Steve Jobs Wanted Bob Dylan to Compose the Music for ‘Toy Story’

When animation enthusiasts think of the geniuses behind The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, or Inside Out, Disney’s connection to the transcending animation studio Pixar is inseparable. Although before Walt Disney Studios purchased the studio in 2006, the father of the iPhone was interlinked to the company’s rich beginnings. According to Newsweek, Apple’s co-founder, Steve Jobs, paid legendary filmmaker George Lucas $5 million for his Computer Division, leading the pioneer to become the Executive Producer of Toy Story.

Steve Jobs was more than just a godsend for Pixar and Disney. His influence as a visionary leader and intelligent mind paved the way for the company to secure a three-picture deal with the Mickey Mouse studio involving 3D animation. However, when creating the world’s first feature-length computer-animated film, Jobs voiced a surprising musical vision for the project that would have changed the overall tone of Toy Story‘s theme of friendship, loyalty, and childhood memories.

Steve Jobs Wanted Bob Dylan to Sing the Soundtrack for ‘Toy Story’

Steve Jobs’s involvement with Pixar went beyond mere business decisions—he played a surprisingly hands-on role in the creative process. One of the notable examples of his creative input was through Toy Story‘s soundtrack! As detailed in Walter Isaacson‘s 2011 biography, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Jobs originally bonded over their passion for Bob Dylan’s music in the early days of Apple, with Wozniak saying, “We’d buy brochures of Dylan lyrics and stay up late interpreting them.” The Steve Jobs biopic also hinted at the Apple wiz’s Dylan obsession, so it’s no wonder the longtime fan would push for his favorite musician to be featured on the film’s soundtrack.

As the Executive Producer, Jobs did not have as much creative control over Pixar’s Toy Story as one would imagine. He envisioned that Bob Dylan’s folk-rock style and lyrical storytelling could add a unique depth and resonance to the adventures of Woody and Buzzlightyear. Per Newsweek, Jobs outspokenly admired Dylan for his originality and anti-establishment ethos, qualities that Jobs saw in himself and in Pixar, a company attempting to challenge traditional animation norms. Jobs hoped Dylan’s music would align with Pixar’s desire to create a movie that was not only innovative but emotionally captivating.

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Bob Dylan’s music has long been celebrated for writing songs about moral issues: love & war, protests, and religion—all of which contrast with Toy Story’s G-rated storyline about toys that come to life when humans aren’t around. Pixar’s success relied not only on its groundbreaking computer-generated visuals but also on storytelling that could emotionally echo with all ages, and Jobs saw Dylan as someone who could contribute to this ambition. However, Pixar’s creative team, including director John Lasseter and co-writer Andrew Stanton, steered towards a different musical approach.

Randy Newman’s Musical Style Fit Perfectly With ‘Toy Story’s Theme of Friendship

Toy Story‘s creators argued that while Bob Dylan’s music was undeniably impactful, it might not align with Toy Story‘s lighthearted charm. Lasseter and Stanton envisioned Toy Story as an endearing, heartwarming adventure that needed a sound that would resonate with families and younger audiences without veering into a space that felt too mature. In their view, Randy Newman was the better match.

Known for his blend of humor, warmth, and tenderness, Newman’s music carried a childlike wonder that could also convey nostalgia. The musician’s blues and Dixieland jazz style brought a relatable sound to Toy Story that perfectly matched the innocence of its main characters, Woody and Buzz. Randy Newman stated, in Pixar’s pitch in a 2019 interview, “They told me the story… they sort of think at Pixar that I’m a specialist in emotion, which actually is what music does, is the best thing it can do. So those scenes at the end, I think they wanted me, particularly for those, when Woody makes a decision and people don’t know what’s going on and hugging each other and all that.”

Ultimately, Randy Newman composed one of Pixar’s most unforgettable film scores, along with writing three new songs: “Strange Things,” “I Will Go Sailing No More,” and the iconic number “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” The beloved song embodied the spirit of the core relationship between Andy and his toys and became a key element of Toy Story’s commercial and critical acclaim. “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” established Randy Newman as a Pixar hero, winning the musician a legendary spot in the Disney Song Hall of Fame.

Bob Dylan, of course, has made notable contributions to cinema, though he never joined the Pixar family. His songs have appeared in films like Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, for which he wrote “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” In the end, the choice to go with Randy Newman worked in Pixar’s favor, establishing the studio’s industry-defining imagination. Despite Steve Jobs’s failure to involve his favorite idol in Toy Story, his unparalleled vision kickstarted a new age for Disney and Pixar — one that has endured throughout generations.

The Toy Story franchise is available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.

Toy Story

A cowboy doll is profoundly threatened and jealous when a new spaceman action figure supplants him as top toy in a boy’s bedroom.

Release Date

October 30, 1995

Director

John Lasseter

Runtime

81

Writers

John Lasseter , Pete Docter , Andrew Stanton , Joe Ranft , Joss Whedon , Joel Cohen

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WATCH ON DISNEY+