As I said before, Danny Elfman is an incredible singer. What's This? definitely shows this off in what I feel is the standout from an absolutely packed soundtrack, but Jack's Lament is probably the best showcase for just what he can do. It's sweet and melancholy while still having a line ready to remind you that Jack's still supposed to be a terrifying figure even if he's yearning for something more. Not voting for it here purely because I prefer What's This? in the end, but shout outs too for containing one of the most iconic shots not just in Nightmare, but in Disney's entire catalog as Jack descends the curled hill.
Love is an Open Door is catchy, sweet, and silly. It's an on the nose metaphor for how Anna's felt all this time on the other side of Elsa's closed door, it's got an Arrested Development reference, it's got that fun little lyrical reading on synchronization, and it's the only Disney song I can think of off hand with a Crazy Ex-Girlfriend cast member (as opposed to Lea Salonga's
appearance in the season one finale where a Disney princess invades the show). It's a frothy song that nonetheless does work with Anna's emotional place and does even more work in hindsight with the villain reveal, and I like it an awful lot. Vote 1.
Hellfire is going to win this tournament. Vote 2.
Stand Out is fantastic, and makes me wish we had ever gotten a REAL Disney Prince, but suffers a little in the same way that Why Should I Worry does in that it doesn't feel like a "Disney song" really. It works better in the context of the movie and the animation than it does on its own, and is a really crowd pleasing finale. Wish I was voting for it, but I'm not.
Snuff Out the Light shouldn't really be in the competition since it was never actually in a theatrical release, but it was on the official soundtrack I think? But I'm glad it is because it's an Eartha Kitt villain song, and holy shit is that something I am so glad exists in my life. I love the cadence of the song, the way it rises and builds, and the way it ends with what sounds like just straight up chanting some ancient goddamn magic spell. I love the story it tells for this version of Yzma, and I say "my enemy,
the sun" way too often in my everyday life, because Texas. The story of what Emperor's New Groove could have been is fascinating (hey, do you have an hour and a half for the documentary all about that?
Of course you do!), and this is just one more piece of that puzzle. I'm pretty much only not voting for it on the technicality of its inclusion, but in fairness, it's damn near a toss-up between this and ..
PRRIIIIIIIIINCE ALI, VOTING FOR THREE, BECAUSE OF NOSTAL-GIA.