Moana: Songs 9-12

Our final round of Moana songs.  Mostly short and half reprises, but all good.  Personally, I think “Know Who You Are” may pack a bigger punch than any song of its size – seeing that in the theater just about killed me dead (one major spoiler.)

“Logo Te Pate” – A rousing number by Foa’i that serves as a backdrop for a neat montage of Maui teaching Moana the ropes, sailing-wise.  I love the joyous-sounding chorus and the bounding drumbeat.

Best lyric:  “Ke manatua / Faiga iena / Te luelue / Te malohi / Ina hiva?”  (“Do you remember when we did all that, / The sway, the energy expressed in the dance?”)

“I Am Moana (Song of the Ancestors)” – Miranda has a real talent for weaving together different musical themes from previous parts of his show/film, and this song (co-written with Foa’i) is a beautiful demonstration of that.  After Gramma Tala’s gentle echo of her part in “Where You Are,” Moana effortlessly combines a new theme with wisps of “How Far I’ll Go,” building to a triumphant reprise of that chorus with new lyrics that just soar.  Absolutely gorgeous, and wonderfully paired with the stunning animation of the spirits of Moana’s ancestors.

Best lyric:  “And the call isn’t out there at all – it’s inside me. / It’s like the tide always falling and rising.”

“Know Who You Are” – Super short, but this Mirana/Foa’i/Mancina collaboration packs such an enormous punch.  The ethereal spirit voices in the background, the simple but gorgeous melody, Moana’s beautifully-empathetic and poignant lyrics – it all combines into one hell of a song, and it all clocks in at one minute and thirteen seconds.  Whoa!

Best lyric:  “I have crossed the horizon to find you. / I know your name. / They have stolen the heart from inside you, / But this does not define you.”

“We Know the Way (Finale)” – Another short and sweet one.  This reprise of “We Know the Way” doesn’t add anything new musically, but from a storytelling perspective, it’s great to see – especially the image of that seashell atop the moss-covered stones as the call to exploration sounds!

Best lyric:  “We tell the stories of our / Elders in a never-ending chain.”