"Friend Like Me" | |
---|---|
Song by Robin Williams | |
from the album Aladdin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | |
Released | October 31, 1992 |
Recorded | 1991 |
Genre | |
Length | 2:26 |
Label | Walt Disney |
Composer(s) | Alan Menken |
Lyricist(s) | Howard Ashman |
Producer(s) | Alan Menken |
Licensed audio | |
"Friend Like Me (Remastered 2022)" on YouTube |
"Friend Like Me" is the song from Disney's 1992 animated feature film Aladdin , performed by Robin Williams in his role as the Genie. The song is also performed by Will Smith in 2019 live-action remake. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 65th Academy Awards and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song at the 50th Golden Globe Awards in 1993.
The song was originally designed as a Cab Calloway-style big band number. Some elements of this concept remain (for instance, when the Genie scats, in typical Calloway moves), but after Robin Williams was cast it was expanded as a more comedic, pop-culture-filled song.
ScreenCrush stated that remnants of the previous version of the film can be seen in this sequence:
Aladdin's original design was younger, more cartoony, and loosely based on actor Michael J. Fox. But Jeffrey Katzenberg wanted the design changed, fearing that Aladdin wasn't a suitable leading man for the beautiful Jasmine. So Aladdin's design was reworked to be less Michael J. Fox and more Tom Cruise. However, animation on the movie had already started, so you can see traces of the old Aladdin design during "Friend Like Me". [1]
After Aladdin releases the Genie from his lamp and the Genie considers that he can give Aladdin almost anything within a limit of three wishes, the Genie proves his nigh-omnipotent power to the skeptical thief with an impressive musical number, stressing that he is a friend unlike any other. This song is similar to the use of contemporary references in "Be Our Guest", performed by the enchanted cutlery of Beauty and the Beast , and "A Guy Like You", performed by the Gargoyles in The Hunchback of Notre Dame . The same happens in the live-action remake.
Spirituality & Practice described it as "the big production number of the film". [2]
In a review of the Broadway version of the film, BuzzFeed wrote that the "seven-and-a-half minute 'Friend Like Me' is easily this season's best production number, and a jaw-dropping athletic feat." [3] NewYork.com wrote "Rarely does a production number receive a standing ovation in the middle of a show, but 'Friend Like Me' [has] them standing in the aisles before intermission.". [4]
In 1996 2Pac recorded the song "Never Had a Friend Like Me", which interpolates "Friend Like Me". This song is featured on the 1997 original soundtrack for the film, Gridlock'd .
Will Smith, as the Genie, performs the song in the 2019 live-action remake of Aladdin, [5] and as a rap in the end credits, with DJ Khaled. [6] [7]
Will Smith version
Chart (2019) | Peak position |
---|---|
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) [8] | 33 |
Scotland (OCC) [9] | 49 |
South Korea (Gaon) [10] | 96 |
UK Singles (OCC) [11] | 95 |
Will Smith version
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [12] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [13] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Aladdin is a 1992 American animated musical fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution under Walt Disney Pictures. It is based on the Arabic folktale "Aladdin" from One Thousand and One Nights. The film was produced and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements from a screenplay they co-wrote with the writing team of Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio. Featuring the voices of Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Linda Larkin, Jonathan Freeman, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried and Douglas Seale, the film follows the titular Aladdin, an Arabian street urchin who finds a magic lamp containing a genie. With the genie's help, Aladdin disguises as a wealthy prince and tries to impress the Sultan of Agrabah to win the heart of his free-spirited daughter, Princess Jasmine, as the Sultan's evil vizier, Jafar, plots to steal the magic lamp.
Aladdin is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with One Thousand and One Nights, despite not being part of the original text; it was added by the Frenchman Antoine Galland, based on a folk tale that he heard from the Syrian storyteller Hanna Diyab.
"Minnie the Moocher" is a jazz song co-written by American musician Cab Calloway and first recorded in 1931 by Calloway and his big band orchestra, selling over a million copies. "Minnie the Moocher" is famous for its nonsensical ad libbed lyrics, also known as scat singing. In performances, Calloway would have the audience and the band members participate by repeating each scat phrase in a form of a call and response, eventually making it too fast and complicated for the audience to replicate.
"Colors of the Wind" is a song written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz for Walt Disney Pictures' 33rd animated feature film, Pocahontas (1995). The film's theme song, "Colors of the Wind" was originally recorded by American singer and actress Judy Kuhn in her role as the singing voice of Pocahontas. A pop ballad, the song's lyrics are about animism and respecting nature, finding its roots in indigenous Native American culture, perspectives which have later been adopted in both transcendentalist literature and New Age spirituality.
"A Whole New World" is the signature song from Disney's 1992 animated feature film Aladdin, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice. A duet originally recorded by singers Brad Kane and Lea Salonga in their respective roles as the singing voices of the main characters Aladdin and Jasmine, the ballad serves as both the film's love and theme song. Lyrically, "A Whole New World" describes Aladdin showing the confined princess a life of freedom and the pair's acknowledgment of their love for each other while riding on a magic carpet.
"Genie in a Bottle" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera from her self-titled debut studio album (1999). It was written by Pam Sheyne, Steve Kipner and David Frank, and produced by Kipner and Frank. The song was released on 22 June 1999, by RCA Records as the album's lead single. It is a soul-pop, teen pop and dance-pop song with elements of R&B. "Genie in a Bottle" uses sexual references to address the themes of self-respect and abstinence.
"Everlasting Love" is a song written by Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden, originally a 1967 hit for Robert Knight and since covered numerous times. The most successful version in the UK was performed by Love Affair and the highest-charting version in the U.S. was performed by Carl Carlton. Other cover versions were done by Town Criers, Rex Smith & Rachel Sweet, Sandra Cretu, U2 and Gloria Estefan.
Jasmine is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Pictures' animated film Aladdin (1992). Voiced by Linda Larkin – with a singing voice provided by Lea Salonga – Jasmine is the spirited daughter of the Sultan, who has grown weary of her life of palace confinement. Despite an age-old law stipulating that the princess must marry a prince in time for her upcoming birthday, Jasmine is instead determined to marry someone she loves for who he is as opposed to what he owns. Created by screenwriters and directors Ron Clements and John Musker with co-screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, Jasmine is based on Badroulbadour, a princess who appears in the One Thousand and One Nights folktale "Aladdin and the Magical Lamp."
"You've Got a Friend in Me" is a song by Randy Newman. Used as the main theme song for the 1995 Disney/Pixar animated film Toy Story, it has since become a major musical component for its sequels, Toy Story 2 (1999), Toy Story 3 (2010) and Toy Story 4 (2019) as well as a musical leitmotif throughout the whole Toy Story franchise. The song was nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. Like many other Disney theme songs, "You've Got a Friend in Me" has been covered numerous times. Cover versions featured in the first three Toy Story films include a duet with Newman and Lyle Lovett in Toy Story; a diagetic instance by Tom Hanks, a version by Robert Goulet and an instrumental by Tom Scott in Toy Story 2, and a Spanish language version by the Gipsy Kings in Toy Story 3.
"If I Didn't Have You" is a song written by singer-songwriter Randy Newman, that appears during the end credits of the 2001 Disney·Pixar animated film, Monsters, Inc. Sung by John Goodman and Billy Crystal, the song won the 2001 Academy Award for Best Original Song. This was Newman's first Oscar. Previously, Newman had been nominated fifteen times in the Best Score and Best Song categories, but had never won. Arguably "the film's lone song", the tune serves as the major motif for the film.
Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular is a 45-minute Broadway-style musical theatre show based on Disney's 1992 animated feature film Aladdin with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice.
"Hakuna Matata" is a song from Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King. The music was written by Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice. The song is based on Timon and Pumbaa's catchphrase in the movie, Hakuna matata, a Swahili phrase meaning "No worry(ies)".
Aladdin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack for the 1992 Disney animated film Aladdin. The album was released by Walt Disney Records on CD and cassette tape on October 27, 1992. The soundtrack was intertwined with demos, work tapes and unreleased masters, as well as original scores in 1994 in a four-disc box set entitled The Music Behind the Magic: The Musical Artistry of Alan Menken, Howard Ashman & Tim Rice. A remastered reissue with altered lyrics and new artwork was released on March 27, 2001. A special edition reissue featuring two previously released demos and new artwork was released on September 28, 2004. The Legacy Collection: Aladdin was released on September 9, 2022, to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Aladdin.
"Prince Ali" and its reprise are two musical numbers from the 1992 Disney animated film Aladdin. The first part was performed by Robin Williams in his role as the Genie and the reprise is performed by Jonathan Freeman in his role as Jafar. The song performed by Williams was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song at the 50th Golden Globe Awards in 1993.
Aladdin is a stage musical based on Disney's 1992 animated feature film of the same name with a book by Chad Beguelin, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Beguelin. It resurrects three songs written by Menken and Ashman for the film but not used, and adds four songs written by Menken and Beguelin.
Aladdin is a Disney media franchise comprising a film series and additional media. It began with the 1992 American animated feature of the same name, which was based on the tale of the same name, and was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. The success of the film led to two direct-to-video sequels, a television series, a Broadway musical, a live-action remake, various rides and themed areas in Disney's theme parks, several video games, and merchandise, among other related works.
"One Jump Ahead" and its reprises are three songs from the 1992 Disney animated film Aladdin and the 2019 remake. All three songs are performed by Aladdin.
The Genie is a fictional character who appeared in Walt Disney Pictures' animated film Aladdin (1992), later appearing in other media of the Aladdin franchise as one of its main characters, as well as throughout other Disney media. He was voiced by Robin Williams in the first film, on whom the character's mannerisms were based. Following a contract dispute between Williams and Disney, Dan Castellaneta voiced the Genie in the direct-to-video feature The Return of Jafar, as well as the television series. Williams reprised the role for the final film installment Aladdin and the King of Thieves, and the character's own educational mini-series Great Minds Think for Themselves.
Aladdin is a 2019 American musical fantasy film directed by Guy Ritchie from a screenplay he co-wrote with John August. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Rideback, it is a live-action adaptation of Disney's 1992 animated film Aladdin, itself based on "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp", a French addition to the Middle Eastern folktale collection One Thousand and One Nights. The film stars Will Smith, Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott with Marwan Kenzari, Navid Negahban, Nasim Pedrad, and Billy Magnussen in supporting roles. The plot follows Aladdin, a street urchin, as he falls in love with Princess Jasmine, befriends a wish-granting genie, and battles the wicked sorcerer Jafar.
Aladdin (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is a soundtrack for the film of the same name, released by Walt Disney Records on May 17, 2019. The soundtrack features a cover of "A Whole New World" by Zayn Malik and Zhavia Ward, songs from the original film, a new song written by the original film's composer, Alan Menken, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a score composed by Menken. The soundtrack was released on May 17, 2019.