The Disney song that almost never existed because executives thought children would be bored
In short: Part of Your World was nearly cut from The Little Mermaid after a test screening where a child spilled popcorn. Disney executives feared the ballad was too slow, but lyricist Howard Ashman fought to keep it, arguing the film would fail if audiences could not root for Ariel's inner journey.
Written in 1986 by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, Part of Your World was designed as an 'I Want' song—a Broadway-inspired musical number where the protagonist reveals their deepest desires. Ashman, who previously collaborated with Jodi Benson on the musical Smile, insisted the song was essential for establishing Ariel as a living, breathing character. He envisioned it as an 'inner diary of thoughts' that would allow the audience to connect with her yearning for the human world long before she ever meets Prince Eric.
The production process was unconventional. Ashman directed Benson from inside the recording booth on August 16, 1989, whispering lines to her to ensure a raw, realistic performance rather than a traditional belted vocal. He even had her use placeholder terms like 'thingamabobs' and 'whozits' to reflect a mermaid’s limited knowledge of human artifacts. Animator Glen Keane was so moved by the performance that he volunteered to lead the animation for the sequence, viewing it as the pivotal moment where the audience truly falls in love with the character.
The song’s survival remains a legendary piece of animation history. After Jeffrey Katzenberg ordered its removal, Ashman, directors Ron Clements and John Musker, and Keane successfully defended it, citing the success of similar 'wish' songs like Over the Rainbow in The Wizard of Oz. By the second test screening, the song resonated deeply with audiences, moving some to tears. It has since become a standard for animated musicals, praised for its agency and its role in defining Ariel as a character driven by curiosity rather than just romance.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Part of Your World
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