Top 10 DreamWorks Songs That Didn't Have to Go THAT Hard

Not enough people remember the “How to Train Your Dragon” franchise for its amazing soundtrack. But there’s one moment in the second installment that gives us way more feels than we expected. At the beginning of “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” Stoick thinks his wife Valka is long dead. When he discovers she’s alive, emotions come flooding back in the form of “For the Dancing and the Dreaming.” The song itself is quite simple in instrumentation and lyric, but the emotion behind everything elevates it to a new level. Stoick and Valka sing it together as a way to profess their renewed love – and as a way to make us weep uncontrollably.

You’ve probably heard of “The Prince of Egypt,” but its later prequel film, “Joseph: King of Dreams,” is a little less well-known. Although not on the same level as its predecessor, one song from Joseph’s story leaves us reeling every time. Joseph sings “You Know Better Than I” at a time in his life when he begins to trust in a higher power once more. Up until this point in the film, the songs have left us a little wanting. But when that piano starts and the beautiful tenor voice of David Campbell begins to let loose, we can’t help but fall in love. Given how so-so the other songs are, they definitely didn’t have to go that hard on this one.

“Over the Hedge” may be one of DreamWorks’ more forgotten films, which is a shame because it’s also one of the most enjoyable. The film follows a group of woodland critters who plot to steal food from the new suburban development that’s invaded their forest. Who, might you ask, would be suited to provide the soundtrack for these inevitable hijinks? Why, Ben Folds of course – and he put his whole soul into this one. “Heist” is a jaunty little track from the movie that perfectly sums up the film’s vibe in just a few chords. Folds provided some other tunes for the film, but nothing quite hits this high.

With this number, DreamWorks took it back to the disco era. “Shark Tale” was a giant hit when it hit theaters in 2004, although critics only gave it middling reviews. But one thing that everyone could agree on was its expert use of the 1976 song “Car Wash.” The number doesn’t have much to do with the film’s mafia plot – and yet, it’s become one of the things most closely associated with “Shark Tale.” At the end of the movie, Missy Elliot and Christina Aguilera perform the song as fish versions of themselves – and it goes HARD. There’s really no reason for this animated, under-the-sea dance sequence to exist. But that doesn’t stop it from being the best part of the movie.

As a writing duo, Elton John and Tim Rice have never let us down. From “The Lion King” to “Aida,” they know how to combine their talents and write a hit musical number. “The Road to El Dorado” is no exception. This 2000 film is one of the duo’s less well-known productions, but that doesn’t mean they worked any less hard – as evidenced by “It’s Tough To Be a God.” The raucous number occurs when Miguel and Tulio are mistaken for deities. Instead of telling the truth, they erupt into this high-energy dance number. The music and the lyrics are both pitch perfect – seriously, Tim Rice did the thing when he wrote, “any normal man would bridle if he’s forced to be an idol.”

In 2005, there were a few truths we held dear. And one of those truths was “I Like to Move It.” The DreamWorks film “Madagascar” follows a group of zoo animals who become shipwrecked on the Indian Ocean island. As you might expect, things start off … not great. But when they meet the island inhabitants, the party begins. A group of lemurs, led by the great King Julien the 13th, live deep in the forests of Madagascar. And they love to dance. As soon as the movie came out, “I Like to Move It’ was inescapable. It became a true blue dance hit, which is more than we can say for most DreamWorks songs. To this day, it still makes us want to move it.

Some people may have forgotten about 2002’s “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.” But we certainly never could. The animation is too incredible, the story too amazing, and the soundtrack? Well, that’s another story. Hans Zimmer provided the score for this DreamWorks picture, and pop star Bryan Adams wrote a number of inspiring songs. We love the gentle thrum of “Brothers Under the Sun,” but nothing beats the opening theme. “Here I Am” follows Spirit as he grows from a young foal to a headstrong stallion. The best part of the song is it truly feels like a Bryan Adams joint – from the production, to the instrumentation, to his signature vocals. We can’t help but sing along.

If you weren’t living under a rock in 2016, you remember that this song was everywhere. While we wanted to grow tired of it, something about the beat of “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” was undeniable. The tune accompanied the DreamWorks picture “Trolls,” and instantly became a hit. It became not only a number one single for Justin Timberlake, but was the best-selling song of 2016 point blank. “Trolls” had plenty of other songs, but the funky melody and disco beat of this one was just impossible to ignore. We always knew JT was going to give us a hit, but we had no idea he would go this hard for a movie called “Trolls.”

If you’re a fan of the “Shrek” franchise, we’re betting that your favorite installment is 2004’s “Shrek 2.” Not only does the movie introduce a slew of new characters, like Puss in Boots, but it continues Shrek’s run of giving us amazing songs. The Counting Crows’ tune “Accidentally in Love” is a stellar contribution, but we’ve gotta give this one to the Fairy Godmother herself. As the evil fairy, Jennifer Saunders delivers a rousing rendition of Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out for a Hero.” When a song is as famous as this one, you don’t have to do much to make the audience enjoy it. But Saunders pulls no punches in making the number her own and one of the most memorable in the film.

“The Prince of Egypt” is a god-tier DreamWorks film. A biblical story of epic proportions, the movie tells the tale of Moses and spares no expense in animation, casting, or music. “All I Ever Wanted” is beautifully sung by Amick Byram (AMick BY-rum), and we adore the intricate harmony in “When You Believe.” But there’s no better choice for a story of this scale than its most impressive number, “Deliver Us.” The song is a choral masterpiece, seamlessly interspersing gentle melodies with harsh ones, and adding in strong percussion for dramatic emphasis. No DreamWorks opening number has ever had an easier time getting our attention.