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"Friends on the Other Side" is a song from the film, The Princess and the Frog. It is performed by Keith David as Dr. Facilier, as he lures Prince Naveen and his valet Lawrence into a deal that climaxes with Naveen transforming into a frog.

Summary[]

The prologue of the song starts when Facilier introduces himself to Prince Naveen and Lawrence. He then takes the two of them to his voodoo house located in a nearby alley. Upon arriving, he magically activates the sign and opens the entrance door to display his power. In the midst of this, he reads Naveen's palm and come to the conclusion that he is a visiting prince. Amazed, Naveen tells Lawrence of Facilier's palm-reading, but Lawrence confides in Naveen that he believes him to be a fraud after seeing a copy of the newspaper in his back pocket. Angered by this, Facilier bursts into a song about his powers. The event ends when Facilier catches a sample of Naveen's blood in a talisman then transforms Naveen into a frog.

When Tiana attempts to destroy the talisman, Facilier's living shadow grabs it and hands it back to the doctor. An enraged Facilier then shatters the restaurant manifestation he and Tiana were in then transforms Tiana back into a frog. However, Tiana quickly manages to regain the talisman by grabbing hold of it with her elastic tongue, destroying the trinket before Facilier can stop her. Upon her doing so, Facilier immediately becomes panicked and fearful, and frantically tries to recollect the pieces of the broken talisman as the song begins. Facilier's "friends from the other side" arrive, announcing their intentions to collect the doctor's soul as punishment for his failure to repay his debt. A horrified Facilier tries to persuade his former accomplices to provide him with another opportunity to redeem himself by pointing out that he still have Naveen locked away (making Tiana realized that Ray was telling the truth), and makes an attempt to escape, but the spirits, having realized that he did not truly consider them to be his friends, grab ahold of his shadow (capturing Facilier as well), and drag him, screaming, into the voodoo spirit world, where his soul will be doomed to remain for all eternity. With a flash of light, both Dr. Facilier and the spirits vanish, leaving behind only a tombstone with Facilier's name and horrified face engraved onto it, confirming the witch doctor's death.

Lyrics[]

Dr. Facilier:
Don't you disrespect me, little man
Don't you derogate or deride
You're in my world now, not your world
And I got friends on the other side

Voodoo Spirits:
(He's got friends on the other side)

Dr. Facilier:
That's an echo gentlemen.
Just a little something we have here in Louisiana
A little parlor trick. Don't worry.

Sit down at my table
Put your minds at ease
If you relax it'll enable me to do
Anything I please

I can read your future
I can change it 'round some, too
I look deep into your heart and soul
(You do have a soul, don't you, Lawrence?)
Make your wildest dreams come true

I got voodoo, I got hoodoo,
I got things I ain't even tried
And I got friends on the other side

Voodoo Spirits:
(He's got friends on the other side)

Dr. Facilier:
The cards, the cards, the cards will tell
The past, the present, and the future as well
The cards, the cards, just take three
Take a little trip into your future with me

Voodoo Spirits:
Are you ready

Dr. Facilier:
Now you, young man, are from across the sea
You come from two long lines of royalty
I'm a royal myself, on my mother's side
Your lifestyle's high, but your funds are low
You need to marry a lil' hunny whose daddy got dough
Mom and Dad cut you off, huh playboy?

Naveen:
Eh, sad but true.

Dr. Facilier:
Now y'all gotta get hitched but hitchin' ties you down
You just wanna be free, hop from place to place
But freedom takes green

It's the green, it's the green
It's the green you need
And when I looked into your future
It's the green that I seen

On you little man, I don't want to waste much time
You've been pushed 'round all your life
You've been pushed 'round by your mother
And your sister and your brother.
And if you was married you'd be pushed around by your wife
But in your future, for you I see
Is exactly the man you always wanted to be

Shake my hand, c'mon boys
Won't you shake a poor sinner's hand
(both Naveen and Lawrence shake Facilier's hands)
Yes...
Are you ready?

Voodoo Spirits:
(Are you ready?)

Dr. Facilier:
Are you ready?
Transformation Central

Voodoo Spirits:
(Transformation Central)

Dr. Facilier:
Reformation Central

Voodoo Spirits:
Reformation central!

Dr. Facilier:
Transmogrification Central

Naveen:
(As Facilier's Talisman bites him) Ow!

Dr. Facilier:
Can you feel it?

You're changing, you're changing,
You're changing all right
I hope you're satisfied
But if you ain't, don't blame me
You can blame my friends on the other side
Ha, ha, ha

Voodoo Spirits:
(You got what you wanted)
(But you lost what you had)
(Ohh...Hush!)

Video[]

Trivia[]

  • The song is similar to "Poor Unfortunate Souls" from The Little Mermaid, as both songs explain the villain's abilities and serve as a way to get their victim to trust them and both numbers end in the villain's victim being transformed as part of their plan.
    • Additionally, The Little Mermaid and The Princess and the Frog were both directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, and The Princess and the Frog was released around the time The Little Mermaid was celebrating its 20th anniversary.
  • During the song, Facilier uses tarot cards to tell the past, present, and future of Naveen and Laurence. While the illustrations are unique, the numbers and themes of the cards match real-life tarot reading techniques.
    • For Naveen's distant past, the first card has Naveen in the iconic pose of "The Fool/0," representing simplicity, recklessness, or being care-free, showing his pampered upbringing.
    • Naveen's more recent past is shown by "The Devil/XV," representing sexuality, physical pleasure, and need for material wealth, showing how he became a spoiled brat
    • Naveen's present is "The Tower/XVI", representing collapse and loss, showing how his parents cut him off.
    • For the close future, Shadow Man shows him "The Hermit/IX." As a card representing introspection and discovering what one truly wants, it shows that Naveen believes that he just wants money and freedom, but the movie's events show that, deep down, he wants something else entirely.
    • Finally, for his distant future, Shadow Man reveals "The Fool" once again. However, this card is oddly different from this first and has Naveen on a lily-pad made of money, implying that he is simply showing Naveen what he wants to see and not the real future.  
    • As Faciler does not "want to waste much time," he does not go into as much detail with Lawrence's fortune, using only a standard 3-card reading rather than an in-depth 5-card reading. For his past, Lawrence has the reversed "Wheel of Fortune/X," representing unfortunate circumstances outside a person's control, showing how he was born in a low station and was abused by his family.  
    • While his next card has no number, it is implied by the poses of Lawrence and the woman to be reversed "Lovers/VI," showing lack of freedom, no choice, and/or abusive relationships.  
    • Finally, Facilier reveals "The Fool" for Lawrence's future. This once again implies that Facilier is not showing Lawrence and Naveen their true futures, just what he wants them to see, as Facilier says he can make Lawrence "exactly the man you always wanted to be" and showing him being happy and carefree.

External links[]

v - e - d
The Princess & the frog title
Media
Films and Television: The Princess and the Frog (soundtrack/video) • A Poem Is...Tiana

Video Games: The Princess and the FrogKinect: Disneyland AdventuresDisney Princess Enchanting StorybooksDisney UniverseDisney Princess: My Fairytale AdventureDisney Sorcerer's ArenaDisney Heroes: Battle Mode
Books: The Art of The Princess and the FrogDisney Princess Beginnings
Music: Bayou Boogie

Disney Parks
Club VillainCastle of Magical DreamsMidship Detective AgencyPrincess Fairytale HallSorcerers of the Magic KingdomTiana's Bayou Adventure

Entertainment: Disney's BelieveDisney's Showtime SpectacularMickey's Magical CelebrationMickey's Royal Friendship FaireMickey and the Magical MapMickey and the Wondrous BookThe Golden MickeysThe Starlit Princess WaltzTiana’s Mardi Gras CelebrationTiana's Showboat JubileeVillains Tonight!
Restaurants: Tiana's Palace
Shops: Eudora's Chic BoutiqueRay's BeretsLouis' Critter Club
Parades: A Million Splashes of ColourDisney Stars on ParadeDreams.... And Shine Brighter!Festival of Fantasy ParadeMagic HappensMain Street Electrical ParadeMickey's Soundsational ParadeMickey and Friends Celebration
Fireworks: Disney Dreams!Disney EnchantmentHappily Ever AfterHarmoniousIlluminate! A Nighttime CelebrationMomentousWonderful World of AnimationWondrous Journeys
Spring: Disney Pirate or Princess: Make Your Choice
Halloween: Celebrate the MagicDisney's Maleficious Halloween PartyDr Facilier's Carnival-LoweenFrightfully Fun ParadeHocus Pocus Villain SpelltacularIt's Good to be Bad with the Disney VillainsLet's Get WickedMickey’s Halloween Treat CavalcadeThe Disney Villains Halloween ShowtimeThe Nightmare ExperimentVillains GroveVillains Mix and MingleWorld of Color: Villainous!
Christmas: A Christmas Fantasy ParadeDisney Holidays in HollywoodDisney Winter Magic CavalcadeRoyal Christmas Wishes

Characters
The Princess and the Frog: TianaPrince NaveenRayLouisMama OdieJujuDr. FacilierLawrenceCharlotte La BouffEudoraJamesEli La BouffEvangelineReggie, Darnell, and Two FingersStellaThe Fenner BrothersFacilier's Friends on the Other SideFacilier's ShadowFirefly FamilySwamp GatorsGeorgiaSpoonbillsMarcelBayou Animals

Cameos: Singing BullfrogsSinging Storks

Objects
Facilier's TalismanMama Odie's WandMama Odie's Gumbo Cauldron
Organizations
Southern Dome Salt Company • Tiana's Foods
Locations
New OrleansBayou of New OrleansMama Odie's TreeTiana's PalaceMaldoniaDr. Facilier's Voodoo EmporiumDuke's CaféTiana's HomeThe BarnTiara-Topped Water Tower
Songs
Original songs: Down in New OrleansAlmost ThereFriends on the Other SideWhen We're HumanGonna Take You ThereMa Belle EvangelineDig a Little DeeperNever Knew I Needed

Bayou Boogie: Everyday PrincessLive To See You SmileShadow ManDo What I Wanna DoWhen You're In Love You'll UnderstandZippin' To The ZydecoI Was Born To Blow This HornPlay With The BandNight and DayLife In The SwampLove is a Magical MysterySing Away The BluesMama Odie's Kitchen Song

See Also
Disney RevivalElectric Holiday
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