[Movies] It's so good to be bad (favorite villain songs!)

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Everyone likes musicals, even people who claim they don't. This is a thread to share and talk about your favorite villain songs.

Why villain songs? Everyone loves a good bad guy. When I was a kid, I always thought Jafar was the coolest character in Aladdin. But not Scar... he killed the awesomest dad ever.

There's probably going to be a lot (a LOT) of Disney in this thread, but don't feel like you have to limit yourself to it.

I have a ton of favorites, and I'll leave most of them for others to post, since I'm sure they'll be on others' lists too, but if I had to choose a top contender, it would be Hellfire from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

The movie itself is kinda crappy. But this song... Claude Frollo (who is a priest in the book, though I don't think he's explicitly stated as such in the Disney version) is conflicted because he feels lust for the captured gypsy Esmeralda. Guilt at such impure thoughts slowly drive him mad, and this song is all about transferring that guilt and madness to Esmeralda, blaming her for it and deciding she has to be destroyed.




And just to keep this from being completely Disney, I'm going to also include The Hounds from the Protomen Album Father of Death. This is a rock opera all about Megaman, and in this song (sung by Dr Wiley) Wiley has just murdered Dr Light's wife and framed him for it, by using one of the robots they built together. This song is amazing because he's just so damn giddy about how evil he is, and how well his plan is working.

 
Cheesy1

Cheesy1

For Disney villain songs, besides the one Ravenpoe already listed, this is my favorite:


From a different animated movie:
 
Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Friends on the Other Side is at a very strong second on my list, but I was certain someone else would post it. So good job!
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

@Cheesy1, if you hadn't listed FOtOS, I was going to.

Soo...here's my Disney submission:

And my non-Disney submission:

--Patrick
 
bhamv3

bhamv3



No Good Deed from Wicked may not strictly count as a villain song, but it's awesome. This is the point in the musical when Elphaba finally snaps. She's been misunderstood, ostracized, persecuted by society for the color of her skin. Her efforts to simply do good have backfired spectacularly, leading to her sister hating her and her favorite teacher losing his mind and becoming enslaved. Her beloved has been captured (in an effort to rescue her from danger) and is now being tortured, and will be killed soon. She's declaring that if the world is determined to see her as evil, then from now on she will be the evil witch they want.

The structure of the song is somewhat chaotic, showing the turmoil in her thoughts. She punctuates the song with cries of "Fiyero!", the name of her beloved, who is at this moment being stabbed with spears in a cornfield. The descent of the character, from the cheerful and self-sacrificing girl in the first act to the wicked witch in the second, is completed by this song, and it's heartbreaking to watch.

(And then later she sort of turns good again, which kinda negates this song, but eh, it's still an awesome song and musical)
 
Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Well, if we're going to include Disney Direct-to-DVD sequels (almost all of which are bad, but some of the songs are good) then I'll have to add The Return of Jafar.

I mean, ok, the animation looks like a tv show rather than a disney movie, but the song is good!

 
Bowielee

Bowielee

I just recently posted this in the movie thread.

One of the best Disney villain songs, but never got into the movie due to story changes:



So goddamn good.
 
Yoshimickster

Yoshimickster


Yeah this guy was better at planning otherthrows rather than...actually leading but this song is still awesome.

This will be the October I will SEE IT AT MY LOCAL THEATER!
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

For me, "Be Prepared" came in second to "My Lullaby." Scar is dangerous because he is a calculating, devious plotter, but Zira is just downright insane.

--Patrick
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
It might sound corny to some of you, but my favorite villain song is "Someone's Got to Do It" by Riders in the Sky, from their Riders Radio Theater show on NPR. These are the same guys who did the "Woody's Round Up" song from the Toy Story movies. The villain in the radio show was named A. Swinburne Slocum, and he and his henchman Charlie were the primary antagonists of the series.

I've got a pencil thin moustache and a reptilian demeanor
If I could squeeze a nickel's profit, I'd take Grandma to the cleaners
I love forgery, extortion, and changing cattle brands
But mostly I'm in love with very Big and Evil Plans!

I want your coal and cattle, gold and timber, railroad right away
I want your water rights, mineral rights - and air rights, by the way
I love confiscation, intimidation, and owning all the land
But lately I've been getting in to Big and Evil Plans!

Because the plot demaaaaaaands... an eeeeeeeeevil maaaaaan
To prove the good are good, someone's got to put them through it
Even Shakespeare in his glory, put good villains in his stories
It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it.

(henchman's verse)
A brain like you needs muscle to make the action richer
A brawny goon, a dark saloon, is why I'm in the picture
Breaking arms, and burning barns, and springing you from the can
Is why you need a guy like me for Big and Evil Plans

Because the plot demaaaaaaands... an eeeeeeeeevil maaaaaan
To prove the good are good, someone's got to put them through it
Even Shakespeare in his glory, put good villains in his stories
It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it.
 
Chad Sexington

Chad Sexington

Cheesy1 said:
For Disney villain songs, besides the one Ravenpoe already listed, this is my favorite:
Click to expand...
Keith David?!

Also, I never saw this film. Maybe I'll check it out.[DOUBLEPOST=1380304445,1380303958][/DOUBLEPOST]
Yoshimickster said:

Yeah this guy was better at planning otherthrows rather than...actually leading but this song is still awesome.
Click to expand...
I don't know, he successfully carried out the overthrow and ruled for years. Sure, people starved, but he was successful... Until, you know... Shit went down.
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

Kati suggested a couple. The Disney one:

And the non-Disney:

And then, at the last minute:
"Oh! And you have got to post this one!"

--Patrick
 
AshburnerX

AshburnerX

Well Poe already posted my #1 (The Hounds). I think the exact point that Albert becomes irredeemable in that song is when the reporters ask him the name of the girl and he just plays it off like he's just so beyond it that he doesn't care anymore.

But now I'll have to pick some others... hmm... alright, how about these?



This is the moment Sweeny and Miss Lovett go ABSOLUTELY INSANE. The murder can almost be forgiven up until now but THIS? This is sick.


My Disney pick...



There is just something infectious about the energy of this song.


And one more for good measure.

 
Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

AshburnerX said:
Well Poe already posted my #1 (The Hounds). I think the exact point that Albert becomes irredeemable in that song is when the reporters ask him the name of the girl and he just plays it off like he's just so beyond it that he doesn't care anymore.
Click to expand...
My favorite art of that song are these brilliant lyrics:

When I say he was a monster,
When I set fire to his name,
It doesn't matter where you hear it from,
Whether truth or lies, it gets said all the same.
Whatever's on the table plays.
Click to expand...
Also, I just fucking love the Protomen, so... yeah.

Let's add one more to the Disney pile. I don't like The Little Mermaid. I think it's a stupid movie with stupid characters and a stupid message. But if there's one good thing in it, it's just how delightfully evil Ursula is.



She can sing right to your face about how she's going to fuck up your life, and somehow still convince you to sign. She's manipulative, cunning, malicious, and loves every second of it.
 
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AshburnerX

AshburnerX

Ravenpoe said:
Also, Secret to Survival is catchy as hell, but what the fuck movie is that?
Click to expand...
The Wind in the Willows. The 1996 version with...

Terry Jones as Mr. Toad
Eric Idle as Ratty
Steve Coogan as Mole
Nicol Williamson as Badger
Antony Sher as Chief Weasel

The Nostalgia Critic has mentioned it a few times. Said it was trippy as hell, I believe.
 
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