Songs 5-8: Vivo

*Spoilers.*

The middle section of songs from Vivo is a little mixed, just because half of them are so short that it’s hard to consider them “songs” in their own right. However, we also have a fantastic anthem and an adorable love song performed by a goofy pair of sappy spoonbills. What’s not to like about that?

“Keep the Beat” – Probably my favorite song in the film. I like how it’s written in such a way that it can follow the progression of the story—Vivo starts out frightened and uncertain, but he ends up feeling confident and adventurous as he and Gabi start to connect. Without really changing the lyrics, it works in both scenarios. The chorus is beautiful, with those soaring vocals and the way the pace sort of dances, and I really like Gabi breaking in with a motif from “My Own Drum” during the second chorus.

Best lyric: “All I can do when the road bends / Is lean into the curve. / And all I can do when the tank's run dry / Is see what's in reserve.”

“Love’s Gonna Pick You Up” – Super cute, Dancarino and Valentina’s spoonbill love ditty, swooning at each other through the sky while Vivo is freaking out riding on Dancarino’s back. Brian Tyree Henry’s singing is fab, and I love the enthusiastic schmoopiness of the main melody juxtaposed with Vivo’s panic.

Best lyric: “That one set of footprints / Was love dragging you around.”

“Tough Crowd” – Super, super quick little ditty, a fast-paced rap as Vivo tries to outsmart a hungry python. It shares some motifs from “One of a Kind,” but it really cranks up the tempo and the driving force of the rhythm, which fits in well with the scene.

Best lyric: “It's tough to play when you're a prey facing a predator. / No time to pray, find a way to slay your competitor.”

“One More Song (Reprise)” – Another short one, literally just one stanza. It hits well emotionally, an apt reprise within the story. I’m glad it’s included on the soundtrack, though—I like when musicals just dip their toe back into a song we’ve already heard. The familiar melody does all the heavy lifting, and we don’t need a drawn-out performance in order for the stanza/verse/whatever to do exactly what it needs to do.

Best lyric: “You spent your life making music. / I thought the song would never end. / Now it's so quiet – / All I wanna do is play again with you, my friend.”