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Disney's The Little Mermaid Pop Culture

Disney Legend: Alan Menken

Howard Ashman and Alan Menken

The songs in The Little Mermaid  were written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman and forever changed the Walt Disney Company and it’s contribution to music.

Alan Menken revolutionized Disney and the Disney musical by using the musical theater format in storytelling. They did this, by using storytelling techniques, typically used in musical theater and giving them a Disney twist.

Alan Menken and Howard Ashman as a team, wrote and composed all the songs for The Little Mermaid, staying true to their musical theater roots. Ariel’s iconic song of Part of Your World. Howard Ashman famously referred to this song as the “want song” and it is.

 

During Part of Your World, we learn about Ariel’s hopes and dreams of exploring land and asking humans questions about the human world.

Growing up in the 90s, the music in The Little Mermaid was a pivotal point in our childhood. Singing along to the soundtrack on cassette and watching the movie on VHS.

As children, we lived and breathed the soundtrack, knowing every song word for word from memory. We didn’t just listen to the music, we absorbed it and lived it every time we sang the memorable lyrics.

The music of The Little Mermaid has a voice that is completely it’s own and there is nothing like it.

And we can all thank Alan Menken and Howard Ashman for that! Thank you Alan, for making us Part of Your world!

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Disney's The Little Mermaid Hans Christian Andersen Pop Culture

Howard on Disney+

Howard Ashman

On July 16th, 2020 the Walt Disney Studios had announced that it would debut an original documentary on the life and music of Disney Legend, Howard Ashman titled Howard.

Howard is scheduled to be streamed on Disney+ on August 7th, 2020.

Howard Ashman’s influence on Disney is evident, even today. He used the storytelling formula, normally used in musical theater and Disneyfied it.

If it wasn’t for Howard Ashman, Ariel wouldn’t have her iconic “want song” of Part of Your World.

He was even referred as “Another Walt” by Roy E. Disney for his passion of music, drive for perfection, and love of storytelling.

The announcement of this documentary is very exciting for any Disney fan or fan of The Little Mermaid knowing that Howard’s contributions to The Walt Disney Studios goes beyond the storyboard and piano.

This documentary will give fans a chance to learn more about a man whose become nothing short of a Legend. Howard Ashman.