Genesis of a Song: Alan Menken Shares How He Wrote ‘Go the Distance’ for Disney’s Hercules

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ธ.ค. 2019
  • While "Go The Distance" is now an anthem for the film Hercules and a “tentpole for the score,” according to Menken, it was almost never written.
    Menken and Zippel had written a song called “Shooting Star.” (You can hear Menken play it in the video above.) The song felt too wistful, with not enough drive. And so the duo wrote “Go the Distance.” In the video above Menken plays through both songs, explaining the choice and what the 1997 movie needed, how he found the melody, why the horns are so important, and the “confetti of brilliance” that is Zippel’s lyric.
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ความคิดเห็น • 64

  • @lindaandcara
    @lindaandcara 4 ปีที่แล้ว +120

    All those songs in his head. Even the ones that haven’t seen the light of day, in a show. What a genius and a national treasure!

    • @leif1075
      @leif1075 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I want that many songs in my head..how can i be like him??

    • @ericmago4110
      @ericmago4110 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@leif1075 Gotta keep playing man

    • @manuelorozco7760
      @manuelorozco7760 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Who would have thought?

  • @livelaughlove0209
    @livelaughlove0209 4 ปีที่แล้ว +74

    Alan Menken has so much talent I love him so much he honestly an inspiration!

  • @NathanRBradfordMusic
    @NathanRBradfordMusic 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Such a legend. So sad that most people don’t know him by name.

  • @mikelombard21
    @mikelombard21 3 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    What an insight. The way he thinks and conceptualized music is astounding. This man is a legend.

  • @kingdingaling6516
    @kingdingaling6516 4 ปีที่แล้ว +27

    Imagine being an aspiring songwriter and you get a chance to actual learn under him as his pupil...that would be amazing.

  • @justess797
    @justess797 4 ปีที่แล้ว +61

    1:36 he plays it like it is nothing

    • @aleaanderson6600
      @aleaanderson6600 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      As soon as he plays it, goosebump city, man.

  • @findingmomo3179
    @findingmomo3179 3 ปีที่แล้ว +31

    To anyone wondering who's the David he mentioned, he's referring to David Zippel, the man who wrote the lyrics to the songs in Hercules. He also wrote the lyrics to the songs in Mulan with Matthew Wilde.

    • @manuelorozco7760
      @manuelorozco7760 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      And did the lyrics for the Swan Princess

  • @jwicks747
    @jwicks747 4 ปีที่แล้ว +35

    Its so fun to watch him! He's so happy when he plays!

    • @mikelombard21
      @mikelombard21 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      exactly! you can see the joy on his face.

    • @manuelorozco7760
      @manuelorozco7760 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      The first time I saw him play on piano was an interview he did for Tangled

  • @princepeterwolf
    @princepeterwolf ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I think Alan never got the recognition he rightfully deserves, all his songs are timeless, beautiful and moving. I don't know any other composer quite like him

  • @jeremyjohnfauvel
    @jeremyjohnfauvel ปีที่แล้ว +4

    This guy is very underrated in his role in our favorite Disney movies.

  • @Sarah_Joyce
    @Sarah_Joyce 4 ปีที่แล้ว +37

    I like that shooting star song, kind of sad it didn’t make it in

    • @RosalindPeters
      @RosalindPeters 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      Sarah Joyce if you listen to the beginning motif though, we re use it when they arrive in Thebes. (Me? An obsessive Hercules geek? What makes you say that...!?)

    • @animalanimation5110
      @animalanimation5110 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@RosalindPeters That melody is also heard when baby Pegasus is sleeping

    • @leif1075
      @leif1075 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Why didnt it

    • @ESPHMacD
      @ESPHMacD 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      It's on my copy of the CD Soundtrack, along with some covers of the Muses songs. Probably one of the best songs on there, honestly.

  • @nrahman3439
    @nrahman3439 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    shooting star is beautiful!

  • @ronaldringelschwanz8707
    @ronaldringelschwanz8707 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    He is a musical genius! Those memorable and beautiful melodies! Incredible!!!!

  • @MrGabeanator
    @MrGabeanator 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Of all the great songs Alan has written in his career and trust me there’s a lot of em go the distance has got to be one of the best and one my favorites

  • @enriquesinghjr
    @enriquesinghjr 4 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    Hercules may not be that popular of a movie, but I love that movie's comedy (also The Emperor's New Groove) and "Go The Distance" is among my favorite Disney movies perhaps because it's one of the most masculine songs in the entire Disney catalogue. The movie shares a lot in common with Superman (1978) and the Rocky movies (both of which I'm a huge fan of).

    • @manuelorozco7760
      @manuelorozco7760 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I prefer Snow White, Cinderella, Wreck It Ralph, Big Hero 6, Moana, Raya and the Last Dragon and Encanto. But Hercules and Groove are two of those Disney movies I would watch all the time on VHS until they went extinct

    • @alainninodequina9704
      @alainninodequina9704 ปีที่แล้ว

      ❤️💯🥂

    • @havidman
      @havidman ปีที่แล้ว

      Hercules was famous in Indonesia..

    • @PS-DLMA
      @PS-DLMA ปีที่แล้ว

      Menken scored the theme to one of the Rocky movies....

    • @ArchiduquesaMA
      @ArchiduquesaMA ปีที่แล้ว

      I wish they'd make songs like this for female characters

  • @FaithAutumn
    @FaithAutumn 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    I wish I met him in person

  • @silentsmurf
    @silentsmurf 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    I never noticed how thematically similar Go the Distance and How Far I’ll Go are until now

  • @stephenmccollum1391
    @stephenmccollum1391 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    This song is wonderful.
    Alan is incredible.

  • @KurtBarcelona
    @KurtBarcelona หลายเดือนก่อน

    the lyrics that defined me as an adult

  • @aquirkyduck3959
    @aquirkyduck3959 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    WE STAN YOU BRO!!!

  • @jamienewstart1756
    @jamienewstart1756 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Wasn't aware until recently Alan Menken was behind so many great childhood Disney songs growing up, an amazing talent.👏 ❤

  • @ayanamiayachanJ
    @ayanamiayachanJ 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    My favourite Disney song

  • @turtleislandlac1490
    @turtleislandlac1490 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Amazing and underrated songs in Hercules. Zero to Hero should be an all time classic (I know in some fans' mind it is) but I don't think that soundtrack gets the credit it deserves.

  • @paul-zx5du
    @paul-zx5du 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Gorgeous music.

  • @maggiemag3569
    @maggiemag3569 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    We absolutely stan

  • @ArchiduquesaMA
    @ArchiduquesaMA ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This song makes me feel like a peasant boy who wants to become a great hero

  • @ddespair
    @ddespair 3 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    The way he plays the songs really reveal how he liked his original song better. He slams the keys on the winner but he plays with heartfelt emotion on the loser.

  • @supercoolr9330
    @supercoolr9330 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I love to sing, and I love to write songs for Disney music.

  • @andyparker9871
    @andyparker9871 4 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    anyone getting “part of your world” vibes from the beginning of shooting star?

    • @cbismarck07
      @cbismarck07 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Just Around the Riverbend

    • @musical_lolu4811
      @musical_lolu4811 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Proud of your boy.

    • @SelphieFairy
      @SelphieFairy 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I think it's because that's another very typical "I want" song. From his description, I think he initially wrote "shooting star" as just that until he realized it needed a bit more power to it.

  • @marcschndr
    @marcschndr 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Please come back for Disney

    • @manuelorozco7760
      @manuelorozco7760 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      He’s having an Enchanted sequel coming out in November on Disney Plus

  • @gamerviktor4963
    @gamerviktor4963 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Anyone know where I can find material for my bachelor? Need to find out how they made decisions of the music in different Disney movies. How they ended up with gospel in Hercules, why did they choose Phil Collins in Tarzan... Need good sources 😉

  • @raggedyhaggity250
    @raggedyhaggity250 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    go the distance is olympic sports theme worthy. hated it as a kid but i love it now

  • @JustUsSystemInc
    @JustUsSystemInc ปีที่แล้ว

    Go the distance always reminded me of Alladin I can show you the world.

  • @caityl.charnoski7774
    @caityl.charnoski7774 หลายเดือนก่อน

    It would be cool if they added Shooting Star to the live action remake 🤔

  • @samcotten2416
    @samcotten2416 ปีที่แล้ว

    I loved that movie as a kid, but now it seems pretty juvenile overall. This song, however, is the one really great thing about it.

  • @silentsmurf
    @silentsmurf 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Would love to hear Roger Bart sing Shooting Star

    • @MegaAnimationFan
      @MegaAnimationFan 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      You can actually see/hear it here
      th-cam.com/video/jvsmvcXLjm8/w-d-xo.html

  • @deenagara9151
    @deenagara9151 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Boyzone brought me here!

  • @manuelorozco7760
    @manuelorozco7760 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Out of Alan’s work at Disney, I prefer Hercules, Enchanted, Tangled, Aladdin and Newsies. Go the Distance is one of those Mouse House songs that speak to me as an autistic individual. Trying to make the best of not being a boy anymore. The song’s message couldn’t be timelier 25 years later