‘Frog’ soundtrack reveals more plot than Tiana’s show at Magic Kingdom

Dewayne Bevil, Featured, News — By Dewayne Bevil on December 1, 2009 at 3:48 pm

Our music critic loaned me the soundtrack to “The Princess and the Frog,” Disney’s upcoming animated feature. I was drawn to it, and surely this was the company’s plan all along, because of the music in the related Magic Kingdom show called Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee! I’m no jazz expert, but I know what I like: top-tapping.

Fans of the Jubilee won’t be disappointed with the soundtrack, which is now available in stores. The music heard in the theme park is in many cases spot-on with the soundtrack provided. But if you listen to the CD’s lyrics, you can become aware of some plot points not addressed during the jam session on the Rivers of America. (I’ll save any borderline spoilers for after the jump of this post. The movie opens nationally Dec.11.)

But that’s easily explained. The Magic Kingdom show is set after the time of the movie, essentially a sequel, show director Tara Anderson told me. All that peril, strife and further plot complications of the film are behind us now and we’re rolling down the bayou with tambourines. Even the boat’s pilot is singing along.

“Down in New Orleans,” “Almost There” and “Dig a Little Deeper” are especially true to the soundtrack, if not identical. Also on the soundtrack is an R&B song by Ne-Yo (“Never Knew I Needed”) and instrumental numbers. If you start getting a bit of a Toy Story vibe, thank composer Randy Newman, who worked on both Toy and Frog.

Songs with alterations address some of the transforming in the plot, therefore, there’s no frog aboard the Magic Kingdom vessel except on signage.

“When We’re Human” from the film is more about Louis the trumpet-playing alligator alone in the theme park rendition. In the soundtrack, Tiana and Prince Naveen appear amphibious and warbling about the day they’re human again.

More of Naveen’s background is covered in “Friends on the Other Side.” Was he disowned? Does he make bad choices? In Jubilee, those troubles are non-existant. He’s just unlucky in cards.

And therefore lucky in love, we’ll assume as he and Tiana chug off into the sunset three times a day.

Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee is scheduled to complete its limited run on Jan. 3, 2010.

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