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== Use in ''Hercules'' ==
In ''Hercules'', Meg is a [[double agent]] who works for [[Hades (Disney)|Hades]] despite beginning to fall in love with his adversary, Hercules,<ref name=":37" /> against her better judgement.<ref name=":39">{{Cite news |last=Schroeder |first=Zahraa |date=August 28, 2023 |title=15 Of The Greatest Disney Movie Songs Of All Time |url=https://smilefm.co.za/the-greatest-disney-movie-songs-of-all-time/ |access-date=February 24, 2025 |work=[[Smile 90.4FM]]}}</ref> Audiences learn that Meg has been in love before, only for her boyfriend at the time to leave her to pursue another woman after she had [[Deal with the Devil|sold her soul]] to Hades to save his life.<ref name=":21">{{Cite web |last=Tisdale |first=Jerrica |date=May 17, 2020 |title=Disney's Hercules: Every Song From The Animated Movie, Ranked |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2496200/disneys-hercules-every-song-from-the-animated-movie-ranked |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250105010126/https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2496200/disneys-hercules-every-song-from-the-animated-movie-ranked |archive-date=January 5, 2025 |access-date=April 27, 2021 |website=[[CinemaBlend]]}}</ref><ref name=":45">{{Cite news |last=Locke |first=Alexandra |date=March 3, 2023 |title=10 Best Disney Love Songs, Ranked |url=https://www.cbr.com/disney-best-love-songs/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926153235/https://www.cbr.com/disney-best-love-songs/ |archive-date=September 26, 2024 |access-date=February 26, 2025 |work=[[Comic Book Resources]]}}</ref> Because falling in love too quickly had been a negative experience for Meg, she is left hesitant and in denial about her own feelings.<ref name=":28" /> Like most Disney heroines, she sings about falling in love with her film's hero,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hicken |first=Jackie |date=April 6, 2014 |title=15 Disney songs that were cut before they ever made it onto the big screen |url=https://www.deseretnews.com/top/2407/10/I-Cant-Believe-My-Heart-Hercules-15-Disney-songs-that-were-cut-before-they-ever-made-it-onto.html |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140410130555/http://www.deseretnews.com/top/2407/10/I-Cant-Believe-My-Heart-Hercules-15-Disney-songs-that-were-cut-before-they-ever-made-it-onto.html |archive-date=April 10, 2014 |access-date=September 22, 2017 |website=[[Deseret News]]}}</ref> a revelation she is too proud to admit.<ref name=":28">{{Cite web |last=C |first=Sandy |date=2017 |title=The 30 best Disney songs |url=https://hiddenremote.com/2017/10/16/the-30-best-disney-songs/13/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216074232/https://hiddenremote.com/2017/10/16/the-30-best-disney-songs/13/ |archive-date=December 16, 2018 |access-date=December 15, 2018 |website=Hidden Remote}}</ref> Therefore, she tries to convince herself that she is not falling in love,<ref name=":40" /> although her attempts
"I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" expresses Meg's conflicting feelings about Hercules, who she insists she does not love, only for her claims to constantly be refuted by the Muses.<ref name=":27">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_zMrDwAAQBAJ&q=i+won%27t+say+%28i%27m+in+love%29+megara&pg=PA74|title=Musicological Identities: Essays in Honor of Susan McClary|last=Warwick|first=Jacqueline|publisher=[[Routledge]]|year=2017|isbn=9781351556750|___location=United Kingdom|pages=74|via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> Considered to be Meg's [[signature song]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.moviefreak.com/artman/publish/bluray_hercules_1997.shtml |title=Hercules (1997) - Special Edition (Blu-ray) |last=Fetters |first=Sarah Michelle |date=August 12, 2014 |website=MovieFreak.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308071233/http://www.moviefreak.com/artman/publish/bluray_hercules_1997.shtml |archive-date=March 8, 2016 |access-date=March 6, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[Filmtracks.com]] described "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" as the film's "standard 'female song of longing'."<ref name=":32" /> According to Taylor Weatherby of ''Billboard'', the character "finally comes to a conclusion to which many a girl (or guy) can relate".<ref name=":23" /> Tracy Dye of [[Bustle (magazine)|''Bustle'']] described the scene: "Joined by The Muses, Meg attempts to vehemently deny her amour for Hercules",<ref name=":13">{{Cite web|last=Dye|first=Tracy|date=July 10, 2015|title=7 Reasons Meg From 'Hercules' Is The Most Underrated Disney Heroine Ever|url=http://www.bustle.com/articles/96508-7-reasons-meg-from-hercules-is-the-most-underrated-disney-heroine-ever|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914061518/http://www.bustle.com/articles/96508-7-reasons-meg-from-hercules-is-the-most-underrated-disney-heroine-ever|archive-date=September 14, 2018|access-date=March 3, 2016|website=[[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]]}}</ref> and Zahraa Schroeder of [[Smile 90.4FM]] described it as "Meg’s brain fighting her heart".<ref name=":39" /> Additionally, the musical number predicts that one of Hercules' most difficult challenges will be trying to change Meg's opinion of him.<ref name=":15">{{Cite web|url=http://opinionmoviegoer.blogspot.ca/2014/06/hercules-ron-clements-and-john-musker.html|title=Hercules (Ron Clements and John Musker, 1997) Review|date=June 6, 2014|website=Opinionated Movie-Goer|access-date=March 6, 2016}}</ref> Writing for ''[[The Daily Dot]]'', Aja Romano cited the song as Meg's [["I Want" song]],<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Romano |first=Aja |date=December 11, 2015 |title=The definitive ranking of Disney 'Want Songs' |url=http://www.dailydot.com/fandom/ten-best-disney-want-songs/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240618165408/http://www.dailydot.com/fandom/ten-best-disney-want-songs/ |archive-date=June 18, 2024 |access-date=July 6, 2016 |website=[[The Daily Dot]]}}</ref> whereas ''[[USA Today]]''<nowiki/>'s Patrick Ryan labeled it as the film's [[11 o'clock number]].<ref name=":41" /> In addition to her conflicted feelings about Hercules, "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" also demonstrates Meg's independence.<ref name=":31">{{Cite web |last=Wilkinson |first=Matt |date=March 5, 2021 |title=Disney+: Every Song In Hercules, Ranked Worst To Best |url=https://screenrant.com/disney-hercules-songs-ranked-worst-to-best/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240507130139/https://screenrant.com/disney-hercules-songs-ranked-worst-to-best/ |archive-date=May 7, 2024 |access-date=April 27, 2021 |website=[[Screen Rant]]}}</ref>
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== Impact and legacy ==
"I Won't Say I'm in Love" has been included on various Disney song rankings by several media publications.<ref name=":39" /><ref name=":42" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zafar |first=Aylin |date=April 21, 2014 |title=The Definitive Ranking Of The 102 Best Animated Disney Songs |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/azafar/the-definitive-ranking-of-the-102-best-animated-disney-songs#.wmrR4yVl6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250210113047/https://www.buzzfeed.com/azafar/the-definitive-ranking-of-the-102-best-animated-disney-songs#.wmrR4yVl6 |archive-date=February 10, 2025 |access-date=March 2, 2016 |website=[[BuzzFeed]]}}</ref> According to ''[[Good Housekeeping]]'', "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" is the 12th best Disney song of all-time.<ref name=":43">{{Cite news |last=LaScala |first=Marisa |date=April 16, 2019 |title=The 42 Best Disney Songs of All Time |url=https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/g26886855/best-disney-songs/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240623024054/https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/g26886855/best-disney-songs/ |archive-date=June 23, 2024 |access-date=February 24, 2025 |work=[[Good Housekeeping]]}}</ref> In 2024, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" the 18th best Disney song,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Levitt |first=Barry |date=November 27, 2024 |title=The 50 Best Disney Songs, Ranked |url=https://time.com/7178930/best-disney-songs/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250213113453/https://time.com/7178930/best-disney-songs/ |archive-date=February 13, 2025 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> and ''[[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|Cosmopolitan]]'' ranked it 39th.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Truffaut-Wong |first=Olivia |last2=Hanrahan |first2=Laura |date=October 23, 2023 |title=The 50 Best Disney Songs of All Time, From 'The Lion King' to 'Frozen' |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/music/g32268415/best-disney-songs/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241124181654/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/music/g32268415/best-disney-songs/ |archive-date=November 24, 2024 |access-date=February 24, 2025 |work=[[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|Cosmopolitan]]}}</ref> Dalin Rowell of ''[[/Film]]'' called it "one of the greatest songs in Disney history",<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Rowell |first=Dalin |date=October 13, 2024 |title=The 20 Most Under Appreciated Disney Animated Characters |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/805230/the-20-most-under-appreciated-disney-animated-characters/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430174437/https://www.slashfilm.com/805230/the-20-most-under-appreciated-disney-animated-characters/ |archive-date=April 30, 2024 |access-date=January 28, 2025 |work=[[/Film]]}}</ref> and ''Billboard'' named it the 45th greatest song from the "Disneyverse", out of 100.<ref name=":38" /> [[Beamly]] ranked it fifth on the website's list of "Best Ever Disney Songs", with author Sophie Hall nicknaming Meg "The [[Celine Dion]] of the cartoon world".<ref name=":18" /> [[BuzzFeed]] and [[D23 (Disney)|D23]] ranked the song Disney's ninth and 10th greatest love song, respectively
Contrarily, "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" has earned a reputation as one of Disney's most underrated songs.<ref name=":16" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Travis |first=Abi |date=March 22, 2021 |title=Good News! 'The Disney Family Singalong' Is Officially on Disney Plus |url=https://www.distractify.com/p/will-the-disney-singalong-be-on-disney-plus |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126130750/https://www.distractify.com/p/will-the-disney-singalong-be-on-disney-plus |archive-date=January 26, 2025 |access-date=April 30, 2021 |website=[[Distractify]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Adams |date=May 22, 2019 |title=The 12 Most Underrated Disney Songs |url=https://us933fm.com/news/the-12-most-underrated-disney-songs/ |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430140517/https://us933fm.com/news/the-12-most-underrated-disney-songs/ |archive-date=April 30, 2021 |access-date=April 30, 2021 |website=[[WBTU|US 93.3]]}}</ref> While ranking the track the 16th best song of the Disney Renaissance, [[Syfy|Syfy Wire]]'s Caitlin Busch called Meg "an underrated heroine with an underrated love song", which she described as "funny, poignant, and a perfect transition".<ref name=":29" /> [[Moviepilot]] included the song in a similar listicle, with author Jeremiah Paul describing it as a "hidden gem" and praising Egan's performance.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Paul |first=Jeremiah |date=August 24, 2015 |title=10 Of the Most Underrated Disney Songs of All Time! |url=http://moviepilot.com/posts/3486824 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160520230229/http://moviepilot.com/posts/3486824 |archive-date=May 20, 2016 |access-date=March 2, 2016 |website=[[Moviepilot]]}}</ref> Jerrica Tisdale of CinemaBlend described the song's underappreciation as "nearly criminal".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tisdale |first=Jessica |date=April 17, 2020 |title=Big Hero 6 And 11 Other Underrated Movies To Watch On Disney+ |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2494329/big-hero-6-and-other-underrated-movies-to-watch-on-disney |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240808034751/https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2494329/big-hero-6-and-other-underrated-movies-to-watch-on-disney |archive-date=August 8, 2024 |access-date=April 30, 2021 |website=[[CinemaBlend]]}}</ref> Calling it one of Disney's 12 most underrated classic songs, ''Billboard''<nowiki/>'s Aly Semigran said the song deserves to be a "karaoke mainstay".<ref name=":24" />
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