"Keep 'Em Guessing" is a song written for the 1998 animated film Mulan. The song was to be sung by Mushu and performed by Eddie Murphy. It was written by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel. It was restored for the stage musical adaption Mulan Jr.
The dragon guardian Mushu was written as an integral part of Mulan, and as such had various songs written for him during production. Keep 'Em Guessing reached the recording phase, and Billy Porter lent his vocal talents to the demo.[1] The song sees Mushu advising Mulan on how to keep her real identity secret while she pretends to be a male soldier.[1] Lyrics included advice like “[put on] an act that’s so convincing, they’ll think you’re a dude.”[1]
Reworkingedit
According to songwriters David Zippel and Matthew Wilder, Disney and the production team were "very fond" of the song,[2] and called Porter's demo "phenomenal".[1] However, Murphy reportedly refused to sing, so the songwriters suggested he try a comedic "talk-sing" through the number similar to his work as James Brown on Saturday Night Live, however Murphy declined.[1] Zippel later said: "We wrote three different versions of it. But that's because we didn't understand at that point that it wasn't that [Eddie Murphy] wasn't liking our songs, he just didn't want to sing in the film."[3]
Removaledit
The song, intended to be Mushu's introduction to Mulan, but ultimately was cut and replaced by expositional spoken dialogue[4][5] and they decided the character could show who he was with only a few words.[2] It became one of a few songs written for Mushu that were cut.[1]
Aftermathedit
The song was restored for the stage musical adaption Mulan Jr.
Critical receptionedit
Radio Times wrote "we can’t help but wonder how that version of the movie would have played out".[1] CinemaBlend noted that without this number, the only time Mushu sings is in the line "This guy's got 'em scared to death" during "I'll Make a Man Out of You."[3] Band Wagon felt the song's deletion was a "shame" because the "jazzy number is so unbelievably smooth".[5]
Referencesedit
^ abcdefg"Mushu's songs were cut from Disney's Mulan after Eddie Murphy 'refused to sing'". Radio Times. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
^ ab"The World of Forgotten Disney - Keep em Guessing - Wattpad". www.wattpad.com. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
^ ab"A Mulan Musical Number That Was Cut From The Disney Movie". CINEMABLEND. 2018-06-19. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
^Roulette, Matthew (January 15, 2012). "'Keep 'Em Guessing,' 'Mulan' — Disney Songs You've Never Heard". TheFW. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
^ ab"12 terrific Disney songs that were cut from the movies". 12 terrific Disney songs that were cut from the movies | Bandwagon | Music media championing and spotlighting music in Asia. 2017-03-22. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
January 01, 1970
keep, guessing, song, written, 1998, animated, film, mulan, song, sung, mushu, performed, eddie, murphy, written, matthew, wilder, david, zippel, restored, stage, musical, adaption, mulan, contents, production, writing, reworking, removal, aftermath, critical,. Keep Em Guessing is a song written for the 1998 animated film Mulan The song was to be sung by Mushu and performed by Eddie Murphy It was written by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel It was restored for the stage musical adaption Mulan Jr Contents 1 Production 1 1 Writing 1 2 Reworking 1 3 Removal 1 4 Aftermath 2 Critical reception 3 ReferencesProduction editWriting edit The dragon guardian Mushu was written as an integral part of Mulan and as such had various songs written for him during production Keep Em Guessing reached the recording phase and Billy Porter lent his vocal talents to the demo 1 The song sees Mushu advising Mulan on how to keep her real identity secret while she pretends to be a male soldier 1 Lyrics included advice like put on an act that s so convincing they ll think you re a dude 1 Reworking edit According to songwriters David Zippel and Matthew Wilder Disney and the production team were very fond of the song 2 and called Porter s demo phenomenal 1 However Murphy reportedly refused to sing so the songwriters suggested he try a comedic talk sing through the number similar to his work as James Brown on Saturday Night Live however Murphy declined 1 Zippel later said We wrote three different versions of it But that s because we didn t understand at that point that it wasn t that Eddie Murphy wasn t liking our songs he just didn t want to sing in the film 3 Removal edit The song intended to be Mushu s introduction to Mulan but ultimately was cut and replaced by expositional spoken dialogue 4 5 and they decided the character could show who he was with only a few words 2 It became one of a few songs written for Mushu that were cut 1 Aftermath edit The song was restored for the stage musical adaption Mulan Jr Critical reception editRadio Times wrote we can t help but wonder how that version of the movie would have played out 1 CinemaBlend noted that without this number the only time Mushu sings is in the line This guy s got em scared to death during I ll Make a Man Out of You 3 Band Wagon felt the song s deletion was a shame because the jazzy number is so unbelievably smooth 5 References edit a b c d e f g Mushu s songs were cut from Disney s Mulan after Eddie Murphy refused to sing Radio Times Retrieved 2020 09 26 a b The World of Forgotten Disney Keep em Guessing Wattpad www wattpad com Retrieved 2020 09 26 a b A Mulan Musical Number That Was Cut From The Disney Movie CINEMABLEND 2018 06 19 Retrieved 2020 09 26 Roulette Matthew January 15 2012 Keep Em Guessing Mulan Disney Songs You ve Never Heard TheFW Retrieved 2020 09 26 a b 12 terrific Disney songs that were cut from the movies 12 terrific Disney songs that were cut from the movies Bandwagon Music media championing and spotlighting music in Asia 2017 03 22 Retrieved 2020 09 26 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Keep 27Em Guessing amp oldid 1111601829, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
