Disney - Hannah Montana songs that hit deep
When in doubt put on a blonde wig and sing
Today feels like a Disney channel throwback day, so why not talk about some Hannah Montana music? It was one of my favourite shows growing up, so its music will always have a special place in my heart. Even though these songs were originally aimed at kids and teenagers, some of them have connected with me, and resonate to this day.
I’m gonna grab a plushie and my earphones; you might wanna do the same, as we get comfy and listen to some heart-wrenching Hannah Montana music.
Don’t Wanna Be Torn
I first heard this song maybe a year ago, and it nonetheless resonates with me. “Don’t Wanna Be Torn” plays during an episode where Miley has to choose between the two guys she likes. For me, the lyrics have a completely different meaning.
“I thought you said it was easy Listening to your heart
I thought you said I’d be okay
So why am I breaking apart?
Don’t wanna be torn”
I have anxiety, which sometimes manifests itself in perceiving threats when life seems to be going too well. This song came during a time that involved me doubting my romantic feelings, despite the actual situation being really positive and me being truly in love with the person. That’s the fight this song represents for me; my heart screaming with joy, and my head trying to silence it. The lyrics of the chorus, combined with the melody, almost always have me bursting with feelings.
“Why is all this so confusing
Complicated and consuming?
Why does all this make me angry?
I wanna go back to being happy”
The song reaches its emotional peak in the bridge. Miley asks why her feelings and the situation around her are so complicated and confusing. She says she wants to go back to being happy instead. The melody during this part is drastically different than in the rest of the song. It seems like it is being cut short, yet the singer has the chance to finally release the emotion that’s been building in them up until that point. The guitar is brought to the forefront in the mixing, the tempo sped up, and the tension knotted even tighter, until the last syllable of the word “happy”. The knot then breaks, allowing Miley to release a note that’s full of relief and power.
Overall, this is a song that I put on when I need to let my emotions flow and give myself a moment to breathe, despite the anxiety. It is one of my most recent favourites from the show.
Every Part of Me
I don’t know if I can logically explain my love for “Every Part of Me” – luckily nonsense and irrationality are celebrated in the Fort.
Right off the bat, the first verse of this song is very emotional. Even though I am in my early 20s, studying to get a degree, the future feels very uncertain. Most of us thought that they would have life figured out by now, but ‘figuring life out’ seems to mean taking each moment as it comes and trying your best. This song accepts that uncertainty and embraces the change in life. The singer is trying to figure out their place in the world, while going at their own pace.
“I feel like I’m a millions miles away
from myself, more and more these days
I’ve been down so many open roads
But they never lead me home”
What the first verse symbolises to me is moving away from my child/teenage-self, letting go of the childish way of seeing the world, of outdated perceptions that other people have had of me, as well as my own perceptions of myself, while trying to find the safety and freedom to be myself.
“So I’ll try, try to slow things down
And find myself, get my feet back on the ground
It’ll take time but I know I’ll be alright
‘Cause nothin’ much has changed on the inside”
Despite all the changes and the fast pace of life, the second verse reminds me that it is okay to slow down. It is okay to try to find stability before continuing ahead, even after making mistakes or failing.
The grown-up world tends to shame dreamers. The last sentence of this verse reminds me that it’s okay to hold onto the interests, hopes and dreams from one’s childhood. They might have to be expressed or achieved in a different way, but they don’t have to be forgotten.
It reminds me I am still who I always was, at my core, and that it is alright to show it. I am still obsessed with cartoons, TV shows, music, etc. I still love writing and playing around in image editing programs. Now, those interests can be applied to my college assignments and this blog. Even though the channels of self-expression are different compared to when I was a kid, nothing much has changed in my heart.
“Maybe I will never be who I was before
Maybe I don’t even know her anymore
Or maybe who I am today ain’t so far from yesterday
Can I find a way to be every part of me”
Musically, the chorus is not that different from the verses; the acoustic guitar carries on, keeping the tone of the song consistent. However, the addition of violins brings more depth to it. It further highlights Miley’s voice and allows the lyrics to shine.
This is my favourite part of the song; it makes peace with the singer’s past self. They let go of their past mistakes and victories, allowing themselves a fresh start. The chorus ends on a wish for pure self-expression – the singer wants to fully be themselves. While this fits the show’s theme, I relate to it as a closeted queer person. So many of us dream of having a safe space where we can freely exist as ourselves, and the chorus reflects a similar wish.
At the end of the day, this song is about hope. It’s about allowing the questions and uncertainties to exist, while still hoping and knowing that there is a place for you in the world. There is a way for you to be who you are, and not have to tone down some parts of you in favour of others.
I’ll Always Remember You
I remember singing this song with my best friend once we finished middle school, or its equivalent. I was blasting this song and “Wherever I Go”, back then. However, out of the two, this one was alway my favourite.
“I always knew this day would come
We’d be standing one by one
With a future in our hands
So many dreams, so many plans
I Always knew after all these years
There’d be laughter, there’d be tears
But never thought I’d walk away
With so much joy, but so much pain
And it’s so hard to say ‘goodbye'”
The first two verses remind me, right away, of the bitter-sweet feeling of having fun with my friends during the last day of school; being excited for highschool, but also feeling very sad. The lyrics match the emotions and the events of that day, almost completely. I still remember feeling choked up every time I had to sing the word “goodbye” before the final chorus.
The feeling came back once it was time to graduate highschool during the pandemic. The laid-back, stripped-down melody of the song, along with its lyrics, got me through the first part of the isolation and helped me express myself when I couldn’t physically say goodbye to my friends due to the state of the world.
“But yesterday’s gone
We gotta keep movin’ on
I’m so thanful for the moments
So glad I got to know ya
The times that we had I’ll keep like a photograph
And hold you in my heart forever
I’ll always remember you”
After the second verse, with the start of the chorus, the meaning of the song changes for me. As I’ve listened to it more, it became a song I’d play when a person close to me and I had to split up. No matter the reason for the split, I like to remember the good moments, once I get over the sadness and/or anger. This song helps with that. Much like “Don’t Wanna Be Torn”, it accepts the change, the hurt, and honours the good parts of the past.
“Yeah, one day, we’ll look back
We’ll smile and we’ll laugh
But right now we just cry
‘Cause it’s so hard to say ‘goodbye'”
Out of all the songs mentioned, this one might have the best bridge. I love how passionate, almost angry, Miley sounds while she’s singing it. Instrumentally, I adore the way the drums sound during the bridge and the last chorus. They make the song so much more impactful, hammering in the lyrics and the overall message of it.
In a way, this song reminds me that the bittersweet moments turn out okay in the end. It reminds me of how far I’ve come, as a person, and gets me excited for the stages of my life that are yet to come.
One in a Million
This song is impossible not to associate with my partner. Sometimes I wanna express my feelings in the simplest way possible. This song provides the perfect opportunity for basking in its whimsy and the feeling of love in my heart.
While working on this post, I’ve learned that this is a cover of a song originally performed by the singer Sandy. I wanna clarify that I’m talking exclusively about the cover by Hannah Montana, this time around. The original version has some instrumental differences, as well as slightly non-PG lyrics. It’s worth checking out.
“How did I get here?
Turned around and there you were
I didn’t think twice or rationalize
‘Cause somehow I knew
That there was more than just chemistry
I mean I knew you were kind of into me
But I figured it’s too good to be trueI said pinch me
Where’s the catch this time?
Can’t find a single cloud in the sky
Help me before I get used to this guy”
As I’ve said before; sometimes I get anxious when things seem to be going too well. This verse describes that feeling, to an extent. It questions whether or not someone is “too good to be true”, it asks where the catch is, and then it asks for help once the singer starts falling for the guy.
I felt all of these things once I met my partner. It felt like him and his love were not real. However, even with my walls being up and my mind looking for the catch, I couldn’t help falling for him. The nostalgia and comfort I feel from this show and its soundtracks, combined with the theme of the song, help me to feel what I need to and express it.
I love the piano that can be heard during the verses. Actually, I love the entire melody of the verses. It is a classic, whimsical love song, with a hint of Disney magic added to it, once it was adapted for “Hannah Montana”.
“They say that good things take time
But really great things happen in a blink of an eye
Thought the chances to meet somebody like you were a million to one
I cannot believe it
You’re one in a millionAll this time I was looking for love
Trying to make things work, that weren’t good enough
‘Til I thought I’m through, said I’m done
And stumbled into the arms of the one”
Early 2000’s music knew how to transition into a chorus, okay? Once again, the breakdown that happens with the drums is nothing short of amazing. The guitar and the drums of the chorus absolutely slay! The lyrics by themselves are okay; they definitely convey the feeling of being in love and loving your crush or partner so much that they make everything feel okay.
The instruments go with the lyrics incredibly well, adding relaxation and bliss into the verses, while keeping the chorus upbeat and celebratory.
This is a really fun song I love to listen to whenever I am overcome with feelings and just wanna let it show.
I’m Still Good
Another song I discovered a year or two ago, “I’m Still Good” is one of my go-to songs when I need a boost of confidence.
“So I might slip again,
Let it in now and then
That don’t mean anything
I’m still good”
Opening with the chorus, this song grips me right away. Initially, I associated this part with literal slipping and falling. I’m disabled, and also clumsy, so I think of this song while using mobility aids to avoid doing unintentional splits and dips on the pavement.
Recently, though, I’ve been listening to this masterpiece whenever life doesn’t go the way I planned.
“I look around me
How did I get here?
Not part of my plan
I ended up in a situation
Wasn’t in my hands”
Yes, the lyrics might be cheesy, but sometimes that’s what’s necessary. The verses, the chorus, the bridge – they all speak about life throwing curveballs at you, and you rolling with them. When self-doubt gets the best of me, this song puts me closer to my happy place.
Speaking of the music; it’s no surprise I love how it sounds. There is something about the old Disney channel pop-rock songs that warms my heart and makes me want to dance. The chorus feels immersive. It’s like you’re completely enveloped in the song and nothing else matters. By the time the first chorus hits, I’ll already be feeling at least fine, and by the time the last chorus fades away, I’ll be ready to do whatever it is I need to do. Before that, I’ll play the whole song once or twice again, just to enjoy it.
“Life puts up a fight with me
But I can take on anything
I’m gonna make it real,
This dream I believe in”
The instrumental isn’t toned down much at the bridge, but it doesn’t need to be. I believe that removing the drums is good enough. This song is bursting with carefreeness and joy. The bridge tones it down just enough for Miley to pack a strong punch with the vocals and lyrics, before bringing the carefree mood back in full force, during the final chorus.
Thank you for accompanying me to the Hannah Montana concert of my dreams. Feel free to comment if you wanna continue talking about the show, its soundtrack, or Disney channel in general. You can come to the Fort anytime you want some peace and nostalgia!
Dorian
The blog’s header and the drawing featured atop this post were made by @ambybun on Instagram
The DVD cover featured on the drawing was made by me