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Song of the Day #4,434: ‘Be Our Guest’ – Beauty and the Beast cast

Continuing my personal ranking of the 25 movie musicals deemed essential by the American Film Institute…

#19. Beauty and the Beast – 1991
(#22 on the AFI list)

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is the only animated film on AFI’s list of essential musicals, and I’m not wild about its inclusion. While the film is indeed a musical in the traditional sense, for me the animation puts it in another category, one that shouldn’t be compared to the live-action films on this list.

Additionally, if we are to include animated musicals, I can think of at least a half dozen I would rank above this one (Aladdin, The Princess and the Frog, Tangled and Moana leap to mind, for starters).

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Song of the Day #4,433: ‘Attics of My Life’ – Grateful Dead

1970’s American Beauty is the only Grateful Dead album I own, and the only one I’ve ever wanted to own. While I’m sure the Dead have many treasures in their discography, I’ve never had the urge to dig any deeper, largely due to my general aversion to jam bands.

American Beauty, though, is a deserved classic. The opening trio of ‘Box of Rain,’ ‘Friend of the Devil’ and ‘Sugar Magnolia’ alone puts it up there alongside the great folk rock albums of the era.

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Song of the Day #4,432: ‘Sunrise’ – Childish Gambino

I’m a big fan of Donald Glover as an actor, writer and overall entertainer. His work on Community was sublime absurdity, and the auteur’s touch he brings to Atlanta is simply brilliant.

But when it comes to his music, recorded under the name Childish Gambino, I’ve found it harder to enjoy. With the exception of the wonderful ‘Redbone,’ his second and third albums left me pretty cold. I see he released a fourth album this past March that totally missed my radar, so maybe I should give that a listen.

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Song of the Day #4,431: ‘Shall We Dance’ – Yul Brynner & Deborah Kerr

Continuing my personal ranking of the 25 movie musicals deemed essential by the American Film Institute…

#20. The King and I – 1956
(#11 on the AFI list)

From this point on, I’m very positive on all of the movies I’ll mention. I guess that’s a good thing, given that this is supposed to be a list of the greatest musicals ever made.

The King and I, based on the Rodgers & Hammerstein stage musical, which was itself loosely based on the life of Anna Leonowens, a governess employed by King Mongkut Rama IV of Siam, is first and foremost a feast for the eyes. The costumes in this production are breathtaking, featuring lavish colors and intricate design. Deborah Kerr’s voluminous dresses are basically characters unto themselves.

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Song of the Day #4,430: ‘I Got Rhythm’ – Gene Kelly

Continuing my personal ranking of the 25 movie musicals deemed essential by the American Film Institute…

#21. An American in Paris – 1951
(#9 on the AFI list)

An American in Paris goes down as one of my biggest disappointments. Not that it’s bad, but I had very high expectations. One of five movies on the list to win Best Picture, one of three by acclaimed director Vincente Minnelli, and one of three to star the peerless Gene Kelly, this movie seemed destined for my personal top ten.

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