Tarzan - Soundtrack (1999)


 

  1. Two Worlds *
  2. You'll Be in My Heart *
  3. Son of Man *
  4. Trashin' the Camp
  5. Strangers Like Me
  6. Two Worlds (Reprise) *
  7. Trashin' the Camp *
  8. You'll Be in My Heart *
  9. Two Worlds *
 10. A Wonderous Place
 11. Moves Like an Ape, Looks Like a Man
 12. The Gorillas
 13. One Family
 14. Two Worlds (Finale) *

  * Performed by Phil Collins

 

By the late 1990s, Disney had discovered a winning formula: pair an animated blockbuster with a high-profile pop artist and watch the synergy do its magic. Elton John with The Lion King was the clearest success story, and the strategy continued across their film catalog with varying degrees of success. For 1999’s Tarzan, the studio enlisted Phil Collins—and in hindsight, it was a perfect match.

At the time, Collins was navigating a bit of a lull in his solo career. Chart success had cooled, and radio wasn’t exactly clamoring for new material. But with Tarzan, he found a project that played to his strengths: emotional storytelling, rhythmic precision, and big, sweeping melodies. And to his credit, Collins rose to the challenge, delivering a set of songs that worked both in and outside of the film’s jungle setting.

As with many Disney soundtracks, the tracklist is a bit misleading. Some songs are performed by Collins himself, while others are reprises sung by characters within the film. This leads to multiple versions of the same song—Two Worlds shows up no fewer than four times—but that’s par for the course in a Disney release. What matters most is that Collins contributed five original songs, which, for a soundtrack like this, is a solid showing.

Musically, the album leans heavily into percussive, tribal-inspired arrangements, which suit the film’s jungle setting and give Collins ample room to flex his rhythmic muscle. Son of Man is energetic and anthemic, while the wordless Trashin’ the Camp—a collaboration with *NSYNC of all people—is as chaotic and playful as the title suggests. The big standout, of course, is You’ll Be in My Heart, the requisite Disney ballad that, in Collins’ hands, became one of his most enduring songs. It’s sentimental without being saccharine, and it earned him an Academy Award to boot.

There’s no question that the film itself benefited from his involvement. Tarzan was one of Disney’s stronger late-‘90s efforts, and Collins’ music helped elevate the entire experience. At the same time, the film gave Collins a platform to reach a younger audience—many of whom were hearing him for the first time. For an artist entering the later phase of his career, it was a well-timed reminder that he still had plenty left to offer.

Tarzan may not be a conventional Phil Collins album, but it proved—once again—that when given the right material and a bit of creative freedom, he could still deliver memorable music with wide appeal. A smart move by Disney, and a surprisingly strong entry in Collins’ catalog.


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