How Disney’s Animators And Howard Ashman Brought The Little Mermaid’s Music To Life

According to “The Little Mermaid” co-director John Musker, working alongside the storyboard artists enhanced Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s creative process: 

“[T]hey had visual ideas that then they could influence the lyrics or the orchestrations in some case, where they would say, ‘Okay, let’s give this line to the bass and we’ll do a visual on that.’ So it was very collaborative back and forth which made it more seamless.” 

You can see easily see the synergy of their partnership on screen. In “Under the Sea,” a fast-paced montage showcases a rainbow of vibrant and unique sea creatures. The bright colors accentuate the song’s spirited rhythms. The camera moves quickly to the beat of the lively calypso tune, and the arrangement of the bouncing fish in colorful lines and patterns fits the song’s raucous energy. Menken’s use of steel drums and marimbas also adds a tropical flavor to the bouncy scene.

“Part of Your World” is a beloved song where the camera moves with fluid grace, swirling around Ariel as she swims through her secret grotto. It expands to reveal more and more of her human treasures and thingamabobs. The close-ups of her yearning face — particularly the iconic shot when she reaches her hand through the top of the grotto, illuminated by the tantalizing light of the human world — are beautiful. Ariel’s desire for the world above becomes even more powerful through her heightened animated emotions and Jodi Benson’s soaring voice. The animators give Ariel’s expressions — ranging from curiosity, despair, and hopefulness in a single song — an intensity that accentuates the passionate lyrics.

By working so closely alongside the artists, Alan Menken and Howard Ashman were able to create the perfect harmony of music and animation.