Cinderella “Sing Sweet Nightingale” (1950)

Evolution of Disney: Cinderella Part 1

Anastasia and Drizella are taking music lessons from their mother and we are “treated” to the sound of Drizella’s…..talents….followed in contrast by Cinderella’s take on the same melody. This song is special because in it, Walt Disney pioneered the use of double tracked vocals (years before the Beatles did the same thing). A double tracked vocal is when you record an artist singing a song, then record it again and have the artist sing in harmony with the first recording. Ilene Woods did this at least four times, to create a four part harmony with her own voice, and the results are spectacular.

Oh, sing sweet nightingale
Sing sweet nightingale
High above me
Oh, sing sweet nightingale
Sing sweet nightingale

High above
Oh, sing sweet nightingale
Sing sweet nightingale, high
Oh, sing sweet nightingale
Sing sweet nightingale
Oh, sing sweet nightingale
Sing sweet
Oh, sing sweet nightingale, sing
Oh, sing sweet nightingale
Oh, sing sweet
Oh, sing

One of my favorite animations in Cinderella comes when all the different “bubble Cinderellas” sing together. This song also highlights Cinderella’s beautiful singing voice (in comparison to the Drizella’s singing voice and Anastasia’s questionable ability on the flute). You know I think this scene is further proof that Lady Tremaine is completely blind to the realities of her daughters. Anyone with half an ear can see that these two have no musical talent whatsoever, but does Lady Tremaine chastise them for being off-key? Nope!

Like most of the scenes in Cinderella, this scene was also filmed in live action before it was animated and I love looking at the picture of the actresses playing Drizella and Anastasia because it’s almost exactly like the final animated version.