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This list recognizes the most classic scenes in the history of American animated feature films, a history which goes back to 1937, when Walt Disney Productions released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

You might ask: what does it mean for a scene to be “classic?” Certainly, there have been many memorable scenes in animated films over the years. I have tried to select scenes which were more than just memorable: they have become part of our collective consciousness, part of American cultural history. They also comprise the greatest achievements of this art form. Or so I believe.

I have tried to be balanced; while my rankings do show some bias toward movies released during my lifetime, I have chosen four scenes from what I call the Disney Renaissance (1989-1994) and six from old favorites. Similarly, six of these scenes are song sequences, while four are not. Unfortunately, the one way in which I could not find balance was in the studio responsible for the production of these films: every single scene featured in this note came from Walt Disney Feature Animation. This fact is a testament to the cultural power that Disney has held for some eighty years.

Finally, because I chose to focus on U.S. films, there may be some unfortunate omissions; I have never seen a Hayao Miyazaki film, but if I had, it is likely that scenes from Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away would deserve recognition, though not necessarily for their American impact.

With apologies for my lengthy introductory remarks, I present my list. Scene titles are links to videos (where available).
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10. The Mad Tea Party
Alice in Wonderland (1951)
Alice in Wonderland is a study in nonsense, zany and absurd beyond compare. The Mad Tea Party is the climax of the film’s insanity, and the Mad Hatter and the March Hare are its mascots of mayhem. Although these characters were not created originally for this film, Disney certainly popularized them, and their status as emblems of the bizarre was thus cemented in our collective memory. This scene merits inclusion simply because it is probably the most ridiculous scene in the history of animated film.

9. Pinocchio’s nose grows
Pinocchio (1940)
When this film was released, an entire generation of parents was suddenly empowered with a way to convince their children to tell the truth. The long nose of Pinocchio has found its way into every nook and cranny of our culture, from Sesame Street skits to political cartoons. Quite a few animated films have aimed to teach us morals or lessons, but this one is probably the most memorable.

8. The fitting of Cinderella’s glass slipper
Cinderella (1950)
The fairy tale ending. Cinderella finally overcomes her wicked family’s oppression in what can only be described as a triumph of truth and love over selfishness and jealousy. As the only woman who can wear the slipper, Cinderella is irreplaceable, and her story challenges us to recognize that, in fact, we all are. The glass slipper has thus become a symbol of our shared hope that we can indeed live happily ever after.

7. “A Whole New World”
Aladdin (1992)
(Performed by Brad Kane and Lea Salonga; written by Alan Menken and Tim Rice)
This song brings new meaning to the expression, “sweep her off her feet”; at the same time, it is an anthem for trust and togetherness, as Aladdin and Jasmine share a unique and moving experience in each other’s company. Indeed, I claim that the profound unity captured in this sequence exceeds that found in any other Disney duet (notably, it replaces Sleeping Beauty‘s “Once Upon a Dream” as the gold standard). Meanwhile, the magic carpet ride has proven to be a deeply compelling metaphor for the yearning for new experiences and the openness to possibility. While I do not consider Aladdin to be as great an achievement as its predecessor or its successor, “A Whole New World” certainly deserves recognition among the finest Disney romantic scenes.

6. “Part of Your World”
The Little Mermaid (1989)
(Performed by Jodi Benson; written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman)
Every modern Disney film features what I call a ‘musical manifesto’: a statement, in the form of a song, of the protagonist’s motivations, hopes, and desires (see: “Belle,” “One Jump Ahead,” and “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King”). “Part of Your World,” however, stands out; unlike its peers, which are mostly introductory songs designed primarily for exposition, Ariel’s testimony is an emotional high point of the film, intimate and soul-baring. We can all relate to the desire to explore the new and different, but with a twinge of dramatic irony (“Betcha on land / they understand / Bet they don’t / reprimand their daughters”), this song takes our kinship with Ariel one level deeper. “Part of Your World” is, to me, the profoundest expression of longing found in any animated feature.

5. “Bella Notte”
Lady and the Tramp (1955)
(Performed by George Givot and Bill Thompson; written by Sonny Burke and Peggy Lee)
One can only wonder whether Disney animators realized during production that they were creating what would become, without question, the most romantic moment ever drawn. From the quaint song of the Italian restaurant owner to Lady’s coy turn-away as her lips meet with Tramp’s, this scene is unbelievably…cute, through and through. I have no idea if this was the first time spaghetti was used on film in this way, but I am sure that, after watching this scene, none of us ever thought of spaghetti the same way again.

4. The death of Bambi’s mother
Bambi (1942)
I briefly hesitated to include a sad scene in this list, but Wikipedia calls it “one of the most famous moments in American film history, a moment so upsetting to certain children that they had to be carried sobbing out of the theater during Bambi’s numerous theatrical presentations.” I considered including the death of Mufasa or perhaps the death of Charlotte (it was after witnessing the latter at age four that I first came to fear the death of my parents), but I ultimately concluded that the death of Bambi’s mother is the foundation upon which these and all other parental death scenes in the animated canon are based. It would be difficult to overestimate the emotional impact of this scene, since it portrays not only the unimaginable pain that accompanies the loss of a parent but also the incredible destructive power of Man.

3. “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”
Fantasia (1940)
(Performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra; written by Paul Dukas)
Given that it lacks the traditional elements of story and dialogue found in all other films on this list, Fantasia has always been easy for modern viewers to forget. It was, however, a spectacular creative achievement at the time of its release, featuring then-unparalleled visual effects. More importantly, however, the image of Mickey as magician has become easily the most enduring symbol of the Disney spirit, exhorting us to believe, even for a moment, that life is indeed magical. As one of the most recognized and beloved characters ever created, Mickey Mouse in this incarnation embodies the profound cultural impact of the Walt Disney Company and its unique, almost irrepressible imagination.

2. “Circle of Life”
The Lion King (1994)
(Performed by Carmen Twillie and Lebo M.; written by Tim Rice, Elton John, and Hans Zimmer)
Of all the movies I have seen (which I admit is not many), only Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings conjures the same sense of majesty for me as the first three minutes and fifty-six seconds of The Lion King. A musical tour de force, “Circle of Life” moves, rolling, flowing like the African plains it carries us across. At the same time, it grips us, willing us to follow it into one of the finest epics of our time. Witnessing this spectacle now, some thirteen years after I first witnessed it in the theater, still gives me chills. Far beyond this list, I believe “Circle of Life” should be recognized as one of the greatest opening scenes of all time, not just in animated films, but in the history of the motion picture medium.

1. “Beauty and the Beast”
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
(Performed by Angela Lansbury; written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman)
Paced by the most breathtaking cinematography that had ever been seen in this genre, this song is the reason I created this list at all. With its unassuming orchestration and Angela Lansbury’s warm, comforting vocals, it is fantastically simple, despite its splendor. It should come as no surprise, then, that the song received the award for Best Original Song at the 64th Academy Awards. Indeed, the entire film is an accomplishment of historic proportions: it was the first (and, thanks to a rule change, will always remain the only) animated film ever to be nominated for Best Picture of the Year. Ultimately, every person, man or woman, can relate to the desire to be accepted and loved in spite of their shortcomings, as the Beast is by Belle. With this sentiment in mind, I consider it no exaggeration to call “Beauty and the Beast” the greatest Disney love song ever recorded.