Honor to Us All facts for kids

"Honor to Us All" is a popular song from Walt Disney Pictures' animated movie Mulan (1998). Matthew Wilder wrote the music, and David Zippel wrote the words.

The song is sung by Beth Fowler, Marni Nixon, and Lea Salonga. Marni Nixon sings for Grandmother Fa, and Lea Salonga sings for Fa Mulan. In the movie, several older Chinese women and Mulan's family sing this song. They are preparing Mulan to meet the Matchmaker. This scene happens early in the film.

The song's words teach Mulan how to be an ideal bride. They focus on her looks, being obedient, and having children. "Honor to Us All" uses irony to show traditional gender roles. It also highlights what was expected of women in that time. The song has an East Asian sound. It uses many Asian instruments, more than other songs in the movie. The music uses pentatonic scales and Chinese flutes to set the scene in China. It also mentions the Chinese tradition of praying to ancestors.

Making the Song

Marni Nixon sang for Grandmother Fa in "Honor to Us All".

Originally, Stephen Schwartz was supposed to write the songs for Mulan. He wrote a song called "China Doll" for the scene where Mulan gets ready for the Matchmaker. But Schwartz left Mulan to work on another movie, The Prince of Egypt.

So, Matthew Wilder and David Zippel took over. They wrote "Honor to Us All" to replace "China Doll." Disney chose Marni Nixon to be the singing voice of Grandmother Fa. Nixon was famous for singing for other actors in movies. She liked the character of Grandmother Fa and wanted to give her a voice. Nixon tried to make the character sound like she was just trying to sing, not perfectly. This was because the old character was supposed to be toothless.

Disney loved Nixon's singing. Her recording took only 32 minutes to finish. Nixon sings only one part of the song in the movie. This song was her return to film after a long break. It was also her first Disney movie in 10 years. She had been in Mary Poppins (1964). Later, Beth Fowler and Lea Salonga joined her. But the three singers did not record the song together. Disney liked Nixon's performance so much that they hired June Foray to speak for Grandmother Fa. This was because Foray's voice sounded more like Nixon's.

Song in the Movie

"Honor to Us All" helps explain the story in Mulan. It introduces the main character and shows some Chinese traditions. The song reveals that Mulan's future depends on marriage at the start of the movie.

Several older Chinese women sing the song to Mulan. This includes her mother, Fa Li, and Grandmother Fa. They are getting Mulan ready to meet the Matchmaker. They hope she will find a good husband and bring honor to their family. Before the song, Mulan's father asks his ancestors for help. He wants his daughter to impress the Matchmaker. Mulan's mother is worried because Mulan is late. Grandmother Fa jokes that the ancestors are lucky because "They're dead."

During the song, Mulan goes to different shops in the village. Women bathe, dress, and put makeup on her. One woman even compares her to a "sow's ear," meaning she looks messy. Mulan tries to stay calm and polite. She learns what it means to be a girl who honors her family. Her mother and grandmother give her a makeover. The women tell Mulan that she will find a husband by looking good and being an obedient wife. They say that getting ready is key to their "recipe for instant bride." They teach her that marrying well is the only way for a girl to honor her family.

Mulan is told that men want a wife who is calm, has a nice hairstyle, and a slim waist. She learns that serving tea to her future in-laws and having a son will impress them. Sometimes, Mulan looks uncomfortable with her transformation. She seems clumsy in her new "woman's body." Grandmother Fa gives Mulan traditional Chinese gifts to make her more appealing. Mulan also prays to her ancestors. She asks them to help her not disappoint them or herself. She knows that failing to meet society's expectations could "uproot her family tree."

After her makeover, Mulan walks through the market. She joins a line of other young women who look very similar. They are all waiting for the Matchmaker. Mulan struggles to accept that she is expected to look and act just like them. In the song, the girls say that disappointing the Matchmaker is "scarier than the undertaker." This means they believe it is worse than death. A fun version of "Honor to Us All" is also part of the movie's music score.

Music and Words

"Honor to Us All" is written in the key of C major. It is a fast song, played at 168 beats per minute. The song lasts three minutes and three seconds. The singers' voices cover almost two octaves.

The song sounds more like a Broadway musical song than a typical animated film song. It uses many "ethnic instruments" and has a unique style. The music is influenced by traditional East Asian music. The song has an "Oriental-flavored" sound. This comes from Wilder and Zippel's writing and the singers' performances. Marni Nixon sings her part with a "lilting soprano" voice.

The words of "Honor to Us All" describe the "perfect woman." The phrase "Honor to us all" is repeated often in the song. The song's clever words are meant to be ironic. They suggest that a daughter can only honor her family by marrying. The song starts with "This is what you give me to work with." Then, the singers list what makes an ideal bride. Lines like "With good breeding and a tiny waist you'll bring honor to us all" are examples.

The song also uses alliteration, which is repeating the same sound at the start of words. For example, in the last part: "Destiny, guard our girls/And our future as it fast unfurls/Please look kindly on these cultured pearls/Each a perfect porcelain doll."