A Whole New World: Changes in Disney Songs Throughout Time
Location
Presentation 2 (Learning Commons- Studio M)
Session Format
Oral Presentation
Your Campus
Armstrong Campus - Armstrong Center, April 19th
Academic Unit
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Research Area Topic:
Humanities & Social Sciences - Psychology, Sociology & Political Science
Abstract
Although Disney has put out more than 100 movies since its start in 1937, there are only twelve official Disney Princesses. These princesses have become staples in the lives of young children, especially young girls. Children look at Disney Princesses as role models, and many children show this through copying the princesses. Children love to dress up as their favorite princesses, but more than anything, children love singing the Disney princesses’ songs. The first Disney Princess film was Snow White, which was released in 1937. However, the most recent princess film was Moana, released in 2016, almost 80 years after Snow White. From the civil rights movement to legalizing gay marriage, and everything in-between, society has changed a lot over the past 80 years. It is obvious that Disney Princesses have changed from 1937, but the question is: How much have Disney Princess songs changed over this time? Have the messages in these songs progressed with the princesses, or are Disney songs still stuck in the past? I analyzed all twelve official Disney Princesses’ movies and songs to try and answer these questions. Even though there are still similar themes in both modern and classic Disney songs, such as love or wanting more out of life, Disney songs have changed to fit more modern princesses. Though classic Disney songs were almost all about love, modern Disney songs rarely talk explicitly about love. Some modern Disney Princesses have no love songs whatsoever, such as Moana and Merida. This shift in the types of messages presented to young girls through these songs proves that these Disney Princesses can remain as inspirations to young girls without impeding their potential to one day change the world.
Program Description
An analysis of the songs in all twelve official Disney Princess films and the changes in the messages presented in each of the songs throughout the different eras of Disney.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Presentation Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Start Date
4-19-2022 1:00 PM
End Date
4-19-2022 2:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Branson, Amy C., "A Whole New World: Changes in Disney Songs Throughout Time" (2022). GS4 Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium. 9.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2022A/2022A/9
A Whole New World: Changes in Disney Songs Throughout Time
Presentation 2 (Learning Commons- Studio M)
Although Disney has put out more than 100 movies since its start in 1937, there are only twelve official Disney Princesses. These princesses have become staples in the lives of young children, especially young girls. Children look at Disney Princesses as role models, and many children show this through copying the princesses. Children love to dress up as their favorite princesses, but more than anything, children love singing the Disney princesses’ songs. The first Disney Princess film was Snow White, which was released in 1937. However, the most recent princess film was Moana, released in 2016, almost 80 years after Snow White. From the civil rights movement to legalizing gay marriage, and everything in-between, society has changed a lot over the past 80 years. It is obvious that Disney Princesses have changed from 1937, but the question is: How much have Disney Princess songs changed over this time? Have the messages in these songs progressed with the princesses, or are Disney songs still stuck in the past? I analyzed all twelve official Disney Princesses’ movies and songs to try and answer these questions. Even though there are still similar themes in both modern and classic Disney songs, such as love or wanting more out of life, Disney songs have changed to fit more modern princesses. Though classic Disney songs were almost all about love, modern Disney songs rarely talk explicitly about love. Some modern Disney Princesses have no love songs whatsoever, such as Moana and Merida. This shift in the types of messages presented to young girls through these songs proves that these Disney Princesses can remain as inspirations to young girls without impeding their potential to one day change the world.
