You know that feeling when a certain melody just pulls you back to your childhood living room? For a lot of us, that’s the sound of a steel drum or a soaring "I want" song from under the sea. Music is the heartbeat of this franchise. Honestly, without the specific genius of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, Disney might not even be the powerhouse it is today. They basically invented the modern animated musical by mashing up Broadway storytelling with film.
But if you're trying to put together a definitive list of The Little Mermaid songs, it gets a bit messy. You have the 1989 original, the 2008 Broadway expansion, and that 2023 live-action remake. Each version adds its own flavor, and some even cut the classics.
The 1989 Classics: Where it All Started
The original soundtrack is lean. It’s only about seven major songs, but every single one is a banger. No filler. Howard Ashman, the lyricist, was the one who suggested Sebastian should be Jamaican, which gave us that iconic calypso feel.
- Fathoms Below: The opening sea shanty. It’s short, setting the stage for the mystery of the ocean.
- Daughters of Triton: This is that 38-second intro for Ariel’s sisters. You probably remember it mainly because Ariel misses her cue at the end.
- Part of Your World: The gold standard. Did you know Jeffrey Katzenberg almost cut this song? He thought it was too slow for kids. Thankfully, he was talked out of it, and we got the most famous "I want" song in history.
- Under the Sea: The Oscar winner. It’s basically a high-energy plea for Ariel to stop being so obsessed with humans.
- Poor Unfortunate Souls: Pat Carroll’s performance here is legendary. It’s a masterclass in "theatrical villainy."
- Les Poissons: A weird, chaotic, slightly violent song about a French chef trying to cook Sebastian. It’s pure slapstick.
- Kiss the Girl: The mood-setter. It’s simple, romantic, and uses the percussion of the swamp to build tension.
The 2023 Live-Action Additions
When Disney decided to go live-action, they brought in Lin-Manuel Miranda to work with Alan Menken. They kept the big hits but tweaked a few things. Some people weren't thrilled about the lyric changes in "Poor Unfortunate Souls" and "Kiss the Girl"—they were updated to be more sensitive regarding consent and female empowerment.
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Whether you like the changes or not, the new songs definitely added a different energy.
Wild Uncharted Waters
Prince Eric finally got a voice! In the original, he’s kinda just... there. Jonah Hauer-King gives Eric a big, sweeping power ballad that explains why he’s so obsessed with the sea. It makes him feel more like a real person and less like a cardboard cutout.
For the First Time
This one is interesting because it happens while Ariel is mute. It’s an internal monologue. It captures the sensory overload of being on land for the first time—the feeling of gravity, wearing shoes, and seeing fire.
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The Scuttlebutt
This is the "love it or hate it" track. It’s very Lin-Manuel Miranda. Awkwafina (Scuttle) and Daveed Diggs (Sebastian) perform a rapid-fire rap-style song about the gossip involving Prince Eric. It’s fast. It’s quirky. It definitely feels different from the rest of the score.
The Broadway Deep Cuts
If you’ve never seen the stage musical, you’re missing out on a massive list of The Little Mermaid songs that never made it to the screen. To fill a two-hour show, they had to add a ton of material.
- She’s in Love: A 1960s girl-group style song where the Mersisters and Flounder realize Ariel is in love. It’s incredibly catchy.
- Her Voice: Another Eric solo, though different from the 2023 version.
- Positoovity: Scuttle’s big tap-dance number. It’s a pun-filled song about staying positive.
- If Only: A beautiful quartet where Ariel, Eric, Sebastian, and King Triton all sing about their internal struggles at the same time.
- Daddy’s Little Angel: This replaced "I Want the Good Times Back" in later versions of the show. It gives Ursula a much deeper backstory involving her siblings.
Why Some Songs Disappeared
It’s always a bummer when a favorite gets cut. In the 2023 movie, "Daughters of Triton" and "Les Poissons" were nowhere to be found. Why? Pacing, mostly.
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Directors often feel that what works in a 2D cartoon (like a crab being chased by a cleaver-wielding chef) looks a bit too gruesome or "uncanny valley" in live action. Also, the 2023 version wanted to focus more on the emotional connection between Ariel and Eric rather than the side-character hijinks.
Comparison of Key Soundtrack Elements
| Feature | 1989 Animated | 2023 Live-Action | Broadway Musical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prince Eric Solo | No | Yes ("Wild Uncharted Waters") | Yes ("Her Voice", "One Step Closer") |
| Ariel's Sisters | Yes ("Daughters of Triton") | Mentioned / Score only | Yes ("She's in Love") |
| Villain Songs | "Poor Unfortunate Souls" | "Poor Unfortunate Souls" (Edited) | "I Want the Good Times Back" or "Daddy's Little Angel" |
| Scuttle's Role | Dialogue only | Rap Song ("The Scuttlebutt") | Tap Dance ("Positoovity") |
Making the Most of the Music
If you're a fan, don't just stick to one version. The 1989 soundtrack is the blueprint for how to write a perfect movie musical. However, the Broadway cast recording (especially with Sierra Boggess as Ariel) offers a much deeper look at the characters' motivations.
To really appreciate the list of The Little Mermaid songs, listen to the demos. Hearing Howard Ashman sing the "Poor Unfortunate Souls" demo is a trip. You can hear exactly how he wanted the character to sound before a single frame was even drawn.
The best way to experience these tracks today is to create a "master" playlist. Mix the nostalgia of Jodi Benson with the power of Halle Bailey and the theatricality of the Broadway cast. It gives the story a scope that one single movie just can't reach.
Next, you might want to look into the "Legacy Collection" albums released by Disney, which include the original demos and work tapes that show how these songs evolved from simple piano tunes into the orchestral masterpieces we know today.