Best Disney Cover Songs by 11 Big Punk Bands

Covering Disney songs just kind of makes sense, regardless of the style of music you play. Even punk.

You have a potential audience of millions of Disney fans looking to consume anything from any movie or TV show ever produced by the company. Why not try to introduce your band to them by covering a Disney tune?

These 11 punk bands take the act of covering Disney songs to a whole other level. Whether it is peppering in familiar guitar riffs from other well-known punk bands or creating an uptempo version of a classic Disney tune, the following bands truly own these songs.

READ MORE: The Best Cover Song By 11 Big Pop-Punk Bands

But they also pay proper respect to the original, too (even if it means reciting Fozzie Bear’s lines in the middle of the song).

Here are the best Disney cover songs by 11 big punk bands.

Simple Plan, ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’

Movie: The Lion King (1994)

Original artist: Elton John

Why this cover works: Replicating Elton John would be a tall task for just about any act. Thankfully, Simple Plan didn’t even attempt to do a carbon copy of the legendary artist in this 2024 cover from The Lion King.

The band deserves some credit for knowing their limits. They take “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” and turn it into a pop-punk song that sounds more like something straight from Simple Plan’s catalog.

ALL, ‘Chim Chim Cher-ee’

Movie: Mary Poppins (1964)

Originally performed by: Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber

Why this cover works: When vocalist Milo Aukerman stepped away from the Descendents in the late ’80s, the rest of the band carried on as ALL (also the title of the final Descendents album at that time). And while ALL never quite hit like the Descendents, they were certainly able to craft a great punk song.

Their cover of “Chim Chim Cher-ee” isn’t much of a punk song. ALL offers both a fresh take on their own sound and the classic Mary Poppins number that is both brooding and bombastic.

Fall Out Boy, ‘I Wan’na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)’

Movie: The Jungle Book (1967)

Originally performed by: Louis Prima and Phil Harris

Why this cover works: It’s tough to argue with anyone who thinks Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump is underrated when it comes to being a soulful singer. See his criminally underrated 2011 solo album, Soul Punk, if you need further proof.

Stump may not have the trademark underlying rasp of Louis Prima, but he absolutely nails this cover of “I Wan’na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)” thanks to his ability to effectively deliver heart and emotion when he sings every lyric.

H2O, ‘It’s a Small World’

Ride: It’s a Small World (1966)

Originally performed by: 300 animatronic dolls

Why this cover works: Because H2O rules! And it’s also better than waiting hours in line to float in a boat with a bunch of strangers while hundreds of slightly creepy animatronic dolls sing to you.

Reel Big Fish and Zolof The Rock and Roll Destroyer, ‘It’s Not Easy’

Movie: Pete’s Dragon (1977)

Originally performed by: Helen Reddy and Sean Marshall

Why this cover works: You’re not alone if you have no recollection of Disney releasing Pete’s Dragon. The 1977 musical movie mixed live action with animation in a way that was likely cutting-edge at the time.

Fast forward to today and Pete’s Dragon looks hilariously outdated thanks to advancements in animation and filmmaking.

Pete’s Dragon does at least have some seriously catchy songs. If you want a taste without committing to watching the entire movie, try this duet, which was excellently covered by Reel Big Fish and Zolof The Rock and Roll Destroyer.

New Found Glory, ‘Let It Go’

Movie: Frozen (2013)

Originally performed by: Idina Menzel

Why this cover works: New Found Glory has perfected the art of taking movie soundtrack songs and turning them into upbeat pop-punk gems through their From the Screen to Your Stereo series. Across three albums, the band has put their spin on songs from just about every type of movie, including The Goonies, Titanic and Napoleon Dynamite.  

When From the Screen to Your Stereo 3 arrived in 2019, fans were treated to New Found Glory’s version of “Let It Go.” This one is for any parent who has listened to their kids endlessly sing the original song from Frozen while trapped in the car on long road trips.

Alkaline Trio, ‘Movin’ Right Along’

Movie: The Muppet Movie (1979)

Originally performed by: Kermit the Frog (Jim Henson) and Fozzie Bear (Frank Oz)

Why this cover works: Part of the charm of the original song, when it appears in The Muppet Movie, is the interaction between Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear. Their singing, interspersed with dialogue, helps establish the connection between the duo.

Alkaline Trio might be the perfect pick for a punk band to cover this song. The vocal interaction between Matt Skiba and Dan Andriano has been a hallmark of Alkaline Trio’s best songs, dating back to their first few albums.

The two make this cover fun in a way that would certainly be appreciated by Kermit and Fozzie.

New Found Glory, ‘Part of Your World’

Movie: The Little Mermaid (1989)

Originally performed by: Jodi Benson

Why this cover works: Everything that needs to be said about New Found Glory’s ability to create catchy pop-punk covers was already said above. You just need to know this version of a song from The Little Mermaid will have you stomping those, what do you call ’em? Oh, feet.

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, ‘Rainbow Connection’

Movie: The Muppet Movie (1979)

Originally performed by: Kermit the Frog (Frank Oz)

Why this cover works: You can find a cover of “Rainbow Connection” within just about every genre of music. From rock to pop to folk, the unforgettable song from 1979’s The Muppet Movie has been an easy route for acts looking for a cover that effortlessly tugs at the listener’s heartstrings.

The best punk version of the “Rainbow Connection” can be found on Me First and the Gimme Gimmes’ 1999 album, Are a Drag, which is completely comprised of showtune covers. This take on the song is more suited for making you dance (or potentially mosh) rather than hitting you right in the feels.

The Vandals ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’

Movie: Mary Poppins (1964)

Originally performed by: Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews

Why this cover works: Ever wonder what it would sound like if you combined the music of Mary Poppins with seminal punk band Bad Religion? Eh, probably not.

The Vandals’ 1995 cover of “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” includes not one, but two fun Easter eggs for punk fans. The song’s intro was lifted from Bad Religion’s “Fuck Armageddon… This is Hell,” while the breakdown comes from the band’s 1982 song “We’re Only Gonna Die.”

It may sound odd on paper (or your screen), but it all works when you hear it.

Meet Me @ The Altar, ‘You’ve Got a Friend in Me’

Movie: Toy Story (1995)

Originally performed by: Randy Newman

Why this cover works: Disney eventually noticed there was an audience for rock bands covering their songs. Their A Whole New Sound compilation album, released in 2024, features 12 covers of mostly classic Disney songs by alt-rock and punk bands.

One of the better tracks on the collection is Meet Me @ the Altar’s cover of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.”

Randy Newman has such a distinct voice that hearing a punk version of one of his songs can be a bit jarring at first. But Meet Me @ the Altar mold the memorable song into a candy-coated pop-punk that is both upbeat and sweet at the same time.

That being said, we need Randy Newman’s vocals on a punk album someday.

Need even more punk injected into your veins? Here is a look at the best pop-punk albums from each year of the 1990s.