What Is The ‘Little Mermaid’ Lyrics Change Controversy?

Disney’s live-action version of The Little Mermaid is no stranger to controversy. The film originally caused some uproar when it cast actor and singer Halle Bailey as Ariel in 2019, with a number of social media users objecting to a Black performer playing a character who was White in the 1989 animated movie.

Now there’s another problem: composer Alan Menken revealed to Vanity Fair that the lyrics to two key songs have been updated for the 2023 version.

While it’s not surprising that aspects have been changed or added for a remake that’s happening over 30 years later, the original Little Mermaid is so beloved that some folks don’t want anything to be different. Others don’t understand why the lyrics in question needed to be altered.

Keep reading to learn more about the Little Mermaid lyrics controversy, which is creating even more discussion around the movie before its May 26, 2023 released.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Menken—the legendary composer who worked on the 1989 Little Mermaid with the late Howard Ashman—said that Sebastian’s love song “Kiss the Girl” had been changed in order to remove any suggestion that “[Prince Eric] would, in any way, force himself on [Ariel].”

Menken did not say which specific lyrics were altered, or what the updated versions are.

However, Glamour believes he’s referring to the song’s popular chorus, which includes the lines “It don’t take a word / Not a single word / Go on and kiss the girl.”

Since Ariel cannot speak during the scene, having lost her voice at that point in the movie, those lyrics have been the subject of debate in more recent years. Some fans believe that they suggest Eric should kiss Ariel without her consent, and Menken has now worked to remove that concern in the live-action version.

As is the case with many modern remakes, though, social media has been divided on the change. Some Twitter users have said that the updates are akin to “ruining” the songs, while others think 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 user incuworm. “Especially when the songs are as beloved as ‘Kiss the Girl’ and ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls.’

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 “lines that might make young girls somehow 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.

One line in the song is, “It’s she who holds her tongue who gets a man.”

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. On Deadline Hollywood‘s report about the news, a commenter simply wrote, “Oh thank God.”

Every remake and reboot comes with differing opinions, as some viewers get excited for changes and others worry about staying true to the original. That’s even more expected with something like The Little Mermaid, which many Disney fans grew up with and still consider to be one of their favorite films.

But regardless of which side you’re on, no one knows the songs better than Menken, who made them so beloved in the first place. If anyone can make changes and still preserve the magic of the original versions, it’s him.

Menken and Ashman earned The Little Mermaid three Oscar nominations, which were Disney’s first since The Rescuers in 1977. Menken won for Best Original Score while the duo shared the award for Best Original Song.

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