"Mother Knows Best" is a song written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater for Walt Disney Pictures' 50th animated feature film Tangled (2010). Appearing on the film's soundtrack Tangled: Original Soundtrack (2010), "Mother Knows Best" is a Broadway and musical theatre-inspired pop and jazz ballad recorded by American actress and singer Donna Murphy in her role as the film's villain, Mother Gothel. Lyrically incorporating a series of passive-aggressive insults, the song serves as Gothel's attempt to frighten Rapunzel into remaining in the tower despite of her constant request to see the floating lanterns so that she may continue to exploit her hair's regenerating abilities in order to remain youthful. The song is later reprised in a more sinister, vengeful tone by Gothel after