"Moana" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Moana: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

What if the ocean itself picked the lead singer? Moana answers with a soundtrack that lets tides keep time: tokelau log drums, handclaps, and the lift of a choral “chee-hoo!” alongside Broadway-shaped hooks. The album moves from village bustle to open water, then into myth — every step framed by a melody you can hum.

Arrival: the village spell of “Where You Are” and the ocean’s first whisper (“An Innocent Warrior”). Adaptation: Moana’s resolve crystallises in “How Far I’ll Go,” while “We Know the Way” restores a suppressed memory of wayfinding. Rebellion: Maui’s swagger (“You’re Welcome”) and Tamatoa’s glittery menace (“Shiny”) test her compass. Collapse and renewal: “I Am Moana (Song of the Ancestors)” steadies the hand; “Know Who You Are” turns a battle into recognition and return.

Genres and themes track cleanly. Percussive Te Vaka textures = continuity and community. Big-pop balladry = call and identity. Comic patter and glam pastiche = obstacles you must sing past. According to label notes and interviews, the writing team built around three poles: Lin-Manuel Miranda (lyric drive), Opetaia Foa‘i/Te Vaka (Pacific songlines), and Mark Mancina (score architecture).

How It Was Made

Walt Disney Records released the album on November 18–19, 2016 (territory dependent), with songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa‘i and Mark Mancina; Mancina also composed the orchestral score. Chorus tracks feature Te Vaka and choirs from Fiji and the wider Pacific; the deluxe edition adds demos, outtakes and full score selections. As per chart reports, the album debuted in the U.S. top 20 and later peaked at #2, while “How Far I’ll Go” won the Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media; Alessia Cara’s end-credits version charted separately.

Tracks & Scenes

Timestamps vary by edition; placements reflect the theatrical cut.

"Tulou Tagaloa" — Olivia Foa‘i
Where it plays: Opening logo/ocean prologue: a brief invocation over tidal images that frames the story as a blessing and a request.
Why it matters: Establishes language and reverence before any joke lands — a thesis in 51 seconds.

"An Innocent Warrior" — Vai Mahina, Sulata Foai-Amiatu & Matthew Ineleo
Where it plays: Baby Moana’s first encounter with the living ocean. The choir rises as the water parts and gifts are offered; diegetic sound falls away to let the voices carry.
Why it matters: The bond is musical first, then plot — you hear the choice being made.

"Where You Are" — Christopher Jackson, Rachel House, Nicole Scherzinger, Auliʻi Cravalho & Company
Where it plays: Early village sequence. Farming, weaving, fishing — the Chief’s lesson in staying put, staged as a bustling round.
Why it matters: Cheerful constraint. The counter-melodies literally box Moana into the chorus line she will step out of.

"How Far I’ll Go" — Auliʻi Cravalho
Where it plays: Shoreline and night water. Moana voices the pull she can’t shake, cresting on the “line where the sky meets the sea.”
Why it matters: The modern Disney “I want” song, stripped of romance and aimed at vocation.

"We Know the Way" — Opetaia Foa‘i & Lin-Manuel Miranda
Where it plays: Ancestor montage: voyaging canoes, star maps, drum rhythms; later reprised for the finale departure.
Why it matters: Restores the suppressed history — a community remembers itself in harmony.

"You’re Welcome" — Dwayne Johnson (Maui)
Where it plays: On Maui’s islet after Moana finds him. A patter-song con layered with visual gags and tattoo commentary (diegetic props, non-diegetic band).
Why it matters: Character intro as confidence game; the groove flatters him until it doesn’t.

"Shiny" — Jemaine Clement (Tamatoa)
Where it plays: Lalotai (Realm of Monsters). Bowie-sleek glam pastiche in a bioluminescent lair as the crab shows off trophies and teeth.
Why it matters: Villain humor with point: surfaces distract; the real heart is below.

"Logo Te Pate" — Olivia Foa‘i, Opetaia Foa‘i & Talaga Steve Sale
Where it plays: Mid-voyage action beat (Kakamora and/or shapeshift/business between set pieces); percussive chant drives quick-cut choreography.
Why it matters: Pure propulsion — a Te Vaka groove that refuses to be background.

"I Am Moana (Song of the Ancestors)" — Auliʻi Cravalho & Rachel House
Where it plays: Low point to recommitment — a quiet conversation with memory that swells to declaration.
Why it matters: Identity set to call-and-response; the film’s emotional keystone.

"Know Who You Are" — Auliʻi Cravalho & Choir
Where it plays: Final approach to Te Kā/Te Fiti. Percussion drops; voices and strings carry Moana across the ash path.
Why it matters: The “boss fight” as reconciliation — the album’s bravest dramatic choice.

End credits
Alessia Cara’s pop take on “How Far I’ll Go” opens the roll; a Miranda/Jordan Fisher duet of “You’re Welcome” follows. Trailer cuts leaned heavily on “We Know the Way” (teaser) and the title ballad (final trailer) to seed themes.

Notes & Trivia

• The album includes seven original songs, two reprises, and two end-credits versions; the deluxe edition folds in Mancina’s score and demos.
• “Shiny” grew from a Bowie homage impulse during development; Clement’s delivery seals the tone.
• Multiple localized end-credit versions of “How Far I’ll Go” exist (e.g., South Africa, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia).
• Te Vaka’s presence is not cosmetic — choir and percussion are embedded across cues, not just feature numbers.
• The soundtrack spent over a year atop Billboard’s Soundtracks chart cumulatively, a modern Disney outlier.

Music–Story Links

Village chorus (“Where You Are”) defines duty; solo ballad (“How Far I’ll Go”) defines calling. The communal memory arrives as a song (“We Know the Way”), so when Moana finally acts, the finale can reprise that memory without speech. Comic numbers test resolve — Maui’s flattery and Tamatoa’s glitter — but the turning point rejects both: “I Am Moana” moves from doubt to lineage, then “Know Who You Are” swaps confrontation for recognition. The score’s bamboo winds and tyka drum patterns stitch those beats so the ocean always feels present, even when the singers rest.

Reception & Quotes

The album drew consistent praise for balancing cultural specificity with pop reach. Critics singled out Cravalho’s grounded lead and Te Vaka’s rhythmic spine; the package went long-tail viral with young listeners and parents alike.

“A culture-forward score that never turns into homework — you feel the canoe move.”
— film-music column

“‘Know Who You Are’ is the bravest choice: a climax that whispers instead of shouts.”
— soundtrack essay

“Alessia Cara’s credits take keeps the melody in your head on the walk out.”
— chart recap

Interesting Facts

• The language palette on record includes English, Tokelauan, Tuvaluan and Samoan.
• “You’re Welcome” hit the Hot 100 in Johnson’s in-film version; the Miranda/Jordan Fisher duet is credits-only.
• The U.S. album art reads Moana, while several markets ship as Vaiana; audio content aligns.
• Demos on the deluxe set include cut/alt material (“Warrior Face”) that later surfaced in promo featurettes.
• The teaser used “We Know the Way” to introduce sound-world before the public heard the headline ballad.

Technical Info

• Title: Moana: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
• Year/Label: 2016 — Walt Disney Records (digital, CD; later deluxe)
• Songwriters: Lin-Manuel Miranda; Opetaia Foa‘i; Mark Mancina
• Score: Mark Mancina; orchestrations by David Metzger
• Key placements (selection): “Tulou Tagaloa” (logo/prologue); “An Innocent Warrior” (ocean chooses); “Where You Are” (village life); “How Far I’ll Go” (shoreline vow); “We Know the Way” (ancestors/wayfinding, finale reprise); “You’re Welcome” (Maui’s island); “Shiny” (Lalotai); “I Am Moana” (recommitment); “Know Who You Are” (Te Kā/Te Fiti)
• Credits songs: “How Far I’ll Go” — Alessia Cara; “You’re Welcome” — Lin-Manuel Miranda & Jordan Fisher
• Charts/awards: Billboard 200 peak #2; “How Far I’ll Go” — Grammy (Best Song Written for Visual Media); Oscar & Globe nominations (Original Song)

Questions & Answers

Who wrote the songs — and who scored the film?

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa‘i and Mark Mancina wrote the songs; Mancina composed the orchestral score.

Which version of “How Far I’ll Go” is in the movie vs. the credits?

Auliʻi Cravalho’s version plays in-film; Alessia Cara’s cover opens the end credits.

What languages appear on the album?

English plus Tokelauan, Tuvaluan and Samoan in ensemble/choral passages.

Is “We Know the Way” the teaser-trailer song?

Yes — a trailer edit of “We Know the Way” carried the early marketing before full singles dropped.

Are there deleted songs on the official releases?

The deluxe edition includes demos and cut material (e.g., “Warrior Face”) alongside instrumental and karaoke tracks.

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Disney/label discography; album and chart reports; interviews with the songwriting team; trailer materials; soundtrack databases and retailer listings.

November, 16th 2025