![]() Fan Response to Awkwafina's Little Mermaid Song Disney ![]() Starring Halle Bailey and directed by Rob Marshall, this version of The Little Mermaid includes many of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's songs from the 1989 film, along with a few new additions. ![]() Taking it out dumbs down not only Ursula but everybody listening.The new live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has been hailed as one of Disney's best, but one of its new tunes is making quite a splash online. But in the film’s desire to offend nobody, it’s removed one of the most insightful accounts of the way women are mistreated in society. This cynicism is central to her character, and these omitted lines tell us so much about why Ursula is so distrustful and keen to manipulate. Ursula is a villain - of course we shouldn’t trust anything she says! But Ursula’s musical tirade about how men don’t value women on the surface reveals a key part of who Usrula is. In fact, the very best line of the song is no longer present: “Don’t underestimate the importance of body language!” Gone, too, is Ursula’s explanation of how men up there don’t particularly care for a woman who speaks her mind, and she’s actually better off unable to make a sound.Īs Alan Menken explained to Vanity Fair, that section of the song has disappeared because it “might make young girls somehow feel that they shouldn’t speak out of turn.” But this reveals a poor understanding of both the song itself and Ursula as a character. Mercifully, the sensational “Poor Unfortunate Souls” has no changes to its lyrics, but it does omit a crucial verse. There’s no sugar-coating it: Excluding the virulently racist songs in Disney’s canon, “Scuttlebutt” represents the absolute nadir of the studio’s massive musical catalog. If any child decides that this song is their favorite and wants to listen to it on repeat - that’s likely, as kids don’t have fully developed taste buds - then there will be a sea of furious parents directing their ire at Miranda. The song finds Miranda unable to resist his own impulses, favoring rapid lyrical exposition over meaning, serving his own desires over the story itself. It technically has information that moves the plot forward, but it’s muddled so dramatically by utter nonsense that it feels more like an anchor, stopping the film dead in its tracks. ![]() It’s a cacophonic mess with lyrics about beaks (?) and fat pigeons (?). It could have worked here too, if “Scuttlebutt” wasn’t so sloppily written and didn’t sound like a personal attack on everyone’s eardrums. Before Hamilton, nobody would have thought that rap would fit in 1700s America, but Lin-Manuel Miranda proved them wrong. It’s not that rap can’t be part of this world. The Super Fun ‘Barbie’ Soundtrack Is About to Take Over the World Great musical numbers dive beyond the surface, but “For the First Time” just reinforces what we already know. Most of what Ariel is singing is exactly what’s on screen, merely telling us everything we can see with our own eyes. The issue here is that it feels more like narration than an actual song. It’s certainly the best of the new additions, and that’s largely thanks to Bailey, who sings it so beautifully and fills it with personality. The song explores how Ariel feels now that she’s on land. “For the First Time,” gives Bailey the chance to show off more of her vocal talents - a smart move since she’s far and away the best part of the movie. It’s hard to believe the gist of Eric’s plight - that he’s unable to live life as he wants - when he’s doing exactly what he wants while singing about his so-called restrictions. But sure enough, just a few seconds later, he’s singing on… a ship. Plus, the whole issue of Eric feeling trapped is drastically undercut by the fact that his mother, just moments before he began singing, told him he can never get on a ship again. Every one of them has stood the test of time, and that’s rarely clearer than in the stunning new rendition of “Part of Your World,” courtesy of our new Ariel, the wonderful Halle Bailey. The 1989 film is a legitimate masterpiece, and its songs, from composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman, are perhaps the film’s greatest strength. Part of the increased runtime comes from new music there are three new songs added to the mix - “Wild Uncharted Waters,” “For the First Time,” and “Scuttlebutt.” There’s also an additional reprise for the classic “Part of Your World,” as well as lyrical changes/omissions to two of the original songs: “Poor Unfortunate Souls” and “Kiss the Girl.” Everything about this film is bigger than its predecessor. ![]() Disney’s latest live-action adaptation, The Little Mermaid, is here! As per studio standards, it is a significant expansion of the 1989 animated classic, increasing it by a whopping 52 minutes. ![]()
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