If It Aint Broke Don’t Fix It: The Unforgettable Sound Of Finding Dory

Walt Disney Records says if it aint broke don’t fix it when it comes to the music for Pixar’s new film Finding Dory. The 34-track composition primarily features the work of Academy Award Nominee Thomas Newman. Newman, who’s diverse career includes scoring credits for Return of Jedi, Scent Of A Woman, and The Green Mile, began his relationship with Pixar by working on Dory’s famed predecessor, Finding Nemo in 2003, and WALL-E in 2008. In an effort to not mess with the success that both those soundtracks enjoyed, it seems that Disney is attempting to blend what made those two movies special, and make something that is uniquely unforgettable for Finding Dory.

Newman collaborated with director Andrew Stanton when crafting the sound for Finding Nemo. Therefore, it’s fair to assume that this new score will be a natural extension of the world Pixar first created 13 years ago. The primary difference between Nemo and Dory’s soundtracks however, may be born out of the success WALL-E enjoyed in when a lead pop song by Peter Gabriel was similarly added to an already fantastic score. For WALL-E, the same team behind the sound of Nemo, were up for an Oscar for best original song with Gabriel’s “Down To Earth “, which was co-written by Newman. Gabriel and Newman’s success packaging scores and pop music together boosted the magic that is already naturally found in a classic Walt Disney animated feature.

Finding Dory’s original pop song contribution seems to have a similar approach. This time, “Chandelier” singer and acclaimed “Try Everything” songwriter Sia reshaped Nat King Cole’s “Unforgettable” into a creative celebration of the kindhearted but sweetly absent-minded Dory, in a clear attempt to musically further her character. This touching version, which debuted on The Ellen DeGeneres Show late last month, adds to a list of nearly 40 notable cover versions of Cole’s 1952 classic. Therefore an Oscar option may be unlikely, but Sia’s work has done great things when paired with Disney animation in the past. While working with Columbian star Shakira, her work on “Try Everything” helped take the universally acclaimed Zootopia to new heights as the film’s beloved theme song earlier this year. We can’t wait to see what good her work can add to Finding Dory when it hits theaters this Friday.

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Peter Gabriel 

“Down To Earth”

From: WALL-E Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Walt Disney Records

Shakira 

“Try Everything”

From: Zootopia  Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Walt Disney Records