Disney’s live-action remakes always spark a bit of a firestorm, but the conversation around the music for the 2025 Snow White has been particularly loud. People want to know if the magic of the 1937 original is still there or if it’s been replaced by something unrecognizable. If you’ve been humming "Heigh-Ho" since you were five, you’re probably wondering who exactly was trusted with the task of updating those legendary melodies.
The answer isn't just one person. It's actually a mix of Broadway royalty and a rising film composer.
The Songwriters: Pasek and Paul
When it comes to the catchy, modern numbers that feel like they belong on a Broadway stage, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are the names you need to know. These guys are basically the MVPs of modern movie musicals. You’ve definitely heard their work before; they’re the geniuses behind The Greatest Showman, Dear Evan Hansen, and the lyrics for La La Land.
For Snow White 2025, Pasek and Paul didn’t just tweak the old stuff. They wrote a handful of brand-new original songs to flesh out the characters. They’ve described the vibe as "contemporary kingdom"—which basically means it feels cinematic and big, but with that modern pop-musical edge they’re famous for.
Honestly, hiring them was a massive statement from Disney. It says they weren't just looking for a cover band. They wanted the film to have its own identity.
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What did they actually write?
The duo penned several new tracks, but the one everyone is talking about is "Waiting on a Wish." It’s Rachel Zegler’s big "I Want" song. Think of it as the 2025 version of standing by the wishing well.
They also gave Gal Gadot’s Evil Queen a moment to shine with a villain track called "All Is Fair." It’s got a bit of a darker, more aggressive energy than the songs from the thirties. If you’re looking for the romance, they also wrote "A Hand Meets a Hand," which is a duet between Snow White and the new character Jonathan, played by Andrew Burnap.
The Man Behind the Score: Jeff Morrow
While Pasek and Paul handled the "singing" parts, the actual instrumental background—the stuff that makes you feel the tension in the forest or the wonder of the castle—was composed by Jeff Morrow.
Morrow might not be a household name like Hans Zimmer just yet, but he’s been a staple in the Disney world for a while. He worked on Olaf’s Frozen Adventure and has a background in scoring projects like The Snoopy Show. Taking on Snow White was a huge step up into the big leagues of live-action blockbusters.
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His job was probably the hardest. He had to take the themes from the original 1937 score—originally by Frank Churchill and Larry Morey—and weave them into a modern orchestral landscape. He’s gone on record saying he wanted the score to feel "lush and magical" but also intimate when the story called for it. Sometimes, that meant using a full 80-piece orchestra; other times, it was just a single flute.
What Happened to the Original Songs?
You can’t have Snow White without some of the classics. It would just feel wrong.
Disney kept a few of the heavy hitters from the 1937 version, but they didn't leave them untouched. "Heigh-Ho," "Whistle While You Work," and "The Silly Song" are all in the 2025 movie. However, the lyrics were updated by Pasek and Paul to fit the new narrative and the way the Seven Dwarfs (or the "vibrant characters") are portrayed in this version.
- "Heigh-Ho": Still there, but with a slightly different rhythmic drive.
- "Whistle While You Work": Expanded to include more of a "lesson" vibe within the scene.
- "Someday My Prince Will Come": This is the controversial one. In the 2025 film, it actually doesn't appear as a sung ballad. Instead, Jeff Morrow included it as an instrumental nod in the underscore.
The Sound of 2025
The reception to the music has been a bit of a mixed bag, which is typical for Disney. Some fans love that Pasek and Paul brought their high-energy, Greatest Showman style to the woods. Others feel like the "pop-Broadway" sound clashes a bit with the fairy tale aesthetic.
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One thing is certain: the talent involved is top-tier. Between the EGOT-winning power of the songwriters and Morrow’s whimsical scoring, the music for Snow White 2025 is a massive technical achievement. It’s a bridge between the Golden Age of animation and the high-production values of 2026's cinematic landscape.
If you’re a fan of the music, you can find the full soundtrack on Spotify or Apple Music. It was released in mid-March 2025, just before the movie hit theaters. There’s even a "Deluxe Edition" that features Morrow’s full underscore if you want to hear those instrumental versions of the classics.
Key Takeaways for Fans
- Songwriters: Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (new songs + lyric updates).
- Score Composer: Jeff Morrow (orchestral background).
- New Hits: "Waiting on a Wish" and "All Is Fair."
- The Classics: "Heigh-Ho" and "Whistle While You Work" remain, though modified.
If you're planning a watch party or just want to dive deeper into the production, checking out the "Making Of" featurettes on Disney+ is a great next step. They go into detail about how they recorded the orchestra at Abbey Road and the specific challenges of modernizing a 90-year-old musical legacy.