Proud of Your Boy

After being discarded, "Proud of Your Boy" remained largely undiscovered by audiences until Walt Disney Records released Ashman and Menken's demo on a compilation album in 1994, after which it gradually gained popularity.

[3] In early drafts of Aladdin's screenplay, the character of the same name's mother is alive and central to the film's plot,[4][5][6] expressing disappointment in her son's behavior.

[16] However, producer Don Hahn refuted popular claims that Ashman had intentionally written "Proud of Your Boy" about their relationship, explaining, "Was it underneath the topic?

[29] Menken found it particularly taxing to cope with the song's omission,[30] identifying "Proud of Your Boy" as the most difficult component of Aladdin to lose due to Ashman's demise.

[29] The omission of "Proud of Your Boy" eventually led to the completion of the film's romantic theme song, "A Whole New World", since Aladdin required a new ballad to replace it.

[8] Jerry Beck, author of The Animated Movie Guide, wrote that the elimination of "Proud of Your Boy" and the mother resulted in Aladdin becoming "another Disney hero in a long line of motherless waifs".

[37] Ultimately unimpressed with his efforts, Menken warned Weinger that he would never sing in the film, but the filmmakers assured him they would instead hire a professional singer to match with his speaking voice.

[35] Weinger joked that he still carries "a chip on my shoulder" over being denied a singing role in the film and, as of 2019, he occasionally rehearses "Proud of Your Boy" with Menken.

[50] Oh My Disney contributor Emily Brandon believes that, prior to the stage adaptation, awareness of the song's existence had been limited to "[h]ardcore Aladdin fans".

[54][55] Disney and Ashman's collaborators had long held "Proud of Your Boy" in high regard, several years prior to the stage musical's inception.

[25] Considering "Proud of Your Boy" a "lost gem", Menken prioritized including it in the stage adaptation once the show had been green-lit,[56] recognizing the song among several of his Disney compositions that eventually rediscover the "spotlight" after being omitted from their original projects.

[57][58] Disney Theatrical Productions (DTP) associate producer Paula McKinnon reported that "Proud of Your Boy" was one of the first songs the show's creative team agreed to reintroduce via the musical.

[60] Deciding the musical would benefit from immediately establishing its "I Want" song, Beguelin envisioned using "Proud of Your Boy" to "dr[ive Aladdin] through the rest of the show'".

[68] At times he found it a challenge to transition from having his character evade capture by running and jumping in the previous number directly into "Proud of Your Boy" "half-a-minute later".

[51] "Proud of Your Boy" is one of four Ashman-Menken songs not included in the original film that were resurrected for the musical,[70][71][72] alongside "Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim", "Call Me a Princess" and "High Adventure".

[71] Having voiced no such motivation in the film,[81] "Proud of Your Boy" serves as Aladdin's "I want" song in the show and offers dimension to the character "that we don't get to see in the cartoon", according to London Theatre Direct contributor Nicholas Ephram.

[84] Director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw explained that, "When Aladdin sings 'Proud of Your Boy,' ... you learn more about him, how he feels like an underdog, how he's trying to win the approval of his mother, than you could from just the dialogue.

[65] Menken's demo on Aladdin's special edition soundtrack, which Heather Phares of AllMusic described as "an earnest ballad in the style of 'A Whole New World'",[47] spans 2:29.

[97] Identifying "Proud of Your Boy" as Aladdin's most emotional song, Ratcliffe believes its lyrics are relatable to "anyone who's ever suffered from imposter syndrome or experienced general feelings of inadequacy".

[99] Believing "Proud of Your Boy" "packs an enormous emotional punch", Menken observed that men particularly appear to relate "deeply" because "many of us go through a phase when we are disappointing our parents, or we think we are".

[31] Actor Graeme Isaako, who played Aladdin in international and touring productions, agreed that "Proud of Your Boy" is particularly relatable, observing that it can pertain to various situations such as losing one's parents, changing careers or simply "going on a different journey".

[104] Kathi Scrizzi Driscoll of the Cape Cod Times hailed the ballad as the musical's most successful new addition for "add[ing] a depth of feeling".

[80] Sharon Eberson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette agreed that the "touching" ballad is the musical's best song,[105] while Garrett Southerland of Talkin' Broadway named it a "standout among these [new] additions".

[110] Michelle F. Solomon of MiamiArtZine identified "Proud of Your Boy" as "Aladdin's vocal moment to wow the audience",[111] while San Diego Magazine's Dan Letchworth called it the best of the musical's restored songs.

[76] In a mixed review, Dino-Ray Ramos of Deadline Hollywood said that audiences are unlikely to leave the show singing "Proud of Your Boy", despite it being a "great addition to an already strong soundtrack".

[27] Salt Lake Magazine's Jen Hill found the song's message "odd" within the context of the musical, feeling Aladdin should have been focused on proving things to himself.

[120][121] Jacobs sang "Proud of Your Boy" at a gala hosted by Theatre Development Fund in honor of Disney Theatrical Productions that same year.

[128] Singer Clay Aiken recorded an orchestral cover of "Proud of Your Boy" for Aladdin's 2004 platinum edition DVD release,[129][130] the music video for which interpolates storyboard drawings and sketches.

[16] However, prior to the song's stage debut, "Proud of Your Boy" had already become a popular selection among theater fans and auditionees,[13] which Menken described as "this secret thing ... people would perform" at auditions,[45] prompting 680 News to deem it an "underground sensation".

[51] The staff of The Mississauga News reported that "Proud of Your Boy" became a cult favorite when it was included on The Music Behind the Magic, writing that the stage production additionally restored it "to wonderful effect".