her being dazed and distracted because she has dreams of something better.  She has determination and knows there is more to life and she wants to know what exactly it is that is out there.  But the stories that Belle is reading is of far off princes who are searching for love.  It is another example of Disney teaching young girls that finding a man is the most important thing they will do. 

In contrast, there is Pocahontas’ song, “Just Around the River Bend”.  In this song Pocahontas sings about how she is fascinated with searching for what life has in store for her.  She knows that she has the right to choose what path she will take in life.  Pocahontas sings about looking forward to the future “where the gulls fly free” (Princess Lyrics), and she needs to decide if that is something she wants for herself.  Her other option is to settle down with the man her father has chosen for her, “A handsome sturdy husband who builds handsome sturdy walls” (Princess Lyrics).  She is debating with herself whether or not it is worth it for her to choose the man over her dreams, knowing that once she chooses the path that has been laid out for her, her life will no longer retain its mystery, and she will have to give up her dreams of something more.