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Elsa is finding her identity; she's growing into who she is, and she's finally accepting her own strength and magical powers. Instead of hiding it, like she's done all her life, she's letting it go and embracing it.
Demi Lovato

"Let It Go" is a song from Disney's 2013 animated feature film, Frozen, with music and lyrics composed by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. The song was performed in the film by American actress and singer Idina Menzel as Elsa.

Composition[]

The song is set to A-flat major, so there are four flats, B, E, A and D. It features a strong emphasis on wind instruments as well as stringed instruments. It has a moderate tempo.

Summary[]

The song begins after an ostracized Elsa flees the kingdom of Arendelle soon after her ice powers are discovered by the public. Initially, Elsa is still distraught, but she realizes that she no longer needs to hide her powerful abilities anymore and declares herself free from the stress and fears that she has been faced with since childhood. The lyrics "Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know," were a phrase Elsa's father told her when she was given her gloves for safety as a child, but Elsa soon puts the phrase behind her by saying, "Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know, well now they know!" and finally "letting go" of her icy powers as she reaches the chorus; "Let it go!"

In Frozen II, while Elsa is in Ahtohallan, she comes upon a memory of her singing this song, much to her embarrassment.

Lyrics[]

The snow glows white on the mountain tonight
Not a footprint to be seen
A kingdom of isolation, and it looks like I'm the Queen
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn't keep it in, Heaven knows I tried

Don't let them in, don't let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know
Well, now they know!

Let it go! Let it go!
Can't hold it back anymore!
Let it go! Let it go!
Turn away and slam the door!
I don't care what they're going to say!
Let the storm rage on
The cold never bothered me anyway

It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me can't get to me at all!
It's time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me
I'm free!

Let it go! Let it go!
I'm one with the wind and sky
Let it go! Let it go!
You'll never see me cry
Here I stand, and here I stay!
Let the storm rage on

My power flurries through the air into the ground
My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around!
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast!
I'm never going back, the past is in the past!

Let it go! Let it go!
And I'll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go! Let it go!
That perfect girl is gone!
Here I stand in the light of day!
Let the storm rage on!
The cold never bothered me anyway

Elsa: There's so much I longed to say
Anna: Then say it all, beginning with today
Elsa: It's like a dream I thought could never be

Anna:
Elsa, you're free!

Let it go, let it go
Show us what you can do
Let it go, let it go

Elsa:
The magic one is you
Cause here we stand in the light of day
Let the sun shine on

I take this warmth within and send it up above

Both:
Goodbye to dark and fear, let's fill this world with light and love
(Light and love!)
And here, surrounded by a family at last

Chorus:
We're never going back, the past is in the past...
(The past is in the past...)

Let it go! Let it go!
And we'll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go! Let it go!
The fear and cold are gone
Here we stand in the light of day!
Let our true love go
Let it go!

Let it go! Let it go!
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go! Let it go!
Turn my back and slam the door

The snow glows white on the mountain tonight
Not a footprint to be seen
A kingdom of isolation, and it looks like I'm the queen
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn't keep it in, Heaven knows I tried

Don't let them in, don't let them see
Be the good girl you always had to be
Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know
Well, now they know

Let it go! Let it go!
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go! Let it go!
Turn my back and slam the door
And here I stand, and here I'll stay
Let it go, let it go
The cold never bothered me anyway

It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me can't get to me at all
Up here in the cold thin air
I finally can breathe
I know I left a life behind
but I'm too relieved to grieve

Let it go! Let it go!
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go! Let it go!
Turn my back and slam the door
And here I stand, and here I'll stay
Let it go, let it go
The cold never bothered me anyway

Standing frozen in the life I've chosen
You won't find me, the past is all behind me
Buried in the snow

Let it go! Let it go!
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go! Let it go!
Turn my back and slam the door
And here I stand, and here I'll stay
Let it go, let it go
The cold never bothered me anyway, oh

Let it go!
Yeah, yeah
Na, na
Here I'll stay
Let it go! Let it go!
Ooh
Let it go!

Videos[]

Gallery[]

Wiki
The Disney Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Let It Go.

Trivia[]

  • "Let It Go" earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Original Song. It also won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 86th Academy Awards, where the film version of the song was performed by Menzel.
  • The shot where Elsa first releases her hair down creating the braid was nearly impossible to do. The animators had to phase Elsa's braid through her left arm to keep the animation model from breaking. One can hardly see it because the camera angle hides the "trick" in the half-a-second moment it happens, and the viewers' attention is drawn to other places.
    • Some fans make a joke that her hair going through her arm is magic.
  • Idina Menzel (the voice of Elsa) played Elphaba in the original Broadway cast of Wicked while Willemijn Verkaik (the Dutch and German singer of "Let It Go") played the role in the German, Dutch, and British production. Also, the singing voice of Elsa in Korea (Hye-Na Park) plays the role of Elphaba in the Korean production.
  • A line from "Let It Go" was originally written, "Couldn't keep it in, God knows I tried," but was ultimately changed to "Heaven knows I tried." In an interview, the songwriters stated that the switch was done; not because they were not allowed to acknowledge religion (a Church and Christian iconography are clearly present in the film), but because they were afraid that some people would see it as taking the Lord's name in vain, which is a sin in the Abrahamic traditions as using the Lord's name in vain violates one of the well-known Ten Commandments.
  • As mentioned above several times, since Elsa was originally going to be an antagonist, "Let It Go" was originally intended to be a villain song. If one listens very closely, one can hear subtle clues in the song's lyrics that potentially hint at Elsa heel-turning (such as "No right or wrong/no rules for me!/I'm free!"), and was originally going to be sung in a mocking tone which becomes more demented as the song progresses to enforce this. However, the song defeats the purpose of making Elsa an antagonist since she never committed any evil beforehand. This resulted in Hans being re-written as the main antagonist.
  • At the beginning of the song when Elsa is upset, snow starts falling, symbolizing her lack of control over her powers, but after she realizes that she can freely use her powers now that she is alone, becoming much more relieved, the snow stops falling, showing that at that moment she had a better control over her powers.
  • Demi Lovato's version of "Let It Go" was included as a bonus song for the pre-order of the video game Fantasia: Music Evolved,[1] before later being available as downloadable content for the game,[2] and is available in the Now That's What I Call Music! UK video game Now That's What I Call Sing.[3]
  • Like many songs from Frozen, "Let It Go" has been subjected to numerous parodies on YouTube and the Internet in general.
  • "Let It Go" is the first end credits Disney song that was performed by a Disney Channel star.
  • "Let It Go" was reorchestrated in World of Color: Winter Dreams version, which premiered few days before the film itself, which becomes more commonly used in Disney parks fireworks and many shows.
  • "Let It Go" was referenced in Zootopia by Chief Bogo. When chastising Judy Hopps on her incident with Duke Weaselton, he told her life is not a cartoon musical where magically dreams come true, and she needs to let it go. Earlier in the film, the song was parodied as "Let It Goat" on Judy's music player.
  • In one of The Lion King musicals, when Scar has Zazu imprisoned and wants him to sing a song with a little bounce in it, Zazu sings "Let It Go" instead of "It's a Small World", to which Scar stills replies with "No! No, anything but that!", indicating that the song has been played numerous times to the point where it is rather annoying, hence Scar not wanting to hear it just as much as the former song.
  • Demi Lovato's cover of the song can be heard in Ralph Breaks the Internet in the beginning of the scene where Vanellope enters the Oh My Disney website.
  • As Elsa throws away her crown (the one bit of clothing she was wearing that she did not change) she sings "I'm never going back, the past is in the past." making the crown symbolize her old life.
  • The song was included in Kingdom Hearts III in Elsa's homeworld of Arendelle, just with the inclusion of Sora, Donald Duck and Goofy during it as they bore witness to Elsa creating her ice palace after following her singing to the North Mountain. Both the English version performed by Idina Menzel and the Japanese version by Takako Matsu are featured on the official soundtrack for the game available digitally.
  • Frozen II references the song three times. The first one was when Olaf was playing charades and one of the acts was Elsa's walk from the end of the song. An instrumental version was played when he was recapping the events of the first film when he, Kristoff, Sven, Elsa and Anna were in the Enchanted Forest. The last one was when Elsa was in Ahtohallan, walking through ice recreations of scenes from the first film, two of them being where she started the song with ice blasts and the final recreation of herself singing the song, albeit without music.
    • Ironically, Olaf says that Elsa sounded a bit pitchy when she was singing. Later, when Elsa walks through the ice recreations and sees herself singing, she cringes a little, indicating Olaf was somewhat right about her being pitchy. However, Elsa might actually be cringing because she never thought to revisit that memory, since it represented her ultimately shutting herself out from the world, and now she has finally accepted herself.
  • In many language versions, the song title is very different from the original "Let It Go."
  • Elsa breaks the fourth wall at the end of the song by looking at the camera.
  • The song was referenced in the Once Upon a Time episode, "White Out."
  • The song was briefly referenced in Encanto during the song "All of You" in a lyric sung by Bruno involving Pepa and Félix's marriage.
  • The song was also referenced in the Disenchanted song "Love Power", a song not-so-coincidentally also sung by Menzel.

References[]

External links[]

v - e - d
Frozen Logo
Media
Films: Frozen (video/soundtrack) • Frozen II (video/soundtrack) • Frozen IIIFrozen IV

Shorts: Frozen FeverOlaf's Frozen Adventure (soundtrack) • Arendelle Castle Yule LogMyth: A Frozen Tale (soundtrack) • Once Upon a Snowman
Shows: At Home With OlafOlaf Presents
Video games: Frozen: Double TroubleFrozen: Olaf's QuestFrozen Free FallDisney Infinity/2.0 Edition/3.0 EditionDisney Enchanted TalesDisney Emoji BlitzKingdom Hearts IIIFrozen AdventuresDisney Heroes: Battle ModeDisney POP TOWNDisney Dreamlight ValleyDisney Speedstorm
Books: The Art of Frozen/IIA Sister More Like MePhantoms of ArendelleA Frozen HeartAnna and Elsa's Secret PlaytimeAcross the SeaFrozen Spring FeverComic BooksAnna & Elsa: Sisterhood is the Strongest Magic:Disney Princess Beginnings

Disney Parks
World of Frozen (Hong Kong, Paris) • Fantasy SpringsAnna and Elsa's Frozen FantasyCastle of Magical DreamsEnchanted Storybook CastleDisney Animation BuildingFrozen Ever AfterIt's a Small WorldPLAY!Storybook Land Canal BoatsWandering Oaken's Sliding Sleighs

Entertainment: Believe! Sea of DreamsDisney Dreams: An Enchanted ClassicFantasmic!Follow Your DreamsFor the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along CelebrationFrozen: Live at the HyperionGolden Fairytale FanfareMickey's Magical Music WorldMickey's Royal Friendship FaireMickey and the MagicianMickey and the Wondrous BookPlayhouse in the WoodsRoyal Theatre
Restaurants: Bayside WharfForest FareOaken’s OK FoodsRoyal Banquet of ArendelleThe Golden Crocus
Shops: Anna & Elsa's BoutiqueNorthern DelightsTick Tock Toys & CollectiblesTraveling Traders
Parades: Disney Magic on ParadeDisney Stars on ParadeFestival of Fantasy ParadeFrozen Royal Welcome ParadeMagic HappensMickey's Storybook ExpressPaint the Night ParadeTokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade: DreamLights
Fireworks: Celebrate the MagicDisney Dreams!Disney EnchantmentDisneyland ForeverFrozen ForeverHappily Ever AfterHarmoniousIlluminate! A Nighttime CelebrationIgnite the Dream: A Nighttime Spectacular of Magic and LightMickey's Mix MagicMomentousOnce Upon a TimeWonderful World of AnimationWorld of Color: Celebrate!Wondrous Journeys
Summer: Frozen Summer Fun!
Christmas: A Christmas Fantasy ParadeA Frozen Holiday WishDisney Christmas StoriesDisney Dreams! of ChristmasDisney Winter Magic CavalcadeMinnie's Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks"Frozen" Christmas Tree Lighting CeremonyWorld of Color: Winter DreamsFrozen Holiday Surprise

Characters
Frozen: AnnaElsaKristoffHansOlafSvenThe Duke of WeseltonGrand PabbieMarshmallowKing AgnarrQueen IdunaErik and FrancisTrollsBuldaOakenSitronWolvesKaiCastle GuardsHans' Brothers

Frozen Fever: Snowgies
Frozen II: Lieutenant MattiasNorthuldraYelanaHoneymarenRyderThe NokkBruniGaleEarth GiantsKing RuneardSpirits of the Enchanted Forest

Locations
ArendelleElsa's Ice PalaceThe Southern IslesWeseltonArendelle CastleValley of the Living RockArendelle ChapelWandering Oaken's Trading Post and SaunaThe North MountainThe Enchanted ForestAhtohallan
Songs
Frozen: VuelieFrozen HeartDo You Want to Build a Snowman?For the First Time in ForeverLove is an Open DoorLet It GoReindeer(s) Are Better Than PeopleIn SummerFixer Upper

Frozen Fever: Making Today a Perfect Day
Olaf's Frozen Adventure: Ring in the SeasonThe Ballad of FlemmingradThat Time of YearWhen We're Together
Frozen II: All Is FoundSome Things Never ChangeInto the UnknownWhen I Am OlderLost in the WoodsShow YourselfThe Next Right Thing
Musical: Let the Sun Shine OnA Little Bit of YouHidden FolkHans of the Southern IslesQueen AnointedDangerous to DreamWhat Do You Know About Love?HyggeI Can't Lose YouKristoff LullabyMonsterTrue LoveColder by the Minute
At Home with Olaf: I Am With You
Deleted: Love Can't Be DeniedWe Know BetterSpring PageantMore Than Just the SpareYou're YouLife's Too ShortReindeer(s) RemixWhen Everything Falls ApartResolutionHomeI Seek the TruthUnmeltable MeGet This RightSee the Sky

Objects
Kristoff's SledRoyal ShipElsa's TiaraYule BellIduna's ScarfRuneard's Dam
See also
MusicalThe Story of Frozen: Making a Disney Animated ClassicFrozen: The Official MagazineDisney On IceAs Told by EmojiFrozen: Northern LightsInto the Unknown: Making Frozen IIThe Making of Frozen: A Return to Arendelle


v - e - d
Kingdom Hearts utilized logo
Games
Kingdom Hearts (HD I.5 ReMIX/Soundtrack/Soundtrack Complete/HD I.5 ReMIX Soundtrack) • Chain of MemoriesKingdom Hearts II (HD II.5 ReMIX/HD II.8 Final Chapter Prologue/Soundtrack/HD II.5 ReMIX Soundtrack ) • 358/2 DaysBirth by Sleep (Soundtrack) • codedDream Drop Distance (Soundtrack) • χ [chi]Unchained χ/Union χ [cross]Kingdom Hearts IIIDark RoadMelody of MemoryMissing-LinkKingdom Hearts IV
Other media
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween PartyAgrabah (Kingdom Hearts pilot)
Incorporated Films and Shorts
Aladdin/The Return of JafarAlice in WonderlandBeauty and the BeastBig Hero 6CinderellaFantasiaFrozenHerculesThe Hunchback of Notre DameLilo & StitchThe Lion KingThe Little MermaidMickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three MusketeersMonsters, Inc.MulanThe Nightmare Before ChristmasPeter PanPinocchioPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl/Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's EndSleeping BeautySnow White and the Seven DwarfsSteamboat WillieTangledTarzanToy StoryTron/Tron: LegacyWinnie the PoohWreck-It Ralph
Characters
Main Characters: SoraRikuKairiKing MickeyDonald DuckGoofyRoxasAxel/LeaNaminéXionAquaTerraVentus

Villains: XehanortAnsemXemnasMaleficentPeteVanitasXigbar/BraigXaldinVexenLexaeusZexionSaïx/IsaDemyxLuxordMarluxiaLarxeneTerra-XehanortYoung XehanortXehanort's Guardian
Other Characters: Jiminy CricketAnsem the Wise/DiZYen SidMaster EraqusDilanEvenAeleusIenzoLingering WillHaynerPenceOletteKairi's GrandmaRiku ReplicaJiminy's JournalForetellersMaster of MastersLuxuEphemerSkuldChirithyStrelitziaLauriamYozoraVorHermod
Original Monsters: HeartlessNobodiesUnversedDream Eater
Disney Characters introduced in Kingdom Hearts: Queen MinnieDaisy DuckPlutoChip and DaleHuey, Dewey, and LouieMagic BroomsAliceWhite RabbitDoorknobCheshire CatQueen of HeartsCard SoldiersTarzanJane PorterClaytonTerkKerchakKalaSaborHerculesPhiloctetesHadesCerberusRock TitanIce TitanAladdinAbuJasmineGenieCarpetJafarIagoPeddlerCave of WondersPinocchioGeppettoMonstroCleoArielFlounderSebastianUrsulaKing TritonFlotsam and JetsamGlutJack SkellingtonZeroSallyOogie BoogieLock, Shock, and BarrelDr. FinkelsteinMayor of Halloween TownPeter PanTinker BellCaptain HookMr. SmeeWendyCrocodileMerlinWinnie the PoohTiggerPigletEeyoreRabbitOwlRooBeesBeastBelleSnow WhiteCinderellaFairy GodmotherAuroraPongoPerditaDalmatian PuppiesSimbaMushuDumboBambiChernabog
Disney Characters introduced in Kingdom Hearts II: Flora, Fauna, and MerryweatherMaleficent's RavenScrooge McDuckMulanLi ShangShan YuHayabusaYao, Ling, and Chien PoThe EmperorLumiereCogsworthMrs PottsChipWardrobePegasusMegaraPain and PanicHydraHorace HorsecollarClarabelle CowClara CluckJack SparrowElizabeth SwannWill TurnerCaptain BarbossaBo'sunJacobyTwiggCursed CrewPrince EricAttinaAndrinaSanta ClausSkeletal ReindeerTimonPumbaaNalaRafikiScarShenzi, Banzai, and EdMufasaKiaraPridelandersHyenasTronMaster Control ProgramCommander SarkKangaGopherStitchChicken Little
Disney Characters introduced in Birth by Sleep: Prince PhillipMaleficent's GoonsDocGrumpyHappySleepyBashfulSneezyDopeyThe PrinceEvil QueenMagic MirrorPrince CharmingJaqLady TremaineAnastasiaDrizellaLuciferGrand DukeGrand CouncilwomanCaptain GantuJumbaExperiment 221Lost Boys
Disney Characters introduced in Dream Drop Distance: QuasimodoEsmeraldaPhoebusJudge Claude FrolloVictor, Hugo, and LaverneKevin FlynnSam FlynnQuorraCLUBlack GuardsBlue FairyBeagle BoysChernabog's MinionsJulius
Disney Characters introduced in Kingdom Hearts χ: Mad HatterMarch HareRazoulRoyal GuardsMauriceGaston
Disney Characters introduced in Kingdom Hearts Union χ: SultanSamsonVanellope von SchweetzFix-It Felix Jr.Sergeant CalhounKing CandySour BillCy-BugsHero's Duty Troops
Disney Characters introduced in Kingdom Hearts III: ZeusApolloAthenaHermesLava TitanTornado TitanLittle ChefWoodyBuzz LightyearRexHammSargeGreen Army MenLittle Green MenRapunzelFlynn RiderPascalMaximusMother GothelSulleyMike WazowskiBooRandall BoggsChild Detection AgencyTrailer FolkElsaAnnaKristoffOlafSvenMarshmallowHansMr. GibbsTia DalmaDavy JonesKrakenCutler BeckettDavy Jones' Locker CrabsBaymaxHiro HamadaGo Go TomagoHoney LemonFredWasabiLumpyWreck-It Ralph
Disney Characters introduced in Kingdom Hearts Dark Road: Tweedledee and Tweedledum
Disney Characters introduced in the manga: CaterpillarChi-Fu
Square Enix Characters: LeonCloudMoogleOthers

Elements
Plot Elements: Kingdom HeartsHeartKeyblade WarDark Seeker SagaMore

Game Elements: Gameplay in Kingdom HeartsMagic

Objects
Sea-salt ice creamWayfinderDoor to DarknessKeybladeX-bladeMorePixar BallA113Pizza Planet Truck
Locations
Original Worlds: Destiny IslandsTraverse TownRadiant Garden/Hollow BastionDisney Castle/Disney Town/Timeless RiverDive to the HeartEnd of the WorldRealm of DarknessTwilight Town/Mysterious TowerThe World That Never WasCastle That Never WasLand of Departure/Castle OblivionKeyblade GraveyardDaybreak Town/Scala ad Caelum

Disney Worlds: WonderlandDeep JungleOlympus Coliseum/Underworld/OlympusAgrabahAtlanticaHalloween Town/Christmas TownNeverlandHundred Acre WoodThe Land of DragonsBeast's CastlePort Royal/The CaribbeanPride LandsSpace ParanoidsDwarf WoodlandsCastle of DreamsDeep SpaceLa Cité des ClochesThe GridPrankster's ParadiseCountry of the MusketeersToy BoxKingdom of CoronaMonstropolisArendelleSan FransokyoGame Central Station/Niceland/Cy-Bug Sector/Candy Kingdom

Organizations/Groups
Organization XIIIPrincesses of HeartDisney Villains Council
Songs
"Dearly Beloved" • "Simple and Clean" • "Sanctuary" • Face My FearsDon't Think TwiceMickey Mouse Club MarchSwim This WayPart of Your WorldUnder the SeaUrsula's RevengeA New Day is DawningDestatiThis is HalloweenHe's a PirateBeauty and the BeastBibbidi-Bobbidi-BooIt's a Small WorldNight on Bald MountainWinnie the PoohThe Sorcerer's ApprenticeThe Pastoral SymphonyNutcracker SuiteYou've Got a Friend in MeHealing IncantationPut That Thing Back Where It Came From or So Help MeLet It GoDo You Want to Build a SnowmanYo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)A Whole New WorldCircle of Life


v - e - d
Disney Speedstorm logo
Media
Disney Speedstorm
Characters
Mickey Mouse & Friends: Mickey MouseDonald DuckGoofyMinnie MouseDaisy DuckSteamboat Pete

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit: OswaldOrtensia
The Jungle Book: MowgliBaloo
Journey Into Imagination: Figment
The Little Mermaid: ArielEricKing TritonUrsula
Beauty and the Beast: BelleBeastGaston
Aladdin: AladdinJasmineGenieJafar
Hercules: HerculesMegaraHades
Mulan: Fa MulanLi Shang
Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack SparrowElizabeth Swann
Toy Story: WoodyBuzz LightyearBo PeepJessie
Monsters, Inc.: James P. SullivanMike WazowskiCelia MaeRandall Boggs
Lilo & Stitch: StitchLilo PelekaiJumba JookibaCaptain GantuAngel
Frozen: AnnaElsaHansKristoffOlaf
WALL-E: WALL-EEVE

Songs
The Bare NecessitiesBeauty and the BeastGastonThe Gospel TruthHawaiian Roller Coaster RideHe Mele No LiloI'll Make a Man Out of YouIf I Didn't Have YouMickey Mouse MarchMinnie's Yoo HooOne Jump AheadPart of Your WorldSteamboat BillTrust in MeA Whole New WorldYo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)You've Got a Friend in MeDo You Want to Build a Snowman?Let It GoUnder the SeaZero to Hero
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