The text of the cult song in 'The Little Mermaid' will be changed to comply with the new norms of the culture of consent

Composer Alan Menken revealed that the lyrics of at least two songs from the original The Little Mermaid cartoon have been changed for the upcoming remake. Writes about it ClassicFM.

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In 1989, the release of the acclaimed animated classic The Little Mermaid marked the beginning of the so-called Disney renaissance, ushering in an era of critically and commercially successful musical films.

The music, in particular, received critical acclaim through the work of legendary film composer Alan Menken. He received two Oscars for his soundtrack, one for Best Original Score and the other for Best Original Song Under the Sea.

But despite the award-winning soundtrack, the upcoming remake of the 1989 classic starring Halle Bailey as Ariel not only adds new tracks to the live version, it also changes the lyrics of two of the original songs.

Menken, who is working on the 2023 remake alongside star composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, said: "There are some lyrical changes in Kiss the Girl because people have become very sick of the idea that Prince Eric will be imposing himself on Ariel in any way. ".

Hollywood's attitude towards consent has changed rapidly since 1989, not least because of the Me too movement that sparked industry discussion in the early 2000s.

The original lyrics for Kiss the Girl include the line "Yes, you want her; Look at her, you know what you're doing; Maybe she wants you too. There is one way to ask her; It doesn't require words; Not a single word; Go and kiss the girl."

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The suggestion that Eric doesn't need to ask Ariel if she wants to be kissed is perhaps what Menken is alluding to when he says that today's viewers are more sensitive to the young prince's intentions.

This isn't the first time Disney or Menken have adapted lyrics from an original film for a later adaptation.

In 2019, the Disney remake of Aladdin (and for which Mencken composed the score) also underwent a lyrical change to the opening song "Arabian Night" to avoid racist connotations, for which the studio was criticized when the original film was released 27 years ago.

In addition to the changes in Kiss the Girl, the antagonist's main number also received reworked text. The song Poor Unfortunate Souls, sung by the sea witch Ursula (played by Melissa McCarthy in the remake of The Little Mermaid), has been changed to encourage female empowerment.

In the original, the film's villain sings: “The men up there don't like to talk much; They think a girl who gossips is a bore! Meanwhile, on land, ladies prefer not to say a word; And it's true, dear, what's the use of idle chatter? They are not particularly impressed by the conversation; Real gentlemen avoid it when they can; But they adore, swoon and fawn over a lady who is reserved; The one who keeps her mouth shut turns a man on."

The hint that women will only find love with a man when she is silent seems to be disturbing, which is why the lyrics of this song were changed in the remake.

"We have some fixes in Poor Unfortunate Souls," Menchen said. "In regards to lines that might make young girls feel in some way that they shouldn't speak, even though Ursula is clearly manipulating Ariel into giving up her voice."

What new songs will appear in The Little Mermaid (2023)

Four new songs were written by Menken and Miranda for the upcoming film, which is due out on May 25, 2023, but only three of them made it into the remake.

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The first of the four is sung by Ariel when she first steps on the ground. The solo song For the First Time describes all the thoughts of a young mermaid about the first step into another world.

Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) also got his own song in the remake called Wild Unchartered Waters.

The last new song featured in the film is Scuttlebut, a musical rap inspired by the character Scuttle (voiced by Awkwafina). This seagull hero is joined in the duo by Sebastian the crab (voiced by David Diggs).

In addition, Menken and Miranda wrote the song Impossible Child for Ariel's father, King Triton, but it was not included in the film.

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