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Frozen Heart
Frozen Heart
Frozen Heart
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"Frozen Heart"
Song
from the album Frozen
PublishedWonderland Music Company
ReleasedNovember 25, 2013
Recorded2012[1]
GenreShow tune
Length1:45
LabelWalt Disney
Songwriters
Producers

"Frozen Heart" is a song from the 2013 Disney animated film Frozen, with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez and performed in the film's prologue by a group of icemen.

Production and writing

[edit]

The Lopez songwriting duo explained that the song "has origins in a type of song used in past Disney films, like the 'Song of the Roustabouts' from Dumbo and 'Fathoms Below' from The Little Mermaid". Kristen said, "I guess we were in a meeting, and I kept saying: ‘if we could just have a song which basically said the ice is beautiful and dangerous and set up a little mystery'", while Robert added that the "masculine energy of the song establishes the expansiveness of the story". He said, "I think that’s why 'Fathoms Below' is in The Little Mermaid. It’s telling the boys this is going to be a story with songs, but there’s going to be something in it for everyone... It’s not just a princess movie. And Frozen isn't just a princess movie. It’s got a lot of action and fun and entertainment and stuff like that, and 'Frozen Heart' kind of tells you there’s going to be some violence in this story."[2] From Director wrote, "The ‘Frozen Heart’ sequence plays like a fairy tale prophecy – a small story that brings ill tidings – and it's interesting to note that early drafts of the screenplay included a more explicit prophecy, hints of which can be heard in the song ‘Spring Pageant’ on the Deluxe Edition of the soundtrack album. The decision to drop this prophecy in favour of something less direct is one of a number of smart moves made by screenwriter and co-director Jennifer Lee."[3]

Synopsis

[edit]
The significance of the opening song Frozen Heart is two-fold: as a tool for both exposition and foreshadowing. In the context of Kristoff's backstory, it shows his relationship with the reindeer Sven and how he enters the lonely ice business. The song also creates a thematic connection between frozenness and hearts - with ice being something of beauty and danger, which will become vital to the narrative later on.

The song is sung by a group of ice harvesters who are cutting blocks of ice from a frozen lake. Throughout the song, Kristoff and Sven try to join the adult harvesters, but are constantly shut out, and at the conclusion, try their best to emulate the harvesters. The harvesters pile the ice onto a massive horse-drawn ice sled, then ride off, under a night sky lit up by the Northern lights. The beat is supplied by the cutting noise as their saws cut through the ice, and gradually picks up as the song progresses.[4]

Foreshadowing

[edit]

Many of the lyrics supplied throughout the song foreshadow things to come in the movie, especially in regard to Anna's and Elsa's actions.

  • At the end of "For the First Time in Forever (Reprise)" when Anna is struck in the heart by Elsa, an oboe is playing the melody for "Frozen Heart" in the background; specifically matching the lyrics "Cut through the heart, cold and clear / Strike for love and strike for fear!"
  • The line "And break the frozen heart" at the end of the first verse, foreshadowing Anna freezing solid in the climax, but freeing herself by choosing to save Elsa from Hans, rather than saving herself by kissing Kristoff.
  • The line "So cut through the heart, cold and clear / Strike for love, and strike for fear" foreshadows that only true love can break/thaw a frozen heart. It also foreshadows the two times Anna is injured by Elsa's ice powers; Elsa strikes once for love (by trying to save Anna from falling) and once for fear (by losing control in response to the fear brought on by the realization that she doesn't know how to undo the winter she created.)
  • The concluding "Beware the frozen heart..." foreshadows the fatal ice in Anna's heart, put there by Elsa accidentally. It is also intriguingly ambiguous on just who should beware: those who know the person with a frozen heart (Elsa), the person suffering from a frozen heart themselves (Anna), or someone who is coldhearted (Hans).[3]

Composition

[edit]

"Frozen Heart" is the opening number of Frozen, and is "a mood-establishing tune sung by workers cutting through ice".[2]

From Director described it as "a song that’s much more than it seems", adding "‘Frozen Heart’ is a surprisingly violent song to begin a Disney Princess film with".[3]

International versions

[edit]

When the movie was first released in 2013, it numbered 42 versions worldwide, to which 3 more were added in the following years, raising the number of official versions to 45.[5]

The Korean language version sung by Kim Cheol-han, Park Sang-jun, Lee Sang-ik and Lee Jae-ho appeared on the Gaon Music Chart's download sub-chart; however, it did not appear on the main Gaon Singles Chart.[6] The Italian version, along with the whole Italian adaptation of the movie, was awarded best foreign dubbing worldwide by Disney.[7]

  Highlighted versions were released later than 2013

Critical reception

[edit]

GeeksOfDoom wrote "The brute voices behind this opening track, all unified and macho in the vein of “I'll Make a Man Out of You” from Mulan and “Song of Mor’Du” from Brave, are strong in vocal quality and attitude. “This icy force, both foul and fair, has a frozen heart worth mining,” they chant. The song swings in an entrancing motion as the men warn about the perilous ice". The site also deemed it a TOP 5 TRACK from the film, along with two songs and two score pieces.[8] Rochester City newspaper said "Both the album opener “Frozen Heart” and the character-establishing “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” deeply resemble Disney's song output under Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid”) and that helps them feel instantly familiar".[9] The Kilt wrote "The first two songs in the album, “Frozen Heart” and “Do You Want to Build a Snowman,” give the listener a basic understanding of what Frozen is about", and said of the former: "“Frozen Heart” is a dark, but lively tune that represents the beauty, danger and power of ice. It has a chaotic, yet beautiful and clever mix of exciting Scandinavian folk and sinister orchestral music."[10] DadInACape wrote "“Frozen Heart” starts the film off strong with a solid, sea-chanty-esque rhythm".[11]

Charts

[edit]
Chart (2013–2014) Peak
position
South Korea (Gaon International Chart)[12] 13
South Korea (Gaon Chart)[13] 97

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[14] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[15] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Frozen Heart

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
"Frozen Heart" is the opening song from Disney's 2013 animated feature film Frozen, written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and performed by a chorus of ice harvesters to set the scene for the story's wintry world. The track, which appears as the first song on the Frozen original motion picture soundtrack released by Walt Disney Records, introduces young Kristoff and his reindeer Sven among the workers harvesting ice from a Norwegian-inspired fjord, emphasizing the laborious yet rhythmic nature of their trade. Its lyrics poetically capture the essence of ice as "both foul and fair," highlighting its beauty and peril, which subtly foreshadows the central conflict involving Queen Elsa's cryokinetic abilities. Composed in a folk-style arrangement with choral vocals evoking traditional Scandinavian work songs, "Frozen Heart" establishes the film's thematic foundation of isolation and hidden dangers beneath a frozen surface, contributing to Frozen's critical acclaim for its score, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Let It Go" while elevating the entire musical ensemble.

Background and development

Writing and production

"Frozen Heart" was composed by and as the opening song for Disney's Frozen during the film's phase spanning 2012 and 2013. The songwriters drew from the overall creative process for the film's songs, which involved brainstorming hooks, melodies, and lyrics in collaboration with director Jennifer Lee to establish the story's emotional core. The production team conducted research trips to and other Scandinavian regions to incorporate authentic cultural elements, including traditional ice harvesting practices depicted in the song's accompanying scene of laborers cutting blocks from a frozen lake. Influenced by Norwegian and the "" by , the film's setting in the fictional kingdom of Arendelle emphasized Nordic landscapes and customs, shaping the song's portrayal of the harsh, icy environment. Vocal recordings for the ensemble-performed track, featuring of ice harvesters, occurred at Sunset Sound in starting in late 2012. The orchestral elements were arranged by Dave Metzger under composer and captured at the Warner Bros. Eastwood Scoring Stage in Burbank on July 22–24, 2013, using a full symphony orchestra to blend symphonic textures with the song's folk-like work chant quality.

Role in the film

"Frozen Heart" serves as the opening sequence song in Disney's 2013 animated film Frozen, directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee. Performed by a chorus of anonymous ice harvesters, it accompanies a montage of their synchronized labor cutting massive blocks of ice from a frozen lake at dawn on a Norwegian-inspired fjord near the kingdom of Arendelle. The animation, crafted by Walt Disney Animation Studios, features rhythmic teamwork among the burly workers as they harvest, score, and load the ice onto sleds, with close-up shots highlighting the sparkling purity of the ice alongside the peril of sharp saws and chisels that slice through it. These visuals underscore the dual nature of ice as both beautiful and hazardous, mirroring themes later explored in the narrative. Set in the , the sequence establishes Arendelle's economic dependence on the as a vital industry sustaining the fjord-side kingdom amid its unforgiving winter climate. It immerses audiences in the film's cold, majestic environment, building anticipation for the story's conflicts rooted in isolation and power. The scene also subtly introduces a young Kristoff, an orphan boy six years old, and his baby , who trail the harvesters in an attempt to join their efforts, hinting at Kristoff's eventual role as a rugged ice harvester. Clocking in at approximately 1:45 minutes, "Frozen Heart" flows directly into the without , providing an uninterrupted auditory and visual entry into the film's world. The lyrics' references to ice's "frozen heart worth " offer early foreshadowing of central character dynamics, particularly Elsa's concealed abilities.

Musical elements

Composition and structure

"Frozen Heart" is a folk-inspired work song styled as a faux folk shanty, evoking the rhythmic labor chants of traditional sea shanties, and maintains a moderate . This classification aligns with its role as an opening ensemble piece that establishes the film's chilly, industrious atmosphere through steady, driving rhythms suitable for synchronized group activity. Composed in , the song employs a straightforward verse-chorus comprising three verses that build progressively, incorporating call-and-response patterns among the performers to heighten communal , leading to a climactic on a harmonious v-VI-III-II . The harmonic foundation relies primarily on tonic and dominant fifth chords, reinforcing the minor-key to convey a sense of grounded peril and beauty in the ice-harvesting motif. The instrumentation centers on a primarily arrangement, enhanced by subtle percussion simulating the clinking of ice chisels for rhythmic texture and low strings providing atmospheric depth, with the overall handled by . These elements swell gradually from sparse vocal lines to fuller ensemble support, mirroring the film's visual progression of labor and landscape without overpowering the raw, chant-like quality. Vocally, the piece showcases an ensemble of male voices from the Cast of Frozen, delivering through rhythmic, antiphonal chanting that emphasizes unison and simple intervals like roots and fifths, with occasional dissonant additions such as major seconds for tension, rather than elaborate polyphonic harmonies. This approach underscores the song's collective, labor-oriented character, tying sonically to the film's overarching winter motif in a single, evocative layer.

Lyrics and themes

"Frozen Heart" opens with evocative lines that immerse the listener in the harsh yet mesmerizing world of ice harvesting: "Born of cold and winter air and mountain rain combining / This icy force, both foul and fair, has a frozen heart worth mining." These words immediately establish a tone blending natural beauty with inherent peril, portraying as a formidable element shaped by elemental forces. The evokes the laborious extraction of ice blocks from frozen lakes, underscoring the workers' rhythmic toil amid Norway's fjords. At the song's core lies the recurring motif of the "frozen heart," a that operates on dual levels: literally referring to the dense, valuable cores mined by the harvesters, and symbolically alluding to and inner coldness. Lines such as "Cut through the heart, cold and clear / Strike for and strike for / See the beauty, sharp and sheer / Split the apart and break the frozen heart" reinforce this duality, celebrating the ice's crystalline allure while warning of its . The chorus amplifies caution through repetitive admonitions like "Watch your step, / One slip and you may drown," which highlight the treacherous beneath the surface, mirroring the risks of overconfidence in both physical labor and personal vulnerabilities. The subtly the film's through phrases like "Beware the frozen heart," which parallel the destructive potential of Elsa's cryokinetic powers and the emotional barriers she erects, planting seeds for the story's climax without overt spoilers. Songwriters and crafted these elements to introduce mystery and tension early, as Anderson-Lopez explained: "If we could just have a which basically said the is beautiful and dangerous and set up a little ." This intentional layering draws from the film's Scandinavian-inspired , evoking myths where embodies both wonder and peril, such as in Hans Christian Andersen's tales that influenced the overall story. Thematically, the song delves into the grueling labor of harvesters, portraying their work as a perilous game requiring precision and vigilance—"Work the death trap, it's all a game"—while exploring 's contradictory nature as a source of sustenance and threat. This duality extends to broader motifs of isolation, where the "frozen heart" warns against , aligning with the film's exploration of fear-driven . Through these lyrics, the not only sets a foreboding atmosphere but also thematically bridges the mundane toil of workers with the elements to come.

Release and versions

Soundtrack release

"Frozen Heart" debuted as the first track on the Frozen: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, released by on November 25, 2013, available in both digital download and physical CD formats. The song is credited to the "Cast of Frozen" and positioned as track 1, immediately preceding "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" on the album's standard edition. "Frozen Heart" was re-released on the deluxe edition of the , a two-disc set containing songs and score tracks also launched on November 25, 2013, and later featured in the 2014 Frozen: The Songs compilation, which focused solely on the film's vocal numbers and was distributed in formats including vinyl. On streaming services such as , the song has over 120 million streams as of 2025. The soundtrack's packaging for physical editions includes crediting the song's composers and , emphasizing its function as an overture-like introduction to the album's thematic elements of and peril.

International versions

"Frozen Heart" was adapted into numerous international versions to accompany the film's global dubs, with translated to preserve the song's rhythmic and thematic focus on harvesting dangers. The original release saw the song translated into 41 languages, reflecting Disney's extensive efforts for the movie. Key examples include the Japanese version, titled "Kōri no Kokoro" (氷の心), performed by a chorus featuring Noriyuki Konishi, Kuma, and others, which maintains the original's folk-like chant while adapting lyrics for natural flow in Japanese. In French, the song is known as "Le cœur de glace," sung by local ensemble voices in both the French () and dubs, emphasizing poetic rhyme schemes to align with the language's lyrical traditions. The version, "Dòng jié de xīn" (冻结的心), and the variant "Bīngdòng zhī xīn" (冰凍之心), feature adaptations that retain the gruff, worker-like delivery of the ice harvesters. These versions were recorded separately in major markets such as , (where it is titled "Kaltes Herz"), and , utilizing local voice actors to capture the song's rugged tone and ensure lip-sync accuracy with the animation. Production was coordinated by , which oversaw and lyric translations across regions to fit cultural nuances while keeping the song's approximate 1:45 duration and verse-chorus structure intact. In some adaptations, minor metaphorical adjustments were made for cultural relevance, such as subtle references to regional winter practices, without altering the core narrative. The international versions appear on region-specific editions of the Frozen soundtrack, released alongside the film's local premieres starting in 2013, with over 40 official translations available by 2014.

Reception and legacy

Critical reception

Critics praised "Frozen Heart" for its role in establishing the film's atmospheric tone through its folk-inspired work song structure. The song's haunting melody and layered harmonies create a sense of foreboding and danger, effectively setting a folkloric mood with its shanty-style rhythm and warnings about the perils of ice. Reviewers noted its jaunty yet ominous quality, likening it to a chain-gang chant evolving into a Celtic jig, which adds an odd but engaging energy distinct from the score's Broadway influences. Some critiques highlighted the song as less developed compared to standout tracks like "Let It Go," viewing it as more functional for world-building than emotionally resonant on its own. While effective in introducing the icy Nordic setting and thematic motifs of beauty intertwined with peril, it was seen as pleasant but not as immediately memorable, with fewer children reportedly singing it compared to other numbers. Aggregate evaluations of the , including "Frozen Heart," often placed contributions around 8/10, emphasizing its solid integration into the overall score without overshadowing the film's more anthemic pieces. The song benefited indirectly from the Frozen soundtrack's recognition at major awards, as the album won the Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media in 2015 and was nominated for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media, while "Let It Go" secured the Award for Best Original Song in 2014.) These honors underscored the score's cohesive quality, with "Frozen Heart" contributing to the album's praised thematic depth. In retrospective analyses marking the film's anniversaries, such as Disney's 2023 celebrations, "Frozen Heart" has been highlighted as an underrated opener for its subtle of and the dual nature of Elsa's powers, earning appreciation for its enduring conceptual resonance beyond initial release.

Commercial performance

The Frozen soundtrack, featuring "Frozen Heart" as its opening track, first reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart on January 8, 2014, selling 165,000 copies that week; it had debuted at number 18 in December 2013 with 129,000 copies. The album maintained the top position for a total of 13 non-consecutive weeks, marking the longest run at number one for an animated film soundtrack since The Lion King in 1994–1995, with "Frozen Heart" contributing to the ensemble-driven appeal that sustained its chart dominance. As of 2025, the soundtrack has been certified 8× Platinum by the RIAA, representing 8 million units in the United States, underscoring the track's role in the album's enduring commercial success. In terms of digital consumption, "Frozen Heart" had accumulated over 121 million streams on by October 2025, reflecting steady growth driven by the song's integration into holiday and Disney-themed playlists. Individual track downloads for "Frozen Heart" reached approximately 500,000 units in the U.S. by 2014, bundled within the 's digital sales that exceeded 2 million albums that year alone. Internationally, the earned certification from the BPI in the in 2014 for 100,000 units shipped, later upgrading to 4× by 2020 and 5× in 2025, with "Frozen Heart" benefiting from the album's bundling format that precluded standalone song awards. In , the RIAJ certified the in 2015 for 100,000 copies, highlighting regional success amid no separate track certifications due to the same bundling practices.) The song's commercial longevity has been amplified by Frozen's theatrical re-releases, such as the 2020 sing-along version, and its availability on Disney+, where the soundtrack consistently ranks in top holiday streaming lists annually, sustaining streams and sales into 2025.

References

  1. https://playbill.com/article/disneys-frozen-soundtrack-with-songs-by-robert-lopez-and-kristen-anderson-lopez-sets-november-release-tracks-announced-com-210899
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW548gnRleQ
  3. https://music.apple.com/us/album/frozen-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1440618177
  4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZzv6to6Mds
  5. https://www.shazam.com/en-us/song/1440626758/frozen-heart
  6. https://digitaldelivery.stantons.com/title/frozen-heart/287739/
  7. https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/inside-track-disneys-frozen
  8. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/career/interviews/a39513/get-that-life-kristen-anderson-lopez/
  9. https://d23.com/inspiration-for-frozen-disney-animation/
  10. https://disneyanimation.com/films/frozen/
  11. https://movies.disney.com/frozen
  12. https://screenrant.com/frozen-movies-time-period-setting-when/
  13. https://www.academia.edu/96422180/_Love_Is_an_Open_Door_Revising_and_Repeating_Disneys_Musical_Tropes_in_Frozen
  14. https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9781474413138-009/html
  15. https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0128076
  16. https://jyx.jyu.fi/bitstream/handle/123456789/69014/978-951-39-8179-2_vaitos_2020_06_08.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
  17. https://www.discogs.com/release/12115124-Kristen-Anderson-Lopez-And-Robert-Lopez-Christophe-Beck-Frozen
  18. https://genius.com/The-cast-of-frozen-frozen-heart-lyrics
  19. https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2013/11/explaining-five-songs-frozen/355512/
  20. https://www.npr.org/2014/04/10/301420227/songwriters-behind-frozen-let-go-of-the-princess-mythology
  21. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/walt-disney-animation-studios-frozen-lets-go-with-dynamic-soundtrack-228743161.html
  22. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/walt-disney-records-announces-frozen-the-songs-plus-3-additional-titles-frozen-the-songs-vinyl-soundtrack-frozen-canciones-de-una-aventura-congelada-and-frozen-score-digital-soundtrack-272334561.html
  23. https://kworb.net/spotify/track/3xDVJcvcKedshWlT3qGSHk.html
  24. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/frozen-composer-robert-lopez-perils-683171/
  25. https://www.npr.org/2014/02/24/282081061/let-it-go-a-global-hit-in-any-language
  26. https://open.spotify.com/track/5cIsi13hAnUSMfXSYhZvev
  27. https://international-dubbing.fandom.com/wiki/Frozen_(2013_film)
  28. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5qqEzJeVbE
  29. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-frozen-how-disney-makes-a-musical-in-41-languages-20140124-story.html
  30. https://jyx.jyu.fi/bitstreams/0dc07b32-c5e0-4190-9ea8-27354fa69930/download
  31. https://chartmasters.org/cspc-frozen-soundtrack-popularity-analysis/
  32. https://disneynews.us/disney-song/frozen-heart-song/
  33. http://www.infinitearttournament.com/2015/01/random-review-frozen-soundtrack.html
  34. https://www.movie-wave.net/frozen/
  35. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/frozen-soundtrack-storms-no-1-669660/
  36. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/frozen-soundtrack-storms-to-no-1-on-billboard-200-5862609/
  37. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/frozen-soundtrack-number-one-charts-2014-6405613/
  38. https://www.instagram.com/p/DM8YSvKx5YC/
  39. https://www.buzzjack.com/forums/topic/229521-2020-bpi-certifications/page/5/
  40. https://www.buzzjack.com/forums/topic/277147-2025-bpi-certifications/page/27/
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