Mother Knows Best (song)

"Mother Knows Best" is a song written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater for Disney's animated film Tangled (2010). The songwriters wrote "Mother Knows Best" in the style of a classic Broadway musical number at the behest of the film's directors, Byron Howard and Nathan Greno, despite Menken's initial reservations that it would sound too different from Tangled's other songs. Released on November 16, 2010 as part of the film's soundtrack, "Mother Knows Best" was recorded by American actress Donna Murphy as Mother Gothel, the film's villain, and accompanies the character's efforts to frighten Rapunzel into remaining confined to their tower so she can continue exploiting her hair's healing powers.

"Mother Knows Best" is a musical theatre-inspired pop ballad with lyrics consisting of passive-aggressive insults; its upbeat melody masks its sinister themes about fearmongering, lying, manipulation, and child abuse. Later in the film, Gothel reprises "Mother Knows Best" in a more direct, vengeful manner when Rapunzel openly defies her for the first time. Musically, "Mother Knows Best" stands in contrast to the singer-songwriter style of Rapunzel's songs, which were performed by pop singer Mandy Moore. An accomplished Broadway performer, Murphy approached recording "Mother Knows Best" by envisioning Gothel as someone who thrives in the spotlight and relishes being the center of attention.

"Mother Knows Best" has received widespread acclaim from film and music critics, many of whom named it the film's best song. They also praised Murphy's performance, comparing it to actresses Patti LuPone and Julie Andrews. Additionally, the song has been compared to the work of Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, as well as Menken's previous work for Disney. In retrospect, several publications have ranked "Mother Knows Best" among Disney's greatest villain songs.