![]() Menken said that while "Colors of the Wind" was "born out of the modality of Native American quickly moved to its own place, which is hard to define." Menken has noted that the song lacks humor, which he and Schwartz attempted to inject into Pocahontas and failed. Schwartz also drew inspiration for "Colors of the Wind" from the music of Oscar Hammerstein II and Sheldon Harnick, as it deals with issues of prejudice. So if we sell our land, you must keep it apart and sacred, as a place where man can go to taste the wind that is sweetened by the meadow flowers." This portion of the letter inspired the song's title, which Schwartz liked because he saw it as paradoxical and thought-provoking. The wind also gives our children the spirit of life. Part of the letter reads: "The wind that gave our grandfather his first breath also received his last sigh. ![]() This is often the process in animation, at least as I've experienced it, where everybody works from an outline and each succeeding piece of material, whether it is a song or drawings, influences the next." The track was inspired by Native American poetry, music and folklore, as well as a now-debunked letter that Schwartz believed was sent to the United States Congress by Chief Seattle regarding humanity's relationship with nature but was in fact a fabrication. According to Schwartz, the song "influence the development of the rest of the film." Schwartz said that "a story-board outline was in place before we wrote. "Colors of the Wind" was the first song written for Pocahontas. Schwartz wanted to write a song for the film wherein Pocahontas confronts the Eurocentrism of John Smith. Schwartz did not feel he was well-suited to the job. Schwartz had never considered working in the film industry, but agreed to do so nonetheless. Stephen Schwartz, the composer behind the Broadway theater hits Godspell (1971), Pippin (1972), and The Magic Show (1974), received a call from the company asking if he would like to collaborate with Menken. ![]() The song was inspired by the words of Chief Seattle.įollowing the death of Howard Ashman, the Walt Disney Company wanted to find another musician to collaborate with Alan Menken on his scores for animated films. "Colors of the Wind" would also be covered by other artists, including Ashanti and Brian Wilson, and was featured on an episode of Lip Sync Battle. The song was also included on her third album, The Sweetest Days. American actress and recording artist Vanessa Williams's adult contemporary cover of the song was released as the lead single on May 23, 1995, by Walt Disney Records, from the film's soundtrack, and became a top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The song would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song, the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. "Colors of the Wind" received a mostly positive reception from critics, with several citing it as one of the best songs from a Disney film. A pop ballad, the song's lyrics are about animism and respecting nature, finding its roots in indigenous Native American culture, perspectives which have later been adopted in both transcendentalist literature and New Age spirituality. The film's theme song, "Colors of the Wind" was originally recorded by American singer and actress Judy Kuhn in her role as the singing voice of Pocahontas. " Colors of the Wind" is a song written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz for Walt Disney Pictures' 33rd animated feature film, Pocahontas (1995). "Colors of the Wind"įrom the album Pocahontas: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack
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