Moana is already making a name for itself as Disney's next Frozen. The film stars Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and newcomer Auli'i Cravalho as the demigod Maui and young heroine Moana, respectively. The Polynesian duo go on an adventure across the sea, complete with Polynesian-inspired music and original songs. This is a first for Disney, and, to ensure they got the best music they could, they enlisted the help of Samoan musician Opetaia Foa'i and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, creating some pretty memorable songs and moments. And the proof is in the 11 best Moana lyrics listed below.
The Moana soundtrack is already taking over pop culture, with the album sitting pretty at number four on the iTunes charts and number 16 on the Billboard 200. Given the movie came out barely a week ago, I'd say that's pretty impressive for a soundtrack. Put in Frozen terms, Moana is already making headway in achieving their own "Let It Go"-status success. "Let It Go," of course, won an Oscar for Best Original Song and is still being sung daily by children everywhere nearly three years later. There are a few songs on the Moana soundtrack that have the potential to be the next "Let It Go," and that's in great part due to the songs' moving lyrics. These 11 heartbreakingly beautiful lyrics from Moana are just the tip of the iceberg.
Click here to listen to the Moana soundtrack
1. "See the light where the sky meets the sea/ It calls me/ No one knows how far it goes"
In "How Far I'll Go," Moana longs to explore and sail away. She has an adventurous spirit to go where no one else has gone before, and that's pretty inspiring.
2. "There comes a day/ When you're gonna look around/ And realize happiness is/ Where you are"
From "Where You Are," this lyric is sung by Moana's parents. Despite Moana's destiny to explore the seas, the message that love and happiness is where your family is is pretty sweet.
3. "And when we look to the future/ There you are"
Also from "Where You Are," this lyric very clearly puts Moana's parents' love for her on display.
4. "You may hear a voice inside/ And if the voice starts to whisper/ To follow the farthest star/ Moana, that voice inside is/ Who you are"
Moana's grandmother has a different message for Moana in "Where You Are," telling her that she should follow her adventurous heart.
5. "We keep our island in our mind/ And when it's time to find home/ We know the way"
This lyric from "We Know The Way" sums up Moana's heritage of explorers and navigators, and hints at her own adventure.
6. "I can lead with pride/ I can make us strong/ I'll be satisfied if I play along"
In these lines from "How Far I'll Go," Moana is trying to convince herself to be satisfied with her life on the island. Even if it's not exactly what she wants, it's pretty cool to hear a young girl sing with confidence that she can play her role, if she wanted to.
7. "All the time wondering where I need to be/ Is behind me/ I'm on my own/ To worlds unknown"
In the "How Far I'll Go — Reprise," Moana has taken the leap, and, as the lyrics show, she's embracing her adventure into the unknown. These lyrics are not only catchy, but brave and inspiring.
8. "Every turn I take/ Every trail I track/ Is a choice I make/ Now I can't turn back/ From the great unknown/ Where I go alone/ Where I long to be"
Another one form "How Far I'll Go — Reprise" — this song is super inspiring, people! These lyrics show more of Moana's confidence in her journey, and it's pretty mind blowing to think of a young teenager diving head-first, sometimes literally, into uncharted territory (or waters, as the case may be).
9. "I know it's a lot: the hair the bod!/ When you're staring at a demi-god"
Less inspiring, more hilarious, the lyrics to Maui's big tune "You're Welcome" are pretty clever.
10. "Sometimes the world seems against you/ The journey may leave a scar/ But scars can heal and reveal/ Just where you are"
Gramma Tala bestows this gem in "I Am Moana (Song of the Ancestors)," and it's a pretty brilliant piece of wisdom for anyone who is afraid of taking a chance and getting hurt.
11. "I will carry you here in my heart/ You'll remind me/ That come what may, I know the way/ I am Moana!"
Moana finds herself over the course of the film, a journey she sings about in "I Am Moana (Song of the Ancestors)." If you don't cry upon hearing this beautiful sequence of self discovery, I can't do anything for you.
Experiencing these Moana lyrics, it's clear that we'll be singing these new Disney songs for years to come. You go, Moana.
Images: Walt Disney Studios; Giphy (11)
