Greetings! I'm ApplesauceDoctr, and today I present my fourth song analysis. This time though (somewhat similar to my "Reflection" analysis), I'll be comparing two songs -- "So This is Love" and "Dancing on a Cloud," both of which come from Disney's Cinderella. "Dancing on a Cloud," the deleted song, was written with the intent of doing what "So This is Love" later did -- to show how Cinderella and the prince fell in love with each other at the ball. While the two seem similar at first, further examination shows that the two are a bit different, and it gives a better understanding of why "Dancing on a Cloud" may have been replaced with "So This is Love." Or does it? Let's find out!

I'll analyze the two songs individually and afterwards discuss their similarities and differences. This will be followed with my personal opinions of the two songs and why I believe "Dancing on a Cloud" was deleted from the movie. Without further ado, let's begin!

Analysis 1: "So This is Love"



So this is love, hmmhmm
So this is love
So this is what makes life divine


These first few lines of the song definitely give the impression that Cinderella has wondered what love feels like, perhaps for a very long time. She has likely felt love before for her parents and possibly even the animal friends she's made, but after years of living with only her unloving stepmother and stepsisters, she may have wanted to rediscover what love is. Perhaps she wants to find it on a deeper level, something along the lines of "true" love. Only now at the ball does she first feel this sensation, and her believing that it makes life "divine" (godly or blissful), we know Cinderella is truly mesmerized by how powerful this emotion is.



I'm all aglow, hmmhmm
And now I know (And now I know)
The key to all heaven is mine


The lyric "I'm all aglow" is a bit vague. I always used to think it meant the light reflecting off her dress, but there's probably a deeper meaning to it than that. xD Cinderella could mean that this is one of the few instances where it feels like people are looking at her. This may not necessarily refer to her wearing this beautiful gown and everyone watching as she and the prince were dancing, but rather that someone (the prince) is seeing her as someone of value. For years Cinderella was a slave in her own home, unappreciated by her step-family. That feeling of being unappreciated is entirely gone here because Cinderella is so enthralled by this feeling of being in love.
The prince accompanies Cinderella in the next two lines, where they both feel that they have "the key to all heaven." Two interesting things to note here. One, they did not say that they found this key to heaven; they say that they know the key is theirs. Prior to the events of this night, the two may not have been sure if they would find that one missing piece in their life (presumably love or happiness), but meeting each other restored their hope. Considering that the two have only known each other for a few minutes (or hours) before singing this song, that's a pretty powerful thing to say.
You might be seeing where I'm going with this in regards to my second note: This is powerful to both Cinderella and the prince. For Cinderella, it's understandable; she's had a rough upbringing since her father passed away, and this night is the first time in a while, or possibly ever, where life feels complete. But why does the prince seem to feel equally as enthralled as Cinderella does? Unfortunately, the movie does not go into a lot of detail on the prince's feelings or backstory outside of this song, so we may have to infer. Perhaps the prince has struggled to find love, as well. He was not impressed with the other girls who attended the ball, but was with Cinderella without even speaking a word to her. Maybe he had yet to meet anyone with the kind of elegance and modesty that Cinderella possesses. Furthermore, the duke's narration as the prince looked up and saw Cinderella implied that the prince saw her as the "girl of his dreams". He could have had an idea of what his true love would be like, but never found her until now, thus why he feels so happy and has "the key to all heaven".



My heart has wings, hmmhmm,
And I can fly
I'll touch every star in the sky


Here we can really see how Cinderella and the prince's meeting each other has had an impact on them. Cinderella sings the first two lines, and by saying that "[her] heart has wings" and "[she] can fly," she means this feeling of love for the prince has given her such spirit that she feels she can do anything even if it sounds impossible, like fly. The prince joins her in the next line, where they say they'll "touch every star in the sky." This reinforces that the two feel they can do anything now that they have this love. It's given them the energy and spirit they would need for such a task. But honestly, I think that last line also serves as romantic reinforcement. I mean, a couple singing together that they'll touch every star in the sky? Isn't that just beautiful? ♥ Although...it isn't "we'll touch every star," it's "I'll touch every star." It just shows that they both feel a lot of spirit from this love for each other, and by singing together, it's suggested that such a feeling is equal. In other words, they equally love one another.



So this is the miracle
That I've been dreaming of
Hmmhmm (hmmhmm)
So this is love


Remember Cinderella's "lovely dream" at the beginning of the movie? She refuses to say what it is for fear that it won't come true, but from these lyrics, it becomes apparent that this night with the prince is pretty much what she dreamed about. That's not to say that she wanted a prince the whole time (at this point in the movie, she doesn't even know that he is the prince); rather, she may have been longing for love or at least a feeling that she really mattered to someone. Of course we can only infer, but from the other lyrics from the song, we know Cinderella and the prince are both elated from this feeling of love. That exhilaration may have been what they dreamed of. And, again, the prince is singing this with Cinderella. Cinderella wasn't the only one with that dream, but the prince as well.
I'll talk more about that later. Anyway, the last two lines are just a repetition of the main lyric and that romantic "hmmhmm." So let's begin the next analysis. I'll try to treat it independently of this analysis, and then in my conclusion I'll discuss their similarities and differences. :D

Analysis 2: "Dancing on a Cloud"
The concept art shown here comes from the clip that was released in the 2005 Platinum Edition release of Cinderella. I'm not sure if this is available on the more recent Diamond Edition, but I'm going to guess that it is. If you can, watch the clip because it's quite beautiful. :D



Dancing on a cloud
I'm dancing on a cloud
When I'm in your arms,
The world is a heavenly place

Let's begin by analyzing the main lyric itself, "dancing on a cloud." It reminds me of that saying, someone has their head in the clouds, which usually means that the person isn't paying too much attention to what's going on around them. They're lost in their thoughts and possibly in an ideal world. I imagine that's part of what Cinderella means when she sings this line, that she can't really believe what's happening. It feels surreal to her. On the other hand, clouds are associated as being very light in terms of weight. Maybe she's "light on her feet," meaning she's a great dancer or very graceful and nimble in the way she dances across the floor (supported by the concept art for this scene and of course the final cut of So This is Love). So perhaps the feeling of actually dancing and possibly falling in love with someone is making her feel like she's really living a fantasy. The main idea is that it's difficult for her to believe that this is really happening, but it feels semi-real, thus why she's "dancing on a cloud." Perhaps there's more to it than that, but I've spent enough time on that one lyric alone. xD Let's continue.
Ah, so when Cinderella's in the prince's arms, "the world is a heavenly place." This suggests she feels close to the prince, and that by being close to him, she's able to see that the world can truly be wonderful. It's opening her eyes because at home, her life is, well, nearly miserable. She's been hopeful though that someday her dreams would come true, and now that day has come. Cinderella wouldn't be realizing how beautiful life can be if not for that dream becoming a reality through this moment with the prince.


Dancing in a dream
I'm dancing in a dream,
For how can I help but dream
When I see your face
Before me?

The prince sings this part, and instead of dancing on a cloud, he's dancing "in a dream," and he says this is because of Cinderella's beauty. It's of course a compliment, but is there more to it than that? No, I think that's about it. From the way they switch singing (first Cinderella sings, now the prince sings), it almost sounds like a conversation between them. Cinderella's "telling" him that she feels like she's dancing on a cloud (because it feels so surreal to her), and the prince "responds" with saying that he feels like he's dancing in a dream, which he supports with his compliment of her beauty. That's all it is, but it's very clever in that respect.



Love is on its way
And as we gently sway
The moon and the stars appear,
Bringing romance for two

It switches back to Cinderella singing, where it appears that she's trying to tell the prince that they're sure to start falling in love with each other, like she knows that it's going to happen. But it doesn't sound stuck-up or anything like that at all; it sounds very matter-of-factly, and she says that if they continue dancing, they'll be amidst the "moon and the stars," which would further set the romantic mood, so to speak. From the concept art shown in this clip, it seems that the two start dancing inside, then gradually make their way outside (where they would see the moon and stars), like in So This is Love. And, of course, the "two" that she's speaking (or singing) of are her and the prince, and presumably she wouldn't know yet that he is the prince.



I just can't believe that I found you
I just can't believe that it's true
Yet here am I, dancing
High on a cloud, with you

The prince sings the first line, and from the way he sings it, it sounds as though Cinderella is the girl of his dreams. I mean, "I just can't believe I found you"? Doesn't that sound like he's been looking for her for a while, and now he finally has? Or perhaps it's more like, "Wow, I can't believe I got the pleasure of meeting you." But from the way he sings it, it sounds more like the former to me, but you be the judge. :D
Cinderella then sings that she "just can't believe that it's true," which supports my idea that this whole being there at the ball and meeting him is so hard for her to believe. It feels like a fantasy, and as you could probably tell from the concept art, this would be the point where her and the prince are shown dancing in the sky. I'd imagine this is to symbolize how they are really dancing, but because of how dreamlike (and romantic) it feels, they're shown dancing in the sky.
And now there's evidence to suggest that when the prince said he was "dancing in a dream," it wasn't only because he was taken by Cinderella's beauty. He too feels like this is too good to be true because he and Cinderella both sing that they're "dancing high on a cloud with you." Except now it sounds like they're, well, acknowledging how whimsical this feeling is. They share that feeling, and in that way, it feels...real.

At this point, the singing takes a break for about 45 seconds, and then it returns:



Dancing on a cloud (ooh ooh)
I'm dancing on a cloud (ooh)
When I'm in your arms,
This world is a heavenly place (Ohhh)

Now the prince says (sings) that he's "dancing on a cloud," which goes back to the idea that both he and Cinderella feel that this is dreamlike, i.e. difficult to believe. Cinderella sings the "ooh" parts along with him, which is probably there for effect. But it also...I don't know, makes it feel like that they're connected by giving her some vocal part there too. She sings the next two lines, which she sang earlier in the song as well. The only difference is that instead of saying "the world is a heavenly place," it's "this world." Maybe because of this evening, she feels closer to the world, like it's not some outside force but rather something more personal, like Cinderella is connected to it now. As she sings the final word, the prince sings "Ohhh," which is the transition to the next part of the song:


(Ohhh) Dancing in a dream (wah woah oh)
I'm dancing in a dream,
For how can I help but dream
When I see your face
Before me?

Here, the prince sings the first line while Cinderella sings that "wah woah oh" part. Then, both of them sing the next four lines together (except only Cinderella sings "For," but the prince continues singing right after). This just shows that they both have the same feelings for each other. Not much else to say here. :)


Love is on its way
And as we gently sway
The moon and the stars appear,
Bringing romance for two
(For me and for you)

This stanza comes back too. The two sing together, but after they sing "Bringing romance for two," Cinderella then sings "For me and for you." Maybe she's more certain now that the two were meant to fall in love.


I just can't believe that I found you
I just can't believe that it's true
Yet here am I, dancing...
High on a cloud...
With you

This time, Cinderella sings "I just can't believe that I found you" while the prince sings "I just can't believe that it's true." This again shows they have the same feelings for each other, but there's also a bit of...I don't know, some other connection here. Like Cinderella's singing, "Oh, I can't believe that I got to meet you!" and then the prince, remembering that he sang that to her earlier, sings her response from before, "I just can't believe that it's true." It's almost playful. Then the two sing the final lines together, and now this "dancing high on a cloud" isn't accompanied by images of them dancing in the sky. Now they're back in the ballroom. It seems that "dancing on a cloud" is really just a feeling, a name for the sensation of love they have for each other. It's still dreamlike, but now it's settling into reality. They're back on the ground, but still are dancing on a cloud, or rather, are together and have fallen in love. The meaning of that lyric changes throughout the song, and that change is seen here.

Conclusion
Now let's review both of the songs and see how they are both similar and different.

The main thing I noticed about "So This is Love" is that it emphasizes that Cinderella being at the ball and dancing with the prince is a literal dream come true for her, and how meaningful that feeling of love is for her. It not only restores her hope, but it gives her the kind of attitude that she can really do anything, even if it sounds impossible. It's suggested that the prince has a very similar feeling. He dreamed of the same kind of thing, whether it was dancing with the love of his life or simply falling in love. Whatever it was, he got his dream too, and like Cinderella, he feels he can do anything now that he felt this love. Essentially, the two both finally discover what love is (which is, or at least was part of, one or both of their dreams) and they're amazed by it.

"Dancing on a Cloud" is a bit different in that it's treated more like conversation. They aren't sing-talking, but the way the two switch off singing in certain parts of the song makes it sound like they're singing to each other. Then at other points in the song, they sing together to emphasize that they have similar feelings towards each other. In the beginning, both of them (but Cinderella especially) are having difficulty believing that this is reality. It just feels too whimsical to believe their dreams are coming true, but they feel close to each other and it seems that this makes them feel safe. Then, as they begin to literally dance on a cloud, they realize that romance is on its way. They still can't believe what's happening, but they're together, and that's what matters. The remainder of the song is pretty much a repetition of itself, but the artwork and the vocals suggest that the romance is growing. They're becoming even closer together, which is especially apparent at the end when they claim to be "dancing high on a cloud" when they're not anymore. Figuratively speaking, they're still together, and closer than before.

So, now for the big question: Why did "So This is Love" replace "Dancing on a Cloud"?

Honestly, I don't know why. Both of the songs make it clear that both their dreams have come true and that Cinderella and the prince have similar feelings for one another. However, I think "Dancing on a Cloud" has additional strengths. Because "So This is Love" starts off with Cinderella singing and the prince doesn't get any time to sing by himself, it feels more like we're in Cinderella's mind, even though the prince sings with her in some parts. The fact that the prince has so few lines elsewhere in the movie doesn't help, so his thoughts are in the song, but they're subtle. I didn't realize that there was much character to him in the song until this analysis.

"Dancing on a Cloud," on the other hand, establishes early on that both Cinderella and the prince sing in the song, sometimes solo, other times together. It emphasizes their similar but still distinct thoughts at the beginning, and when they sing together, you see their thoughts are similar. Then at the end, they sing each other's lyrics from before, which I think means that they're really listening to each other and their thoughts are becoming more and more similar. It feels like both characters are crucial to the understanding of the song, and this means a lot especially for the prince because it seems that more of his character is shown here than in "So This is Love." It makes him feel more integral to the story than he is in the final cut of the movie. Without this song, the prince feels very flat. I'm not saying "Dancing on a Cloud" makes him a dynamic character or anything, but it does a better job of showing his kind of mindset and how he and Cinderella are compatible. That's really what I like about this song -- it shows their romance and their relationship. It only grows throughout the song, whereas in "So This is Love," it doesn't really grow as the song continues.

That's of course my opinion, but I feel "Dancing on a Cloud" would have been a stronger alternative to "So This is Love" for the reasons stated. Don't get me wrong, I really like "So This is Love." It's my favorite song in the movie, actually! But "Dancing" is stronger in certain aspects that could have made the story even stronger, not to mention that I honestly love the artwork for this scene. Imagine if this scene really was animated, how beautiful it would look! The visuals, the imagery -- it would just be perfection.

So, if the deleted song would have been stronger, why was it still replaced? I did some very brief research online and even pulled out my Cinderella Platinum Edition DVD to hear the commentary, but I couldn't find an answer. All sources just said that the song and the concept of dancing on a cloud were scrapped, although the concept came back for the very end of Sleeping Beauty where Aurora and Phillip are dancing. Could money have been the issue? Possibly. It is a relatively long song and the visuals, though beautiful, could have cost a bit to animate. The song could have been shortened if that was the case, but maybe it still would have been expensive. Or perhaps "So This is Love" did a better job of helping them to tell the story they wanted to tell. I don't know the reason, and I don't know if an explicit reason was ever given, but for now I stand that "Dancing" would have been a better alternative to "So This is Love," which is already a beautiful song. :)

That's got to be my longest analysis yet. Thank you sooo much for reading! It really means a lot to me. :) Now I'd love to hear YOUR thoughts on these songs. Which one do you prefer and why? And do you have any ideas for why "Dancing on a Cloud" may have been replaced with "So This is Love"? Whatever your thoughts are, write them down in the comments below! Again, thanks so much for your time, and I'll see you around. :D