Aladdin's Score: More Than Just 'A Whole New World'?

Okay, so I know everyone automatically thinks of 'A Whole New World' when they think of Aladdin's music, and rightfully so – it's gorgeous and iconic. But I honestly think Alan Menken's score for Aladdin is seriously underrated. People get so caught up in the songs (which, let's be real, are bangers) that the instrumental stuff kind of fades into the background. And that's a shame! Think about the Agrabah marketplace chase scene – that music is intense! It perfectly captures the chaotic energy and Aladdin's desperation. And then there's Jafar's theme – so menacing! It's not just some generic "bad guy" music, it's legitimately creepy and really helps to build his character. What I've always loved is that Jafar's theme has this almost snake-charmer quality to it, which is GENIUS given his whole vibe. I feel like it is really an underappreciated movie score Here's my theory (and it's probably not a groundbreaking one, but bear with me): I think Menken deliberately made the score more complex and darker than some of Disney's previous outings. He had just killed it on Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast which were beautiful and pretty perfect, but I feel that Aladdin was his chance to experiment a bit more. This was a movie with a different setting, a different kind of story (still Disney, of course, but with a bit more edge), and he really took advantage of that. My favorite part is when Aladdin is being chased through Agrabah and the music really gets intense. I love that so much. Ultimately, I feel like this is something people should listen to more closely. Am I crazy, or does anyone else think the score's depth often gets overlooked because the songs are just that good? Let me know what you think!