The Little Mermaid (soundtrack) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Little Mermaid: Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by Various Artists
Released	October 19, 1989 (1989 Original Release) October 14, 1997 (Re-release) October 31, 2000 (Special Edition Double Pack) October 3, 2006 (2006 2-Disc Special Edition) November 24, 2014 (Legacy Collection)
Recorded	1988–1989
Genre	Broadway musical-style soundtrack, film score
Length	43:18 (1989 and 1997 releases) 1:47:13 (Legacy Collection)
Label	Walt Disney
Producer	Alan Menken Howard Ashman Robert Kraft
Walt Disney Animation Studios chronology
Oliver & Company (1988) The Little Mermaid: Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack (1989) The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
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The Little Mermaid: Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack is the official music album from the 1989 Disney animated movie, The Little Mermaid. This album features all the beloved songs from the film, written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. It also includes the background music, known as the film's score, which was composed by Alan Menken. Thomas Pasatieri helped arrange the score for the orchestra.

This soundtrack became very popular, selling millions of copies and earning a "multi-platinum" award. It also won a Grammy Award for Best Recording for Children. The music from the album also won other big awards, like the Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition for "Under the Sea", and Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song (also for "Under the Sea"). It also received a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score.

The soundtrack was first released by Walt Disney Records on October 19, 1989, as both a CD and a cassette tape. Over the years, new versions of the album have been released. For example, in 1994, it was part of a special collection called The Music Behind the Magic: The Musical Artistry of Alan Menken, Howard Ashman & Tim Rice. This collection even included early versions and demos of the songs.

On October 3, 2006, a new two-disc "Special Edition" of the soundtrack came out. The first disc had the original songs, but with improved sound. The second disc featured new versions of the movie's songs sung by popular artists like Ashley Tisdale, Raven-Symoné, The Jonas Brothers, and Jessica Simpson. This edition also included music videos. Later, in 2014, The Legacy Collection: The Little Mermaid was released to celebrate the film's 25th anniversary.

Songs on the Album

The original soundtrack includes all the songs and background music from The Little Mermaid. All the music was composed by Alan Menken, with lyrics by Howard Ashman.

All music composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman. All scores composed by Menken.

How the Music Was Made

Alan Menken was first hired to write only the songs for The Little Mermaid. But after he showed some of his ideas for the background music, he was asked to compose the entire score. This decision led to him winning an Academy Award for the best movie music of 1989.

Here are some cool facts about the movie's score:

• Many parts of the music use a specific musical key, like E-flat major. You can hear this in "Main Titles" and "Happy Ending."
• For darker moments, especially when Ursula is around, the music often uses a different key, D-sharp minor. This makes her theme sound mysterious and powerful.
• Different instruments are used to represent characters. For example, the French horn often plays when King Triton is on screen. The oboe is used for Prince Eric, and the flute usually plays Ariel's special melody. Clarinets are used for Scuttle.
• You might notice that synthesizers and electric pianos are used a lot in the songs, but a grand piano is almost never heard.
• Each character often has their own special tune, called a leitmotif. Scuttle's tune can be heard during the "Wedding Announcement" scene. Ursula's theme comes from the song "Poor Unfortunate Souls" and sounds fast and strong when she's using her magic.

Album's Popularity

The soundtrack for The Little Mermaid was very popular and appeared on music charts.