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

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  • Опубліковано 1 гру 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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КОМЕНТАРІ • 63

  • @lindaandcara
    @lindaandcara 4 роки тому +116

    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 роки тому +1

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

    • @ericmago4110
      @ericmago4110 3 роки тому +1

      @@leif1075 Gotta keep playing man

    • @manuelorozco7760
      @manuelorozco7760 Рік тому

      Who would have thought?

  • @NathanRBradfordMusic
    @NathanRBradfordMusic 9 днів тому +1

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

  • @livelaughlove0209
    @livelaughlove0209 4 роки тому +74

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

  • @justess797
    @justess797 4 роки тому +61

    1:36 he plays it like it is nothing

  • @mikelombard21
    @mikelombard21 3 роки тому +25

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

  • @kingdingaling6516
    @kingdingaling6516 3 роки тому +27

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

  • @findingmomo3179
    @findingmomo3179 3 роки тому +30

    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.

  • @princepeterwolf
    @princepeterwolf Рік тому +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

  • @jwicks747
    @jwicks747 4 роки тому +35

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

    • @mikelombard21
      @mikelombard21 3 роки тому +1

      exactly! you can see the joy on his face.

    • @manuelorozco7760
      @manuelorozco7760 Рік тому

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

  • @jeremyjohnfauvel
    @jeremyjohnfauvel Рік тому +4

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

  • @ronaldringelschwanz8707
    @ronaldringelschwanz8707 11 місяців тому +1

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

  • @MrGabeanator
    @MrGabeanator 2 роки тому +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

  • @jamienewstart1756
    @jamienewstart1756 8 місяців тому

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

  • @nrahman3439
    @nrahman3439 4 роки тому +8

    shooting star is beautiful!

  • @enriquesinghjr
    @enriquesinghjr 4 роки тому +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 Рік тому

      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 Рік тому

      ❤️💯🥂

    • @havidman
      @havidman Рік тому

      Hercules was famous in Indonesia..

    • @PS-DLMA
      @PS-DLMA Рік тому

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

    • @ArchiduquesaMA
      @ArchiduquesaMA Рік тому

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

  • @Sarah_Joyce
    @Sarah_Joyce 4 роки тому +36

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

    • @RosalindPeters
      @RosalindPeters 4 роки тому +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 роки тому +8

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

    • @leif1075
      @leif1075 3 роки тому

      Why didnt it

    • @ESPHMacD
      @ESPHMacD 3 роки тому +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.

  • @FaithAutumn
    @FaithAutumn 4 роки тому +14

    I wish I met him in person

  • @stephenmccollum1391
    @stephenmccollum1391 3 роки тому +4

    This song is wonderful.
    Alan is incredible.

  • @silentsmurf
    @silentsmurf 3 роки тому +8

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

  • @ayanamiayachanJ
    @ayanamiayachanJ 3 роки тому +2

    My favourite Disney song

  • @aquirkyduck3959
    @aquirkyduck3959 4 роки тому +9

    WE STAN YOU BRO!!!

  • @ArchiduquesaMA
    @ArchiduquesaMA Рік тому +1

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

  • @turtleislandlac1490
    @turtleislandlac1490 3 роки тому +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.

  • @ddespair
    @ddespair 3 роки тому +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.

  • @paul-zx5du
    @paul-zx5du 3 роки тому

    Gorgeous music.

  • @maggiemag3569
    @maggiemag3569 4 роки тому +2

    We absolutely stan

  • @supercoolr9330
    @supercoolr9330 4 роки тому +1

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

  • @andyparker9871
    @andyparker9871 4 роки тому +12

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

    • @cbismarck07
      @cbismarck07 4 роки тому +3

      Just Around the Riverbend

    • @musical_lolu4811
      @musical_lolu4811 3 роки тому +2

      Proud of your boy.

    • @SelphieFairy
      @SelphieFairy 3 роки тому

      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.

  • @JustUsSystemInc
    @JustUsSystemInc Рік тому

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

  • @marcschndr
    @marcschndr 4 роки тому +3

    Please come back for Disney

    • @manuelorozco7760
      @manuelorozco7760 Рік тому

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

  • @JPDrums1990
    @JPDrums1990 Рік тому

    That original melodic motif would eventually be used in the film as Herc’s theme and can be heard throughout the entire film.

  • @raggedyhaggity250
    @raggedyhaggity250 3 роки тому

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

  • @gamerviktor4963
    @gamerviktor4963 3 роки тому

    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 😉

  • @samcotten2416
    @samcotten2416 Рік тому

    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 роки тому +2

    Would love to hear Roger Bart sing Shooting Star

    • @MegaAnimationFan
      @MegaAnimationFan 3 роки тому +4

      You can actually see/hear it here
      ua-cam.com/video/jvsmvcXLjm8/v-deo.html

  • @deenagara9151
    @deenagara9151 4 роки тому +2

    Boyzone brought me here!

  • @manuelorozco7760
    @manuelorozco7760 Рік тому

    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