Kiss the Girl
"Kiss the Girl" is a song written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for Walt Disney Pictures' animated film The Little Mermaid (1989). Originally recorded by American actor Samuel Wright in his film role as Sebastian, "Kiss the Girl" is a romantic calypso love song; the song's lyrics encourages Prince Eric to kiss Ariel before it's too late.
"Kiss the Girl"
1989
1988-1989
2:43
- Menken
- Ashman
- Robert Kraft
"Kiss the Girl" had a mostly positive reception. The song was nominated for both an Academy and Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, but lost both to "Under the Sea", another song from The Little Mermaid soundtrack.
Lyrics[edit]
The lyrics of the song are written in 6 stanzas of 7 verses each, each stanza closing with the refrain sung as a slight variation of expressing the expectation of what happens when "You kiss the girl". The variations of the single verse refrain start with "You wanna kiss the girl", going through slight variations in each stanza until the closing stanza which sings the refrain as "You gotta kiss the girl". The song closes with an outro which repeats each version of the refrain one after the other.[1] The song's lyrics express the expectations of a boyfriend about to bestow a first kiss to his romantic interest.[2] For the 2023 live-action film, some of the lyrics were updated in response to viewers who have gotten "sensitive about the idea that [Prince Eric] would, in any way, force himself on [Ariel]."[3]
"Kiss the Girl"
July 13, 1998
1997
2:52
Mushroom Records
Peter Andre
September 4, 2006 (Radio Disney)
2006
3:23
2016
2:44
Cover versions[edit]
Soul II Soul[edit]
In 1991, Soul II Soul released a version for the compilation Simply Mad About the Mouse: A Musical Celebration of Imagination. Their version also appeared in part one of the Family Matters episode "We're Going to Disney World" during the montage with Stefan Urquelle (played by Jaleel White) and Laura Winslow (played by Kellie Shanygne Williams) in Disney World.
Little Texas[edit]
Country music band Little Texas recorded a version on the 1996 album The Best of Country Sing the Best of Disney. This rendition peaked at number 52 on the Hot Country Songs charts.
Stellar Kart[edit]
Christian Punk band Stellar Kart covered "Kiss the Girl" on their 2012 complimentary A Whole New World EP.