Introduction

This is my first post in the CineTV community as they are holding a special contest involving Rising Stars, which I've recently blogged about, too, for the first time (Rising Star | How to Play Using your Mobile Phone).

The contest is about the best use of a song in a movie.

Source - Ancient Egypt City

Songs Options

As a movie enthusiast since my late teenage years, I had a number of songs in mind that could meet this criterion.

'Surly Joe' from the movie Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

'I Need a Hero' from the movie Shrek 2 (2004)

'I See the Light' from the movie Tangled (2010)

'Welcome to Burlesque' from the movie Burluesque (2010)

'Two Less Lonely People' from the movie Kita Kita (2017)

Actual movie scene here and official trailer with English subtitle here

Best Use of a Song in a Movie

Now, among the countless movies I've watched, the song Deliver Us from the movie Prince of Egypt (1997) had the heaviest impact and, with utmost conviction, the best use of a song in a movie.

The song was played at the beginning of the movie and it is about the suffering of the Hebrews under the rule of the Egyptians, and how they long to be rescued by God.

Elohim, God on high
Can you hear your people cry?
Help us now
This dark hour

In addition, it showed how the family of Moses worked together to run away from Egyptian soldiers and put baby Moses into a basket as he travels the Nile river. It has two parts, one for the mother,

Yal-di ha-tov veh ha-rach (My good and tender son)
Al ti-ra veh al tif-chad (Don't be frightened and don't be scared)
My son, I have nothing I can give
But this chance that you may live

and another for the sister.

Brother, you're safe now
And safe may you stay
For I have a prayer just for you
Grow, baby brother
Come back someday
Come and deliver us, too

'Deliver Us' from the movie Prince of Egypt (1997)

1080p video here

Song's Melodramatic Effects

The song was aptly placed in the beginning of the movie, which resulted to us being emotionally invested in it from the very start. The trumpet sounded melancholic but the exchange of words between the slaves and the guard shifted the tone to despair.

[SLAVES]Mud! Sand! Water! Straw!
[GUARD] Faster!

[SLAVES] Mud - and lift! Sand - and pull! Water - and raise up!Straw!
[GUARD]Faster!

The simultaneous singing of the slaves was BEYOND PERFECT. Their voices blended wonderfully, not to mention the footsteps, whips, and other realistic sounds, and conveyed unity in praying for their deliverance from Egypt's bondage.

The transition to Moses's mother, where she sang softly, was a beautiful contrast to the first parts of the song. She then joins the chorus and exponentially made it more emotional!

Near the end of the song is the part of Moses's innocent sister. It was soothing and communicated hopefulness.

Conclusion

Deliver Us is, without a doubt, an exceptional song positioned impeccably at the start of the movie, and has elicited strong feelings from us due to its sophisticated use of instruments and voices, whether solo or combination.

Between 2017 and 2020, I discovered the below performance of National Taiwan University Chorus which made me love the song even more.