15 Of The Best Disney Villain Songs Of All Time, Ranked

    Fair warning, you will be singing these songs for at least the rest of the day — if not much, much longer!

    Disney villains are the baddest of the baddies that my inner child can't help but sing along with, and my grown self wants to send to therapy. But, love 'em or hate 'em, there's no denying that many of their signature tunes are complete earworms in the best (worst?) way.

    In an effort to get myself extra-pumped to see Melissa McCarthy belt out "Poor Unfortunate Souls" on the big screen in the new live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, I'm ranking the absolute BEST Disney villain tunes of all time to settle the debate once and for all about which of these rabble-rouser's refrains comes out ahead of the rest. OH, and if you haven't yet gotten a taste of McCarthy as Ursula, the clip below is just as delightfully delicious as you would expect.

    Get your tickets, you poor unfortunate souls, Disney's #TheLittleMermaid is coming to theaters May 26! 🐙🔮🎶 pic.twitter.com/98OmkVMbth

    — The Little Mermaid (@LittleMermaid) May 17, 2023
    Disney / Via Twitter: @LittleMermaid
    Personally, I am thus far partial to the animated originals over the live-action remakes. (Yes, yes, I know, I'm stuck in my ways and resist change — I'm working on it!) So, you're going to see mostly OG versions on this list as I rank each villain's song. BUT, if there is one remake I think can sway me, it would be The Little Mermaid because it's giving me just a sliver of hope that *actual* mermaids exist.

    From the classic crooning about Cruella all the way to Gaston's misogynistic melody, I'm here to do the due diligence that only a Disney-loving millennial like myself can. Care to join me? Let's dive in!

    Ready? I sure hope so! Here we go:

    15. "Mad Madam Mim," The Sword in the Stone (1963)

    View this video on YouTube

    Disney / Via youtube.com

    Some context: This song sets up a battle of the wits between the eccentric sorceress Madam Mim and Merlin. The lyrics see the sorceress try to convince Arthur that she's better at magic than Merlin. During their duel, they transform into various creatures to outwit each other. (Spoiler alert: Merlin wins.)

    Why It's Here: It's catchy, and a villain sings it. (But that's every song on this list, right?!) In all sincerity, though, it may not be as recognizable as other Disney tunes, but should still be recognized. The lyrics have a ton of great imagery that's reflected on screen. "I can be huge; fill the whole house. / I can be teeny, small as a mouse," she sings. "Black sorcery is my dish of tea. / It comes easy to me, / 'cause I'm the magnificent, marvelous, mad Madam Mim!"

    14. "Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee," Pinocchio (1940)

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    Disney / Via youtube.com

    Some context: Honest John wants to convince Pinocchio to come to Stromboli’s caravan with him and Gideon, so he sings him a song about life as an actor. It's so upbeat that even Jiminy Cricket thinks a parade is on the way — until of course, he sees Pinocchio and tries his hardest to stop him from leaving with HJ.

    Why It's Here: Here’s the thing, there’s not much substance to this song. Sure, it’s got a good hook, but all Honest John is doing is pointing out the perks of his job. Does it make it sound fun? Of course — I mean, who doesn’t want to wear their hair in a pompadour?! — but I feel like the most convincing thing he does is march to the beat of the song. He makes me want to march, but not act, necessarily. Hence, the ranking.

    13. "Mine, Mine, Mine," Pocahontas (1995)

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    Disney / Via youtube.com

    Some context: Power-hungry Ratcliffe sings about his desire to take over the land, discover gold, and spend it all on himself, as his minions dig and dig and do all of the work, destroying the land as they do. The premise of the song is really awful, but he's a major villain, so I get it.  

    Why It's Here: It's really hard for me to get through the beginning of this song, but once the part that goes "dig and dig and dig, and diggity, dig" starts, I get sucked in. Then, there's the "hey nonny nonny" part that I still don't understand, but vividly remember singing along with my little sister when we were kids. So, it's got a spot here just as it does in my permanent memory. 

    12. "I Wan'na Be Like You," The Jungle Book (1967)

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    Disney / Via youtube.com

    Some context: He seems so cool, but he's so bad. King Louis has so much swagger as he goes about singing this jazzy diddy telling Mowgli all about how he wants to be a human while trying to convince the kid to teach him the "secret" of fire.

    Why It's Here: There's this super neat breakdown in the middle of the song's instrumental break that's like a be-bop/beatbox thing, and it's downright awesome. Another reason this one made the list where it did is that I watched Baloo's little dance moves he does instead of paying attention to the *very serious rescue attempt* he's in the middle of. It's genius.

    11. "A Pirate's Life/The Elegant Captain Hook," Peter Pan (1953)

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    Disney / Via youtube.com

    Some Context: The crewmates aboard Captain Hook's ship sing the majority of the main song, "A Pirate's Life," before the main villain takes over with his musical talents. Are they themselves villains? Well, they work for the world's most famous crook and say as much when they're singing, so it counts. During the song, Captain Hook revels in the pirate lifestyle, boasting about his villainous exploits and his desire for treasure while his crew joins in, celebrating their swashbuckling ways.

    Why It's Here: Listen to this song and literally try to not let it get stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Seriously, you can't do it. (OK, *I* can't do it, but that's why it's here, alright?)

    10. "Hellfire," The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

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    Disney / Via youtube.com

    Some context: As Judge Claude Frollo grapples with his conflicting desires for purity and his overwhelming lust for Esmeralda — whoa, just realized how deep this one actually goes — this song showcases his internal struggles.

    Why It's Here: For a Disney villain song, this one is especially dark and twisty, so it stands apart from many of the others on this list. I can get super into the melodic rhythm of the background chorus as the creepy organ wails along. Plus, when my kids can't find something they've misplaced, I get to do my best impression of this line for them: "It's not my fault, I'm not to blame!" Try it sometime, it's really cathartic.

    9. "Oogie Boogie's Song," The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

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    Disney / Via youtube.com

    Some context: Jack, Sally, and Zero are being held captive by the sinister Oogie Boogie. Like any good (bad?) villain would, he chooses to intimidate them through song and dance.

    Why It's Here: Next to "This Is Halloween," this is the most recognizable song from the movie, and just like those Oogie Boogie inflatables people put in their yards, this song is everywhere during the Halloween season. It's also got a super funky tune that's quite pleasing to the ear. 

    8. "You're Only Second Rate," Aladdin: The Return of Jafar (1994)

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    Disney / Via youtube.com

    Some context: In one of the most underrated Disney movies of all time, Jafar attempts to chip away at the Genie's confidence by singing about what an awful genie he is. 

    Why It's Here: This song deserves heaps more credit than it gets. The entire song is just phrase after phrase of similes and metaphors about Genie's shortcomings in comparison to Jafar's greatness — dunking on him hardcore over and over again. Seriously, the lyrics blow me away every single time.

    7. "Shiny," Moana (2016)

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    Disney / Via youtube.com

    Some context: Maui needs his hook to help Moana, but there's just one problem: Tamatoa the klepto crab has it. The song's lyrics showcase his outrageous personality as he revels in his own glory and vanity amidst his bounty of sparkling treasures. 

    Why It's Here: This. Is. A. BOP. My kids and I had a healthy debate about whether or not this dude is actually *the* villain of Moana. After all, it's not like he stole the literal Heart of Te Fiti. From my 9-year-old: "Isn't he just a misguided thief who stole Maui's hook?" Wow. OK — I'm impressed by this insight, but TBH, theft is really the origin story of many Disney villains, so I'm counting this. Plus, the song itself is ridiculously underrated as far as Disney songs go.

    6. "Call Me Cruella," Cruella (2021)

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    Disney / Via youtube.com

    Some context: In the original101 Dalmatians animated film in 1961, Roger Radcliffe's character played a little diddy on his piano that would become the theme song from the movie's villain — Cruella de Vil. The tune carries all the way to the character's live-action origin story, Cruella, in 2021. 

    Why It's Here: Did I mention there are no rules here? Well, I'm saying it now because I'm making the rules up as I go: No rules. So, in the spirit of breaking nonexistent rules, this version of the classic Cruella de Vil theme song, performed by Florence + the Machine for Cruella, is the best version of the song, hands-down. If for some wild reason you've yet to hear it, just understand that after you do, it will forever live in regular playlist rotation.

    5. "Friends on the Other Side," The Princess and the Frog (2009)

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    Disney / Via youtube.com

    Some context: Just as sneaky and snide and slimy as any Disney villain could ever dream of being, the Shadow Man, aka Dr. Facilier reveals his power-hungry ways to Prince Naveen.

    Why It's Here:  As a Texas girl with roots that run bayou deep all the way through to the heart of New Orleans, I can never get enough of The Princess and the Frog's soundtrack. This song in particular is full of voodoo magic, bluesy turns of phrase, and has strong villainous vibes.

    4. "Be Prepared," The Lion King (1994)

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    Disney / Via youtube.com

    Some context: Scar sings to his legion of loyal hyenas, describing his evil plot to overthrow his brother Mufasa and take control of the Pride Lands.

    Why It's Here: This is yet another Disney villain song that I can belt out to my kids, specifically when they fail to study for a test. Then, I laugh like a hyena, and they roll their eyes, and we all move on about our day, but deep down, I know they love this song just as much as I do. Scar is scary, Scar kills his own brother, but Scar also has some swagger here that is quite undeniable. 

    3. "Poor Unfortunate Souls," The Little Mermaid (1989)

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    Disney / Via youtube.com

    Some context: Ursula tries (and succeeds) to convince Ariel to hand over her voice in exchange for a pair of legs. There's a magical scroll involved, a big feathery pen, and the sea witch is at her absolute smarmiest during this epic song and scene.

    Why It's Here: This song lives at the core of my very being. I know every word by heart, and though I would never be able to actually sing it even somewhat properly, I will never hesitate to try. This song moves. Once again, I will reiterate that I absolutely cannot wait to hear Melissa McCarthy spit out every single fiery line in this dark ballad with gusto. The original version will forever rank high in my heart, but I also have a sneaking suspicion that the live-action version will be one for the books. 

    2. "Gaston," Beauty and the Beast (1991)

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    Disney / Via youtube.com

    Some context: Ever the faithful sidekick, LeFou urges Gaston to engage in a rancorous song and dance about how amazing he is. They sing and dance on tables in a tavern to boost Gaston's ego and convince everyone there that he's the ideal suitor for Belle. (Spoiler alert: He's so not.)

    Why It's Here: With exaggerated gestures and grandiose displays of masculinity, it would be easy to dismiss this song as too over-the-top, but it is a classic for a reason. And that reason is that it's one of the most sing-along-able Disney villain songs. Surely, you know the words, right? (If not, there's no time like the present to learn them!) When he goes into the line, "I'm especially good at expectorating," I perish each time. Why does the guy with the macho attitude who's just really such a terrible dude have to have such a vast vocabulary? It's impressive, and I hate how much I love it. 

    1. "Mother Knows Best," Tangled (2010)

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    Disney / Via youtube.com

    Some context: Mother Gothel is serenading Rapunzel at the top of her tower, where she's trying to convince her that she absolutely should not leave because of all of the awful, terrible, horrible things that will happen if she does. 

    Why It's Here: The whole song has this bouncy feel that makes it seem upbeat and cheery, but it's just overflowing with intensely backhanded comments about poor, poor Mandy Moore — I mean, Rapunzel. Honestly, that's the genius of it for me. This song has me rooting so hard for Rapunzel to stick it to her narcissistic, evil captor. Here's me to my TV every single time this is on: "SHE'S NOT YOUR REAL MOM!" But nonetheless, once this woman starts singing, I am instantly singing right along. Who does that? Well, that would be the beautiful people who made/produced/sang/created this song, to whom I am eternally grateful for giving us all my very favorite Disney villain song.

    Well, folks, that's the end of our journey. As we approach our final stop, would you please take a moment to let me know which of these Disney villain songs is presently stuck in your head? Surprisingly, I keep hearing, "Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirate's life for me!" and I'd really like to know if that's just me.