You know that feeling when you're just washing dishes and suddenly you're belt-singing about gizmos and gadgets? It happens to the best of us. Songs from the little mermaid lyrics have this weird, almost magnetic grip on our collective memory. It’s not just nostalgia talking, either. There is a specific, calculated brilliance behind how Howard Ashman and Alan Menken put these tracks together back in 1989, and why the 2023 live-action tweaks felt so jarring to some and refreshing to others.
Honestly, it changed everything for Disney. Before Ariel hit the screen, the studio was kind of flailing. Then came a crab with a Jamaican accent and a princess who wanted to trade her voice for a pair of legs, and suddenly, the "Disney Renaissance" was born.
The "I Want" Song Formula That Changed Movies
Every great musical needs an "I Want" song. It’s basically the moment the protagonist tells the audience exactly what’s wrong with their life and what they’re gonna do to fix it. For Ariel, that’s "Part of Your World."
But here’s a fun fact most people forget: Jeffrey Katzenberg, who was the head of Disney’s film division at the time, actually wanted to cut the song. He thought it was boring. He saw a kid dropping popcorn during a test screening and decided the song had to go. Thankfully, the animators and Howard Ashman fought like hell to keep it. Can you imagine the movie without it? The lyrics are surprisingly conversational. Ashman insisted that Ariel shouldn't just be singing "at" the audience; she should be discovering things.
When she says, "What do you call 'em? Oh, feet!" it feels real. It’s a stumbling, awkward realization. The 1989 lyrics focus heavily on the curiosity of a collector. She’s got twenty thingamabobs, but she doesn't have the one thing that matters: autonomy. In the 2023 version, Halle Bailey brings a different kind of vocal power to these same lyrics, but the core remains the same. It's about the universal human desire to belong somewhere else.
Under the Sea: Why the Rhythm Works
If "Part of Your World" is the heart, "Under the Sea" is the engine. This is where the Calypso influence kicks in. Howard Ashman actually suggested making Sebastian Jamaican—originally, the character was envisioned as a stuffy English butler-type crab. Boring, right?
By shifting to a Caribbean rhythm, the songs from the little mermaid lyrics gained a syncopation that makes them impossible not to dance to. Look at the wordplay in the second verse:
The triton blow the horn
The carp play the harp
The plaice play the bass
And they soundin' sharp
It’s simple, but the internal rhyming is tight. It’s designed to be a "showstopper" in the literal sense—a number so big and colorful that it stops the plot just to give the audience a massive shot of dopamine. Interestingly, the lyrics serve as a warning. Sebastian isn't just praising the ocean; he’s trying to scare Ariel into staying put. It’s a propaganda song disguised as a party.
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The Darker Side of Poor Unfortunate Souls
Ursula is arguably the best-written Disney villain because she doesn't think she's a villain. She thinks she's a "businesswoman." The lyrics to "Poor Unfortunate Souls" are a masterclass in manipulation.
Pat Carroll, the original voice of Ursula, famously modeled her performance on drag queens, specifically Divine. The lyrics reflect that theatricality. When she sings about "the bossy-on-land," she’s playing on Ariel’s insecurities. There's a specific line that gets a lot of talk:
"The men up there don't like a lot of blabber / They think a girl who gossips is a bore!"
In the 2023 remake, they actually cut some of these lines. The producers felt that in a modern context, telling a young girl to shut up to get a man wasn't the message they wanted to send, even if it was coming from a villain. Some fans hated the change, arguing that the whole point is that Ursula is lying and being manipulative. Either way, the original lyrics remain a biting satire of "traditional" gender roles from the late 80s.
Kiss the Girl and the Consent Conversation
Then we have the boat scene. "Kiss the Girl" is a masterpiece of atmosphere. The lyrics are meant to be a whisper, a nudge. However, this is where the biggest lyrical shift happened between the 1989 and 2023 versions.
In the original, Sebastian sings:
"Possible she want you too, there is one way to ask her. It don’t take a word, not a single word, go on and kiss the girl."
In the 2023 version, Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped in to tweak these lyrics. The new version emphasizes asking for permission:
"Use your words, boy, and ask her. If the time is right and the time is tonight, go on and kiss the girl."
It’s a small change, but it sparked huge debates online. Some felt it ruined the rhyme scheme; others felt it was a necessary update for the "Me Too" era. Regardless of where you stand, it shows how much weight these songs from the little mermaid lyrics actually carry. They aren't just background noise; they are cultural touchstones that we re-evaluate as our society changes.
New Additions: "For the First Time" and "Wild Uncharted Waters"
The 2023 movie added new tracks because, frankly, you need more than 80 minutes of content for a modern blockbuster. "For the First Time" gives Ariel a voice inside her head once she's actually on land and lost her literal voice.
It’s a clever lyrical trick. We get to hear her internal monologue about how gravity feels heavy and how the sun is too bright. It rounds out her character. Then there’s Prince Eric’s power ballad, "Wild Uncharted Waters." For decades, Eric was basically a cardboard cutout with nice hair. The new lyrics give him a personality—he’s also a bit of an outcast who feels more at home on the sea than on the throne. It mirrors Ariel’s journey perfectly.
Why We Can't Stop Singing Them
Why do these songs stick? It’s the "Sondheim effect." Howard Ashman was a student of traditional theater. He didn't write "pop songs" for a movie; he wrote theater pieces that moved the story forward. Every line in the lyrics serves a purpose.
If you look at the structure of "Les Poissons," it’s pure farce. It’s frantic, it’s violent, and it provides a necessary break from the romantic tension. The lyrics use French clichés to build a character (Chef Louis) who is essentially a cartoon version of a gourmet executioner. It's dark, but the bouncy melody hides the "horror" of what’s happening to the fish.
How to Appreciate the Lyricism Today
If you really want to get into the weeds with these songs, stop listening to them as "kids' music." Listen to the orchestral arrangements. Notice how the music under the lyrics swells when Ariel reaches for the light at the top of her cave.
- Listen for the "Leitmotifs": These are recurring musical themes associated with specific characters. Ariel's theme is hidden in the background of almost every other song.
- Compare the versions: Play the 1989 and 2023 soundtracks back-to-back. Notice the "breathiness" in Halle Bailey’s version versus the Broadway-style "belt" of Jodi Benson.
- Read the liner notes: If you can find the original demos with Howard Ashman singing the parts himself, do it. His guide vocals for Ursula are legendary.
The songs from the little mermaid lyrics are more than just words that rhyme with "blue" and "you." They are the reason Disney regained its crown. They taught an entire generation how to express longing, how to fear the "witch" in the cave, and how to hope for something better than the status quo. Whether you prefer the classic hand-drawn era or the CGI-soaked modern updates, the DNA of the songwriting remains the gold standard for what a movie musical should be.
Next time you hear that opening flute melody, don't fight it. Just sing along. You know the words anyway.
Actionable Insights for Disney Fans
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If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of Disney's musical history, your next step is to watch the documentary Howard on Disney+. It details the life of Howard Ashman and how his specific lyrical genius shaped The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. Understanding the man behind the lyrics makes the songs hit ten times harder. Additionally, if you're a musician, try looking up the sheet music for "Part of Your World"—the use of the "Lydian" mode is what gives it that floaty, underwater feeling.