8 Rockers You Forgot Worked on Animated Disney Movie Soundtracks

There are eight rock artists you probably forgot worked on animated Disney movie soundtracks.

Whether Disney movies were a huge part of your childhood or you’re a full-blown Disney adult, it’s hard to deny how great the soundtracks for some of these films truly were. Are there a lot of rock songs in Disney movies? No, but some of the most legendary figures from the rock scene contributed to the soundtracks in one way or another.

Keep reading to learn about rock artists’ ties to Disney and how they were recruited to work on music for some of the most legendary animated films of all time.

Elton John

While all of the scoring in 1994’s The Lion King was done by Hans Zimmer, Sir Elton John composed all of the songs that are sung throughout the film with the help of lyricist Tim Rice.

It was Rice who suggested John to Disney, but the company didn’t think the Rocketman would be available for the job. Rice called John, and the rest is history.

“I got to see the script, I got to see the little animation boards and then I got to see as it came together. I have Tim to thank for the whole experience of The Lion King. That one phone call he made to me… that changed my life and my career,” John reflected during an interview a few years ago.

Thus, “Circle of Life,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “Be Prepared,” “Hakuna Matata” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” were all written by John. Unless you’re really familiar with the culture of The Lion King, you may not have realized that he wrote all of the songs, especially because the versions of the tracks that he sang only play during the film’s credits.

Another rocker on this list actually contributed some vocals to one of the songs that plays during the movie, so keep reading to learn more about it.

Elton John, ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’

Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy were asked to contribute an original song to the soundtrack for 2014’s Big Hero 6, and so they came up with “Immortals.” According to the LA Times, it wasn’t the first time they were approached about a movie soundtrack, but it was the first time a film collaboration was successful for them.

“Disney asked us to come in a talk to the directors so we did that… and we discussed the scene and what our song would attempt to do. Then we went home and wrote and sent it to them — it was a back and forth from there,” Pete Wentz wrote in a blog post about the experience.

“It was interesting to be a part of because our song was just a small part of a bigger thing and the challenge to just be a part of the fabric. It was a really cool experience.”

Fall Out Boy, ‘Immortals’

Phil Collins

Phil Collins‘ involvement in the Tarzan (1999) soundtrack is so iconic that it’s become a meme.

The songs Collins wrote and composed for the film are so epic that he won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a Grammy and several other awards for them. It’s one of the best soundtracks not only in the Disney universe, but in the entire film universe.

So while you may not have forgotten about “Strangers Like Me” and “You’ll Be in My Heart,” did you know that Collins also did the soundtrack for 2003’s Brother Bear? He didn’t just write and compose the songs for it either, he scored it alongside Mark Mancina, who also did the scoring for Tarzan.

“They asked me if I would be interested in scoring a film, and I’d never done it before. I couldn’t have done it without Mark Mancino,” Collins said during a 2004 interview. “I lifted my game, and you know I love to have some challenge thrown down at me to see if I could do it.”

Phil Collins, ‘On My Way’

Sting

Disney didn’t just approach one musicians to contribute to the soundtrack for 2000’s The Emperor’s New Groove, they recruited artists from a variety of different genres, one of which was Sting.

The former Police frontman was initially approached by Disney to do songs for a movie titled Kingdom of the Sun, and after producing around seven tracks, they scrapped the movie.

They later asked him to be a part of the soundtrack for The Emperor’s New Groove, and he agreed, but according to The Daily Record, the musician wasn’t thrilled when he realized what the film was about. Regardless, he accomplished something that a few of his contemporaries had as well.

“I’ve grown up with Disney… and I thought, Okay, if you’re going to have a legacy into the future, what better way than to write for one of these films that people are going to watch in 30 years’ time? And I have six children. I thought my stock would rise if they saw their dad doing a Disney film,” the rocker explained.

“I enjoyed it, I enjoyed the challenge. Two of my close friends, Elton John and Phil Collins, had worked with Disney and they encouraged me to do it. I was flattered that Disney came to me and wanted me to do something that was so successful for those two.”

Sting is credited on several songs on the movie soundtrack, but the one he actually sang for the movie is “My Funny Friend and Me.”

Sting, ‘My Funny Friend and Me’

Billy Joel

Billy Joel had a major role in the 1988 film Oliver & Company, playing the voice of a New York City mutt named Dodger. The Piano Man had the perfect New York accent for the role, but he also performed a song for the film, “Why Should I Worry?”.

A piano even made a cameo in the scene, which Dodger played with his tail while wearing sunglasses.

READ MORE: 3 Rockers You Forgot Voiced Characters in Animated Disney Movies

Joel was reportedly asked to write a song for the film, but declined as he was in the middle of writing his own album at the time.

“I was in the middle of writing my own album, over the last year and a half,” Joel recalled [via Moving Picture Show]. “And it was hard for me to just jump in, to write a song for the character… I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll sing this song. I’ll work as just a singer for once.’ I don’t remember the last time I did that. Actually, I don’t think I ever did it.”

Billy Joel, ‘Why Should I Worry?’

Demi Lovato

Pop star-turned-rocker Demi Lovato recorded a version of the track “Let It Go” for the 2013 film Frozen, although actress Idina Menzel’s rendition was the one that was actually used in the film as she voiced the character (Elsa) who sang it.

The song was written by married couple Robert and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, who’ve written songs for several films. They selected Lovato as the singer they wanted to perform the song “because she is so damn talented,” according to an interview with Studio System News.

“The Disney family thing was very convenient, but honestly, she would’ve been at the top of the list if she hadn’t been in the Disney family,” Anderson-Lopez said. “Not everyone can sing ‘Let It Go.’ It’s not easy. She has the kind of voice that can.”

Demi Lovato, ‘Let It Go’

Joseph Williams

Joseph Williams served as the lead singer of Toto from 1986 to 1988, and became their frontman again in 2010. In the mid-’90s, though, he was asked to sing all of the main character’s parts in the movie Aladdin.

After recording all of the parts, the composer decided to keep the original actor’s vocals for the songs in the film instead. But out of those recordings came another opportunity for Williams — The Lion King.

The musician recorded several demos for the movie, according to an interview he did a few years back with Rock History Music. A few months later, he was asked to sing “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” at Hans Zimmer’s studio.

“[They said] we want you to do the singing for when Simba becomes an adult in The Lion King,” Williams said.

He also sang as adult Simba in “Hakuna Matata.”

The Lion King, ‘Hakuna Matata’

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus launched her career as Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel show of the same name, but that wasn’t her only connection to the brand. She actually did a duet with actor John Travolta on the song “I Thought I Lost You,” which was featured in the 2008 movie Bolt. Both Cyrus and Travolta voiced characters in the film as well.

The makers of the film asked Cyrus to write a track for her to sing with her co-star, and thus she wrote “I Thought I Lost You” with country singer/songwriter Jeffrey Steele.

“Well, it was something great. I mean, those lyrics, the melody, those choruses are A-plus stuff, you know?” Travolta told MTV News of working with Cyrus.

“She’s really gifted at writing, and she really wanted to write something good for me as the character Bolt, so she went out of her way with her writing partner to come up with something good, and I really think they pulled it off. I know something about music, and I’m telling ya, I was blown away.”

Miley Cyrus + John Travolta, ‘I Thought I Lost You’