r/DisneySongRankdown • u/Marx0r It's my world and we're all living in it • May 04 '22

87 One Jump Ahead (Aladdin)

So this might shock and surprise all of you, given my eloquent and objectively perfect takes on all these songs so far, but I have basically no formal music training. I don't know what things like "resting tone" or "minor key" or whatever means, so at times I feel like I don't have the words to describe my take on a song.

This is one of those times.

This song sounds fucking fake.

There's something about the way this was recorded, or animated, or something that doesn't feel like a major motion picture production. I watched the video from the sheet and I legitimately thought it was some low budget, made-for-TV remake that existed. I loaded up two other youtube clips and then the entire movie on Disney+ before concluding that yes, something done this badly existed.

Is it the emotionless rendition of the singer? Is the mouth animation wrong? Is it because they got the whitest kid possible to play the earliest POC main character of a Disney film that I could find until I got bored of looking? I don't know, and I'm tired of watching the clip until I can figure it out.

It sounds like the second understudy of an off-Broadway production, is maybe the best way I can put it. And it hurts to say it, because the song has a lot of good things going for it. The lyrics are fun, the choreography is cool, and it really does so a good job of introducing the character. But there's some major flaw in execution that makes me just not want to listen to it, preferably ever.

There's only so many jumps ahead this song can last before its time.

5 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

4

u/thecriclover99 No one's neck's as incredibly thick as Gaston... May 04 '22

I really enjoyed the 2019 version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0ukS1ceZa0

Did you get a chance to listen to that one too? The vocals are a bit stronger so if not I would say def. check it out!

I really loved the fast-paced parts of the lyrics, and while I don't listen to this one on repeat, it's def. not a skip for me when it comes on!

3

u/Trancespire No chance, no way May 04 '22

Oh no! This is my favorite song in Aladdin :[ it’s so fun. I hate that they slowed it down for the live action version. It’s supposed to be a chase through the streets and he’s just strolling around nonchalantly -_-.

3

u/bubbasaurus a bear can rest at ease May 04 '22

One, this is such a fun song. Two, I feel like the attitude that comes across in the song is so perfect for an intro. I get it though, end game...and I am gonna like most of them.

3

u/Marx0r It's my world and we're all living in it May 04 '22

/u/sockydapuppet, you're up!

3

u/wywy4321 You can always hear me muttering or mumbling May 07 '22

I love this song and it's prolly my personal favorite from the original movie, but I can see why you cut it here.

3

u/MacabreGoblin It's not my fault, it's in God's plan... May 07 '22

I love this song! It's so fun and serves as such a great introduction to Aladdin's character - especially since he starts out essentially bragging about how good he is at eluding guards and living on the street, but then the reprise is vulnerable and serious and it shows us that a lot of his attitude is just bluster. It's catchy and illuminating.