The highly anticipated live-action “The Little Mermaid” just hit theaters on May 26th, and aside from songs from the original movie like “Part of Your World,” “Under the Sea,” and “Kiss the Girl,” the Audiences around the world were able to enjoy four new songs courtesy of the original animated film’s composer, Alan Menken, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
For the most part, the songs from the original film sound the same in the 2023 remake, but Menken warned fans that there would be some minor changes to the original lyrics to make the film, which was originally released in 1989. ., feeling more modern. “There are some changes in the lyrics of ‘Kiss the Girl’ because people have become very sensitive to the idea that [Prince Eric] would prevail in any way [Ariel]“, Menken told Vanity Fair in March.
No one would blame you if you initially missed Menken and Miranda’s edits to “Kiss the Girl.” These are small but necessary changes. But a bigger change was made to the film’s overall plot, completely altering the nature of Ariel’s quest to kiss Prince Eric. Ahead, read all about it.
“The Little Mermaid” 2023 “Kiss the Girl” Lyrics Changes
In the original “The Little Mermaid” and the new live-action remake, Prince Eric must kiss Ariel before sunset on the third day she becomes human if she wishes to stay on earth as a human. To that end, Ariel’s friends use their interference skills to get Ariel and Prince Eric out for a romantic boat ride on a lake, at which point they sing “Kiss the Girl” to Eric in hopes that the music will influence it, well, kiss the girl.
The potentially problematic lyrics from the original movie that Menken and Miranda changed were when Sebastian sings, “Possible she want you too/There’s a way to ask her / It doesn’t take a word, not a single word/Go and kiss the girl.” These words, if taken at face value, might suggest that the only way for Prince Eric to ask Ariel if she wants him to kiss her is to simply do it (as the lyrics explicitly say, it has nothing to say at all).
A minor change to these lyrics completely removes this implication from the song. Instead, in the remake, Sebastian sings, “Maybe she wants you too/Use your words, boy, and ask her / If the time is right and the time is right tonight/ Go ahead and kiss the girl.” This meaningful little change encourages Prince Eric to get Ariel’s consent before trying to kiss her and, only if the time is right (that is, if she says yes), it should.
Some might say this setting was unnecessary, since A) the viewer already knows that Ariel is in love with Eric and wants him to kiss her as they go on their boat ride, and B) at no point does Eric try to force himself on Ariel. But you could also say that if all it takes to erase a potentially negative implication is to change two lines in a song, then why not change them? And let’s be real: “If the time is right and the time is right tonight” is infinitely smarter than “it doesn’t take a word, not a single word”.
Ariel’s quest to kiss Prince Eric in “The Little Mermaid” 2023
Another reason the producers behind the new live action “Little Mermaid” may have wanted to change the lyrics to “Kiss the Girl” is because of a bigger change they made to the plot: Ariel’s quest to kiss Eric.
In the original film, Ariel is fully aware that she needs a kiss from Eric to remain human, per her contract with Ursula. However, in the remake, Ursula adds another layer of duplicity to her spell.
The Sea Witch made Ariel forget that she has to kiss Eric to stay human, and whenever someone mentions that Ariel has to rush to kiss Eric, she becomes dazed and confused. In other words, while Ariel is still fighting for Eric’s heart in the remake, she’s not as eager to stick together, because she doesn’t even remember it’s necessary. thus, the viewer cannot say for sure that Ariel wants to kiss Eric.
While kissing your prince has long been a staple of fairy tales, “The Little Mermaid” remake flips the tired trope, and it works. Ahead, read the slightly edited lyrics to “Kiss the Girl” from “The Little Mermaid.”
“Kiss the Girl” lyrics from “The Little Mermaid”
INTRO
Percussion
Strings
The winds
Words
VERSE 1
There you see her
Sitting there on the other side of the road
She doesn’t have much to say
But there’s something about her
And you don’t know why
But you’re dying to try
you want to kiss the girl
VERSE 2
yes you want it
Look at her, you know you do
Maybe she wants you too
Use your words, boy, and ask her
If the time is right and the time is right tonight
Go ahead and kiss the girl
CHORUS
Sha-la-la-la-la-la, my, oh, my
Looks like the boy too shy
I will not kiss the girl
Sha-la-la-la-la-la, isn’t it sad?
Isn’t that a shame? Damage
He will miss the girl
VERSE 3
now is your time
Floating in a blue lagoon
Boy you better do it soon
No time will be better
Ooh, ooh, man, do it soon
No time will be better
She doesn’t say a word
And she won’t say a word until you’re
kiss the girl
kiss the girl
kiss the girl
CHORUS
(Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
Don’t be afraid (Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
You got the vibe prepared (Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
Go ahead and kiss the girl
(Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
(Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
(Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
Yeah yeah
(Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
Don’t stop now (Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
Don’t try to hide it (Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
How do you want to kiss the girl
(Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
(Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
(Sha-la)
you want to kiss the girl
(Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
Float along (Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
And listen to the song (Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
The song says “Kiss the girl”
(Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
The music game (Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
Do what the music says (Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
you have to kiss the girl
(Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
Do what the music says (Sha-la)
You gotta kiss the girl (Sha-la-la-la-la-la)
kiss the girl
POST-CHORUS
you have to kiss the girl
Why don’t you kiss the girl
Kiss the girl, kiss the girl
Come on and kiss the girl
Kiss the girl, kiss the girl
Go ahead and kiss the girl
kiss the girl
kiss the girl
