RANKING Phil Collins Disney Songs From Worst to Best

Phil Collins has composed, sang, and written lyrics for a number of Disney songs. While his talents were only lent to two Disney movies, Tarzan and Brother Bear, Collins can take credit for almost the entire soundtrack of both movies.

The music that Collins has created for Disney is strong, powerful, and emotional. His soundtracks are not simply background music that you hear while watching these two films. The songs he created uniquely tie into the visuals and stories which helped them became an eloquent part of the films.

Phil Collins’ Disney songs have won him a number of musical awards. He was also recognized by Disney for his work and contribution to the films when he was named a Disney Legend in 2002. In this article, I’m going to go through all of Phil Collins’ Disney songs and rank them from worst to best. While I wouldn’t say that Collins ever put out a bad Disney song, there are a few that are extremely special and easily take on the title of being his best. Follow along to learn more about Phil, the Disney soundtracks he worked on, and how we rank his Disney songs!

Who is Phil Collins?

Music and entertainment have been a part of Phil’s life since he was a child. At the age of 13, he starred as Dodger in London’s stage production of Oliver!. Besides acting, singing, and dancing, he was also instrumentally talented. While still in his teenage years, Phil was chosen to join the British rock band “Genesis” as their new drummer. This was no small feat, as he was chosen over 400 others who were eager to become the band’s new percussionist. Phil was with the band from 1970 to 1996.

Around the early ‘80s, Phil was not only making successful music with the band, but also starting to work on his own solo career. His career quickly took off, with his first single topping charts in both the United Kingdom and the United States. As early as 1985, one of Phil’s songs, “Take a Look at Me Now”, was nominated for an Oscar.

Phil’s career continued to stay well-rounded throughout the years. His solo career didn’t only involve making his own albums. He also composed and performed music for multiple movies and also continued acting. His involvement with film is what brought him and Disney together.

The first film soundtrack that Disney had Phil work on was Tarzan (1999). Following the major success from that film, Disney also brought Phil on to voice a character in Jungle Book 2, work on the soundtrack for Brother Bear, and help with the Broadway musical version of Tarzan.

In the early 2000s, “Genesis” had a reunion tour. In 2007, Phil suffered from a spinal injury and has been dealing with ongoing health issues ever since. After undergoing multiple surgeries and suffering extreme nerve damage, Collins’ continuous health issues ultimately led to the end of his career. Phil officially retired in March of 2022.

Tarzan

Initially, Phil was hired by Disney to only be a songwriter for the Tarzan soundtrack. However, given his percussive background, it was thought that Phil’s drumming could be used to give the movie a much needed jungle beat. This was something that was proven to be right. Phil’s unique drumming skills can be heard throughout the entire film.

It was then decided later on that Phil would be the one who would be performing the songs that he wrote for the film. This was somewhat of a first for Disney. Up until this time, characters of Disney movies would generally sing the songs of a soundtrack, whether as a way to communicate with other characters or to continue the story telling. With Tarzan, it was the first time that an off-screen singer took the lead in that storytelling and form of narration.

The soundtrack for Tarzan is truly a masterpiece. These songs are the ones that will be difficult to rank. Each song holds so much power and passion, but at the same time, they’re beautiful and moving. Phil didn’t hold anything back when he worked on this. The Tarzan soundtrack is a true gift from Phil Collins to anyone who watches this film.

Phil Collins Tarzan Songs

• “Two Worlds”
• “You’ll Be In My Heart”
• “Son of  Man”
• “Trashin’ the Camp”
• “Strangers Like Me”

Brother Bear

Tarzan turned out to be a very successful movie. The soundtrack also did very well, earning Collins multiple awards for his work. After the tremendous success of that movie, Disney gave Phil the opportunity to work on another soundtrack. This time it was for the movie Brother Bear.

Brother Bear holds multiple cinematic similarities to Tarzan. It has beautiful imagery, strays away from the standard Disney fairytale, and has a soundtrack that Phil Collins is very much involved with, both musically and vocally. Even so, Brother Bear is very overlooked in comparison to Tarzan.

In regards to the soundtrack alone, it doesn’t hold up well compared to the Tarzan soundtrack. There are only a couple songs on the track list that hold a similar amount of power and feeling that the Tarzan songs provide. However, beyond that, the songs from Brother Bear feel a little bland. Almost as if there’s something they’re missing. The Brother Bear soundtrack didn’t quite hit the bar that Phil set so high with the Tarzan soundtrack. As a result, none of the songs on the Brother Bear soundtrack brought home any rewards.

Phil Collins Brother Bear Songs

• “Look Through My Eyes”
• “Welcome”
• “No Way Out (Theme from ‘Brother Bear’)”
• “On My Way”
• “Transformation (Phil Version)”
• “Great Spirits (Bonus Track)”

Tarzan: The Broadway Musical

In 2006, Tarzan left the screen and went to Broadway. Phil Collins was also involved in the musical aspect of this stage adaptation. On the album, Phil is credited for writing the music and lyrics.

Tarzan: The Broadway Musical does include all of the songs that are in the 1999 animated film. However, for the Broadway musical, Phil isn’t the one who is performing these songs. This time, the characters on stage take on the job of singing these hit tunes. Although Phil doesn’t perform the songs for Tarzan: The Broadway Musical, there is one bonus track that’s included on the soundtrack that Phil does sing.

This song, titled “Everything That I Am”, is a new song that was written specifically for the stage adaptation. This isn’t the only new song that Phil wrote for the Broadway version of Tarzan. Phil wrote a total of nine new songs for the Broadway musical!

Phil Collins Tarzan: The Broadway Musical Songs

• “Everything That I Am”

Ranking Phil Collins Disney Songs – Worst to Best

12. “Everything That I Am” from Tarzan: The Broadway Musical

Phil’s version of this song is a bonus track on the album. However, the song is actually performed as part of the Broadway musical. The song is performed mostly by Tarzan as he is finding clothes, knickknacks, and photographs in the treehouse where his human family lived. He is realizing that there is another part of him that he never knew about. Understandably, he wants to learn more. During the song, his gorilla mother, Kala, is also present. While she mostly looks on in sadness, fearing that she will lose her human son that she raised from birth, she does join in on the song towards the end.

11. “No Way Out” Theme from Brother Bear

This song takes place during an emotional turning point of the film. When the song starts, we see a sad, guilt-ridden Kenai. Soon after, a playful, bouncy Koda comes into the scene. Koda’s energy quickly shifts to sadness after Kenai tells him a story. The story is actually a confession from Kenai where he admits to killing Koda's mother when he was a human. In confusion and sadness, the little bear cub runs off crying into the snowy forest. For some space and alone time, he climbs a tree so Kenai doesn’t see where he is. At the end of the scene, we see Kenai follow after him apologetically.

10. “Transformation (Phil Version)” from Brother Bear

Here we have another instance where Phil’s version of a song was added to the album as a bonus track. In the movie, the song is performed by the Bulgarian Women’s Choir who sing the song in Iñupiaq. This is the language of the Iñupiat people who are a group of Alaska Natives. The song takes place during the film right after Kenai kills a bear. He is then transformed into a bear himself.

On the album, Phil sings in English for his version of the song.

9. “Welcome” from Brother Bear

At the beginning of this scene, we see Kenai awkwardly fumbling around trying to work his way around being a bear. The other bears notice how unusual his bear behavior is, especially with Koda happily sharing all of the odd things that Kenai does. Kenai decides that it’s best if he leaves since he doesn’t belong there.

The bears quickly let him know that everyone is welcome. This song is essentially an initiation for Kenai from the human world into the bear world. Throughout the song, Kenai is learning how to catch a fish like the other bears. However, at the same time, he is also witnessing how beautiful of a life they live. He is now able to see how kind, compassionate, and caring they are as a community. Which is far different from his views of bears when he was a human. By the end of the song, Kenai finally (with a little bit of luck) catches a fish.

8. “On My Way” from Brother Bear

In the movie, Koda starts singing this song as he’s happily prancing along with Kenai. The actual song, with Phil singing, starts to play shortly after. At this point in the film, Kenai hasn’t gotten accustomed to Koda hanging around with him yet and he is visibly annoyed and grumpy. However, Koda keeps his friendly, upbeat cub spirit and doesn’t let Kenai get him down. As the scene continues, Kenai starts to actually have fun and bond with Koda. Before too long, two moose, Rutt and Tuke, run up to the pair of bears and ask if they can hang out with them so they’ll be safe from hunters. After quickly realizing that the hunters could easily track all of their prints, the group of friends hop on the back of some mammoths so they can continue their journey without being tracked.

7. “Great Spirits (Bonus Track)” from Brother Bear

Tina Turner performs this song in the movie. However, a bonus version was made where Phil sings it. Although Phil’s version can’t be found on the actual soundtrack, you can listen to his version on YouTube. Click here to listen to “Great Spirits” by Phil Collins. This is one of the songs that holds more power compared to other songs on the Brother Bear soundtrack and could be put on a similar level to the songs from Tarzan. Had this song been used in the film, it could have helped beef up the soundtrack a bit.

This song is used during a scene where the three (human) brothers, Denahi, Sitka, and Kenai are seen bonding and enjoying time together. When watching, you’ll see many similarities from the brothers’ bonding moment and the moments that take place when the bears are bonding. Showing that although the two species are different, they are still similar.

6. “Trashin' the Camp” from Tarzan

Two versions of this song exist on the Tarzan soundtrack. The first is the one that can be heard in the movie when Terk and the other gorillas are trashing the human camp. While they are realistically exploring the human items that they’ve never seen or experienced before, the camp is ultimately left trashed when they’re done. This version of the song is heavily carried by Rossie O’Donnell. Phil Collins and other members of the cast can be heard accompanying her.

A bonus version of this song can be heard on the Tarzan soundtrack. In this version, Phil teams up with boy band N*Sync and brings a new sound to the song. Both versions of the song were a great way for Phil to display a different side to his creativity and percussive talents.

5. “Two Worlds” from Tarzan

Beginning with those strong, Phil Collins jungle beats, “Two Worlds” is the first song that we hear when watching Tarzan. A lot of introduction and backstory is given to us in this single song. We’re instantly put in the setting as we make our way through the jungle on a dark and stormy night.

We then quickly change frames to a burning shipwreck where a mother, father, and tiny baby are trying to survive. The drum beat, additional instrumentals, and Phil’s vocals start and bring a deep emotion into the song after the family makes it onto a lifeboat. As the scene moves forward, they start heading to the jungle island. We then get a view, deeper into the jungle, of a family of gorillas. Ironically, this family is also made up of a mother, father, and baby. After the storm passes, we see that Tarzan’s family made it onto the island and make a home for themselves in  a high tree.

Throughout the rest of the song, we see both the human and gorilla families experience sudden tragedy as a jaguar strikes both families. Kala, the gorilla mother, experiences the loss of her baby to the jaguar. As the song comes to an end, we see her running towards the sound of a crying baby, which is located in a treehouse that she's never seen before. As we later find out, this baby is Tarzan who is now all alone after the jaguar also took the lives of his parents.

In 2000, Phil Collins was nominated for a Blimp Award at the Kid’s Choice Awards as well as an Annie Award for this song.

4. “Son of Man” form Tarzan

During this song, we get a glimpse of young Tarzan as he tries to prove to his adoptive gorilla father, Kerchak, that he has what it takes to be a part of the gorilla family. We see him struggle along the way, but also get help from other jungle animals such as Terk, the gorilla, and Tantor, the elephant.

As we see his jungle skills start to improve and grow, we also see him grow as a human. By the end of the song, he has grown into an adult, is helping the jungle animals with his new skills. He can also now effortlessly travel through the treetops by swinging on vines and “surfing” along the branches.

3. “Look Through My Eyes” from Brother Bear

This is the one song from Brother Bear that holds an equal level of power and emotion as the songs from the Tarzan soundtrack do. Unfortunately, this song isn’t showcased during the film. Instead, it is the song that plays during the credits and is therefore most likely overlooked or even unheard of by many. Again, had this song been incorporated into the film, it could have tremendously improved the overall soundtrack of this animated film.

2. “Strangers Like Me” from Tarzan

We hear the song “Strangers Like Me” during the scene where Jane and her father, Professor Porter, show Tarzan everything he needs to know about the human world. To Tarzan, all of this stuff is new. He is shown pictures, taught how to read, learns about space, and how to ride a penny farthing bicycle.

As the song continues, we also see how he starts to notice Jane in a different way. He is experiencing new feelings for the first time. Afterall, this is his first time seeing, let alone interacting, with a human woman. We also get a glimpse of the feelings that Kala and Terk have as they watch Tarzan excitedly head to the humans and leave the gorillas. 

There are also moments within the song where Tarzan is able to show Jane the jungle and the ways that he lives. The scene ends with Tarzan seeing a picture of a man’s romantic gesture of giving a woman flowers. We can see this gives Tarzan and idea as he then lovingly looks over towards Jane.

1. “You'll Be In My Heart” from Tarzan

This is easily the most popular and most recognized song from the film. There are also two versions of this song on the Tarzan soundtrack. We first hear the song when Kala finds baby Tarzan. It starts with Glenn Close singing as the voice of Kala in a lullaby style. This is very fitting since Collins originally wrote this song as a lullaby for his daughter, Lilly. It then switches over to Phil singing the rest of the song. Throughout the scene when this song is played, we see Kala bond with Tarzan and accept him as her own. She takes care of him just as the other gorilla mothers are taking care of their babies.

The other version of this song, where Phil sings the full song on his own, can be heard at the end of the movie while the credits are rolling.

Phil Collins earned many achievements with this song, including:

• An Oscar for the Best Music and Original Song at the Academy Awards
• An ASCAP Award for the Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture at the ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards
• A Golden Globe for Best Original Song from a Motion Picture at the Golden Globes

Besides these winnings, it was also nominated for:

• A Grammy for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television, or Other Visual Media at the Grammy Awards
• A Sierra Award for Best Original Song at the Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards
• An OFTA Film Award for Best Music and Original Song by the Online Film & Television Association

Phil Collins Disney Songs

As a composer and writer, Phil is also credited for a number of other songs on each of these albums. However, for this particular piece, we only discussed the songs that Phil sang as a performer.

There is no doubt that Phil Collins is an extremely talented musician. His compilation of Disney songs is full of masterpieces that withstand the test of time. To this day, many of his Disney songs are loved by many and can even be heard throughout the Disney Parks! Phil’s songs have been used for nighttime spectaculars, parades, and live performances.

He truly is a Disney Legend whose work will live on forever.

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