"A Girl Worth Fighting For" | |
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Song by Matthew Wilder, Harvey Fierstein, Jerry Tondo, Lea Salonga and James Hong | |
from the album Mulan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack | |
Released | June 2, 1998 |
Length | 2:25 |
Label | Walt Disney |
Composer(s) | Matthew Wilder |
Lyricist(s) | David Zippel |
Producer(s) | Matthew Wilder |
"A Girl Worth Fighting For" is a song written by composer Matthew Wilder and lyricist David Zippel from the 1998 Disney film Mulan . It is performed by Harvey Fierstein, Jerry Tondo, and James Hong, along with Wilder and Lea Salonga, who provide the singing voices of Ling and Mulan, respectively.
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Lyricist David Zippel and composer Matthew Wilder were hired by Disney to write songs for Mulan, based on the belief that the pair could "give kind of different sound to each of the songs". [1] Based on its ironic lyrics, the song is described by Wilder as "a comedy song". [2]
"A Girl Worth Fighting For" ends suddenly when the military reinforcements discover an encampment burned to the ground. Zippel described the abrupt end of the song as "a really powerful moment"; Wilder noted that the song's ending "directly inspired and informed the narrative and how the animators would bring that moment to life". [2]
During the recording process, Wilder provided the singing voice for the character Ling, when Gedde Watanabe was not able to provide adequate vocals for the song. [2] Wilder cites his experience being the stand-in vocalist as "just so much fun and so unexpected". [2]
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"A Girl Worth Fighting For" begins as the army of men march towards the battle. The song itself acts as a source of comic relief for the audience as the men sing about their dream girls and the roles they will play in the family to distract for their fatigue and pain. It also builds on Mulan's inability to play the role of a stereotypical male, adding suspense to the later reveal.
However, the song abruptly cuts off when Mulan and the men come across the sight of a destroyed village, caused by the Huns.
"A Girl Worth Fighting For" is described as a "delightfully ironic comic number". [3] It starts in the key of E major, and is written in alla breve with the tempo of a "walking march". [4]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [5] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Arthur Hu for Asian Focus (Seattle) wrote "A Girl Worth Fighting For" sounds a bit like South Pacific 's "There is Nothing Like a Dame" another hit musical comedy about war between Asian powers. Still, the songs stick with stereotypical gender themes, and they still promote the idea that guys have all the fun fighting and killing". [6] Taestful Reviews wrote "A Girl Worth Fighting For" is as funny as Disney songs get, second to only "Gaston." [7] Filmtracks.com wrote "the comical piece performed by Harvey Fierstein ("A Girl Worth Fighting For") proves that people with annoying speaking voices don't sound any better when they sing". [8]
Fa Mulan is a fictional character, inspired by a legendary figure, who appears in Walt Disney Pictures' animated film Mulan (1998). Her speaking voice is provided by actress Ming-Na Wen, while singer Lea Salonga provides the character's singing voice. Created by author Robert D. San Souci, Mulan is based on the legendary Chinese warrior Hua Mulan from the poem the Ballad of Mulan, making her the first Disney Princess not to be based on a fairytale or folktale but rather a legend. Her name "Fa Mulan" is inspired by the Yue Chinese name for the character, which is pronounced Fa Muklan. The only child of an aging war veteran, Mulan disregards both tradition and the law by disguising herself as a man in order to enlist herself in the army in lieu of her feeble father.
Mulan is a 1998 American animated musical coming-of-age action-adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation for Walt Disney Pictures. Based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, the film was directed by Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft and produced by Pam Coats, from a screenplay by Rita Hsiao, Chris Sanders, Philip LaZebnik, and the writing team of Raymond Singer and Eugenia Bostwick-Singer, and a story by Robert D. San Souci. Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, Miguel Ferrer, and BD Wong star in the English version as Mulan, Mushu, Shan Yu, and Captain Li Shang, respectively, while Jackie Chan provided the voice of Li Shang for the Chinese dubs of the film. The film's plot takes place in China during an unspecified Imperial dynasty, where Fa Mulan, daughter of aged warrior Fa Zhou, impersonates a man to take her father's place during a general conscription to counter a Hun invasion.
Maria Lea Carmen Imutan Salonga, is a Filipino singer and actress. Known primarily for her work in theatre, she has starred in musicals on Broadway and in the West End. Her accolades include a Tony Award and a Laurence Olivier Award, in addition to nominations for two Grammy Awards. She was conferred with the Presidential Medal of Merit in 1990 and the Order of Lakandula in 2007, and she was honored as a Disney Legend in 2011.
David Joel Zippel is an American musical theatre lyricist, director, and producer.
"Reflection" is a song written and produced by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel for the soundtrack of Disney's 1998 animated film Mulan. In the film, the song is performed by Tony Award winner, Filipina singer and actress Lea Salonga as Fa Mulan. An accompanying music video for "Reflection" was included as a bonus to the Disney Gold Classic Collection DVD release of the film in February 2000. Reflection has received highly positive reviews, with critics highlighting its emotional writing and Salonga's vocals.
Matthew Wilder is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. In early 1984, his single "Break My Stride" hit No. 2 on the Cash Box chart and No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. He also wrote the music for the Disney animated feature film Mulan and provided the singing voice for the character Ling.
Filipino singer and actress Lea Salonga has released twelve studio albums, six live albums, two compilation albums and is involved in at least ten cast recordings. According to Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Salonga has sold 3.5 million certified singles in the United States. At age 10, Salonga recorded her debut album, Small Voice, which was certified Gold in the Philippines. Salonga's 1993 self-titled album made her the first Filipino singer to sign with an international record label.
Mulan II is a 2004 American animated musical adventure film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and DisneyToon Studios and distributed by Buena Vista Home Entertainment. The film was directed by Darrell Rooney and Lynne Southerland and produced by Jennifer Blohm, from a screenplay written by Michael Lucker, Chris Parker, and Roger S. H. Schulman. It is the sequel to Walt Disney Feature Animation's 1998 animated feature film Mulan, featuring original songs that were written by composer Jeanine Tesori and lyricist Alexa Junge and a musical score composed and conducted by Joel McNeely. Much of the voice cast from the first film returned, excluding Eddie Murphy (Mushu), Miriam Margolyes, James Hong (Chi-Fu), Chris Sanders, and Matthew Wilder. Murphy, Margolyes, and Sanders were replaced by Mark Moseley, April Winchell, and Frank Welker, respectively, while Gedde Watanabe does his own singing for the sequel. Mulan II features Mulan and her new fiancé, General Li Shang on a special mission: escorting the Emperor's three daughters across the country to meet their soon-to-be fiancés. Meanwhile, Mushu attempts to break up their relationship to keep his pedestal. The film deals with arranged marriages, loyalty, relationships, making choices, trust, and finding true love.
"I'll Make a Man Out of You" is a song written by composer Matthew Wilder and lyricist David Zippel for Walt Disney Pictures' animated film Mulan (1998). Appearing on the film's soundtrack Mulan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack, "I'll Make a Man Out of You" is performed by American singer Donny Osmond as the singing voice of Captain Li Shang in lieu of American actor BD Wong, who provides the character's speaking voice. The song also features contributions from Lea Salonga as the singing voice of Mulan, Eddie Murphy as Mushu, and Harvey Fierstein, Jerry Tondo and Wilder himself as Yao, Chien-Po and Ling, respectively. In addition, Mushu has a speaking line unlike the other characters in the song.
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Mulan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack is the soundtrack for the 1998 Disney animated feature film Mulan. Released by Walt Disney Records on June 2, 1998, the album featured songs by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel, conducted by Paul Bogaev, and score composed and conducted by Jerry Goldsmith. Vocalists included Lea Salonga, Donny Osmond, 98 Degrees, Jaz Coleman, Stevie Wonder and Christina Aguilera.
Hercules: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack is the soundtrack to the 1997 Disney animated feature film Hercules. It contains the songs from the film written by Alan Menken and David Zippel, as well as the film's score composed by Alan Menken, and the score was orchestrated by Daniel Troob and Michael Starobin, with vocals performed by Lillias White, LaChanze, Roz Ryan, Roger Bart, Danny DeVito, and Susan Egan among others. The album also includes the single version of "Go the Distance" by Michael Bolton.
Disney Princess: The Ultimate Song Collection is a 2004 album that is a compilation of various Disney Princess songs, including the original song "If You Can Dream", that has since been featured on several other Disney compilation albums. It was released on September 21, 2004, by Walt Disney Records, and went on to peak at #4 on Billboard's Top Kid Audio chart.
Mulan Jr. is a one-act stage musical based on the 1998 Disney animated film Mulan, which in turn was based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan and the story "Fa Mulan" by Robert D. San Souci. The adaptation mixes songs featured in the 1998 film as well as deleted songs from the film, including the revival of songs written by Stephen Schwartz, who was the original composer for the 1998 film before leaving to work on The Prince of Egypt. The musical is G-rated, any mature content from the sources it is based on having been deleted in the adaptation. The cast includes 26 roles plus an ensemble. The show was taken down from MTI's website in the summer of 2020, but it's being considered as a re-release but no date is currently set for if that does happen.
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Filipina singer and actress Lea Salonga has appeared in international theatre productions, television shows, films, and video games. She made her professional debut on stage in the 1978 Repertory Philippines production of The King and I. She went on to appear and star in productions such as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1978), Fiddler on the Roof (1978), Annie (1980), The Sound of Music (1980), The Rose Tattoo (1980), and The Bad Seed (1981) in Manila. In 1981, Salonga made her film debut as Lisa in the Filipino comedy Tropang Bulilit. Salonga continued performing in theatre productions in Manila, including The Goodbye Girl (1982), The Paper Moon (1983), a revival of Annie (1984), and The Fantasticks (1988). From 1983 to 1985, Salonga hosted her own television variety show entitled Love, Lea. In 1986, she also appeared as a Thursday group member on the television series That's Entertainment. Throughout the 1980s, she also appeared in the Filipino films Like Father, Like Son (1985), Ninja Kids (1986), Captain Barbell (1986), Pik Pak Boom (1988), and Dear Diary (1989).