The 'Little Mermaid' Lyrics Change Controversy Halle Bailey Talks Music (EXCLUSIVE)

June 2024 · 5 minute read

What is the 'Little Mermaid' lyric change controversy all about? Halle Bailey spoke with 'Distractify' about the Disney film's soundtrack!

Pretty Honore - Author

Disney despatched the web into a tizzy when it used to be introduced that singer-songwriter Halle Bailey was slated to superstar in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.

While some social media users voiced their issues about Halle being cast as Ariel — who was once white in the 1989 animated movie — others welcomed the step toward diversity. But the Disney princess's ethnicity is not the best innovation that audience will come across in the film.

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Fans can be surprised to be told that the lyrics to not one, however two key songs in The Little Mermaid were up to date for the 2023 version.

Ahead of the movie's free up, Halle addressed the controversy and shared what it was once like operating alongside the movie's original composer, Alan Menken, and Lin Manuel-Miranda at the back of the scenes of The Little Mermaid in an exclusive interview with Distractify. Read on for more!

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Halle Bailey talks running with 'Little Mermaid' composers Alan Menken and Lin Manuel-Miranda.

Halle does all of her own stunts in The Little Mermaid, and via stunts, we mean the riffs and runs. The singer follows in the footsteps of former Disney Princess Jodi Benson, who voiced Ariel in the authentic movie more than 3 many years in the past. "It was wonderful to be able to work with the musical team on The Little Mermaid. Alan Menken is a legend," Halle instructed us, including, "Lin Manuel is great as well!"

"It was cool collaborating with them when they worked on the new songs for the film, and then, the original songs are still the same songs we all know and love. So I'm so so excited for people to see our new version," the singer gushed.

While developing the movie, the solid and staff honed in on developing new classics while nonetheless staying true to the authentic soundtrack ... this is, in fact, with the exception of a few minor changes ...

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The 'Little Mermaid' lyric controversy explained.

Following the May 26 premiere of The Little Mermaid, the lyric change controversy set social media ablaze, another time. A TikTok posted by person @gabriellaxoxo60 gives us a glimpse at the updates that have been made to the track.

"There is only one way to ask her / It don't take a word, not a single word," Sebastion sings in the original film. "Go on and kiss the girl!"

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The 2023 model, on the other hand, is a little bit different: "Use your words boy, and ask her / If the time is right and the time is tonight / Go on and kiss the girl!"

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Menken—the mythical composer who worked on the 1989 Little Mermaid with the overdue Howard Ashman—stated that Sebastian's love track "Kiss the Girl" have been modified with the intention to take away any recommendation that "[Prince Eric] would, in any way, force himself on [Ariel]."

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Since Ariel can not discuss during the scene, having lost her voice at that time in the film, the ones lyrics had been the subject of debate in more recent years. Some lovers imagine that they counsel Eric will have to kiss Ariel with out her consent, and Menken has now worked to take away that concern in the live-action model.

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As is the case with many fashionable remakes, though, social media has been divided on the change. Some Twitter users have stated that the updates are comparable to "ruining" the songs, while others suppose they're an overreaction.

"Why did Disney think it was a smart idea to change the lyrics to the songs in The Little Mermaid?" tweeted consumer @incuworm. "Especially when the songs are as beloved as 'Kiss the Girl' and 'Poor Unfortunate Souls.'

'Poor Unfortunate Souls' is also getting a lyric update for the live-action 'Little Mermaid.'

Little Mermaid villain Ursula's major number "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is the other Little Mermaid song getting a lyrical revision. Menken explained to Vanity Fair that some of the original words could now be interpreted as "traces that would possibly make young ladies come what may really feel that they shouldn’t speak out of turn."

Menken did acknowledge that the entire point of the song is Ursula convincing Ariel to give up her literal voice — but Disney doesn't want that to be interpreted metaphorically.

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One line in the song is, "It’s she who holds her tongue who gets a person."

Yet some fans have counterpointed that since Ursula is an antagonist, she should be able to say (or sing) things that aren't positive. After all, her entire goal is to undermine Ariel.

It's worth noting that not everyone is bothered by the Little Mermaid lyric changes, though. In Deadline's report about the news, a commenter simply wrote, "Oh thank God."

But without reference to which aspect you might be on, no one knows the songs higher than Menken, who made them so loved in the first position. If somebody could make changes and nonetheless preserve the magic of the original variations, it is him.

The Little Mermaid will likely be released in theatres on May 26, 2023.

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