From the first moment Agnes, AKA Agatha Harkness sang the phrase "It was Agatha all along," fans knew they wouldn't be able to get it off their head. Indeed, the unbelievably catchy tune immediately became an internet sensation, so big that it almost rivaled last year's equally addictive "Toss a Coin to Your Witcher."
"Agatha All Along" continues a long tradition of villainous tunes that end up being just as if not more memorable than their hero counterparts. Whether because of their larger-than-life essence or their unabashedly egotistical premise, these songs rank as some of the greatest achievements in pop culture.
"Agatha All Along" From Wandavision
Performed by the brilliant Kathryn Hahn, "Agatha All Along" is a The Munsters-inspired tune that appears in the closing seconds of Wandavision's seventh episode. In line with the show's tributes to sitcoms, the song is a playful ode to Agatha's role as the master manipulator of the series.
Despite its short length, "Agatha All Along" quickly became a hit, thanks to the catchy lyrics and Hahn's delivery and facial expressions. Written by the uber-talented Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who also wrote Frozen's "Let It Go," this charming tune will surely have a long life even after Wandavision wraps its nine-episode season.
"Dentist!" From Little Shop Of Horrors
Orin Scrivello, DDS, is a sadistic, nitrous-oxygen obsessed dentist and one of the antagonists in the cult classic Little Shop of Horrors. He's the terrible boyfriend of lead female character Audrey and was brilliantly played by Steve Martin in the 1986 film adaptation.
Orin gets a big musical number, "Dentist!", in which his inhumane, brutal instincts take the spotlight. Martin clearly relishes every second of it, delivering a triumphant exercise in camp. Rumors circulated last year of Chris Evans taking over the role of Orin in the musical's remake, something that audiences would certainly love to see.
"(The Legend Of) Miss Baltimore Crabs" From Hairspray
Hairspray successfully delivers a powerful, relevant message inside a jolly, energetic musical romp. It tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, a talented teenager who joins a crusade against racial segregation. The film's antagonist, Velma von Tussle is a racist, bigoted station manager who's against equality.
Played with icy perfection by Michelle Pfeiffer in the 2007 big-screen adaptation, Velma is poison hiding under the idea of perfection. Her big musical number, "(The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crabs," is both a nasty celebration of her past triumphs and a mean-spirited takedown of everyone she doesn't approve of.
"You'll Be Back" From Hamilton
King George III isn't exactly the villain in Hamilton, but he is certainly an antagonistic figure. The increasingly unstable monarch of England, George makes several appearances during the show, all to give his own interpretation of the events taking place across the pond.
His big number, "You'll Be Back," is delightfully creepy and charmingly unsettling. Performed by an otherwise stoned-faced Jonathan Groff, the song mentions how George sees America as a country filled with lost, helpless children who depend on him. The lyrics are clever and drenched in sardonic humor and Groff's delivery enhances them to produce a truly memorable song in a musical full of them.
"Friends On The Other Side" From The Princess And The Frog
Keith David's legendary voice is put to perfect use in this fresh, dynamic number from the Disney jewel The Princess and the Frog. David, in his role as voodoo bokor Dr. Facilier, performs "Friends On the Other Side" as a way to charm Prince Naveen into surrendering his human form.
One of Disney's most memorable villain songs, "Friends on the Other Side" is an excellent number. With a spectacularly immersive sequence to accompany it, the number one of the highlights of the film.
"Epiphany" From Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
One of Stephen Sondheim's darkest musicals, Sweeney Todd tells the story of Benjamin Barker, a man who returns to London after being unjustly incarcerated, only to discover his wife seemingly died in his absence. Angered, he swears vengeance against the entire world with the furious "Epiphany."
Performed with raspy rage by a never-better Johnny Depp, Sweeney's descent into madness is perfectly captured in three minutes and sixteen seconds. "Epiphany" is a turning point in the musical as it is the moment in which Todd decides to begin his murdering spree, punishing every person that visits his chair with Grand Guignol fury.
"In The Dark Of The Night" From Anastasia
A criminally underrated animated gem, Anastasia is finding new life thanks to its presence in Disney+. A highly sanitized and extremely loose adaptation of the legend of Grand Duchess Anastasia, it follows an eighteen-year-old orphan named Anya, who joins a pair of conmen as they travel to Paris to meet the Dowager Empress.
They are hunted by the undead Rasputin, turned into an evil sorcerer in the film. Rasputin, a charismatic and entertaining albeit unappealing villain, gets the perfect song to show off his best qualities. The catchy and creative "In the Dark of the Night" features a perfect balance of gloom and charm that turns the so-so Rasputin into a memorable animated villain.
"You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" From Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas
A protagonist who is also, for all terms and purposes, a villainous figure for most of his story, the Grinch is a green, hairy, pot-bellied, pear-shaped creature who hates Christmas. Mean and grumpy, the Grinch is as cuddly as a cactus and as charming as an eel.
The 1966 cartoon special Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas introduced the now-iconic tune "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch." Performed with a dramatic grandeur that perfectly fits the sardonic lyrics, Thurl Ravenscroft's powerful bass goes hand in hand with the song, creating a spectacular exercise in cartoonish passive-aggression.
"Poor Unfortunate Souls" From The Little Mermaid
The movie that kicked the Disney Renaissance, The Little Mermaid is one of Disney's biggest triumphs. It tells the story of a spirited mermaid who adventures into the human world to earn a Prince's love. The film is elevated by its Broadway-inspired music, producing many hits like "Under the Sea" and "Part of Your World."
The film's villain, queer and pop-culture icon Ursula, gets her own musical number. A powerful and appropriately creepy anthem to wickedness, "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is an exorbitant flex of power. The song begins eerily calm and cheery, before reaching a mighty crescendo that threatens to overwhelm. Aided by Pat Carrol's gonzo performance, "Poor Unfortunate Souls" definitely ranks as one of cinema's greatest musical moments.
"Hellfire" From The Hunchback Of Notre Dame
In the pantheon of Disney films, none is darker or more unsettling than The Hunckback of Notre Dame. Exploring themes like discrimination, genocide, antiziganism, lust, and sin, Hunckback is one of the Mouse House's most daring and experimental movies. A very loose adaptation of Victor Hugo's seminal novel of the same name, it follows Quasimodo, the reclusive bell-ringer of Notre Dame who dreams of being accepted into society.
The movie's villain, Claude Frollo, is without a doubt Disney's creepiest, scariest figure. A lustful and hateful man with a dangerous God complex who hides behind a mask of piousness, Frollo desires the heroine Esmeralda. His infatuation soon turns into obsession and he vents his mad, uncontrollable feelings with "Hellfire." Featuring cloaked figures chanting in Latin and a spectacular display of flames and religious imagery, "Hellfire" is an animation triumph, a perfect mix of visual and vocal elements that truly crown it as the best, most evil villain song in movie history.