When you wish upon a star...
Pinocchio is one of the most popular Disney movies of all time, but it's not really known for its music. In fact, the early Disney movies aren't really known for their music, so it was interesting to put this ranking together. There are only five songs, so it wasn't that difficult, but the top few are actually pretty good. It does have one of Disney's most iconic numbers, so you probably know what number one is, but even if you do, see my ranking of the other four. Anyways. Here it is.
5. Little Wooden Head
I wasn't a big fan of the voice actor for Geppetto, so his solo is not my favorite. He's mumbling all of the words in this song. Beyond that, the sequence itself isn't memorable. There might be some dull tune to the song, but I don't really know. I watched Pinocchio last night and I legitimately cannot remember how this song goes. That's how forgettable and bad it is.
4. Give a Little Whistle
Give a Little Whistle acts as the first true interaction between Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket. At least I slightly remember how this song goes. It's an interesting sequence that kicks off this relationship in a nice way, but the number itself is pretty lackluster. The idea of a song where Jiminy takes Pinocchio under his wing is good, but the musical talent just isn't there, so this is another dud of a song.
3. Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee is the villain song of Pinocchio. It's solid. It's really, really catchy, so I give it props for that, but it's also insanely repetitive. The sequence accompanying it is also one of the worst-animated sequences in the film. They try to have this long take of Pinocchio, Honest John, and Gideon skipping through the village, but the technology to achieve that simply did not exist. It's a good song paired with a pretty bad sequence, so that lands it right in the middle.
2. I've Got No Strings
This is actually the only song where Pinocchio himself sings. It's a good song. It's definitely memorable. Pinocchio dances to a really catchy piece of music that's fun. It continues to play out as more puppets appear on stage and dance with Pinocchio, making for a really beautifully animated sequence that will be stuck in your head for hours after watching the film.
1. When You Wish Upon a Star
This song is number one...and it's not really even close. When You Wish Upon a Star can make a case for the best Disney song of all time. This song is so iconic that Disney uses it as the background music for its logo when it appears at the beginning of every movie. It's a perfect way to open the film. It's simple. But the song is just so good. The lyrics are so Disney. It just fills you up with that indescribable feeling that Disney movies have. I love it.