Best Songs From My Little Pony (Shut Up)

A week or two ago, I met up with my friends from the book club for dinner just before heading off to watch The Great Gatsby. Over dinner, I fended off accusations of being a "brony." See, as obsessed enthusiastic as I get about the things I like, I tend to prefer not to self-identify by my passions. Thus I vehemently denied being anything more than a casual fan of the show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

And then I go and do something like this. Mixed signals, I guess.

It is with only a teensy bit of shame that I admit how much I enjoy the music of MLP. A lot of it is frilly and saccharine, but... heck, that's actually part of the appeal of the show. Every now and again, the writers put a lot of effort into creating a real breakout musical moment. So now, while I'm waiting for my Season 2 DVDs to arrive in the mail, I'mma count down my 10 favorite songs from the series.

Yeeeeaaahh... Here we go:


10 - This Day Aria

As much as I'm one to assert that MLP is totally a show for dudes and all their manly pectorals, I have a hard time defending that position with all the whirly girly plots that drive most of the action. Case in point: The Season 2 finale is all about *squee* a wedding.

Of course, it is a wedding involving an evil doppelgänger, who kidnaps the real bride and then sings a song about how eeeeeeevil she is. It's a plot straight out of a comic book, and the song's not bad, either.


9 - At the Gala

Oh yeah, and the Season 1 finale is all about a going to a BALL! Somebody call Betty Friedan!

Musically, this song takes more than a few pages from Stephen Sondheim and Into the Woods. And, really, if your foundation is Sondheim, you're probably going to end up in a pretty good place. Admittedly, you could probably get the same level of satisfaction from listening to "Ever After" instead, but adding cartoon ponies doesn't really hurt the source material.


8 - The Smile Song

Pretty pony Pinkie Pie is the resident cloudcuckoolander of the cast. In small doses, she's entertaining. Whenever she's the center of attention, though, she gets pretty grating. That said, the song where she confesses just how much she loves to watch other people smile is pretty endearing... even though the lyrics kinda imply that Pinkie just isn't capable of coping with sadness. In that light, they're kinda disturbing. Still a fun song, though.


7 - Becoming Popular (The Pony Everypony Should Know)

Okay, I don't know who does the singing voice for the pony Rarity (actually, I do, though that information doesn't really mean much to me), but I freaking LOVE HER. Anytime Rarity gets a chance to sing, that episode immediately shoots to the top of my favorites list. The character Rarity is vain, selfish, and a bit of a jerk... but that voice! Pretty sweet.


6 - Winter Wrap Up

The song "Winter Wrap Up" hits pretty early in Season 1. Up to this point, most of the songs have been goofy, fourth-wall-breaking moments from Pinkie Pie. "Winter Wrap Up" cements MLP as a pretty purple girly show that is also occasionally a musical. And musicals are awesome.

For their first real musical production, the MLP crew does well. The melody sticks in your head, and it manages to cheer me up tidily.


5 - The Flim Flam Brothers

My Little Pony takes more than a few musical inspirations from Broadway (we've got at least one more coming up). Here, they riff on the song "(Ya Got)Trouble" from The Music Man. A pair of slick characters come to Ponyville, peddling a product guaranteed to make the smoothest cider y'all ever done tasted. As a musical number, it's really effective at being catchy and furthering the plot - a feat most musical numbers on Broadway aren't able to manage.


4 - A True True Friend

The MLP Season 3 finale jams, like, seven songs into a twenty-two minute episode. As a result... it's pretty weak. The music, though has never been better, and this song is easily the highlight. The song manages to tak a bizarre body-swapping plot and turn it into a problem that can only be solved by friendship, which is exactly the type of ridiculous, larger-than-life metaphor I love in my entertainment. Sure, it's cheesy, but it never fails to bring a tear to my eye.

Yeah, I'm kind of a wuss. Stupid horses, making me cry! Batman, punch a horse for me, please!


3 - Raise This Barn

Man, did Raffi write this? You will never, ever, EVER forget how to count to four after the song is over.

But I like the song. I really do. Applejack's probably my other favorite character (after Rarity), but she doesn't really have the same level of musical exposure. There's just a sense of unabashed fun surrounding this little hoe-down ditty. I dig it.


2 - Babs Seed

Arguably the best song in the series - even if it isn't quite my favorite. The Cutie Mark Crusaders, a trio of under-developed fillies (and that's a plot point that STILL makes me uncomfortable) have to face down a bully. They sing out their sorrows in a retro-style number, complete with a fun and fancy music video. The animation's hypnotic, and the chorus sticks in your head long after the music fades.


1 - Art of the Dress

A Sondheim-inspired musical number performed by Rarity? Yes, please!

"Winter Wrap Up" may be the first big musical number of the series, but I consider "Art of the Dress" to be the best. It's a great defining moment for a character who often comes off as one-dimensional, showing the care and deliberation she puts into every creative act. It's a number I not only enjoy listening to, but, in a way, I connect with it.

Thanks for sticking with me through the list. Yeah, it's, um, pinker than usual. As a reward... I dunno. How about Batman beating the tar out of a bear?

Yeah, that'll do.