Fairy-Tale Ballad
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The tender romantic ballad of storybook love: a lilting, dreamy song of longing, devotion or wish-fulfilment set in a fairy-tale world. Melodies are graceful and waltz-like or gently flowing, arranged with strings, harp, woodwinds and soft choir for a shimmering, old-world glow, and later versions add lush adult-contemporary pop. Vocals are pure and legit, occasionally duetted between the lovers. Lyrics dwell on dreams, destiny and true love. The mood is romantic, wistful and enchanted, the emotional heart of the fairy-tale musical.
History
The fairy-tale ballad descends from the Disney studio's earliest princess films — 'Someday My Prince Will Come' (Snow White, 1937), 'A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes' and 'So This Is Love' (Cinderella, 1950), 'Once Upon a Dream' (Sleeping Beauty, 1959) — where romance was voiced in soaring, waltzing melody. The Renaissance and after revived and modernised it, from Tangled's 'I See the Light' (2010) to live-action ballads 'Speechless' (2019) and Josh Groban's 'Evermore' (2017) and Enchanted's 'So Close' (2007). Sung by Ilene Woods, Mary Costa, Mandy Moore and others, the fairy-tale ballad remains the genre's definitive love song.
Defining artists
Essential listening
- A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes(1950) — Ilene WoodsSpotifyYouTube
- Once Upon a Dream(1959) — Mary CostaSpotifyYouTube
- Someday My Prince Will Come(1937) — Adriana CaselottiSpotifyYouTube
- So This Is Love(1950) — Ilene WoodsSpotifyYouTube
- Speechless(2019) — Naomi ScottSpotifyYouTube
- I See the Light(2010) — Mandy Moore & Zachary LeviSpotifyYouTube
Sources
- Thomas S. Hischak and Mark A. Robinson, The Disney Song Encyclopedia (2009)
- Thomas S. Hischak, The Oxford Companion to the American Musical (2008)
- Mervyn Cooke, A History of Film Music (2008)