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"Let It Go" is a song from Disney's 2013 animated feature film, Frozen, with music and lyrics composed by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. The song was performed in the film by American actress and singer Idina Menzel in her role as Queen Elsa. The song appears after an ostracized Elsa flees her kingdom soon after her ice powers are discovered by the public. Realizing that she no longer needs to hide her powerful abilities anymore, Elsa declares herself free from the stress and fears that she's been faced with since childhood. The opening lyrics "Conceal, don't feel, don't let it show" was something Elsa's father told her when she was given her gloves.
Composition
"Let It Go" was the first song that Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez wrote for the film. The duo took inspiration from other Disney films such as The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast and contemporary artists including Lady Gaga and Adele. Although unintentional, the song's composition was pivotal in the film's characterization of Elsa. Originally written as a villain, co-directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee gradually rewrote Elsa as one of the film's protagonists.
Anderson-Lopez and Lopez specifically wrote the song for Idina Menzel, referring to her as "one of the most glorious voices of Broadway and an icon in musical theater". Menzel's vocal range was taken under consideration during the music's composition.
Cover version
The decision to release a single for "Let It Go", was made after the song was written and was presented to Disney. Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez selected American singer Demi Lovato to cover the song on the soundtrack album. Anderson-Lopez admitted that Lovato was chosen because of the singer's own personal struggles; "She had a past that she's pretty open about that is similar to Elsa's journey of letting a dark past and fear behind and moving forward with your power." Lovato indeed identified herself with the song's context, stating "It's so relatable. Elsa is finding her identity; she's growing into who she is and she's finally accepting her own strength and magical powers. Instead of hiding it, like she's done all her life, she's letting it go and embracing it."
Lovato's cover version, was released as a single by Walt Disney Records on October 21, 2013.
Other versions
"Let It Go" was translated into other languages and recorded by different artists for international versions of the Frozen soundtrack. Argentine singer Martina Stoessel recorded the song in Spanish and Italian as "Libre Soy" (which can be translated to English as "I'm Free") and "All'alba sorgerò", respectively. Marsha Milan Londoh recorded the song in Malaysian as "Bebaskan", and Anaïs Delva as "Libérée, Délivrée" (litteraly, "Released, Relieved") in French (both the European and Canadian versions). While fundamentally similar, these translations bear subtle differences in content and thus even offer mild changes to the mood of the song. For example, rather than Elsa's commenting that "the cold never bothered me anyway", the French version instead gives the poignant-yet-resolute line "le froid est pour moi la prix de la liberté", literally "the cold is for me the price of liberty."
Lyrics
Idina Menzel's Lyrics
The snow glows white on the mountain tonight
Not a footprint to be seen
A kingdom of isolation
And it looks like I'm the queen
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I've tried
Don't let them in, don't let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know
Well, now they know
Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn away and slam the door
I don't care what they're going to say
Let the storm rage on
The cold never bothered me anyway
It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me can't get to me at all
It's time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me
I'm free
Let it go, let it go
I am one with the wind and sky
Let it go, let it go
You'll never see me cry
Here I stand and here I'll stay
Let the storm rage on
My power flurries through the air into the ground
My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast
I'm never going back, the past is in the past
Let it go, let it go
And I'll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone
Here I stand in the light of day
Let the storm rage on
The cold never bothered me anyway
Demi Lovato's Lyrics
Demi Lovato - Let It Go (from "Frozen") Official
Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn my back and slam the door
The snow glows white on the mountain tonight
Not a footprint to be seen
A kingdom of isolation
And it looks like I'm the queen
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I've tried
Don't let them in, don't let them see
Be the good girl you always had to be
Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know
Well, now they know
Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn my back and slam the door
And here I stand, and here I'll stay
Let it go, let it go
The cold never bothered me anyway
It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me can't get to me at all
Up here in the cold thin air I finally can breathe
I know I left a life behind, but I'm too relieved to grieve
Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn my back and slam the door
And here I stand, and here I'll stay
Let it go, let it go
The cold never bothered me anyway
Standing frozen in the life I've chosen
You won't find me, the past is so behind me
Buried in the snow
Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn my back and slam the door
And here I stand, and here I'll stay
Let it go, let it go
The cold never bothered me anyway, oh
Let it go
Yeah, yeah
Na, na
Here I'll stay
Let it go, let it go
Ooh
Let it go
Critical reception
"Let It Go" received universal acclaim from film critics, music critics, and audiences, with some comparing it favorably to "Defying Gravity" from the musical Wicked (also performed by Menzel). The Rochester City Newspaper called it the best song of the film's soundtrack, writing; "Performed with belty gusto by Idina Menzel, it's got every element needed to be a lasting favorite...Menzel should be credited for providing as much power and passion to this performance as she did in her most famous role." Entertainment Weekly's Marc Snetiker described the song as "an incredible anthem of liberation". The song earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Original Song.
Gallery
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This page uses content from the English Wikipedia page Let It Go (Disney song). The list of authors can be seen in the page history. Text from Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. |