The Disney Song Encyclopedia - fieldi

“I’D LIKE TO BE YOU FOR A DAY” 91
“I Wonder” is the wistful character song that George Bruns (music), Winston
Hibler, and Ted Sears (lyric) wrote for the animated movie Sleeping
Beauty (1959). Princess Aurora (voice of Mary Costa) does not know of her
royal lineage and grows up in a forest cottage under the name Briar Rose.
She sings this song of forlorn contemplation as she watches some singing
lovebirds and wonders why she has no one to share a love song with. Her
singing is accompanied by some happy chirping birds yet there is a sad tone
to the song. In 1987 Yma Sumac made an unusual recording of the number,
creating her own bird sounds.
“I Won’t Say I’m in Love” is the contradictory love song the calculating
Meg (voice of Susan Egan) sings, with the gospel-singing Muses backing
her up, in the animated movie Hercules (1997). Alan Menken composed
the compelling music and David Zippel wrote the lyric, in which Meg
denies her true feelings yet admits that she is quite taken with the brawny
but naive hero Hercules. The song has the feel and style of a 1960s “girl
group” number, complete with backup singers doing the expected “oohs”
and “ahs.” Andrew Samonsky recorded the number with backup vocals by
Meredith Inglesby, Andy Karl, Tyler Maynard, and Keewa Nurullah, and
the catchy song was recorded by the Cheetah Girls in 2005.
“I Would Like to Be a Bird” is the lighthearted song of yearning written
by Frank Churchill and Bert Lewis for the Silly Symphony movie short The
Flying Mouse (1934). As a little mouse looks up at the birds of the air and
dreams of having the power to fly, a chorus sings this inspiring song on the
soundtrack, a musical plea for the impossible.
“Ichabod” is the charming exposition song that Bing Crosby and the
Rhythmaires sing on the soundtrack of the animated film The Adventures
of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949). Gene de Paul and Don Raye wrote the
pleasant character song that introduces the character of Ichabod Crane,
the schoolmaster of Sleepy Hollow, who is awkward and feeble when in the
company of men but a favorite of the ladies.
“I’d Like to Be You for a Day” is the bouncy pop song that Al Kasha and
Joel Hirschhorn wrote for the film comedy Freaky Friday (1976). Barbara
Harris and Jodi Foster, who play mother and daughter in the movie, are heard
singing the simple, repetitive ditty over the opening credits as cartoon cutouts
of mother and daughter are seen switching everyday jobs, as will happen in the
plot. The number was briefly heard in the 2003 remake of the movie.