The Disney Song Encyclopedia - fieldi

188 “STRANGE THINGS”
true love, with the bears (voices of Diedrich Bader, Brad Garrett, Toby
Huss, and Stephen Root) and guest stars E. G. Daily, Don Henley, and
Bonnie Raitt.
“Strange Things” is the enthralling blues number about how life changes
and old friends grow apart, written by Randy Newman for the computeranimated
film Toy Story (1995). Newman sings the musical lament on the
soundtrack during a montage showing the boy Andy losing interest in his
cowboy toy, Woody, and shifting his attention to the spaceman toy Buzz
Lightyear. During the song the decor for Andy’s room changes from the
Wild West to an outer-space environment, paralleling the lyric about something
out of the sky changing one’s life.
“Strangers Like Me” is the rhythmic rock song by Phil Collins that expresses
Tarzan’s desire to learn how to be like the other humans in the animated
movie Tarzan (1999). Collins sings the catchy and insistent song on
the soundtrack as Tarzan observes lantern slides showing the human world
and attempts to learn all he can about it. In the 2006 Broadway version of
Tarzan, Collins turned the number into a duet for Tarzan (Josh Strickland)
and Jane (Jenn Gambatese) in which he pleads with her to teach him about
these “strangers.” Collins made a music video of the number, and in 2005
there were recordings made by Andrew Samonsky and the group Everlife.
“Streets of Gold” is the throbbing rock song by Tom Snow and Dean
Pitchford that explains how New York City can be a hot spot of opportunity
for those savvy enough to do more than just survive it. The street-smart
canine Rita (voice of Ruth Pointer) and some back-up singing dogs perform
the number for the orphan kitten Oliver in the animated film version of
Oliver Twist, titled Oliver & Company (1988).
“Strengthen the Dwelling” is the march-like hymn the eccentric millionaire
Anthony J. Drexel Biddle (Fred MacMurray) and his pugilist comrades
sing in the film The Happiest Millionaire (1967). Richard M. and Robert B.
Sherman wrote the pastiche mission song about walking in the spirit of the
Lord and protecting the home front should America get involved in World
War I.
“The Strummin’ Song” is the first of many songs Richard M. and Robert
B. Sherman wrote for Walt Disney, this one for the two-part television
movie The Horsemasters (1961). At a prestigious riding school in England,