Mousterpiece Melodies

Hello, friends! It's time for the third season finale of Mousterpiece Melodies, in which your intrepid hosts Josh and Scott are on a quest to talk about the songs of one of the most classic and beloved of all Disney films, the 1940 adaptation of Pinocchio. They're joined on this discussion by screenwriter and author Emily St. James, as they talk about all things "When You Wish Upon a Star," including a natural tangent into the work of both Gene Simmons and Katey Sagal. Plus, what discussion of 1940s-era Disney would be complete without a discursive section on the impact of World War II and the Nazis? It's all there, and it's all Pinocchio, before Scott and Josh take a break and dream it all up again, so check out the new episode now!

Hello, friends! As summer turns to fall, Scott and Josh are turning the page to another episode of Mousterpiece Melodies. This week, they're joined by film critic Chris Williams to talk about the songs of the thorny 1995 historical romance Pocahontas, featuring the voices of Irene Bedard, Christian Bale, David Ogden Stiers, and...oh...goodness, who is it voicing the male lead again? Ah yes, Mel Gibson. Yes, this movie, depicting the bittersweet love affair between a young Native American woman and an English explorer, has not fully held up over the last three decades, but what of its songs by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz? Do the songs still work? Are they problematic? And how does the work of Bryan Adams fit into the discussion? You'll have to listen to find out!

Hello, friends! It's time for a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Melodies, and Scott and Josh are shaking things up a bit this time around. While they typically discuss the songs of a specific movie, today, they're heading on a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth to discuss the original songs of Disneyland Park. They're joined by Disney historian Michael Crawford to discuss everything from It's a Small World to the songs of the Carousel of Progress and more. Do these songs manage to be repetitive and enjoyable, or just repetitive? And how will Josh react to learning in real time who the new stars of the updated Carousel of Progress will be? Listen to find out!

Are you laying back? You feeling relaxed? Well, you better believe it's time for Josh and Scott to indulge in the bare necessities in a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Melodies as they discuss the songs of the 1967 classic The Jungle Book. This story of a little boy who doesn't want to be a big boy at all, but wants to live in the jungle as an animal has at least two truly iconic musical sequences (even if one of them remains problematic to this day). But what of the other songs? And how well do the bangers hold up? Listen to find out!

Hello, friends! Take a seat around the campfire for a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Melodies. This time around, Scott and Josh are guest-free as they talk about the music of yet another package film from the 1940s: Melody Time. This Disney film may be available on Disney+, but its most memorable song, "Pecos Bill," is best known for its use as the theme parks. Is that a hint about the quality of the other songs here, ranging from an ode to trees to a song about a tugboat to music about Johnny Appleseed? Well, you'll have to listen to find out!

Hello, friends! It's time for Josh and Scott to head back into the vault and look at the end of the 1990s in a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Melodies. This time, they're talking about the songs of the 1998 film Mulan, and they're joined by Joshua Rivera to listen back to at least two great songs. But is it possible that this film may have worked better with no songs at all? Which of the film's numbers is the true show-stopper? And which diva reigned supreme at the Oscars that year? Listen to the new show to find out!

Hello, friends! It may not be the equivalent of Christmas in July, but Scott and Josh are celebrating a key holiday in the fall in this episode of Mousterpiece Melodies: Dia de los Muertos. That's because they're talking about the songs of the Pixar film Coco with their guest Kristen Lopez of The Film Maven! How do the songs in this film hold up nearly ten years later? Does it feel like this is truly a Pixar musical, or just a movie with one killer song that shows up a lot? And does anyone here want there to be a sequel? Listen to the new show to find out!

Hello, friends! We hope you're raring to go to discuss one of the most beloved Disney films of all time, because that's exactly what Scott and Josh are doing on the latest episode of Mousterpiece Melodies. They're joined by special guest Eric Goldman to talk about the songs of the 1991 classic Beauty and the Beast, from its massively successful title song and ensuing pop cover to the work that the late Howard Ashman created before tragically passing away to much more. Plus, you'll finally get to hear Josh both speak ill of the dead (kind of) and pull off a quintessential U Talkin' U2 To Me? reference that should appeal to...well, maybe some of you. Anyway, check out the new show and listen now!

Avast, me hearties! We hope you've got a spirit for the open sea, because in this new episode of Mousterpiece Melodies, your hosts Josh and Scott are sailing for adventure. More specifically, they're talking about the songs of the 1996 film Muppet Treasure Island, and are joined by special guest Jacob Oller of The AV Club to do so. In this episode, they talk about how great aspects of this film are, such as Tim Curry as Long John Silver and his scenery-chewing work against the Muppets. Plus, a discussion of the last uncharted frontier (...space!), the litigious Hormel company, native pigs, and much, much more. Check out the show now!

Hello, friends! Don't cry for us, or for Argentina, but Scott and Josh have a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Melodies for you all. They're joined by their old friend from the old show, Gabe Bucsko, to talk about the 1996 film adaptation of the stage musical Evita, starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas. Consider it an almost all-cover episode of the show, since just one song in the film version was all-new, and the rest is fodder for this lengthy discussion in which we discuss the work of Andrew Lloyd Webber, sexual hermit crabs, and other phrases you never thought you'd hear. Check out the new show now!

Hey, friends! It's summertime, and Scott and Josh are back from their spring hiatus for an all-new season of Mousterpiece Melodies! They kick off the third season of the show with a story all about a childlike character from a magical land who arrives in New York and upends the life of a workaholic with a child who wants their father to pay them more attention. No, it's not the 2003 film Elf; we're talking about the songs of the 2007 Disney film Enchanted, which made Amy Adams a star, proved the limitations of McDreamy's charms, and may have had some questionable cultural depictions on the sidelines. Scott and Josh are joined by Liz Shannon Miller of Consequence to talk about this film's five Menken/Schwartz songs, the 2007 Oscars, and, of course, the hit TV show Smash. Check it out!

Dadgum, everyone! It's time for the second season finale of Mousterpiece Melodies! Scott and Josh are almost ready to take a couple months off, to slow things down. And what better way to close out the season than with a discussion of not one, but two films and their songs? Your hosts tackle the songs of Cars and Cars 2 in this episode, and if you're shocked to learn they could have enough to discuss about two films that don't seem terribly song-driven, how about knowing there are 10 songs up for discussion this week? It's true! But are any of those songs...y'know, good? You'll have to listen to find out.

Hello, friends! It's time for a tall tail, fur real, as Scott and Josh can bear-ly contain their excitement and have no interest in paw-sing any further. In case the painful puns aren't clue enough, they're talking about the surprisingly many songs of the 2002 flop The Country Bears in this new episode of Mousterpiece Melodies. Scott and Josh are joined by special guest Matt Singer of ScreenCrush to talk about the curious case of The Country Bears, including the fact that the songs might be...good, even if the film itself is essentially insane. You'll believe it's as wild as possible, because your hosts and guest all but lost their minds discussing this very strange film so sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Hello, friends! It's time for a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Melodies, as Scott and Josh are joined by special guest Noel Murray to talk about the coolest cats in France, specifically The Aristocats, the 1970 animated film that boasted a handful of songs, with only one of them featuring any jaw-dropping old-school racism. Yes, it's true, this film's songs may not have the best music of old-school Disney, but the quality of those songs leads to a discussion about all things questionable content, ex-Senator Fred Grandy, "schwingers", and more. Check it out now!

Hello, friends! It's time for a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Melodies. This week, Scott and Josh aren't just guest-free, they're feeling Fun and Fancy Free, because that just so happens to be the name of the movie they're discussing this week. They talk about the many songs of this 1947 package film, how some of those songs may not hold up to modern scrutiny and mores, and whether or not Edgar Bergen was ever an actually good ventriloquist. Check it out now!

Hey, friends! It's a new year, and there are still plenty of movies for Josh and Scott to discuss on Mousterpiece Melodies. In the first new episode of 2026, they're joined by the podcast's first returning guest, Odie Henderson of the Boston Globe, to talk about the songs of the 2021 cinematic sensation Encanto. It's time, yes, to once more talk about Lin-Manuel Miranda. It's time to talk about the family Madrigal. And yes, it's time to talk about Bruno-no-no-no. As your hosts (including Josh, who sounds inexplicably like he's at the bottom of a well, unfortunately) and guest talk about the songs, the film's Oscar-song flop (and Josh butchers its pronunciation), and more, sit back and enjoy!

Hello, friends! We're going out on a high note in 2025 with a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Melodies. Scott and Josh dive into the world of the Big Easy in this installment, as they discuss the songs of the 2009 animated classic The Princess and the Frog. Your hosts are joined by TV critic and author Alan Sepinwall to discuss the Randy Newman songs that tell the story of a young woman named Tiana who's almost there to making her culinary dreams come true before a shadow man's magic turns her into a frog. Is it possible that Josh is unwilling to be negative for once? It just might be as we discuss this film's many charming songs, so get ready to download the show and find out!

Hello, friends, and happy holidays! It is a special time of caring, as you know, and what better way for Josh and Scott to celebrate than by discussing the songs of the 1992 Disney film The Muppet Christmas Carol on a new episode of Mousterpiece Melodies? Scott and Josh are joined by Vulture TV critic Roxana Hadadi to talk about this film's songs and whether or not they may be - gasp! - a little less impressive than hoped in spite of this film's passionate fanbase. Is this movie not Muppety enough? Does it have the right Christmas spirit? Is Michael Caine's singing as good as Russell Crowe's in Les Miz? Is...Crowe's singing good at all? You'll have to listen to find out!

Hello, friends! As we ramp up to the Thanksgiving holiday, it's no better time than to get away from the craziness of the human world and head under the sea. That's where Scott and Josh are headed on a new episode of Mousterpiece Melodies, as they talk about the songs of the 1989 Disney animated classic The Little Mermaid. As they discuss the film that kickstarted Disney's massive animated successes in the 1990s, is it possible that they'll have any harsh words for the songs at that film's core? Or are at least half of this film's songs stone-cold classics? And what of the songs from the recent remake? Take a listen to find out!

Stick 'em up! OK, but seriously, we hope you're in a mood to head back to a simpler, and yet more dangerous, time in popular culture, back when mobsters and cops fought it out in the streets of the big city. In this episode of Mousterpiece Melodies, Scott and Josh are talking about the songs of the 1990 film Dick Tracy, directed by and starring Warren Beatty as the eponymous lawman. Your hosts are joined by another Scott, Scott Mendelson of Puck News and The Outside Scoop. Because yes, in case you forgot, there are a handful of Stephen Sondheim songs written specifically for this movie, many of which are performed by Madonna at the height of her fame. Does the music hold up? Should Beatty have cast someone else as the eponymous detective? Does (co-host) Scott have a slightly hard time watching one of this film's many, many, many cast members? Well, you'll have to listen to find out!