Top 10 Best Disney Revenge Songs

In season six, the show’s creators gave the fans what they’d wished for— a musical episode. Most of the singing takes place during a flashback where a spell enacted by Snow and Charming forces everyone to sing. Several villainous characters got epic revenge numbers, but none are quite as swash-buckling as Captain Hook’s. The royal couple asks the pirate to help them find Regina, but he’s more concerned with settling his score with “The Crocodile,” a.k.a Rumpelstiltskin. It’s an exciting number that has no trouble keeping us hooked. Colin O’Donoghue shared that he broke his foot shooting this scene. Too bad he didn’t sing a reprise vowing revenge on the chair that caused his injury.

In this number, Gaston rallies the townspeople, convincing them that it’s their duty to rid their village of this great threat— the beast. We can’t deny that it’s a catchy tune meant to be sung at the top of one’s lungs - and find a pitchfork to wave around. But that’s exactly why this song is so frightening! It highlights the dangers of mob mentality and how sensationalist language, and in this case, a toe-tapping rhythm, can easily sway people. At one point, the mob even sings that the beast’s crime is being different, and that scares them. It’s a powerfully dark song and downright terrifying.

Remember when you were a kid and your parents’ sang you to sleep? Were your bedtime lullabies filled with bitterness, resentment, and plans for revenge? Yeah, ours, neither. Zira, an exiled lioness, sends her cub Kovu off to sleep with visions of vengeance, bloody battles, and the demise of Simba and his daughter Kiara. Not exactly the “sweet dreams” sentiment our parents typically opted for. The song and its visuals remind us a little of another revenge number from the franchise, but more on that one later. “My Lullaby” comes to a chilling conclusion with Zira, and the other Outsiders, reveling in her fantasy against the backdrop of a blood-red sky.

Rapunzel’s double-crossed by her handmaiden and bestie, Cassandra, after the latter uncovers their intertwined histories. Cassandra sings this duet with Varian, who tries to stop her from spiraling further down the path of hate, anger, and vengeance. He urges her that the more she succumbs to it, the harder it will be to turn back— and he should know. But it’s too late. This isn’t the only song where a character tries to talk Cass out of villainy either, with the other being “Crossing the Line.” But this duet is banging, and Eden Espinosa and Jeremy Jordan’s voices are so good that we can’t imagine how anyone could have dark thoughts while listening to it.

The “Descendants” franchise brought a welcome reimagining to the fairytale genre, turning everything we thought we knew about heroes and villains on its head. This is exemplified through Audrey’s angry anthem in the third installment. Furious that Ben chose Mal over her, she declares that being good hasn’t gotten her anywhere. We watch her villain origin story unfold through a mix of rap and a rockin’ melody. Sarah Jeffery nails the vocals and effortlessly manages to make audiences both fear and feel bad for her. The song hit the 49th spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and set the record for the longest-charting “Descendants” track, staying there for eight weeks.

Rasputin, who’s trapped in limbo, is infuriated to learn that one member of the Romanov family survived his curse. In this eerily captivating song, he vows to complete what he started and sends his minions to finish the job. It’s a nightmarish sequence that sees the ghoulish Rasputin sing about his thirst for revenge surrounded by creepy, bug-looking demons. Animation World Magazine described its sound as “a wonderful mixture of rock and traditional Russian choral music.” It also strikes the perfect balance between comedy and something far more unsettling. No matter how many times we hear it, we’re never quite sure whether to bop along or recoil in horror.

Despite his stature among Disney villains, Jafar only sings this one brief reprise in the movie. But voice actor Jonathan Freeman made the most of it, making the number as memorable as any of the film’s full-length songs. He uses it to expose Aladdin and claim the power to which he believes he’s entitled. It’s ominous, theatrical, and even a little manic, everything that sums up this icon of evil. Unfortunately, it was cut from the 2019 live-action remake. However, he does get a second, longer revenge track called “You’re Only Second Rate” in the 1994 straight-to-video sequel. But that cackle at the end of the “Prince Ali Reprise” still haunts our nightmares.

Many say that Judge Frollo is one of Disney’s scariest villains because he’s just a regular guy. He doesn’t possess any magical abilities, no tricks up his sleeve, just a dangerously deluded sense of right and wrong. And the scariest part of all? He thinks he’s the good guy. In “Hellfire,” he battles his own demons, ultimately blaming Esmeralda for his so-called impure thoughts. The solution? Make her choose between him or death. Apparently, Disney execs were left in a cold sweat when Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz first demoed the song. Can you blame them? Disney’s presented kids with some questionable stuff before, but this is a whole other level.

When we first meet Ursula, we learn she’d previously been banished from Triton’s palace, leaving her hungry for revenge. And who better to help her get it than his naïve, love-sick daughter. Posing as a good samaritan, she promises to help Ariel with her love life in arguably one of Disney’s best villain songs ever. She’s super sneaky, though! If you listen closely, you’ll notice that she never actually lies about who she is and what she does. But with her effortless charm, brilliant cunning, and a bewitching melody, she’s able to pull the veil over our eyes. Everything about this song is as irresistible as the deal she initially strikes with Ariel.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“The Headless Horseman,” “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad” (1949)
That’s One Way to Deal with a Love Rival

“Oogie Boogie's Song,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)
Santa’s Not the Only One Captivated by This Song

“Badder,” “Disenchanted” (2022)
Who Knew a Cliché Filled- Villian off Could Be So Enticing!

“Friends on the Other Side (Reprise),” “The Princess and the Frog” (2009)
Dr. Facilier’s ‘Friends’ Come To Collect Their Debt

“The Queen of Hearts / Who's Been Painting My Roses Red?” “Alice in Wonderland” (1951)
Try Not to Lose Your Heads over This Brief Revenge Number

Do Disney revenge songs come more sinister than this? Scar believes he’s the rightful ruler of the Pride Lands and conspires to overthrow (literally) his brother so he can be king. It’s a truly diabolical number with a menacing melody and threatening message, yet it could not have an easier time captivating audiences. It’s about as dark and twisted as they come, frightening listeners with Scar’s evil manifesto, enticing them with comic relief, and capturing them with a hypnotic tune. And the scariest part of all is just how much we love it. As far as revenge songs go, we’d “Be Prepared” to argue that this is one of Disney’s best.