| "Lost in the Woods" | |
|---|---|
| Song byJonathan Groff | |
| from the albumFrozen II | |
| Released | November 15, 2019 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:01 |
| Label | Walt Disney |
| Songwriters | |
| Producers |
|
"Lost in the Woods" is a song written byKristen Anderson-Lopez andRobert Lopez forDisney's animated filmFrozen 2 (2019), the sequel to the2013 animated film. It was recorded by American actor and singerJonathan Groff, who voices the characterKristoff, and produced by its songwriters withDave Metzger and Tom MacDougall. The song was released byWalt Disney Records on November 15, 2019, as part of the film'ssoundtrack album. "Lost in the Woods" is asoft rock andglam rock ballad about relationship insecurities. Featuringpiano keyboards anddistorted electric guitars prominently throughout, the song's production and instrumentation distinguish it from the film's other musical numbers.
Due to Kristoff's non-musical personality, Groff hardly sings in the firstFrozen film despite his musical theatre experience, which disappointed fans and critics. Anderson-Lopez and Lopez decided Kristoff's first proper song should depict him learning how to express his emotions for the first time, specifically how he feels about his girlfriendAnna, to whom he has been struggling to propose. "Lost in the Woods" ultimately replaced a duet that had been written for Kristoff and Anna. The songwriters were heavily inspired by rock songs and bands from the 1980s, specificallypower ballads performed by male singers who were unafraid to express their innermost feelings through song, and cited musiciansBryan Adams andJon Bon Jovi as inspirations. Groff provided all of the song'sbackground vocals himself, recording at least18 different vocal tracks. Delivered in atongue-in-cheek manner, "Lost in the Woods" is both a sincere expression of Kristoff's feelings and parody of1980s music; the song's accompanying musical sequence in the film was animated to resemble music videos from the same time period.
Mostfilm andmusic critics have reviewed the song positively, praising its 1980s-inspired production, humor, and Groff's performance, while declaring it a standout amongFrozen II's songs. Several reviewers commented on the song's appeal to olderFrozen fans. American rock bandWeezer recorded a cover of the song for the film'send credits, the release of which was accompanied by a music video starring actressKristen Bell, who voices Anna, as lead singerRivers Cuomo's love interest.
American actor and singerJonathan Groff voices the characterKristoff, a reclusivemountaineer and ice harvester,[1][2] in theFrozen films.[3][4] Despite being an accomplishedBroadway performer in his own right with extensive musical theatre experience,[5] Groff barely sings in the first film, apart from his character's brief solo "Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People".[6][7] Several critics and fans complained about the actor's lack of musical performances inFrozen,[8][9] widely criticizing the film for failing to use his talents properly.[10]Frozen songwritersKristen Anderson-Lopez andRobert Lopez admitted they will always be ashamed of not writing a proper song for Groff or his character,[7] acknowledging it as a missed opportunity.[11]
Screen Rant's Kay McGuire reported that Disney has attributed Kristoff's lack of a song inFrozen to his characterization, explaining that a complete musical number would have been inappropriate for the character's personality and role in the film since, for the most part, he is "not the kind of character to break into song".[12] Although the songwriters, filmmakers and cast agreed that Groff does not sing nearly enough in the first film,[13][14] the actor admitted that his fans were more disappointed by the oversight than he was.[7] According toVanity Fair's Joanna Robinson, both the songwriters and Groff struggled to understand how his character could sing an entire song in the sequel without merely "shoehorn[ing] in a song" with little plot relevance.[7]
Ultimately, the songwriters decided Kristoff's song should revolve around an emotionally repressed man finally being able to express his feelings for the first time in the form of a 1980sPower Ballad,[13] resulting in a funny yet emotional moment for thecharacter's development.[15] The song was inspired by Kristoff's tendency to convey his innermost thoughts viaSven, his pet reindeer, an unusual personality trait first established inFrozen that ultimately becomes "Kristoff's way of expressing his deep, deep emotional feelings", according to Groff.[9] McGuire theorized that, byFrozen II, Kristoff is much more comfortable with his emotions, which in turn legitimizes the character having a musical number.[12]
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"Lost in the Woods" was written by Anderson-Lopez and Lopez,[16][17] who researched severalclassic rock bands as inspiration for the song.[18] Heavily inspired by the songwriters' love for1980s music,[19] Anderson-Lopez described the song as an "homage to a time when men could express their feelings in a big, powerful way", and were particularly inspired by singersBryan Adams andJon Bon Jovi.[8] The songwriters believe this emotional style of singing has "decreased in popularity" since the 1980s, and hoped "Lost in the Woods" would help revive it.[8] Since they were both teenagers during the 1980s, the songwriters incorporated "everyemo emotion we ever had" during their adolescence into the song's lyrics.[20] "Lost in the Woods" was primarily written to convey Kristoff, a "buttoned-up mountain man", truly voicing his innermost feelings for the first time,[21] while expanding upon the idea that he longs for a committed relationship withAnna.[20] "Lost in the Woods" replaced an earlier song entitled "Get This Right",[7] which had originally been intended as acomedic duet between the couple.[22] Having never written a song like "Lost in the Woods" before, the songwriting duo found the process both risky and thrilling.[7]
Upon hearing "Lost in the Woods" for the first time, Groff was surprised to learn Disney was willing to explore "such a left turn" for his character musically, and feared the song would be cut from the final film due to its jarring nature.[9] Groff and the songwriters discussed the need to "[toe] the line between emotion and camp" to deliver a funny yet sincere performance, explaining that, despite appearing funny to modern audiences, similar songs from the 1980s are "not making a joke ... it was a more innocent time. And there was a purity to it that we sort of laugh at now, but that purity is also actually what the character is feeling".[9] Anderson-Lopez agreed that they had decided to base the song on 1980s music so they could "have fun" while maintaining a level of sincerity.[21]
To ensure Groff was in an appropriate mood to record "Lost in the Woods" on the day of the recording, the team watched several YouTube videos of balladeers from the 1980s in preparation.[7] Groff also drew inspiration from karaoke, specifically recalling memories of drunken men singing songs by the bandsJourney andQueen.[7] Groff provided all of the track's background vocals himself, recording at least 18 different vocal tracks for Kristoff, Sven and several reindeer characters.[9][23][24] Groff's background vocals were intentionallymixed to sound as though each character was singing from a slightly different location.[11] Anderson-Lopez described the background vocals as a hybrid between the bands Queen andChicago,[7] which were also inspired by their background asa cappella singers.[15]
Lopez and Anderson-Lopez produced the track withDave Metzger and Tom MacDougall.[25][26] Disney revealed the full track list for theFrozen II soundtrack on September 30, 2019, in which both the film and end credit versions of "Lost in the Woods" are mentioned.[27][28] "Lost in the Woods" was released along with the film's soundtrack on November 15, 2019,[7] with thedeluxe version including an instrumental rendition of the track.[17] The process of writing and recording the song is documented in the documentary seriesInto the Unknown: Making Frozen II, serving as the main focus of its second episode "Back to the Drawing Board".[18][29][30]
The songwriters encouragedFrozen II's animators to "take this to an '80s video kind of place', which they had deliberately written on the song's lyric sheet.[7] Like the song itself, its animated sequence is inspired by rock ballads from the 1980s, which directorsChris Buck andJennifer Lee researched diligently to ensure their visuals complimented the songwriters' vision.[5] The entire musical sequence wasstoryboarded by story artist Dan Abraham,[5] while the idea of a reindeer chorus was suggested by various animators.[7] At times, the directors felt Abraham's ideas for Kristoff's performance were too "extreme", which at some points had depicted the charactercartwheeling and ripping his shirt off, thus Buck and Lee advised the animator to keep Kristoff's antics more grounded.[5] Kristoff's supervising animator Justin Sklar found the scene particularly difficult to animate, admitting that animators instinctively want to create "the craziest" and most ridiculous version of any project they are assigned to, which does not always benefit the sequence.[31] Sklar initially struggled to balance the scene's humor with Kristoff's "sincere performance", while at the same time granting the audience permission to laugh at how he expresses himself.[31][32] According to Sklar, the final version of "Lost in the Woods" is significantly "less crazy" than earlier iterations, which evolved considerably throughout the development process.[33] Of the scenes he has animated forFrozen II, Sklar considers "Lost in the Woods" to be his favorite.[33] Animating and emoting dozens of reindeer also proved challenging for Sven's supervising animator Michael Woodside, since the animals had never spoken for themselves before "Lost in the Woods".[11]
Kristoff struggles to propose to his longtime girlfriend Anna during most ofFrozen II,[7][34][35] with asubplot revolving around him constantly failing to ask Anna to marry him.[36] Anderson-Lopez explained that both characters belong to opposite worlds, which inevitably results in communication issues between the couple.[7] The song is immediately preceded by Sven singing "you feel what you feel and your feelings are real", a briefreprise of "Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People",[37] which Anderson-Lopez identified as the scene's most important part.[21] According to Brian Tuitt ofUSA Today, Sven's introduction encourages Kristoff to "Let your guard down and let your feelings out",[38] which Anderson-Lopez hoped would help young boys confronttoxic masculinity.[39] ActressKristen Bell, who voices Anna, concurred that Kristoff's song offers young boys a positive example of a grown man expressing "big feelings", which she believes they do not see represented on screen often.[40]
"Lost in the Woods" takes place approximately one-third of the way into the film when Kristoff and Anna become separated, the latter choosing to pursue her sisterElsa deeper into the Enchanted Forest.[6] Kristoff has just accidentally proposed to Yelena, leader of the Northuldra tribe, whose silhouette he has mistaken for Anna's.[41] While Anna chooses to prioritize herself and Elsa, Kristoff remains behind to contemplate "his feelings of frustration and feelings of repressed love".[38] Serving as Kristoff's"I Want" song,[42] the character sings about feeling left behind by Anna's decision to embark on an adventure without him,[43] discovering that much of his identify is dependent on her.[44] Unsure how Anna feels about him, Kristoff sings about his vulnerability.[45] Surrounded by several reindeer providing background vocals,[8][9] Kristoff channels his anguish into the ballad, voicing his frustration about their relationship.[46] Its "intentionally cheesy" musical sequence is reminiscent of music videos from the 1980s, according to Jocelyn Noveck of theAssociated Press,[47] featuring tight,slow-motion closeups of Kristoff singing and dancing,[7][48] Annacrossfading into their surroundings, Kristoff singing into apine cone in lieu of a studio microphone,[6] and the character's face beingsuperimposed into various scenes.[36] Kristoff is also surrounded by a reindeer chorus in a scene referencing "Bohemian Rhapsody" by the band Queen,[8][23] as well as the boy band theBackstreet Boys.[18] The song's humorous lyrics are bolstered by the scene's equally comical choreography and animation.[49] By the end of the musical number, Kristoff has finally succumbed to his feelings, demonstrating a sense of ownership over his emotions.[11]
Syfy writer Courtney Enlow observed that each main character experiences an identify crisis inFrozen II, with Kristoff becoming lost both "in the woods" and his relationship.[50] As one of the few prominent male characters inFrozen II,[43] Kristoff is essentially a sidekick to the film's female leads.[51]411Mania's Jeffrey Harris felt the song helps justify the character's inclusion in the film by acknowledging that he feels left out by Anna's preoccupation with Elsa.[11][51] Disney films typically do not feature 1980s-inspired power ballads.[52] Despite being a tonal departure from the film's more earnest musical moments, Groff felt the song's comedic treatment would help Kristoff's emotional proclamations be more palatable to young boys.[7] He explained, "Normally you're seeing the girl pining over the guy singing an emotional ballad ... And in this one Anna goes off to go on a huge adventure and they've inverted it. Now it's giving the boys the opportunity to feel their feelings and sing about whatever is going on for them".[7] Groff considers this to be a positive message encouraging young boys to express themselves, similar to the way in which Elsa's "Let It Go" fromFrozen had encouraged young girls.[38] "Lost in the Woods" is also the film's onlylove song.[53] Sarah El-Mahmoud ofCinemaBlend observed that although some previous Disney films had featured solos for their male leads, they are typically about their personal journeys instead of love.[54] Similarly,Romper's Jen McGuire expressed that previous Disney songs performed by men had largely been about "succeeding in life and being the champion", seldom allowing "for the complicated emotions of feeling deep love stuff for another person and feeling unsure if those feelings are returned".[45]
The scene's humor is largelyself-referential andtongue-in-cheek,[55][56] incorporating several music videoclichés,[1] such as wind-swept hair andsplit-screens reminiscent of a variety show.[57][58] The sequence also embodies theanachronistic tone of voice used throughout bothFrozen films,[51] being one of only several pop culture references the film contains.[59] Groff described the scene as truly a "gift" to adultFrozen fans, believing adults are more likely to understand the scene's references to the time period it parodies.[9] TheDaily Bruin's Paige Hua observed that the song'sself-aware tone "services a moremillennial audience".[60]
"Lost in the Woods" is asoft rockpower ballad about love, longing, and relationship insecurities,[21][61] heavily inspired by 1980s music.[6][9][62] Dana Barbuto ofThe State Journal-Register called the ballad "aslow-rock song straight out of the '80s".[63] The song also draws upon elements ofglam rock,[64][65][66][67]power pop,[8][68][46]yacht-rock,[35][48] pop,[69]rock-gospel,[18] androck opera,[70] as well as boy band music from the 1980s and 1990s.[71][72] Film criticRobbie Collin ofThe Daily Telegraph described the track as "an affectionate send-up of Nineties boyband angst pop".[73] Written in the key ofA-flat major and performed at a slowtempo of 70 beats per minute,[74] the song lasts three minutes and one second in duration.[75]
Musically, "Lost in the Woods" is a significant departure fromFrozen II's other songs,[76] most of which are inspired by musical theatre andshow tunes.[7] Beginning with an electric guitarriff,[77] instrumentation includes piano keyboards anddistorted electric guitars,[10] the latter of which Lopez described as a quintessential trademark of the decade.[7] Containing phrasing and instrumentation also emblematic of the same time period,[37] the song's production swells as it approaches its first chorus, where it is joined by Groff's harmonies.[35] Despite heavy instrumentation, the ballad remains focused on Groff's vocals and harmonies, which are prominently featured throughout the track.[35] Groff belts the melody in a mannerVulture's Jackson McHenry described as "slightly overcooked".[6] In addition to parodying the time period by which it was inspired,Screen Rant's Matt Berger felt the track also lampoons ballads from the originalFrozen film.[78]
"Lost in the Woods"'s production and instrumentation have been compared to the works of several musical acts who were popular during the 1980s, such as singersBryan Adams,Michael Bolton,Peter Cetera,Elton John,Meat Loaf, andRichard Marx,[8][79][80][81][82] and the bandsAir Supply,Chicago andJourney.[4][7][83][84] Johnny Oleksinski of theNew York Post cited influences ofcountry music, comparing the ballad to the work of singer-songwriterCarly Simon.[85] Remarking upon the song's 1980s authenticity, Michael Ordoña of theLos Angeles Times joked that "[producer]David Foster may demand aDNA test",[86] while accordingThe Daily Nebraskan's Libby Schilz, its instrumentation "provides a grandiose, orchestral sonic landscape ... creating asoundscape reminiscent of Elton John andREO Speedwagon's 'I Can't Fight This Feeling'".[10] Sabrina Rojas Weiss ofCosmopolitan summarized the song as a "mashup of every single sad rock song of the '80s we can think of".[87]The Austin Chronicle's Kimberly Jones labeled its production a "melting pot" of influences, combining 1980ssynths and instrumentation with "Nineties boy band choreography".[88]
The song's lyrics begin "Again, you're gone",[74] and discuss themes about growing apart and feeling lost without one's significant other,[8] who is on a separate journey.[35] Confused about their whereabouts, the singer confesses "Now I turn around and find/ I am lost in the woods/ North is south, right is left ... When you're gone/ I'm the one who sees you home/ But now I'm lost in the woods/ And I don't know what path you are on/ I'm lost in the woods".[89] Feeling "lost in the emotional landscape of a relationship" as described by Kristin Kranz of Hypable,[77] Groff expresses "forlorn" sentiments such as "Who am I? If I'm not your guy".[35] Groff sighs the line "You're my only landmark, so I'm lost in the woods',[45] lyrics Jocelyn Noveck of theAssociated Press described as "angsty".[47] Erik Kain ofForbes pegged the track as an over-the-top "heartbreak ballad" about being "ditched by [one's] girl".[41] According toUs Weekly's Mara Reinstein, the song's lyrics are tongue-in-cheek about pining another's love,[90] while theLos Angeles Times film criticJustin Chang quipped that the singer "basically admits he needs directions".[91]The Mary Sue's Jessica Mason observed that the ballad remains "a sincere expression of insecurity about a relationship and being left behind", despite such sentiments being expressed in a funny, cheesy manner.[53]
"Lost in the Woods" has received mostly positive reviews from bothentertainment critics and fans.[48][92] Lex Goodman ofPureWow reported that the audience applauded and cheered for the song during theFrozen II premiere.[48] Many critics suggested the song could become as popular as "Let it Go" fromFrozen.[93][5][71] Several reviewers, such asTheWrap'sAlonso Duralde, deemed "Lost in the Woods" the film's best song and a standout among its musical numbers.[6][47][59][91][94][95] Recognizing the song as a highlight of the sequel, theAssociated Press critic Jocelyn Noveck crowned "Lost in the Woods" the film's "true heir to 'Let it Go,' at least in terms of its addictiveness".[47] Writing forThe Daily Nebraskan, Libby Schilz said "Groff shines" throughout the song, calling the track a catchy, "heralding demonstration of his vocal talent".[10] Jackson McHenry ofVulture named "Lost in the Woods"Frozen II's best song while praising Groff's performance as some of his finest work.[6] McHenry theorized that moremusical films could benefit from entertaining, character-driven songs like "Lost in the Woods" instead of "epic, pop-adjacent ballads".[6] Agreeing that the ballad is a musical highlight,BBC Online called its inclusion "an absolute treat".[82]WRAL's Demetri Ravanos said the song proves thatFrozen's songwriters are superior to "the rest of Disney's go-to songwriters".[80] Calling the ballad one of the film's smartest creative decisions, Amanda Prahl ofBroadwayWorld praised Groff's performance while declaring the track a "better use of his voice than 'Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People'".[43] Matt Rooney ofJoBlo.com suggested "Lost in the Woods" could become a fan favorite, writing that Groff "has the pipes to make it a worthy ballad to stand alongside 'Into the Unknown'".[96]Billboard contributor Rania Aniftos dubbed the musical sequence one of the film's most iconic,[97] while The Mary Sue's Princess Weekes called it "visually satisfying".[98]CinemaBlend's Eric Eisenberg found the musical number an excellent and welcome opportunity forFrozen II's animators to express their creativity.[99]411Mania's Jeffrey Harris declared the song a show-stealer, describing it as "absolutely hilarious" and undoubtedly "The best song in the movie".[51]
"Lost in the Woods' is a chance for Lopez and Anderson-Lopez to once again stretch their comedic muscles as songwriters ... Though Kristoff's love for Anna is real, and his frustration at not being able to put a ring on her finger genuine, "Lost in the Woods' is a hilarious throwback to the power ballads of the 1980s, down to how the song is visualized like a music video that might have featured a hair-metal band doing a slow number. Groff is, of course, an accomplished singer so he's belting it out no matter what. But the animators get to play around as much as the song itself does, mimicking '80s music-video styling to hilarious effect. It's a perfect blend of animation and music, with modern flair.
Critics agreed that "Lost in the Woods" is one of the film's funniest moments and praised its humor,[39][78][83][101] with Dana Barbuto ofThe State Journal-Register calling it a "fun surprise".[63] Noah Levine ofThe Daily Texan encouraged readers to forget about "Let it Go'" in favor of "Lost in the Woods', calling the latter "a hilarious homage to retro love songs".[102] Writing for theBritish Film Institute, Kate Stables appreciated the song for contributing "three minutes of uncomplicated pleasure" to an otherwise somber film.[72] Similarly, David Sims ofThe Atlantic said thecampy song "helps to lighten up a plot that's otherwise weighed down by elaborateexposition", which he compared to the work ofJim Steinman,[1] whileJosh Spiegel of/Film said the song "toe[s] the line between being too referential and just slyly funny enough".[59]NDTV contributor Akhil Arora called the song a "deliberately cheesy andcampy" hoot.[57] Writing forTheSagOnline, Phoebe Kallaher identified "Lost in the Woods" as the film's only memorable musical moment, reporting that it "had every age group in the audience rollicking with laughter".[49] Other critics, such as Sarah Harris of theDeseret News, deemed "Lost in the Woods" the bestFrozen song for adult fans.[84][103][104] Matt Singer ofScreenCrush agreed, elaborating, "Parents will appreciate the care put into mimicking old music videos' goofiest impulses".[105] AlthoughThe New York Observer's Oliver Jones observed that the musical number was very well-received by fellow adult audience viewers upon watching the film in theaters for the first time, he could not decipher if at least some of the scene's cheesiness was unintentional.[55] Jones also found the song's particular style ofmeta-humour more appropriate for aDreamWorks animated film than Disney.[55] Despite ranking "Lost in the Woods" the second most likelyFrozen II song to be repeatedly sung by children, Sam Brooks ofThe Spinoff nicknamed it the soundtrack's "drunk adult song", predicting it would be more popular among adults and karaoke fans.[64] TheLos Angeles Times reporter Nardine Saad said children will still find the song's "over-the-top elements and reindeer" amusing, despite its adult appeal.[70]
Some reviews were more tepid. Annlee Ellingson of theAmerican City Business Journals agreed that "Lost in the Woods" is the sequel's musical highlight, despite feeling it lacks theearworm potential to rival "Let it Go".[106]Collider's Matt Goldberg found the track catchy but inferior to "Let it Go".[107] TheMaui Time Weekly's Barry Wurst II, who was otherwise unimpressed withFrozen II's soundtrack, deemed "Lost in the Woods" its best song, despite describing its lyrics as unmemorable.[108]Filmtracks.com described the ballad as "mildly amusing even if it really badly pushes the film away from its fantasy core".[37]Vox writer Aja Romano admitted that they found "Lost in the Woods" generic upon subsequent re-listens despite initially selecting it as the film's best song, believing the ballad could be performed by anyFrozen II character.[109] Romano explained this "is great if you want a song to be a pop hit, but disappointing as a character-builder for Kristoff".[109] Romano also found the song's production out of place.[109] Simran Hans ofThe Guardian dismissed "Lost in the Woods" as "forgettable",[110] while Petrana Radulovic ofPolygon remarked that the song "would be absolutely hilarious if it didn't stall the movie for three minutes".[36] Writing forForbes, Erik Kain felt the musical number ultimately "falls flat thanks to the poor build-up and shoddy writing".[41] Kimberly Jones ofThe Austin Chronicle offered a negative review, describing "Lost in the Woods" as a "low point" and its lyrics as "numbingly straightforward" and "bereft of wit".[88] Sam Adams, writing forSlate, opined that "Lost in the Woods" being the film's best moment is actually "not a great sign", fearing younger viewers would not understand the scene'sretro references.[111] Cassie Maz ofWPTS-FM dismissed the song as a disappointment, writing, "At best, it's a parody of sappy love songs. At worst, it's an odd boyband homage with talking reindeer that makes you think 'What the heck am I watching?'", believing the scene serves as little more than "ameme that's there for laughs instead of plot or character development".[112]
Syfy selected the track as their "Chosen One of the Day", with author Courtney Enlow penning an entire article celebrating Groff having earned a proper solo and its use of a reindeer choir.[50] Adam Chitwood of Collider ranked "Lost in the Woods" the best song fromFrozen II, calling it "quite possibly the best moment in all ofFrozen II" and arguably superior to "Let it Go".[113]Evoke.ie ranked "Lost in the Woods" the best song onFrozen II's soundtrack, with writer Olivia Fahy calling it a "standout moment" and "proper bop".[114] Matt Berger ofScreen Rant named "Lost in the Woods" the second-best song from the film, calling it both "hilariously catchy" and effective for character development.[78]USA Today's Brian Truitt ranked "Lost in the Woods" the fourth-bestFrozen II song.[115] Despite declaring "Lost in the Woods"Frozen II's fifth-best song, theLos Angeles Times reporter Nardine Saad agreed that it is "the funniest song of the film".[70] Michael Ordoña of theLos Angeles Times included the song on their list of potentialAcademy Award forBest Original Song contenders from2019.[86]
Marisa LaScala ofGood Housekeeping ranked "Lost in the Woods" the 36th best Disney song of all-time, citing it as an example ofFrozen II excelling when songwriters try new genres.[116] In alisticle selecting the best song from 25 animated Disney films,Nevada Sports Net's Chris Murray appreciated the song's 1980s influence and that it is not performed byIdina Menzel.[52] Contrastingly, Jasmine Venegas ofComic Book Resources ranked "Lost in the Woods" Disney's eighth worst animated Disney song, writing that its "odd backup vocals from reindeer and recycled animation from the love interests' short time together made the song fall flat".[76]
In 2021,Hallmark released a musical Christmas tree ornament inspired by the song, which depicts Kristoff wistfully posing underneath a tree.[117]
Credits adapted fromSpotify:[25]
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American bandWeezer recorded a cover of "Lost in the Woods" forFrozen II's soundtrack, which also plays during the film's end credits.[16][118] The cover was produced by Weezer andJake Sinclair,[119][120] and engineered bySuzy Shinn, Rachel White and Will Carroll.[17][121] Lopez played the keyboard,[7] jokingly coining himself the band's newest member.[20] At the time, the cover's release coincided with Weezer's trend of releasingchild-friendly material towards the end of 2019.[122]
The cover received mostly positive reviews. Comparing it to the work of Queen,Spin's Rob Arcand said the song "pairs soaring, distorted guitar lines with Cuomo's schoolboy voice" before it eventually "return[s] to strictly Weezer territory, withpalm-muted guitar and interlocking vocal harmonies".[123] Also comparing the track to songs by Queen albeit "withoutFreddie Mercury's over-the-top vocal presence", Chris DeVille ofStereogum described the cover as an "arena-rock track" that ultimately remains "unmistakably a Weezer song".[124]Entertainment Weekly's Tyler Aquilina opined that although "Weezer'spop-punk sound probably isn't what most people think of when they think of Disney ... that sound is very well-suited" to "Lost in the Woods".[125]Vanity Fair's Joanna Robinson agreed that "Lost in the Woods" sounds a lot like a Weezer track, congratulating its writers for unknowingly writing a Weezer song.[120] Jason Fraley ofWTOP predicted that the cover will appeasealternative rock fans,[126] whileGood Housekeeping's Marisa LaScala found it "pretty good".[116] Chuck Campbell of theKnoxville News Sentinel described the rendition as "quintessentially Weezer".[127]Redbox contributor Erika Olson hoped the band would perform the song live.[128] However,The Spinoff's Sam Brooks dismissed the cover entirely, writing they "refuse to devote words to" it.[64]
Weezer released a music video to accompany their cover on December 6, 2019,[97][129] in which Bell appears as lead singerRivers Cuomo's love interest.[16] The music video is essentially a "shot-by-shot recreation of the scene" from the film.[50][97] The video features Cuomo performing the song while exploring the Enchanted Forest and reminiscing about Bell's character,[125][16] who is wearing Anna's costume.[125] Bell's character constantly disappears during the video.[130] Cuomo wears a fur coat reminiscent of Kristoff, while their surroundings and environment are various shades of lavender and neon.[122] Similar to Kristoff, the singer also sings into a hanging pine cone as though it were a microphone.[16] The rest of the band is also dressed inmedieval attire inspired byFrozen.[131]
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[132] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
A lot of Frozen fans (myself included) felt like Kristoff, played by the talented Jonathan Groff, got the short of the carrot stick in the first film when he only got to sing a short refrain with Sven about how cool reindeers are.
A major criticism from the cast and crew about the original "Frozen' soundtrack is that Jonathan Groff, who plays Kristoff, wasn't utilized to his full musical potential, as he only sang one short ditty throughout the entire album.
Producer, Recording Arranger
If fans' reactions at the premiere are any indication, it's going to be a huge hit.
"Lost in the Woods" is the best of all the compositions from songwriters Robert Lopez and Kristin Anderson-Lopez
It's asoft rock love song right out of the middle of the 1980s.
performed in retro glam rock style
The reason we all came back for Frozen II is to see if there was a single banger as fantastic as 'Let It Go' ... perhaps even better is Kristoff's 80's-boy-band-tastic 'Lost In The Woods'
If it doesn't sound like "Frozen II" is as adult-leaning as it is, then just wait for the song "Lost in the Woods" that's performed and animated as an 80s music video sequence starring a moody, hair-flipping Kristoff with a tune that seems to closely mimic "Will You Still Love Me?" by the band Chicago.
On Twitter, people were loving Kristoff's ... song, "Lost in the Woods."
critics are suggesting Jonathan Groff's solo song in "Frozen 2" may be the breakout hit of the animated film's soundtrack
Groff, a Broadway star who only got to sing a few lines in the first film, gets his moment in the spotlight with the hilarious, '80s-inspired "Lost in the Woods.'
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