3. An American Tail – Somewhere Out There
Poor Fievel. Emigrating to America from Russia, separated from his family and desperate to find them and trying to make his way in a strange and at times dangerous country. They sang about the streets being made of cheese and there being no cats, but none of that proved true. Fievel is alone and longing for those he loves. The song he sings elevates an otherwise enjoyable but unremarkable animated film to something very special and memorable.
In the same way as a song like I Dreamed A Dream sums up and captures a whole life of pain, so Somewhere touches us with an affecting depiction of hope, longing and loneliness. Yes, the cute voices and sweet mouse animation plays on the heart-strings a little, but it is a sincere and meaningful song that will resonate with anyone who has ever missed someone precious and longed for them. Of course it is easy to be sniffy about something so unashamedly sentimental, but if we are being honest (and why shouldn’t we be?) we all genuinely like to know that someone out there is thinking of us and missing us tonight.
