The song is mediocre but the lyrics are very bad. It reminds me of a post-peak EPCOT song for some reason. I’m not cruel enough to say Food Rocks, but…
More importantly, the song is tied to three major problems with the ride. The first is the absurd definition of “authenticity.” Nobody cares about the current or past residence of the guy who wrote the song or made a weathervane or painted a mural. This isn’t the New Orleans chamber of commerce, it’s a theme park ride. What matters is how the song FEELS. This song feels… fine. Certainly not the equal of an E-ticket finale song.
The second issue is that the music from PatF is really good. It’s a big part of why the IP worked, like Ray and Facilier. Not using the song doesn’t make this ride “less IP” or more original, it makes it a weaker representation of the IP. Tiana is great, but she’s only one part of the charm of the franchise, the only one really represented in the ride.
Finally, the song is bland, just like the ride. There’s no edge, something that defined classic Disney rides like Pirates, Mansion, JC, the original Bears, etc. It’s banal and safe… and corporate. Facilier could have gone a long way to fixing this.
Oh well… let’s all add our special spice to the gumbo and hope the health inspector doesn’t find out.