The live-action The Little Mermaid took a new spin on the original movie's musical numbers and threw a couple of additions into the mix—but some turned out a little better than others. As a whole, Disney's remake captured the spirit of the iconic songs from the 1989 animated classic. "Part of Your World," "Under the Sea," and "Poor Unfortunate Souls" were all ed for—though the interpretation of each was fresh and unique. Then, new songs like "Wild Uncharted Waters" and "For the First Time" were written specifically for the Little Mermaid remake and served to add a little extra flavor to various characters.
Still, it isn't easy to live up to the legacy of a film that has been beloved for decades. The 1989 version of The Little Mermaid's soundtrack struck the right chord with audiences, so much so that the movie went on to inspire a Broadway musical. These are songs that have embedded themselves in popular culture, so Disney had to take great care with its remake. In this regard, some pieces were adapted better than others, and some of the new additions didn't quite hold up in the same way.
8 "Fathoms Below"
"Fathoms Below" is the opening song of both the animated The Little Mermaid and the 2023 remake. It sets the stage for Ariel and Eric's story, introducing the ship where the titular mermaid would first set eyes on her handsome prince. The remake's version of this sea shanty-style song was a little different and included a verse about the king of the ocean that clearly connected to King Triton. This was an improvement on the original, but as a short and sweet song, it's not nearly as memorable as the others.
7 "Wild Uncharted Waters"
Prince Eric's character wasn't largely explored in the 1989 The Little Mermaid, and the 2023 remake sought to remedy this. He was given a more complex backstory, which made his arc (and implied destiny to end up with Ariel) all the more satisfying. This was partly pulled off with the new song "Wild Uncharted Waters." The music was cleverly composed to mesh perfectly with Ariel's iconic vocal runs, which helped make it cohesive with the original score. Actor Jonah Hauer-King's vocals were great, and the ocean scenes were visually stunning. Still, it lacked the fun of the following musical numbers.
6 "The Scuttlebutt"
Another new song for The Little Mermaid, "The Scuttlebutt," gave Scuttle and Sebastian a moment in the spotlight. The song has the unmistakable flare of writer and composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, and actors Awkwafina and Daveed Diggs pulled off the rapid lyrics perfectly. However, the more modern style of "The Scuttlebutt" didn't fit as well with the rest of the movie's musical numbers, and the unsettling hyperrealism of animals like Sebastian in The Little Mermaid made the song a little less fun than it would have been in animation.
5 "Under the Sea"
"Under the Sea" is one of the first songs that comes to mind with ing the 1989 The Little Mermaid. Bright, colorful, and a ton of fun, the number did perfectly what Sebastian intended—made life under the sea look like paradise. This was much the same in the 2023 remake. Daveed Diggs again hit the nail on the head with his vocal performance, and the added vocal riffs from Ariel were a great touch. Unfortunately, this The Little Mermaid song perfectly demonstrated how Disney's obsession with realism can be a problem. In an effort to make all the sea life seem real, a lot of the whimsical flavor of the original number was lost.
4 "For the First Time"
Ariel's dream and central motivation in both versions of The Little Mermaid is to experience life in the world above the sea. Unfortunately, in the 1989 film, the mermaid-turned-human lost sight of this when her focus shifted entirely to her romance with Prince Eric. The 2023 remake brought attention back to Ariel's dreams by giving her a new song that explored her feelings as she experienced this new world. "For the First Time" is the sort of song that seems like it should have been in the original and helps the overall story make even more sense. Certainly the best of The Little Mermaid's new songs, it just doesn't hold up to the adapted OGs.
3 "Poor Unfortunate Souls"
The Sea Witch is another character that was ultimately improved by the remake. Ursula's familial connection to King Triton in the 2023 The Little Mermaid adds a stronger foundation to her desire for vengeance and power, which means songs like "Poor Unfortunate Souls" packs a little more punch. Still, it was the visual effects of this musical number that really made it stand out. Ursula and her cave were given a bioluminescent quality, which made the dark scene contrast against the rest of the film. Actress Melissa McCarthy brought a bored quality to the character that wasn't for everyone, but the overall effect still held up.
2 "Kiss the Girl"
One of the major changes of the 2023 The Little Mermaid was the of Ariel and Ursula's deal. In the remake's version, Ariel magically forgot about the need to get Eric to kiss her as soon as she got her legs. The positive impact of this change became clear in "Kiss the Girl," when, instead of only trying to get Eric to make a move, Sebastian had the job of subliminally influencing Ariel as well. This added an extra layer of suspense to the number, which was only improved by the visually stunning scene surrounding the couple. Ultimately, "Kiss the Girl" was the scene in which The Little Mermaid's realism became a major benefit.
1 "Part of Your World"
"Part of Your World," as well as its later reprise, was Ariel's big moment in The Little Mermaid. In the 1989 version, actress Jodi Benson's vocal performance was really what made the moment impactful. Full of emotion and longing, Benson made Ariel's hopes and dreams easy to empathize with. Though it could not have been an easy task, actress Halle Bailey managed to take this even further. The young vocalist's talent is clear throughout the entirety of "Part of Your World," but it was her option-up vocals in the reprise, accompanied by the realistic crashing wave, that made this iconic The Little Mermaid moment even better.
