You know that feeling when a song just fits a movie scene so perfectly that you can't imagine one without the other? That’s basically the situation with the Big Hero 6 song "Immortals" by Fall Out Boy.
Honestly, it’s one of those rare cases where a pop-rock band and a giant animation studio like Disney didn't just collaborate—they actually vibed. When Patrick Stump belts out those opening lines over that driving, marching-band percussion, you’re not just watching a kid build a robot. You're watching a transformation.
But there’s more to this track than just a catchy hook.
Why Immortals Became the Definitive Big Hero 6 Song
When Disney approached Fall Out Boy, they didn't just want a radio hit. They needed something for a very specific moment: the "gear up" sequence. You know the one. Hiro Hamada is moving from raw grief over his brother Tadashi into this high-octane phase of invention. He’s taking a group of "nerds" and turning them into a team of high-tech heroes.
Pete Wentz, the band’s bassist, has been vocal about how much the story resonated with them. He told reporters back in 2014 that the band always identified with the "underdog" mentality. That’s the DNA of the Big Hero 6 song. It’s about people who aren’t traditionally "super" stepping into a role that's much bigger than themselves.
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The title itself, "Immortals," was a direct nod to Hiro’s journey. Patrick Stump explained that the idea of a kid stepping up on behalf of his brother is what inspired the name. It’s the idea that your victories aren't just yours—they belong to the people who helped you get there and the legacy you're carrying.
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If you listen closely to the version in the film versus the version on Fall Out Boy’s album American Beauty/American Psycho, you’ll notice they aren't the same.
The movie version is "marching-band strident." It’s got this heavy, percussive energy designed to match the clinking of metal and the whirring of 3D printers in Hiro’s garage. When the band put it on their own album later, they actually stripped some of that away to make it feel more like a standard rock track.
There's also a cool bit of trivia about the international versions. Patrick Stump actually recorded the song in Italian. The crazy part? He doesn't speak Italian. He had to record each line over and over again, tweaking his pronunciation until a native speaker in the booth finally gave him the thumbs up. That’s some serious dedication to a Big Hero 6 song.
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More Than Just Fall Out Boy: The Henry Jackman Score
While everyone remembers the rock anthem, we have to talk about Henry Jackman. He’s the guy who composed the actual score.
Jackman didn't just play it safe. He used a massive 77-piece orchestra (some sources even say up to 83 pieces during the Fox scoring sessions) to blend traditional cinematic sounds with heavy electronica. He’d just come off working on Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Wreck-It Ralph, so he was the perfect choice to bridge the gap between "superhero action" and "animated heart."
The score tracks have some of the best titles in Disney history.
- "Huggable Detective"
- "Nerd School"
- "The Streets of San Fransokyo"
- "I Am Satisfied With My Care"
"First Flight" is arguably the standout of the orchestral work. It captures that soaring feeling of Baymax and Hiro flying through the city for the first time. It’s melodic, but it pushes technical boundaries with its electronic backbone. Director Don Hall specifically wanted the music to "stitch the scenes together" emotionally, and Jackman delivered that in spades.
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The Cultural Ripple Effect
Is "Immortals" the most successful Big Hero 6 song? By the numbers, yes. It went 4x Platinum in the US. That’s over four million units sold or streamed.
But it’s also become a staple in sports. You’ve probably heard it during NFL Thursday Night Football promos or NHL All-Star games. It has this "stadium energy" that works just as well for a hockey power play as it does for a robotic healthcare companion learning to karate-chop.
Some fans still debate the lyrics, though. "We could be immortals, just not for long." It sounds like a contradiction, right? But in the context of the movie, it’s about that fleeting, transcendent moment of being a hero. Even if it doesn't last forever, the impact does.
What to Do Next
If you're looking to dive deeper into the music of San Fransokyo, here is how to get the full experience:
- Listen to the Soundtrack Version: Find the "End Credits" or film version of "Immortals" specifically. The extra percussion makes a huge difference compared to the radio edit.
- Check out the "Immortals" Remix: There is a version featuring Black Thought from The Roots on the Make America Psycho Again remix album. It gives the track a completely different, grittier vibe.
- Watch the Music Video: The official video features a white vinyl record with Baymax’s face on it. It’s simple but a great piece of visual design for fans of the movie.
- Listen to "First Flight" by Henry Jackman: If you want to feel like you're soaring over a futuristic city, put on some good headphones and crank this one up. It's a masterclass in modern film scoring.