I’ve never been attached to little mermaid at all, but I think the difference between the two is: Jodi sang as a character Hallie sang as a professional vocalist Both versions have their own things to like about them, but I just prefer the quieter tone of the original idk
Exactly! I think Jodi followed direction for the character, whereas Halle made the song her own and showcased her vocals-instead of playing the character. That’s the biggest difference I noticed.
@@grcly3nactually if you listen to halles natural singing style you would hear that she definitely sung in the way she felt the character would. Halle naturally sings more softly and with her head voice.
Disney has truly stopped it in a shit about “characters”. They used to pick broadway singers and people that had skill in singing and acting. Now they just grab big names. At least Halle should be fine branching out (you know, once she gets out of that deadbeat relationship these 20 something’s keeps tricking themselves into and gets used to being full time single mom) but no one else sounds very good in this.
Yeah, I agree. Lol I do hate Disney's remakes but I can't deny that she did sing well in that song too. Though it's just good as a generic singer whereas Jodi was perfect for a character/movie.
12:06 The silent hand ✋ reaching through the grotto was actually pretty powerful to me, especially the silent part of it. But what brings in down again is when Halle sings “Wish I could beeeee” extending that last word into several up & down notes, which I think takes away from the simple “could be” from the original where it’s expressed as a whisper & the lack of pause on the final line of “Part of that……world.” again takes away the gravity of just how forbidden Ariel’s wish IS & why she only dares say it aloud (& softly at that) within the sanctuary of her grotto.
In my opinion, the run at the end pulls me in closer to her desire. I really like the originals whisper tone and wistful feelings, but I feel like Halle really wanted us to feel the internal pull that her Ariel is experiencing. She’s almost holding onto that moment until she has to inevitably let it go and realize her reality. She wants to explore and live that fantasy, but can’t. She doesn’t know how she’ll do it but she knows that something within her makes her destined to achieve it.
On its own, that part of Halle’s vocals is GORGEOUS, and that hand is amazing, but we needed to see her face afterward, and the vocals…it’s like it was meant to sound pretty out of context of the movie. It didn’t work in the story, which sucks.
The hank moment was so powerful, the way they decided to film it it’s was really good. It’s like the typical image we all have in our heads of prisioners behind bars trying to reach the outside. And that’s it’s, It’s Ariel trying to escape from her jail reaching for freedom, it also gets deeper after you watched the movie for a second time as Triton verbally express his desire of Ariel never leaving her underwater world.
What Howard Ashman and Jodi Benson accomplished together was pure magic. Thank you for highlighting the fundamentals behind what made the original so Iconic.
Im so sorry guys but that shot at 11:33...I hate it so much, its like a zoombie hand coming from a grave, the original cinematography and composition was so much better than this amateur shot. It made me legit upset at how horrible it looked. In original you see ariel reaching for the sky and human world, but being stuck inside a cave at the bottom of the ocean - visually symbolising that she just cant get what her heart wants
Good. The new version gives off the vibe that Ariel feels like no matter how determined or passionate she is to be where she feels like she belongs. She will never reach that level of where that determination she strives anytime soon so matter how much desperation creeps up inside her to be “where the people are”. I think you need to calm down. I get it, it’s an awkward shot, but it has an incredible meaning.
@@Mila-zu6ru No sorry...I still see just zombie hand, they didnt even go for a more interesting angle. Im not saying anything else about the movie, the meaning probably is there...Its just, let me sum it up = worse shot than original.
@@123wink321 it’s not supposed to be a beautiful shot. It just looks more pleasing in the animation because it’s well…animated. When it’s live you see the desperation and how displeasing it looks because that’s exactly how Ariel feels.
I feel like Halle Bailey has a beautiful voice, but the direction given for her performance of it was all wrong. It’s like she was told to do a power ballad, when in reality Part of Your World is like a private monologue. It’s like they told Halle to sing Part of Your World with the same intensity as Let it Go. Danielle Marsh’s Korean rendition, or Yichun Shan’s Mandarin rendition of the 2023 Part of Your World seems to capture the point of the song better while having the dramatic flairs of the remake.
Ashman was such an actor in helping the actors from the 1989 convey brilliantly the emotions. I thought the live-action remake missed a vocal producer to further help the actors act out their voice.
100% this comment. Listening to Halle on other songs she definitely has that Disney princess voice. I was so excited when she was cast and I was hoping to hear her sing more similarly to the original b/c she also has a beautiful sound when she sings softer, and sweeter. But alas, this was different...which of course is fine and does showcase her as a powerhouse but can we get a cover of her singing another version on the soundtrack or something? :D
Why some people think soft singing and general quite dinamycs is equal to great intepretation or emotion? There was a time where people needed to proyect, opera, teather etc. Ashman directed Jody in a way that was very unique and precise,it is compelling and the end result beatiful. But it doesnt mean ist the only way to intepret the piece. My point is that power in itself is no necesseraly good, but quiet singing cannot become the standard, ever. Its not good for the voice in general, any singer with tell you that. Coming back to the song, i love Jodys versión because it is what Ashman visualized, but we need to have room for others, because Halle did it with respect and care.
Yes, yes, 100 times yes. "Part of Your World" is a *monologue set to music,* not a power ballad. You wouldn't go out on stage and shout your way through Hamlet's "To be or not to be" monologue. You don't go adding unnecessary runs to "Part of Your World" just because the singer can perform them.
It definetly feels like the remake is really bloated and dramatized. The original is more subtle, more intimate, which makes us connect to the characters way more. It is contradicting since the remake is lit so much more poorly (because of a very stupid idea to make it as realistic as possible), so i was expecting for it to be even more intimate and connected especially to Halle. The song's quality is definetly good, but it's not logical in it's context. The whole argument of "why do you care so much it's just a kid's movie" is redundant at this point. Everyone cares for different reasons, especially those who critique the movies. The movie and it's cast suffered a lot with internet's racism, however it shouldn't rid the movie of the genuine criticisms it has. It's once again a shame Halle's talent is wasted on this cashgrab, i hope her future roles only go up from here and with her talent they definetly will
@@nigihayami6 agree because personally the remakes version resonates with me because of the determination in her voice and “continuing passed the instrument” really added to the notion that it’s not something she would easily give up on and the longing she has to experience up above. Again though, a lot of this knit picking a kid will not care about ultimately
Exactly OP, it's nice that the song connected with people, but a movie is more than sound, and it doesn't look like it fits what they're showing on screen, which is a valid criticism. And yes, playing the "kids movie" defense has always been weak, but especially for Disney live-action remakes, because everyone (including the people making the "kids movie" defense) know very well that Disney isn't making these remakes just for kids and kids aren't the only ones watching
I think the biggest difference I found between the two and you really hear it in part of your word reprise is that Jodi's Ariel is hopeful that she will be able to be part of that world whereas Halle's is determined to be part of that world and to me that's the the big difference between the two.
In my personal interpretation, Jodi's version conveys Ariel's hopeful naive little girl of a character. Halle sounds more like a Diva, that's just it, a theatrical diva that's far from the naive curious little girl we know Ariel as to be.
So being passionate and determined = diva?? That’s absurd. I’m glad she took the role to a different place rather than just attempting to emulate the original (which everyone tries to do)
@@jesusiscomingback1829 yea, why should she? She made it her own and was great. Don’t see what’s wrong with evolving a character in a new way. Both adaptations are good imo
I was really skeptical of the remake version, but when I heard it, it felt like listening to someone who’s really frustrated. It intrigued me, which led me to go see it. What I noticed was that they changed Ariel from a young girls who had a strong sense of adventure into someone who knew where she wanted to be but was stuck. It resonated with me a lot more because I’m basically someone who’s grown up all my life with so much neglect where even if I screamed my dreams and aspirations, no one would hear or care. That’s what the belting is supposed to represent, just someone’s dreams drowned out by the environment and their reality.
100% agree, that’s what made me resonate with the remakes song as well. That incredible desperation and woe is something I’ve felt in my life, and I can feel it through that song.
@@Anon-qp3ktwhich is why she’s frustrated?? because she is not able to explore and figure out exactly what she wants?? those feelings of hopelessness and desire is indeed portrayed perfectly in the live action
Howard Ashman specifically asked for "Part of Your World" to be sung like a monologue, it's not meant for anyone else outside of the grotto to hear what Ariel was singing, the scene should be more intimate with a youthful wonder, more gentleness and love for the world on land, since the focus of the song is something she loves, I don't think the remake version capture the emotions of the original. In the animated version, Ariel wishes to be part of the human world, she felt sad that the ocean was trapping her in a way that no one else seemed to understand, but in the remake version, they made Ariel sound like she hate the fact that the ocean is trapping her, feeling sad about something isn't the same as feeling hate towards something. The reprise of the song should sound hopeful, but here it just feels like repeating the same kind of singing of the first part, which adds no new emotion to the song. In the original version, when Ariel sighs and the song ends slowly and gently with the last few verses, I can really feel the emotion there which is the things Ariel tells us what she wants to do in the song are just wishful thinking at this point. Yes, she can sing better than people like me who are not trained to sing as professionals, but when singing songs like Part of Your World, it's like how Jodi Benson herself puts it, you have to capture the emotions of the song, it's not always about showing off the skills, skills may be used but the overall song has to be focused on emotion, which I think is lacking in this remake and the song didn't sound quite right. I always think that when you hear Part of Your World, it's important to capture that youthful feeling, Ariel is at best young adult by definition of the time period she lives in after all, and the remake is just...I don't know, I think in the remake it sounds like someone who is like over 20 years old singing the song and I didn't get the feeling that the character is still in her teenage years and young adult years like in the original. Here in the remake it feels like Halle is singing for a contest, there are judges at the front row and she's gotta use every difficult skill in the song to get a high score, which completely misses the point of the song, that is being gentle, wistful and intimate. I know singing while acting is hard, but Halle's expression looks like she's under a lot of pressure and just didn't know what expression she should have at the moment, which kind of takes me out of the experience.
@@lexirandolph3378 It's really just bad casting considering the fact that they cast a singer whose strong suit isn't acting in a role that require the actress to do silent acting with body language and a variety of facial expressions. But they made it worse by completely missing the point of the song and the spirit of the character.
You know you’re absolutely right in that it does have a “throwing everything they’ve got at us to impress us” feel. And I think part of that is because they knew it would probably leak before the movie came out, (or they would make it a huge part of the promotional material themselves, which they did) and might be THE deciding factor as to whether it interested people or not, or even if they would accept Halle Bailey (or anyone not Jodi Benson) in the role. They probably felt like they had a lot “to prove” and so they went all out. Another smaller part is, I wonder how much shows like The Voice and American Idol have changed the way the public expects their music to be? Like, it seems like we’re demanding MORE, BIGGER, HIGHER, FASTER, LOUDER than we did in the past, and I wonder how much of that is because there’s kind of this implicit normalization that that’s just how music is supposed to be in order to be successful. Never give anyone a chance to lose interest, if the song has slow or quiet parts it needs to speed them up and loud them up! But I might be wrong about that, lol.
@@cellytron As much as I love the "pop music" now, the first time I actually fell in love with a piece of music was when the music is gentle, and that kind of music wasn't even created three decades ago. It depends on the purpose, the music pieces in The Little Mermaid animated movie were never meant to sound really loud, but they butchered the music and they didn't even had the excuse like being in a theater environment to make the changes.
The original played into who Ariel’s character was in the 89 version which to me was wistful, hopeful, and a romantic daydreamer. Which I think Jodi was properly coached into portraying. And I feel like Halle’s Ariel was adapted as a vocalist first and then into her modern characterization of determination, endearing, and desire-which I think works for the Reprise of Part of Your World but not the main theme because I find the subtle whispers more intimate and personal to oneself. Both versions are great as they are independently, however when I compare them I resonate more with the 89 version.
I remember as a kid when I watched the original movie and heard this song for the first time, as a young kid, I cried because my situation in school was pretty bad and I didn’t tell anyone. Home and fictional worlds were my safe space, but I still longed for connection that wasn’t my family, and the way the original captured and grasped that distant wishful thinking while capturing the curiosity and heartbreak, the wonder, all at the same time was just..Ariel was and still is my favourite Disney princess. As a writer now, I can say with certainty that while I enjoyed the remake, the writing and directing of the original is and forever will be unparalleled. But, I think the reason the remake of this song doesn’t fall as hard as the others is because the creative team finally recognises that. They know they can not replicate the original, especially with the animation to live action switch, so they put their own spin on it, which I can appreciate and even enjoy. It feels less of a mockery and more of an appreciation of the original.
Weardly enough, I feel the remake of "Part of your world" doesn't fitt Ariels story, but it would fitt pretty well with the ORIGINAL "Little Mermaid". Let me explain: Ariels story in the Disney movie starts of with curiousity and a solomn wishing for something out of your reach. Ariel is able to see the human world from a far, but never able to really interact with it (till she makes the deal). It's just barely out of her reach, and the only thing she can do to "interact" with it, is collect trinkets and ask a seagul about information. The og "Part of your world" reflects that perfectly. The desperate wishing for something RIGHT THERE, but yet painfully out of reach. The original "Little Mermaid" is quiet different in that regard. She never interacted with the human world before. Her fascination of it comes from the storys her grandma, and later on her sisters tell her about what they saw on the surface. Other than Ariel, she also doesn't have to "break the rules" to see the surface. All she needs to do, is patiently wait, becouse every mermaid is allowed to visit the surface on her 15th birthday. So she isn't longing and desperate for something she can't have, she is exited and somewhat impatient for it to finally be her turn to see all those things! With that context, the more exiteable and adventurous tone of the "Part of your world -remake" fitts way more here, than it does Ariels story! If used for the og "Little Mermaid " it doesn't become a song of longing for something out of reach (like the og "part of your world"), but a song about the anticipation of something that is soon IN your reach! I gues all this is to say: they should have made an adaptation of the og "Little Mermaid" as a mirror piece to the animatied "Ariel", and should have used the "Part of your world - remake" for that one, becouse it would have fit way more xD In Ariels story, that new version just feels kind of out of place.
I think that's what they're trying to do, that's why they awkwardly put the quote from the book at the beginning awkwardly (doesn't explain the awful plot points that the new one add more mind you)
With that in mind I see the relation, though I wonder how that would fare overall given the tone, subject, and ending of the original story is VERY different from the Disney Animated version.
@@alexandersmith4731 I haven't seen the full movie yet but I get a similar impression of them trying to capture some of the angst from the original, by having ariel struggle more when she arrives on land etc. and expressing more frustration and grief instead of the joyfulness of animated ariel, but of course since it's supposed to be a remake they can't go all out... they still have to follow the beats of the animated movie
The original Little Mermaid dies at the end and has a chance to earn a human soul. She doesn't get the guy and refuses to kill him on his wedding night to become a mermaid again.
My issue is the remake sounds like she's singing a song. Jodi's version sounds like Ariel is singing about what she wants. Halle's version sounds like Halle is singing a song. She's not singing in characters, which is what Jodi is doing, it sounds like Halle is just singing the song as herself.
Yes! Or as I like to put it, she's butchering this beautiful song like it's the American anthem at the Superbowl. I wouldn't blame Haley, because this is just her genre and she's probably too young to know better. But I do blame the musical direction, that's apparently nonexistent nowadays.
Yes! Or as I like to put it, she's butchering this beautiful song like it's the American anthem at the Superbowl. I wouldn't blame Haley, because this is just her genre and she's probably too young to know better. But I do blame the musical direction, that's apparently nonexistent nowadays.
definitely prefer the original. I feel like the quiet wistfulness actually makes it more intense in a way, like there's a lingering frustration that remains contained, just like Ariel still feels trapped, away from the world she longs for... in halle's version the feelings get discharged making for a different feeling, more grandiose like you said. I do appreciate that she was doing her own version of it, though -- better than trying too hard to replicate the original and falling flat -- and it's dreamlike in its own way, but I still think parts of it gets overdone. especially at the end, it honestly brings me out of the song as it feels too much like showing off.
Everything you said is facts honestly. I felt like that’s what was so special about original Ariel. The wistfulness is what makes it complex and sad! Because she was hopeful but hopeless at the same time. While Haille’s one felt a little bit one dimensional. Oh she wants what she wants? Then go for it. Lmao. Like I can’t feel any other emotion in her voice besides trying to show she sounds amazing. Which she is but that’s why her tone doesn’t fit the song And honestly, I can’t buy the performance coz I felt like her acting felt off. Beautiful voice but somehow there seems to be more character in her vocals than her facial expressions…
I disagree. Halle's version sounds absolutely breath-taking and emotionally pulls you in. It has you empathise with her frustration and want to explore the other world. There's also sheer vocal talent too. The original... rather frankly, is quite flat. I think if you're an older person, who's more used to that singing style and has a nostalgia for it, you might like it. But otherwise,if that 80s version came out today, I think people in general wouldn't like the singing style as it's very aged imo
I like the wistfulness of the original one, the song flows smoothly and her voice has this delightful undulation that just fits with her swimming in the ocean a lot more. I don't like the restrained approach halle had in her rendition, I take it as it was meant to portray frustration, but I feel it would have been more beautiful if she had just let herself flow through the song and show thay frustation in key moments, instead of the entire first 1/3. I feel like she used restraint and stress a bit too much, as though it was painful for her to sing (which is what she was going for) but it just takes away from her performance instead of adding to it. Then again, it's just me, and I'd take optimism and wistfulness over frustration any day.
@@OmiieeThe remake song is flat. And sharp. And flat again. That’s what too much vibrato does to a song. The original version was far superior and actually in tune as well as character. If the original came out today, it would blow the remake out of the water. In fact, if Disney played it in theaters again, it would absolutely outsell this dumpster fire remake. You are entitled to your opinion on which one you prefer but there’s no way more people wouldn’t still love the original over the remake. That’s just not true.
For the original song, Jodi Benson was coached quite thoroughly by lyricist Howard Ashman - who came from the theatre world. He wanted her to project a sense of being in a closed space, a sense of wistfulness. He had to remind her to restrain her singing to bring the nuance to the song that he desired. The song and its style are timeless; they aren’t for “older people” or some relic of the late 80’s. Also, powerhouse diva singers existed around that period as well: Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, etc. And from even before that time we have Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, too many to mention - so Halle’s style of singing isn’t anything new, nor is Jodi’s old. I agree with the video in that the version you prefer comes down to personal preference and the emotion you prefer to hear in the song, but if you believe the original is dated, then it’s only a matter of time until the ’new’ version becomes similarly out of style as time passes.
I think the newer one has more of a "I know what I want and I’ll do anything to get it” while the original is more just wistful. The original one makes more sense because at that part in the movie she doesn’t think there could be a way to get that.
that is a really good point! in the remake she acts like there is some way she can realize her dreams. i feel as an audience that already knows the story and that there is a way to realize her dream it's easy to forget that this hasn't been established yet.
Wistfulness is so much more rare in entertainment and for that reason at least more enjoyable than excitement. I appreciate the appreciation of the new version. It's a bold choice but not an effective one. The attempt was worth it, but probably not worth the production cost. We could have always had the TH-cam version for 10% of the cost.
A problem with the tone of the new version is that it makes it sound that Ariel knows she'll go on the surface. She excited to talk about the surface because she knows where the movie is going. She's not wishing to ever go on the surface because everyone knows the movie and where the story is going.
I personally love when a singer holds their note for a few seconds after the instrumentals end. It always feels to me like the emotion they're portraying is too big to be constrained by the song, like the characters are practically bursting with emotion. But then I am a bit dramatic :P
The song almost didn't make it into the original because they were afraid children would find the scene boring (Ariel wistfully singing to herself in a dark quiet place). I think this is why Sebastian is off doing his thing, to make sure they're kept entertained. In the remake, its a given that the song is the centerpiece of the film.
I've said it once before from another video, but what makes the original more personal is the transition of Ariel's emotions from start to end. When she describes everything she wants to experience on land, it was pure excitement and wonder, and you could feel it from her voice. It was more soft and wistful as you said, but that wonder she feels grows as the song goes on. It slowly builds up to that climax where she sings "When's it my turn? Wouldn't I love?". At this point, that's when she starts being desperate and then melancholy as she realizes her dream is nearly impossible to achieve. I think that adds up to your thoughts on how Halle's version of the climax doesn't have the same impact due to the instrumentals. Some of the first few lines sounded more desperate on her version and with hints of frustration as well. She sang the first portion of the song with such intense emotions, that the climax doesn't feel more impactful anymore. While that isn't entirely bad, I just feel it takes away the notion of Ariel wanting to go to land FOR her dream, since a huge aspect of wonder was taken from it. It feels more like she wants to leave for the sake of leaving, especially by the way she said the line "bet they don't reprimand their daughters" with such spite. Her argument with her father before this wasn't her tipping point yet, and I don't like how it implies that she immediately resents him for it. She hasn't even met Eric at this time, so I don't think it should've gone that far yet. Halle's voice is great and definitely the closest to Ariel's. It's the direction for this song I have issues with.
Here's the thing. If Halle Bailey was in the broadway show or performing the song as a concert whether on the cruise line or anniversary etc. I would not have a problem with it at all because she does have a great voice. There is no denying that. And considering the past singers in past live action remakes, that was such a relief. HOWEVER, within the movie the reason it didn't work for me is not actually her performance but the direction and writing behind it. As you mentioned the visuals were very lacking. You could argue they made it dark to make her feel trapped or whatever but in the original they still had this cold wash of blue but still you could see what was going especially, especially Ariel's collection and her red hair makes such a standout showing her fiery drive and passion. And as you mentioned the light shining down from the surface just makes it so beautiful. But it's not just the visuals, it was everything leading up to it. This was something Howard Ashman tried soooo hard with the original is to make the dialogue transfer to song as seamless as possible and the Little Mermaid is a perfect example of that. Because the argument between Ariel & Triton blew up, you felt more for Ariel at that age and cannot get through to him. I think if it wasn't for that argument, she wouldn't have been in that place where she no longer can express herself except in song. In the remake, there was no really temper from Triton or shouting that it made the song kind of come out of nowhere. Also in this remake, because they tried to make Ariel a bit more knowledgeable about the human world "This ship must've been in battle" and she knew what canons were, there less of this optimism for their stuff. In the original it was easier to understand her desire to know more because she doesn't know anything about their stuff so the song is more about wanting to explore and learn more about humans. We all know what it's like to discover something new and being so passionate in wanting to know more. That was what was so charming about Ariel so ironically by making the remake version more aware kind of loses that charm. Also I'm sorry but this is a personal opinion but I hate when she riffed in the song. It so took away from the emotion because again it sounds like she's singing to an audience instead of singing to herself. Sorry I went on and on but this is why this version of the song rubs me the wrong way. Again I do not blame Bailey, this was mainly Disney's approach, the writing and direction of this movie.
I would have to, in good faith, politely disagree. To me, the added dialogue of Ariel’s comment on human stuff better added to her whimsical curiosity of the human world. With that added dialogue - There’s no indication that she new everything per say about the human world, and there’s no indication that she didn’t know those things in the original either. Just because she new a couple of new things doesn’t mean that she didn’t have anything left to learn or to be fascinated with. It better elucidated (at least, in my opinion) that she’s been studying up on human culture and there’s still so many more things she wants to learn. I’m not saying by not having this in the Og is reductive (I actually do prefer both equally), nor am I saying that the OG doesn’t have any merits, but those elements didn’t take away seamless transition and build of part of your world. Also, I can understand where you’re coming from with the exchange between Ariel and King Triton, but I would have to again disagree because sometimes you don’t need heavy emotions to get a point across. The fact that king triton can’t move past his own righteousness and productively listen to his daughter in good faith and silence her without question is reason enough for Ariel to feel misunderstood and suppressed within her own cohort. Javier did a great job of expressing that with his more stoic and less grandiose rendition of the character. Again, this is all my personal opinion and can understand where you’re coming with these takes, but just aren’t factors or blotches to me :)
I actually think that have the instruments cut out was really powerful, it kinda made it feel like she was more isolated and alone. I do wish they kept some of the original's simplicity though.
Listening to both builds for “I want more”…it sounded like Halle wanted more stuff, like I got a Veruca Salt feel “don’t care how, I want it now”… and Ariel was subtle but you could tell she wanted to be a human. Just what struck me from listening to it 🤷♀️
I haven’t seen the remake but I’ve listened to both versions and I’d describe them as a friend letting you in on a secret vs. listening to a friend vent. Which are both valid ways to interpret the song imo
perfectly stated. the original ariel sounds like she’s letting flounder in on a little secret when the remake is like she’s bursting out with it for holding it in for so long
Please do Kiss the Girl next it’s so empty feeling compared to the older movie most likely due to the fact they only let Flouder, Sebastian, and Scuttle sing but the visuals between Ariel and Eric are pretty cute
@@jesusiscomingback1829 Yeah Daveed is great but I lowkey feel this role is a bit of Lin-Manuel nepotism, because it seems weird that they made a guy not known for a Jamaican accent or anything near Sebastian's cadence play this role
@@certifiedbruhmoment85I like a good chunk of Lin’s works but this was by far my least favorite I literally dissociated myself from watching the movie when the Scuttle rap came on it was so annoying and jarring 😔
@@Meadowlarkk Yeah, it was pretty unnecessary. I found it charming on the first watch but it got old really quick, and children growing up with this movie will probably have this as one of their favorite songs 😞
this is absolutely perfect and i love that you didn’t just hate on the new version and actually provided technical comparison in such great depth. great job
I hope you do Under the Sea I’m interested in what you think maybe a bit more insight, but For me it was the worse song out of that entire movie because they removed so much that made the original fun, the other creatures singing and using their bodies as instruments, the liveliness of the ocean waters it’s what brought it together, but importantly made us understand how Ariel felt about life under the sea. In the remake it just sounded so off, but WORSE of the entire song was having Hallie “Ariel” sing under the sea. It was very out of character for Ariel IMO It defeated the purpose of her being uninterested in what Sebastian was saying. And I think it was only added so it could sell more and be more marketable as well. In the original Ariel disappears half way through the song because she gets distracted by flounder wanting to show her something which show to us how truly she’s really not interested, but in the remake she disappears at the end of the song once she was done singing and to me it doesn’t give me that same impression, her just poof magic be gone just felt so odd where again in the original we saw her kinda swim away and not mention she wouldn’t even have enough time for her to disappear without Sebastian noticing in the first place in the remake. But maybe it’s just me, but I hope to see a talk on it and knowing your opinion, breakdowns and perhaps it could possible changing my perspective. Edited: For those in the comments I never said that Ariel dislikes/hated being under the sea I said that she was “uninterested”. Ariel loves her home, but she already knows about all the stuff under the sea it’s literally all she knows, it’s her home, so Sebastian is tell her nothing new and is trying to convince her that life is better where she is. This is why she’s is UNINTERESTED when Sebastian is singing to her.
You nailed exactly the problem I had with it. I couldn't quite put my finger on why Ariel singing along and vibing the whole time bothered me so much. This is why. It's a contradiction to Part of Your World, which is the very heart of her character.
@@marieg595she wants to be part of that world above but that doesn’t mean she can’t also enjoy the fun in the moment. People always complain about consumers saying that Ariel is one-note yet y’all want to put her into a box where she can’t interact with their surroundings and be a real fleshed out person
I disagree having Ariel sing Under the Sea, showed that she didn’t hate her home, honestly I found having Ariel be dismissive and completely hate & dread living in the sea was a little annoying & makes her a bit unlikable.
I like that in this critique you actually acknowledge that things can be different and be good or bad on a personal level. I really like at the end of the remake when it shows her sitting alone at the bottom of the sea. It makes it seem like it was all in her head. She was only reaching through the grotto in her imagination. It makes the whole thing seem even more bittersweet to me. Also, I do like those controversial belts. The first builds that excitement and wonder about all the human things she’s curious about. The second has this strong longing and desperation that is even more accentuated by the music fading away and only leaving her voice. And then again, the music comes back with her stuck in the same spot as if she had been sitting there the whole time, trapped not by rocks or any physical barrier, but reality itself. But like you said, we all have our own opinions and different things resonate in different ways personally. I wouldn’t say either is better, just different.
I like your perspective on the two versions! You're right, it is a matter of personal preference, and I'd say the first one you see is the one that sticks with you the most. I never thought about the intentions of each version, but I'm glad you mentioned it! I think the new version fits really well within the context you put to it, and I actually think the decision to have her hold that note on "above" past the instrumentals suits that context. Like the song as a whole represents her desire to visit the human world, and even when reality sets in (the instrumentals stop), that desire remains. And with the added desperation to Halle's performance, it really makes sense to me.
Your comment on dreams being personal and intimate vs shouted to the world is such a good take on the difference between the generations. I certainly know which one I prefer, and also which way leads to a more satisfying life. Personal circles care about your concerns and dreams; the world as a whole is not listening to the dreams of individuals being screamed dramatically at them.
To anyone who really relates to this song, I recommend listening to Nala’s song in the lion king musical Shadowlands . As someone who’s wrestling with the idea. leaving a university I’m already in that’s close to my family and lover to go far away to another school I might not even get into, it’s so cathartic. While Part of Your World gives you “when’s it my turn?”, shadowland answers that with “it’s your turn right now” and the fear that comes with making decisions that will affect your life path immediately.
I just love both versions. And I really liked the extended "that shore above ". The instruments stops and so should she, but she can't except that yet, she wants to hold to that fantasy as long as she can.
I agree this is mostly due to the direction. There is no doubt that Halle is a great singer. But the direction of the song, and the narrative clash and contradicts. Remake Ariel's version feels MORE desperate. but still follows the rule of NEVER going to the surface- UNTIL she sees the fireworks from Eric's ship. Meanwhile, Animated Ariel is the one who seems to be more accepting of her sad fate. And yet SHE is the one, out of the two versions, who has broken the surface, and has been visiting plenty of times. Animated Ariel was even planning to meet Eric as a mermaid. She was THAT content with where she was. It feels like both Ariels were kind of switched in a way. As if the songs were meant for the other version. And this is what's frustrating with the Remake. Interesting ideas. Poor execution.
I think your wistfulness vs. excitement hit the nail on the head. In the remake, the human world feels like a want - if a very strong one - where in the original it feels to me like a NEED, and so we don’t get frustration but pain at what we know we so desperately need but can never have. In the movie, but also so much in Howard Ashman’s demo recording. And even if that’s painfully relatable and makes you a little emotional at times, I can also appreciate the wanderlust that the remake carries
It's like Dolly's "I will Always Love You". Some people will prefer Whitney's version, but both are good, depending on which mood you're in. 🥰 I personally cannot choose. I've listened to Jodi, halle, Sierra, and others so many times, that everyone's version started to mesh into 1 song in my head lol like all my favorite parts in every rendition as 1 song. Anyone can choose a favorite, i just hate seeing fighting and hating when they're all so good. (Edit to add that i find Halle's version closer to Sierra's Broadway rendition than jodi's original that was heavily directed by Ashman) Anyway, thanks for the breakdown comparison!
I actually love dolly version more because it soft and got more emotion, but i think whitney really killing it too, both versions are great and yeah it's a matter of preference.
While I prefer the original still, the new one did get me to cry, so I’ll give it that. I have tendency to be very receptive to dramatic, grandiose music. There were some points I felt the original did much better, like the ending at “above.” Stopping with the music actually adds to the emotion in this case rather than drawing it out. And the “wish I could be” was also better in the original where they kept that part short too.
I just feel like the second one sounds particularly pop music-y comparitively, especially with it being at a higher key and all the higher notes and runs and stuff. It's reminds me of the pop music covers they put in the credits of some Disney movies, like Moana. It's still preformed very nicely though.
Been really appreciating your breakdowns of these songs, I watched your poor unfortunate souls video and now this (subscribed!) And I really like your approach in breaking down and comparing these songs. You clearly have a lot of knowledge and passion for these things - hope you have continued success and growth on your channel!
Love your analysis. And eeeeeeee so glad to see Tangled the series acknowledge!!!!! One of my favourites. Would love to see you do some videos about those songs too
There's a missing point here, that is an important part of maintaining that type of reserved passion is also that the original song does not change key. In the worlds of pop music and musical theater finishing off with a key change is a helpful tool for bringing songs to a heightened emotional level and when covering Part of Your World, some people have done exactly that but I don't really think that a key change is necessary because that wasn't the intent of the songwriters. Howard said that intensity is better than enormous in this song. In fact I think that's staying in the same key the whole time is what makes it work so well having it push and pull and eventually bring Ariel back down to where she started tells a story effectively it even ends with the same motif it began with showing the audience the life that she wants but then going back to the life that she has. As you can see in the first (look at this stuff) and last (part of that world) sentence the song doesn't change the key at all which really shows that the song is just a small wish from the bottom of her heart and then she realizes that it is impossible to achieve so she returns to the world/reality where she lives. So yeah the live action one is more like a current pop music imo because they change the key, making the highs feels higher and as a result the lows feel lower. But it still works as "I Want" song. From this you can know that Howard Ashman was a great lyricist that he can even tell a story from a song. He also made the song dynamically switching from singing to talking and vice versa but the transition between them is still unnoticeable. But in the remake, Halle looks like she is always singing. Well because im bad at explaining so here's the full explanation. th-cam.com/video/f004vevFZYQ/w-d-xo.html Some people say that Jodi sings the song as a character and Haile sings the song like she is in front of America's Got Talent's juries. Well i can agree with that. Actually, directors (I mean Ashman) do direct them in a certain way. When Jodi Benson was recording, the director specifically told her that she had to sing like she was saying something intimate instead of belting it like she was in front of thousands of people, that's why all her big notes don't actually sound big and powerful but sweet and dramatic. While I believe in Halle's version they did quite the opposite. The really butchered songs are Poor Unfortunate Soul and Kiss the Girl. The lyrics changes is unnecessary and completely ruined the meaning of the song. Under the sea is just out of context because Ariel is not supposed to sung along at that part. You know it's just shows that they dont even care about the story and just want to show off Halle's voice. I dont know what they want to fix from the original even though they just kept ruined Ashman’s legacy. The additional songs are okay, except for Scuttlebutt, it is just a trash. It should not be exist anymore. I mostly prefer Le Poisson than this garbage. I know both songs are supposed to be a jokes but Le poisson is happy and fun meanwhile scuttlebut is cringe. In the original, scuttle doesnt need to sings a literall song and waste our 2 minutes just to conveyed Ariel that Eric is getting married. Scuttle was not character that is designed to be able to sing in the first place (you can see it from kiss the girl scene when its voice literally ruined the mood) yet in this live action they literally gived it a song?! Idk why they still added new song for Eric even though they keep tried to kill his character in every chances Also Im so grateful you mentioned Howard Ashman here. Mad respect for Howard! Disney always had "I want" songs since Snow White but it's only after The Little Mermaid and "Part of Your World" that that's been the formula ever since, thanks to Howard Ashman. The little mermaid, beauty and the beast and aladdin's songs is written by Howard Ashman. It's a shame that just few of disney fans talked about Howard. He is literally the reason why disney is still exist now. Howard Ashman is a legendary lyricist who made Disney rise from its downfall and started the renaissance era of Disney, who recently returned from his huge career in musical broadway theater world that time. You can know that Howard Ashman was a great lyricist that he can even tell a story from a song. He also made the song dynamically switching from singing to talking and vice versa but the transition between them is still unnoticeable. He is the one who directing Jodi Benson to sing Part of Your World. We all know that the original Part of Your World will always be the best "I Want" song, not just because the nostalgia vibe but also Jodi Benson is really well and carefully directed by Howard Ashman, that even her breaths, stress and pause on each syllable are really well and gently cared for. Hard to believe that this beautiful song was almost cut from the movie. Jeffery Kratzenberg hated it and thought that it not only slowed down the movie but was boring. Howard fought hard to convince Katzenberg that this song belonged in the movie. And I'm glad he did. Disney renaissance is mostly known by their songs. Before the little mermaid project, Howard gathered the whole disney crew for a meeting. He tell about broadway history to all the crew and they all were impressed at him. Fun fact: Howard did much more than write the songs on this movie, he also brought on board Jodi Benson, directed her during this song, changed an English butler crab named Clarence to be a Jamaican crab named Sebastien, wrote the dialog in the scene where Triton gives Ariel her legs, and also produced the movie with John Musker. After The Little Mermaid released and became a biggest success in box office, Howard Ashman and Alan Menken was going to make movie called Aladdin. They've come up with several of ideas and musical numbers but Jeffrey Katzenberg then dragging them to a new project, Beauty and The Beast. Unfortunately, Ashman passed away 6 month before beauty and the beast was released and that movie was dedicated to him that even in the credit scene you can see that they gaved him credit to honor him because of how important he was. After beauty and the beast released, Jeffrey then took away all of Ashman's idea and script, almost 99% of them. But sadly some of the songs were removed in the final film He is the one who bring the new element broadway musical to the movie. This is the bright spot where everyone started to wacthing to animated movies again, previously no one was at all interested in animated movies. That's why every single disney movie now has a song in it. Disney keep using this formula until now (but not as effective as in the renaissance) because it's Howard's legacy. You can tell how they respect Ashman that even in Beauty and The Beast credit scene, there's a statement to honor him "To our friend, Howard, who gave a mermaid her voice and a beast his soul, we will be forever grateful." Howard Ashman 1950-1991 No wonder why The Little Mermaid be the first disney animated classic who get an oscar nomination. Also Beauty and the Beast is Disney's 30th animated motion picture, a dedication to Howard Ashman before he had passed away and the only classic movie to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and Best Picture. He was the one who brought “I Want” song to another level! I Want song is literally every disney movies now. "In almost every musical ever written... the leading lady usually sits down on something... and sings about what she wants in life, and the audience falls in love with her and roots for her to get for the rest of the night." - Howard Ashman. He and his partner, Alan Menken, is the greatest duo that anyone have ever recognized in animated movie history. Also gain respect to Alan Menken, The little mermaid is actually his first score yet he can bring the magic with that scores. You can said that Part of Your World orchestra in the opening scene is the best choir you have ever seen and heard. Have you ever heard about the quote "There are three kinds of pianists: Jewish pianists, homosexual pianists, and bad pianists." -Vladimir Horowitz That quote actually referring to Ashman because he was Jewish and gay but still doesnt changed the fact that he really putted his care and love the the movies It's hard not to hear the parallels to his own life. To be a gay man in that day and age (and to be literally dying of AIDS) and to wrestle with that kind of longing, that kind of loneliness, that kind of confusion, that kind of self-hatred... The message comes loud and clear even when it's not sung by a mermaid. Tremendous achievement, brilliant man. RIP. I can't imagine how much more greater and better Disney would have been doing today if this great man was still alive. It hurts to actually wonder. Also here's the way Jodi talks about him th-cam.com/video/8Ivp1e6-okE/w-d-xo.html
Jodi Benson is just amazing. I preformed with her in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I was fan-girling so hard! She was an absolute sweetheart.
Really love that the breakdown isn't exactly biased and openly admits when things aren't clearly one way or another, both pros and cons are presented in a really honest and refreshing way
I think my main complaint with the new song boils down to one sentence that by the end of the film I could not stop myself from saying out loud: SING EVENLY It gets so distracting to me when words aren’t on beat constantly and just mashed together. It can work, but not when they’re pulled off the obvious beat they’re supposed to be on and haphazardly mashed onto the next one.
It feels like the remake is too aware of how important the song is in a meta sense. Like, “look audience! This is the big song of your childhood! Bask!” A lot of the instrumentation feels grandiose for that reason, rather than purely because they’re trying to convey Ariel’s emotion.
11:31 I understand why you think remake version of this scene is worse but for me it's the best moment of Halle's performance. Maybe because it took me off guard, maybe because I love how you can see her hand reaching out just slightly out of a grotto or for any other reason I can't now recognize. I just think it's really neat :) Tho, I love your analisys videos! You're very good at putting your thoughts and knowledge into a video format. I hope you'd make more of them!
Part of That World and Part of Your World are not part of finals week on American Idol. The emotion and connection and little things that Howard and Jodi brought out in that song are what that song needed to tell that part of the story.
I love what you said in this video! It's so easy to immediately be negative toward something new, but you embraced and appreciated those differences! and you don't make those who like remake make feel bad. everyone has different taste! I like listening to different versions of the same songs to see what they do with it. My personal favorite cover of Part of Your World is Jessie J's version from the We Love Disney album. I adore the big notes as I am someone who is very passionate about their dreams. I relate to it and the new version more because of that :) And with the ending note, I actually really liked it! I don't really know how to explain it in words, but the fact that she holds that note just...adds so much desperation for me
My issue with this rendition of this song, along with basically every other aspect of the remake (granted I’ve only seen clips and not the whole movie yet) is that it all seems to take away from the original story they were telling and they don’t really account for it in most instances. Things were planned out the way they were for a reason! A lot of the changes are either totally unnecessary or work to even undermine the original story, and while I think it’s unintentional it just confirms for me that a lot of the people working on this didn’t understand what made the original so compelling to begin with. It’s disappointing.
@@Δ-Δ-Δ-Δ I don’t necessarily think the remakes shouldn’t exist, but if you’re going to do it, do it for a good reason! Do it while understanding the original. I don’t think most of these remakes do that at all.
@@SarahJHug I sadly do. These remakes are not even 100 years old. If I wanted my kids to watch something, I'd put the original, not the re-made versions with poorer casting and questionable ideological decisions thrown in there. The remakes don't teach us anything new, they feel like wasting money in exchange for more money. I know that's how cinema works, but at least the originals delivered a good product. You give me your money, I'll give you the experience of a lifetime. The new ones are like "Give me your money, I'll give you a poorer version of what we already had".
@@SarahJHugYeah.. you need to watch the whole movie cause you and this TH-camr are just comparing Halle's version to the cartoon. Which of course it's gonna be different why would it be the same that's lame to me. But in the remake it makes sense that in Halle's version she is more frustrated because unlike cartoon Ariel who is curious about the above world that's not the same for Halle's Ariel. The remake makes it seem like she already knows she wants to be in the above world and is mad that she is stuck below. All I know is when the remake comes on Disney+. A lot of people are gonna make videos of how ya'll were over-critiquing this film and saying it was bad when it was not at all. I have seen bad remakes this is no where near that. It's just ya'll we're always gonna be biased against it especially with them changing Ariel from jump.
@@laurenj6802 If you enjoy it that’s fine. Your reply doesn’t really get to the heart of my issues with it based on what I’ve seen, but that’s ok. Enjoy the movie.
For anyone who's versed in music theory: it's much more sensible to think of the A# and A#mi chords around 11:00 as Bb and Bbmi, since F is the V of Bb.
I saw a video of Jodi Benson recording this song and how meticulous the director was in what he wanted from her in the singing. Her original run was vastly different than the finished product. I love seeing stuff like that.
I love BOTH, they’re very distinct approaches to the same song but I think they both work, and Halles vocals are amazing. my personal favorite is the Part of your World (reprise ii) in the new one.
Some people really don’t realize how much more emotional little vocal imperfections can make a song. One of my favorite video games of all time has a song in it by Mili, called Gone Angels, a sad, grief-filled somg made all the more heart wrenching by the singer’s voice cracking and shifting in volume, showing how emotional of a moment it is.
I felt as if that Halle was the most exceptional part of this movie and I felt that during this song. What I hate the most about all these remakes is that they hire people who either cannot act or sing. When hearing about Halle being casted in the movie, I was skeptical because of my hate for these remakes, but I appreciated that they actually found someone who can act and sing. While she was recording Part of Your World and recording the scenes for it, she was not trying to be a show off with her singing or acting like other big name Disney live action cast members, she sung the song and performed how the character, Ariel, might sing it and add a bit of her to not copy Jodi Benson. The visuals didn't connect with me, but I really did appreciate that Halle was singing and performing Part of Your World
True, but Halle's version is not very immersive. It feels more like a stage performance. Jodi brings more subtlety. I think it's possible they tried to make Halle's version with more "Let It Go" vibes, but that doesn't work. Let It Go works for Elsa only because its intensity and power is contextual to the story. Whereas Part of Your World's context is more about wishful thinking and Ariel longing to be part of something greater than herself.
@@vetarlittorf1807I think the immersive feeling is subjective like she said in the video. It’s so weird that people have so much trouble giving credit to Halle despite the fact that objectively her singing is better quality than these past live actions. Like the reprise of this song is so great in the remake
@@christopherreeder1679 Oh she did a good job with what she was given and she has a great voice. It's just that she doesn't manage to live up to Jodi Benson. Her version is too intense which doesn't quite fit the character in that situation.
@@vetarlittorf1807Doesn’t fit the character? How?? The same character that disobeys her father to risk her life, give up her voice, alter her body and possibly sell her soul to a sea witch for a man she doesn’t know and live somewhere she’s never been? I think Haley captured that emotion of that level of determination and desperation
To me, the remake song was fine. I’ll always prefer Jodi Benson’s version, but I relate to it more as a wistful, dreamy kid who just wanted to be with everyone else, but knew that it would probably never happen. I like certain parts of the remake, the going up on “and” (while unnecessary) does make Halle feel more desperate, and I can relate to that too. And even her holding that note at the end when instrumentals cut out (I see it as jumping for a dream when there’s no support) I like that too. My problem is the run on “be”. If the interpretation is supposed to be desperate to despondent (which I think is supposed to be the interpretation; Ariel wanting and excited to be with humans, but realizing this will never happen); then the run at the end takes away from that. Instead it comes off as selfish or entitled, or even (hate to say this) tone deaf. I listen to that and hear a performance, not a personal diatribe. That’s my problem with it. Everything else is fine, but that ruins the whole thing for me.
My only gripe with the new Part of That World (and with a lot of the remake really) is that Sebastian was nowhere to be seen. He hardly interacts with Ariel at all until they're on land. He doesn't see her anguish, he doesn't see her perspective, it doesn't feel like he's ever in a position to truly understand her at all. The lack of chemistry/interaction between Sebastian and Ariel takes away a decent chunk of the whole story's impact.
I didn't necessarily grow up with the original. I owned many disney movies that were older than this one as a kid like Cinderella and 101 Dalmations, but somehow not the movie that kicked off the renaissance, but man, there's just no comparison imo. The original is visually and musically gorgeous. The remake isn't the absolute worst thing Disney's done in recent years, but like with all the remakes when compared to the originals, I know which versions I'll be showing my kids.
It's not bad. The problem is that the original was as close to perfect as you could get, and the remake didn't need to happen. Every deviation is going to be judged harshly in comparison, fairly or not.
This is such a well done video. This has always been my favorite Disney movie and favorite princess song. I will say one thing: you keep using the word “excitement” to describe Halles performance, but I think determination better describes this vibe. The original was wistful, Halles version is a promise to herself she’s declaring loudly. She’s determined to get on land no matter the cost. More than anything, Halles version just gives me chills her voices is so beautiful
I actually kinda prefer the voice left without instruments. Its as if all of the instruments are what and where she wants to be, and then they die out, leaving her an empty shell, nothing changed, still lonely. I feel that silence deep within my soul.
I think you could really read into it when looking at Ashmans queerness and attitudes at the time - if you compare wishfulness and an idea of hope in the face of uncertainty verses strong feelings and power, we could relate these to attitudes towards LGBTQ rights. for the record I don't think this was intended or intensional but I think you could say that and I think it's an interesting idea - either way loved this breakdown
I personally really think halle holding out that note for a bit longer represents Ariel wanting to go farther than where everyone else is going, but is being held back sort of. I do think the riff she does on the "wish i could be" ruins what could have been a melancholic "wake up call" ending to the song like you mentioned.
I'm a twenty-year-old dude, and "Part Of Your World" is my favorite song since I was a child, and I don't think any piece of music will ever replace it. Its importance for me is hard to compare with anything. It's hard for me to remember a day when I didn't sing or listen to it. so yes,it became a part of my world. Jodi Benson's version is my childhood. She will forever remain in my heart. BUT. When I first heard Hailey’s version, I burst into tears really hard. It felt like I heard this song for the first time, and I felt it in a new way, somehow in a special way compared to before. This is easy to explain. Although Hailey sings that she wants to be a part of that world, with her expression she seems to shout that I MUST be a part of that world. We can compare for a long time these two versions, but they are just different, and damn, each one is good in its own way. I think the only thing I missed in the new version was the feeling of a "monologue song" that was in the original. Howard put a lot of effort into ensuring that Jodi fully realized his idea. The idea of a song that should not be sung so much as felt. Of course, Hailey tore up this song with her incredible vocals, but at the same time, the main idea of Howard was lost. Is this bad? don't think so. Because we are talking about an alternative that is no less beautiful. Just different
I actually like how her last note extends past the music because it’s like she doesn’t wanna stop singing about how much she wants it despite everything else cutting out, she wants it more
Just subscribed to your channel recently, and I really like the direction you’re taking lately. Keep up the good work! You’re quite clever and talented.
I guess I like the original best, but I love how you explain the difference between the two in a good way. I feel more like the original cause my voice feels more like a whisper rather then out loud. And I love the Sebastian jump scare gag XD. In the remake the way Sebastian looks in it would be horrifying for that jump scare gag.
I would honestly love for you to do a similar video like this with the lion king and the remake. Mainly the song “I just cant wait to be king” critiquing both the visuals of the remake and ofc the tone of the lyrics. I love your content btw ❤
I’m gonna be honest, even if this is an unpopular opinion, but the remake version of part of your world resonated with me far more than the original. Especially at the part that lost a lot of people was probably my favorite, because it was such an intense, feeling of longing and desperation that I couldn’t entirely relate to rather than a quiet sense of wonder. More like I know this place and I know where I belong, but I just had to except where I am even if it hurts. That’s a message and the feelings I connect with so much more. And this is coming from someone who was an avid fan of the original song and would have it on all of my playlists.
Part of Your World is an "I want" song. It's supposed to be about Ariel's wants and desires, so it's supposed to be a little bit sad. I feel like the remake just didn't quite get that.
... Seriously? Then what are these songs if not "I Want" songs? "Belle (Reprise)" "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" "Just Around the Riverbend" "When Will My Life Begin?"* "For The First Time In Forever"* "Almost There" "How Far I'll Go" *Might have sad parts to them but the overall tone of the songs are not sad.
I got those vibes from the first time I heard it. I heard and felt every emotion in bailey's performance. She poured her heart and soul into the song and it showed. I mean this respectfully, of course.
I kind of really like that build-up in Halle’s “above”. It makes it sound like she’s rising up through the ocean, the noise of it clearing when she hits the surface and her voice can finally cut through the air. I will always prefer the original but I really appreciated that
Every time I listen to Halle's version, I'm on the verge of tears (or crying), so I definitely listen to hers a lot, but it's really cool to see all the comparisons between the two!
Off topic but since you mentioned it “waiting in the wings” from the tangled tv show is sooo good. God I wish Alan Menken could be writing more music for Disney instead of oops! All Lin Manuel Miranda
In their defense, Lin is one of those recognizable names that could pull butts into theatres. They wouldn't have not put his name on promotions and trailers if he wasn't already famous
When I saw the original, I knew instantly it was going to go down as one of the all-time great Disney films, and I was right. The new one tries too hard to take its place and still falls short. The same places where the original gives things a light touch, the new one hits with a hammer.
Being an animator, I inherently despise the LiVe AcTiOn remakes; the biggest animation studio in the world devaluing the art form for a quick cash grab. I loved your analysis on Poor Unfortunate Souls and Under The Sea; it was my first time seeing any footage of the remake beyond the teaser trailer and couldn’t believe how it was both so bland and so horribly uncanny at the same time (that’s what you get prioritising rEaLiSm in a film like this). However, upon first listen at least, I actually really like Halle’s performance and the tone she gives to it. The frustration and longing is really relatable. I know you said Jodie’s version seemed more like a personal moment for the character because of how wistful and often understated it was, but a character being only able to truly express themselves along with their frustration, intense longing for something else and excitement at letting themselves get caught up in the idea of it actually being possible is something that really speaks to me, and (at least outside of the context of also considering what they did with Poor Unfortunate Sould) still absolutely feels like an emotionally intimate moment; she’s voicing her wishes not to the audience as you initially interpreted it (I’m not saying this in a passive aggressive way, I’m just saying how our initial reactions differed), but to herself and her close friend in one of the few spaces she can truly do so. I’ll still always prefer the original recording, and the visuals win hands-down, but can absolutely say this rendition of an absolutely iconic song in an overall terrible remake is surprisingly good. I just wish Halle’s talents could’ve been lent to a better movie
First of all, loved the video! You presented your points and the nuances so well! I loved how you weren’t rude or vitriolic at any point, just super kind and well spoken in your delivery. Something I found particularly interesting is I ended up feeling the exact reverse as you; I didn’t like the more orchestral overdramatized nature of the song, and I didnt like how the wistfulness was changed…but the one part I _did_ like was her reaching just her hand out, and extending the note. In the original, the visual with her head is pretty, but it doesn’t alter anything or add emotion to what’s already there. In the remake, there is so much visceral desperation in that image it really adds a new layer for me. It feels similar to the image of a zombie reaching their hand out of the dirt as they wake up, but almost the opposite. She feels dead in her life but she can’t get out of the grave. In the original it almost looks like she could maybe squeeze through the hole. In the remake it’s viscerally clear she cannot get out. She’s a prisoner reaching through prison bars. And the way her lonely voice extends into the silence only exacerbates how she is powerless against circumstances-as dramatic as the song sounds to us, ultimately it reminds us she’s just a desperate lonely voice in the dark.
I love both ❤. I feel like Hallie’s blend is between musical theater and a monologue. I quite enjoy it. I like having something like that happen in music. Just my opinion both are wonderful.
@gabrielahin3811 0 seconds ago I think the 1989 Latino version of Isela Otelo captures greatly the same spirit, I enjoy both Jodi’s and the Spanish version I grew up with cause they’re so good. Both interpretations capture the essence of this character, they give us a perfect insight into her reality, her dreams and desires. You don’t only need a good voice but most importantly, be a great interpreter to achieve this. Another thing I noticed as a singer is the almost strained vowels when singing high notes; you can notice that precisely in the first “I want mooore”. Her singing style (pop) makes it sound so out of place, contrary to a more theatrical approach. I really like tour analysis, waiting for more videos!
The new version isn't really that bad... But the emotions, Ariel's childish-ness, naivety, and character isn't really passed through? Or shown? Idk, the original is like what you said, it's like you're longing for something, and the new one is being so excited and stuff... The "Burn" part though, was the part that I didn't like... The emotions in that lyrics was just uhmph... Of course these are all just me, idk about the others
I haven't watched the remake and I don't plan to but as far what you showed of the songs, I do felt the nuances between them. With the original being more dreamy and full of wonder of how being up there must be fun and she can discover a lot more than what she can see from the shore. She's just very interested in seeing the upper land. With the remake making it as if she's desperate to leave what she have for what she could have. Like she's tired of her interests being disregarded and how everything up there must be better for her. It has to be better for her, because if it isn't then why doesn't she felt like she belongs in the ocean
My favorite version of this song is Sierra Boggess on the Little Mermaid Broadway Cast Recording. I just can’t get into Halle’s because I find it to be incredibly overdone. Riffing does not immediately make a song/performance better or more emotional and I feel like people don’t understand that. Like, what do the inflections Halle incorporated add to the song itself? Nothing really. That’s not to say riffing is bad per se, Elphaba in Wicked is a great example of a character where riffs are welcome at certain points. Adding a powerhouse belting riff at the end of Defying Gravity is an easy way to get the audience applauding on their feet cause it makes it feel so climactic and a big riff makes complete sense there. Adding a random riff somewhere in I’m Not That Girl - a soft song about how the guy she really likes doesn’t like her back - would not make sense. Broadway performers don’t just get up and sing a silly song the way a lot of people seem to think they do. There is a logic to their performances and especially how their voices are used. If you listen to Broadway solos - male or female, a huge part of what they do is sing the song straight through while changing the volume and power of their vocals at very specific points in order to drive the emotion home. Even riffs are usually only used sporadically and again, in very specific moments and once you hear those changing levels, you can’t unhear it and how drastically you change your levels heavily depends on the song you’re singing. All of that is exactly what Sierra does - sings it straight through as written with very little altercations but changing the level of her voice throughout - and it hits me in the gut every time even though I know exactly what she’s doing because it’s a trick that works and has for decades. You can’t just add the inflections or power anywhere all willy nilly because you think it’ll sound good there. It can genuinely mess with the journey the song is trying to take you on. Musical songs, especially solos are extensions of characters thoughts and feelings but they’re also entire journeys in and of themselves. If you listen to Sierra’s version, she builds and builds and builds until she gets to a climactic belt and then immediately brings it all the way back down for the ending and it absolutely slaps. Halle kinda starts belting in random places, putting riffs and note changes where they don’t really work and again, it messes with the journey of the song. Musical songs, especially solos, are written the way they are for a reason, especially if you have a good composer/lyricist. Sometimes a performer will come around and say, “hey, I think a note change here would work perfectly” but it’s still a collaborative effort to make it as impactful as you can. You have to trust that the melody, lyrics, orchestrations, phrasing…etc. are going to do what they’re supposed to do, your voice is just an extension of that but if the voice itself doesn’t do it’s job, it can mess with the entire song, especially if you’re singing how you think Broadway performers sing but are completely missing the mark because most people seem to think of theatrical performing in an all too literal way and end up overdoing it. I feel like Disney was so excited to get a good singer for the role that they completely forgot it’s not just about the voice itself but how you utilize it for the performance. Halle’s version is all over the place and she obviously didn’t have great direction. She sang it as a vocalist doing a cover and added moments she thought were theatrical and it just doesn’t work for me. It vaguely reminds me of Taylor Swift in Cats. I think both probably thought they were singing all emotional because of the accent or voice inflections or riffing but they’re trying too hard and it ends up sticking out like a sore thumb (the whole Cats movie stuck out but ya know lol). It almost makes me think that this is the way Halle has been singing it her whole life, like it’s her personal rendition of it so of course she’s gonna sing it like that in the film if she’s not given proper vocal direction regardless of if it makes sense from a musical standpoint.
I agree with your points about how this is a different interpretation of a song, and through that lens it’s a good rendition of it. Personally though I do have to throw in that since it’s a medium I want to think of as needing to be alongside the visual medium it was created with, the animated version does a better job of conveying the message and matching/guiding the tone of everything together.
1989 >>>>>>>>2023 Not a fan of pipes for the sake of pipes, so 2023 is a hard no. If Ariel is so excited and positive, how comes she's never broken the surface yet? Let alone actually communicated with people? This excitement in place of '89's hopeless longing actually hinders the whole stakes and conflict between Ariel and Triton, and conflict between the surface and underwater worlds. Resolute and attacking, where Ariel used to show longing, it kinda paints the 2023 version of character as even more headstrong - she's never even risen to surface, she's never had even a secondhand experience of it, yet she's so adamant that this, exactly this is what she wants. Truly, a picturesque performance for the time that lies to people that one can be anything. Thank you for your video. Howard Ashman indeed was a genius, this performance set a standard for me to enjoy strength of voice only as secondary quality to any given song. Tone. Matters. Atmosphere matters. If I'll want to listen to strength and perfection of a voice that comes at a cost of nuance of performance, I may as well just go and listen to… what are they called in English? Gammas? -one google later- Scales!
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I’ve never been attached to little mermaid at all, but I think the difference between the two is:
Jodi sang as a character
Hallie sang as a professional vocalist
Both versions have their own things to like about them, but I just prefer the quieter tone of the original idk
Exactly! I think Jodi followed direction for the character, whereas Halle made the song her own and showcased her vocals-instead of playing the character. That’s the biggest difference I noticed.
@@grcly3nactually if you listen to halles natural singing style you would hear that she definitely sung in the way she felt the character would. Halle naturally sings more softly and with her head voice.
@@disneytoysr4fun975 Halle's version fits the live action Ariel and Jodi's version fits the animation. Halle was definitely singing as her character.
Disney has truly stopped it in a shit about “characters”. They used to pick broadway singers and people that had skill in singing and acting. Now they just grab big names. At least Halle should be fine branching out (you know, once she gets out of that deadbeat relationship these 20 something’s keeps tricking themselves into and gets used to being full time single mom) but no one else sounds very good in this.
Yeah, I agree. Lol I do hate Disney's remakes but I can't deny that she did sing well in that song too. Though it's just good as a generic singer whereas Jodi was perfect for a character/movie.
12:06 The silent hand ✋ reaching through the grotto was actually pretty powerful to me, especially the silent part of it. But what brings in down again is when Halle sings “Wish I could beeeee” extending that last word into several up & down notes, which I think takes away from the simple “could be” from the original where it’s expressed as a whisper & the lack of pause on the final line of “Part of that……world.” again takes away the gravity of just how forbidden Ariel’s wish IS & why she only dares say it aloud (& softly at that) within the sanctuary of her grotto.
In my opinion, the run at the end pulls me in closer to her desire. I really like the originals whisper tone and wistful feelings, but I feel like Halle really wanted us to feel the internal pull that her Ariel is experiencing. She’s almost holding onto that moment until she has to inevitably let it go and realize her reality. She wants to explore and live that fantasy, but can’t. She doesn’t know how she’ll do it but she knows that something within her makes her destined to achieve it.
Thank you for describing it so well. That "beeee" part bothered me in the teaser but I could not describe it.
On its own, that part of Halle’s vocals is GORGEOUS, and that hand is amazing, but we needed to see her face afterward, and the vocals…it’s like it was meant to sound pretty out of context of the movie. It didn’t work in the story, which sucks.
The hank moment was so powerful, the way they decided to film it it’s was really good. It’s like the typical image we all have in our heads of prisioners behind bars trying to reach the outside.
And that’s it’s, It’s Ariel trying to escape from her jail reaching for freedom, it also gets deeper after you watched the movie for a second time as Triton verbally express his desire of Ariel never leaving her underwater world.
I want emotion not pretty vocals. The song shouldn't be a powerhouse ballad, we don't need Franklin vocal runs or constant belting.
What Howard Ashman and Jodi Benson accomplished together was pure magic. Thank you for highlighting the fundamentals behind what made the original so Iconic.
the extra held note felt more broadway than hollywood, and was probably a change i felt most positive about
Im so sorry guys but that shot at 11:33...I hate it so much, its like a zoombie hand coming from a grave, the original cinematography and composition was so much better than this amateur shot. It made me legit upset at how horrible it looked. In original you see ariel reaching for the sky and human world, but being stuck inside a cave at the bottom of the ocean - visually symbolising that she just cant get what her heart wants
You’re right
Now I see it too. Well said
Good. The new version gives off the vibe that Ariel feels like no matter how determined or passionate she is to be where she feels like she belongs. She will never reach that level of where that determination she strives anytime soon so matter how much desperation creeps up inside her to be “where the people are”. I think you need to calm down. I get it, it’s an awkward shot, but it has an incredible meaning.
@@Mila-zu6ru No sorry...I still see just zombie hand, they didnt even go for a more interesting angle. Im not saying anything else about the movie, the meaning probably is there...Its just, let me sum it up = worse shot than original.
@@123wink321 it’s not supposed to be a beautiful shot. It just looks more pleasing in the animation because it’s well…animated. When it’s live you see the desperation and how displeasing it looks because that’s exactly how Ariel feels.
I feel like Halle Bailey has a beautiful voice, but the direction given for her performance of it was all wrong. It’s like she was told to do a power ballad, when in reality Part of Your World is like a private monologue. It’s like they told Halle to sing Part of Your World with the same intensity as Let it Go.
Danielle Marsh’s Korean rendition, or Yichun Shan’s Mandarin rendition of the 2023 Part of Your World seems to capture the point of the song better while having the dramatic flairs of the remake.
Ashman was such an actor in helping the actors from the 1989 convey brilliantly the emotions. I thought the live-action remake missed a vocal producer to further help the actors act out their voice.
@@moviefan19Syeah that’s what it was missing.
100% this comment. Listening to Halle on other songs she definitely has that Disney princess voice. I was so excited when she was cast and I was hoping to hear her sing more similarly to the original b/c she also has a beautiful sound when she sings softer, and sweeter. But alas, this was different...which of course is fine and does showcase her as a powerhouse but can we get a cover of her singing another version on the soundtrack or something? :D
Why some people think soft singing and general quite dinamycs is equal to great intepretation or emotion? There was a time where people needed to proyect, opera, teather etc. Ashman directed Jody in a way that was very unique and precise,it is compelling and the end result beatiful. But it doesnt mean ist the only way to intepret the piece. My point is that power in itself is no necesseraly good, but quiet singing cannot become the standard, ever. Its not good for the voice in general, any singer with tell you that. Coming back to the song, i love Jodys versión because it is what Ashman visualized, but we need to have room for others, because Halle did it with respect and care.
Yes, yes, 100 times yes. "Part of Your World" is a *monologue set to music,* not a power ballad. You wouldn't go out on stage and shout your way through Hamlet's "To be or not to be" monologue. You don't go adding unnecessary runs to "Part of Your World" just because the singer can perform them.
It definetly feels like the remake is really bloated and dramatized. The original is more subtle, more intimate, which makes us connect to the characters way more. It is contradicting since the remake is lit so much more poorly (because of a very stupid idea to make it as realistic as possible), so i was expecting for it to be even more intimate and connected especially to Halle. The song's quality is definetly good, but it's not logical in it's context. The whole argument of "why do you care so much it's just a kid's movie" is redundant at this point. Everyone cares for different reasons, especially those who critique the movies. The movie and it's cast suffered a lot with internet's racism, however it shouldn't rid the movie of the genuine criticisms it has. It's once again a shame Halle's talent is wasted on this cashgrab, i hope her future roles only go up from here and with her talent they definetly will
This ^
Dude you cannot generalize. May be for you more intimacy o subtlety makes you connect to the character.
@@nigihayami6 agree because personally the remakes version resonates with me because of the determination in her voice and “continuing passed the instrument” really added to the notion that it’s not something she would easily give up on and the longing she has to experience up above. Again though, a lot of this knit picking a kid will not care about ultimately
You typed all of that for what… this is not the reason y’all don’t like Halle’s version
Exactly OP, it's nice that the song connected with people, but a movie is more than sound, and it doesn't look like it fits what they're showing on screen, which is a valid criticism.
And yes, playing the "kids movie" defense has always been weak, but especially for Disney live-action remakes, because everyone (including the people making the "kids movie" defense) know very well that Disney isn't making these remakes just for kids and kids aren't the only ones watching
I think the biggest difference I found between the two and you really hear it in part of your word reprise is that Jodi's Ariel is hopeful that she will be able to be part of that world whereas Halle's is determined to be part of that world and to me that's the the big difference between the two.
In my personal interpretation, Jodi's version conveys Ariel's hopeful naive little girl of a character. Halle sounds more like a Diva, that's just it, a theatrical diva that's far from the naive curious little girl we know Ariel as to be.
So being passionate and determined = diva?? That’s absurd. I’m glad she took the role to a different place rather than just attempting to emulate the original (which everyone tries to do)
@@JeruuiGyou delusional
@@JeruuiGdiva??? What in the hell
@@jesusiscomingback1829 yea, why should she? She made it her own and was great. Don’t see what’s wrong with evolving a character in a new way. Both adaptations are good imo
I was really skeptical of the remake version, but when I heard it, it felt like listening to someone who’s really frustrated. It intrigued me, which led me to go see it. What I noticed was that they changed Ariel from a young girls who had a strong sense of adventure into someone who knew where she wanted to be but was stuck. It resonated with me a lot more because I’m basically someone who’s grown up all my life with so much neglect where even if I screamed my dreams and aspirations, no one would hear or care. That’s what the belting is supposed to represent, just someone’s dreams drowned out by the environment and their reality.
@@Myrealnameissuckmydick At what point in society was that a thing?
100% agree, that’s what made me resonate with the remakes song as well. That incredible desperation and woe is something I’ve felt in my life, and I can feel it through that song.
Come on now, girls change their mind all the time. Ariel doesn't know where she wants to be, that's the whole point of the original movie
Why only “girls”? Both women AND men can change their minds. We’re a fickle species.
@@Anon-qp3ktwhich is why she’s frustrated?? because she is not able to explore and figure out exactly what she wants?? those feelings of hopelessness and desire is indeed portrayed perfectly in the live action
Howard Ashman specifically asked for "Part of Your World" to be sung like a monologue, it's not meant for anyone else outside of the grotto to hear what Ariel was singing, the scene should be more intimate with a youthful wonder, more gentleness and love for the world on land, since the focus of the song is something she loves, I don't think the remake version capture the emotions of the original. In the animated version, Ariel wishes to be part of the human world, she felt sad that the ocean was trapping her in a way that no one else seemed to understand, but in the remake version, they made Ariel sound like she hate the fact that the ocean is trapping her, feeling sad about something isn't the same as feeling hate towards something.
The reprise of the song should sound hopeful, but here it just feels like repeating the same kind of singing of the first part, which adds no new emotion to the song.
In the original version, when Ariel sighs and the song ends slowly and gently with the last few verses, I can really feel the emotion there which is the things Ariel tells us what she wants to do in the song are just wishful thinking at this point.
Yes, she can sing better than people like me who are not trained to sing as professionals, but when singing songs like Part of Your World, it's like how Jodi Benson herself puts it, you have to capture the emotions of the song, it's not always about showing off the skills, skills may be used but the overall song has to be focused on emotion, which I think is lacking in this remake and the song didn't sound quite right.
I always think that when you hear Part of Your World, it's important to capture that youthful feeling, Ariel is at best young adult by definition of the time period she lives in after all, and the remake is just...I don't know, I think in the remake it sounds like someone who is like over 20 years old singing the song and I didn't get the feeling that the character is still in her teenage years and young adult years like in the original.
Here in the remake it feels like Halle is singing for a contest, there are judges at the front row and she's gotta use every difficult skill in the song to get a high score, which completely misses the point of the song, that is being gentle, wistful and intimate.
I know singing while acting is hard, but Halle's expression looks like she's under a lot of pressure and just didn't know what expression she should have at the moment, which kind of takes me out of the experience.
Let's just say.. EXACTLY!
@@lexirandolph3378 It's really just bad casting considering the fact that they cast a singer whose strong suit isn't acting in a role that require the actress to do silent acting with body language and a variety of facial expressions.
But they made it worse by completely missing the point of the song and the spirit of the character.
@@clairelin0216and also sge doesnt look like ariel💀
You know you’re absolutely right in that it does have a “throwing everything they’ve got at us to impress us” feel. And I think part of that is because they knew it would probably leak before the movie came out, (or they would make it a huge part of the promotional material themselves, which they did) and might be THE deciding factor as to whether it interested people or not, or even if they would accept Halle Bailey (or anyone not Jodi Benson) in the role. They probably felt like they had a lot “to prove” and so they went all out.
Another smaller part is, I wonder how much shows like The Voice and American Idol have changed the way the public expects their music to be? Like, it seems like we’re demanding MORE, BIGGER, HIGHER, FASTER, LOUDER than we did in the past, and I wonder how much of that is because there’s kind of this implicit normalization that that’s just how music is supposed to be in order to be successful. Never give anyone a chance to lose interest, if the song has slow or quiet parts it needs to speed them up and loud them up!
But I might be wrong about that, lol.
@@cellytron As much as I love the "pop music" now, the first time I actually fell in love with a piece of music was when the music is gentle, and that kind of music wasn't even created three decades ago.
It depends on the purpose, the music pieces in The Little Mermaid animated movie were never meant to sound really loud, but they butchered the music and they didn't even had the excuse like being in a theater environment to make the changes.
The original played into who Ariel’s character was in the 89 version which to me was wistful, hopeful, and a romantic daydreamer. Which I think Jodi was properly coached into portraying.
And I feel like Halle’s Ariel was adapted as a vocalist first and then into her modern characterization of determination, endearing, and desire-which I think works for the Reprise of Part of Your World but not the main theme because I find the subtle whispers more intimate and personal to oneself.
Both versions are great as they are independently, however when I compare them I resonate more with the 89 version.
I remember as a kid when I watched the original movie and heard this song for the first time, as a young kid, I cried because my situation in school was pretty bad and I didn’t tell anyone. Home and fictional worlds were my safe space, but I still longed for connection that wasn’t my family, and the way the original captured and grasped that distant wishful thinking while capturing the curiosity and heartbreak, the wonder, all at the same time was just..Ariel was and still is my favourite Disney princess. As a writer now, I can say with certainty that while I enjoyed the remake, the writing and directing of the original is and forever will be unparalleled.
But, I think the reason the remake of this song doesn’t fall as hard as the others is because the creative team finally recognises that. They know they can not replicate the original, especially with the animation to live action switch, so they put their own spin on it, which I can appreciate and even enjoy. It feels less of a mockery and more of an appreciation of the original.
Weardly enough, I feel the remake of "Part of your world" doesn't fitt Ariels story, but it would fitt pretty well with the ORIGINAL "Little Mermaid". Let me explain:
Ariels story in the Disney movie starts of with curiousity and a solomn wishing for something out of your reach. Ariel is able to see the human world from a far, but never able to really interact with it (till she makes the deal). It's just barely out of her reach, and the only thing she can do to "interact" with it, is collect trinkets and ask a seagul about information. The og "Part of your world" reflects that perfectly. The desperate wishing for something RIGHT THERE, but yet painfully out of reach.
The original "Little Mermaid" is quiet different in that regard. She never interacted with the human world before. Her fascination of it comes from the storys her grandma, and later on her sisters tell her about what they saw on the surface. Other than Ariel, she also doesn't have to "break the rules" to see the surface. All she needs to do, is patiently wait, becouse every mermaid is allowed to visit the surface on her 15th birthday. So she isn't longing and desperate for something she can't have, she is exited and somewhat impatient for it to finally be her turn to see all those things!
With that context, the more exiteable and adventurous tone of the "Part of your world -remake" fitts way more here, than it does Ariels story! If used for the og "Little Mermaid " it doesn't become a song of longing for something out of reach (like the og "part of your world"), but a song about the anticipation of something that is soon IN your reach!
I gues all this is to say: they should have made an adaptation of the og "Little Mermaid" as a mirror piece to the animatied "Ariel", and should have used the "Part of your world - remake" for that one, becouse it would have fit way more xD In Ariels story, that new version just feels kind of out of place.
Well said!
I think that's what they're trying to do, that's why they awkwardly put the quote from the book at the beginning awkwardly (doesn't explain the awful plot points that the new one add more mind you)
With that in mind I see the relation, though I wonder how that would fare overall given the tone, subject, and ending of the original story is VERY different from the Disney Animated version.
@@alexandersmith4731 I haven't seen the full movie yet but I get a similar impression of them trying to capture some of the angst from the original, by having ariel struggle more when she arrives on land etc. and expressing more frustration and grief instead of the joyfulness of animated ariel, but of course since it's supposed to be a remake they can't go all out... they still have to follow the beats of the animated movie
The original Little Mermaid dies at the end and has a chance to earn a human soul. She doesn't get the guy and refuses to kill him on his wedding night to become a mermaid again.
Saw Jodi perform part of your world recently and Jodi Benson can still do it! :)
My issue is the remake sounds like she's singing a song.
Jodi's version sounds like Ariel is singing about what she wants. Halle's version sounds like Halle is singing a song. She's not singing in characters, which is what Jodi is doing, it sounds like Halle is just singing the song as herself.
Yes! Or as I like to put it, she's butchering this beautiful song like it's the American anthem at the Superbowl. I wouldn't blame Haley, because this is just her genre and she's probably too young to know better. But I do blame the musical direction, that's apparently nonexistent nowadays.
Yes! Or as I like to put it, she's butchering this beautiful song like it's the American anthem at the Superbowl. I wouldn't blame Haley, because this is just her genre and she's probably too young to know better. But I do blame the musical direction, that's apparently nonexistent nowadays.
definitely prefer the original. I feel like the quiet wistfulness actually makes it more intense in a way, like there's a lingering frustration that remains contained, just like Ariel still feels trapped, away from the world she longs for... in halle's version the feelings get discharged making for a different feeling, more grandiose like you said. I do appreciate that she was doing her own version of it, though -- better than trying too hard to replicate the original and falling flat -- and it's dreamlike in its own way, but I still think parts of it gets overdone. especially at the end, it honestly brings me out of the song as it feels too much like showing off.
Everything you said is facts honestly. I felt like that’s what was so special about original Ariel. The wistfulness is what makes it complex and sad! Because she was hopeful but hopeless at the same time.
While Haille’s one felt a little bit one dimensional. Oh she wants what she wants? Then go for it. Lmao. Like I can’t feel any other emotion in her voice besides trying to show she sounds amazing. Which she is but that’s why her tone doesn’t fit the song
And honestly, I can’t buy the performance coz I felt like her acting felt off. Beautiful voice but somehow there seems to be more character in her vocals than her facial expressions…
I disagree. Halle's version sounds absolutely breath-taking and emotionally pulls you in. It has you empathise with her frustration and want to explore the other world. There's also sheer vocal talent too. The original... rather frankly, is quite flat. I think if you're an older person, who's more used to that singing style and has a nostalgia for it, you might like it. But otherwise,if that 80s version came out today, I think people in general wouldn't like the singing style as it's very aged imo
I like the wistfulness of the original one, the song flows smoothly and her voice has this delightful undulation that just fits with her swimming in the ocean a lot more. I don't like the restrained approach halle had in her rendition, I take it as it was meant to portray frustration, but I feel it would have been more beautiful if she had just let herself flow through the song and show thay frustation in key moments, instead of the entire first 1/3. I feel like she used restraint and stress a bit too much, as though it was painful for her to sing (which is what she was going for) but it just takes away from her performance instead of adding to it.
Then again, it's just me, and I'd take optimism and wistfulness over frustration any day.
@@OmiieeThe remake song is flat. And sharp. And flat again. That’s what too much vibrato does to a song. The original version was far superior and actually in tune as well as character. If the original came out today, it would blow the remake out of the water. In fact, if Disney played it in theaters again, it would absolutely outsell this dumpster fire remake. You are entitled to your opinion on which one you prefer but there’s no way more people wouldn’t still love the original over the remake. That’s just not true.
For the original song, Jodi Benson was coached quite thoroughly by lyricist Howard Ashman - who came from the theatre world. He wanted her to project a sense of being in a closed space, a sense of wistfulness. He had to remind her to restrain her singing to bring the nuance to the song that he desired. The song and its style are timeless; they aren’t for “older people” or some relic of the late 80’s. Also, powerhouse diva singers existed around that period as well: Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, etc. And from even before that time we have Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, too many to mention - so Halle’s style of singing isn’t anything new, nor is Jodi’s old.
I agree with the video in that the version you prefer comes down to personal preference and the emotion you prefer to hear in the song, but if you believe the original is dated, then it’s only a matter of time until the ’new’ version becomes similarly out of style as time passes.
I think the newer one has more of a "I know what I want and I’ll do anything to get it” while the original is more just wistful. The original one makes more sense because at that part in the movie she doesn’t think there could be a way to get that.
that is a really good point! in the remake she acts like there is some way she can realize her dreams. i feel as an audience that already knows the story and that there is a way to realize her dream it's easy to forget that this hasn't been established yet.
Howard ashman told jodi benson part of your world is a monologue not a song.
Wistfulness is so much more rare in entertainment and for that reason at least more enjoyable than excitement. I appreciate the appreciation of the new version. It's a bold choice but not an effective one. The attempt was worth it, but probably not worth the production cost. We could have always had the TH-cam version for 10% of the cost.
A problem with the tone of the new version is that it makes it sound that Ariel knows she'll go on the surface. She excited to talk about the surface because she knows where the movie is going. She's not wishing to ever go on the surface because everyone knows the movie and where the story is going.
I personally love when a singer holds their note for a few seconds after the instrumentals end. It always feels to me like the emotion they're portraying is too big to be constrained by the song, like the characters are practically bursting with emotion. But then I am a bit dramatic :P
The song almost didn't make it into the original because they were afraid children would find the scene boring (Ariel wistfully singing to herself in a dark quiet place). I think this is why Sebastian is off doing his thing, to make sure they're kept entertained. In the remake, its a given that the song is the centerpiece of the film.
I've said it once before from another video, but what makes the original more personal is the transition of Ariel's emotions from start to end. When she describes everything she wants to experience on land, it was pure excitement and wonder, and you could feel it from her voice. It was more soft and wistful as you said, but that wonder she feels grows as the song goes on. It slowly builds up to that climax where she sings "When's it my turn? Wouldn't I love?". At this point, that's when she starts being desperate and then melancholy as she realizes her dream is nearly impossible to achieve.
I think that adds up to your thoughts on how Halle's version of the climax doesn't have the same impact due to the instrumentals. Some of the first few lines sounded more desperate on her version and with hints of frustration as well. She sang the first portion of the song with such intense emotions, that the climax doesn't feel more impactful anymore. While that isn't entirely bad, I just feel it takes away the notion of Ariel wanting to go to land FOR her dream, since a huge aspect of wonder was taken from it. It feels more like she wants to leave for the sake of leaving, especially by the way she said the line "bet they don't reprimand their daughters" with such spite. Her argument with her father before this wasn't her tipping point yet, and I don't like how it implies that she immediately resents him for it. She hasn't even met Eric at this time, so I don't think it should've gone that far yet.
Halle's voice is great and definitely the closest to Ariel's. It's the direction for this song I have issues with.
Here's the thing. If Halle Bailey was in the broadway show or performing the song as a concert whether on the cruise line or anniversary etc. I would not have a problem with it at all because she does have a great voice. There is no denying that. And considering the past singers in past live action remakes, that was such a relief. HOWEVER, within the movie the reason it didn't work for me is not actually her performance but the direction and writing behind it. As you mentioned the visuals were very lacking. You could argue they made it dark to make her feel trapped or whatever but in the original they still had this cold wash of blue but still you could see what was going especially, especially Ariel's collection and her red hair makes such a standout showing her fiery drive and passion. And as you mentioned the light shining down from the surface just makes it so beautiful. But it's not just the visuals, it was everything leading up to it. This was something Howard Ashman tried soooo hard with the original is to make the dialogue transfer to song as seamless as possible and the Little Mermaid is a perfect example of that. Because the argument between Ariel & Triton blew up, you felt more for Ariel at that age and cannot get through to him. I think if it wasn't for that argument, she wouldn't have been in that place where she no longer can express herself except in song. In the remake, there was no really temper from Triton or shouting that it made the song kind of come out of nowhere. Also in this remake, because they tried to make Ariel a bit more knowledgeable about the human world "This ship must've been in battle" and she knew what canons were, there less of this optimism for their stuff. In the original it was easier to understand her desire to know more because she doesn't know anything about their stuff so the song is more about wanting to explore and learn more about humans. We all know what it's like to discover something new and being so passionate in wanting to know more. That was what was so charming about Ariel so ironically by making the remake version more aware kind of loses that charm. Also I'm sorry but this is a personal opinion but I hate when she riffed in the song. It so took away from the emotion because again it sounds like she's singing to an audience instead of singing to herself.
Sorry I went on and on but this is why this version of the song rubs me the wrong way. Again I do not blame Bailey, this was mainly Disney's approach, the writing and direction of this movie.
I would have to, in good faith,
politely disagree. To me, the added dialogue of Ariel’s comment on human stuff better added to her whimsical curiosity of the human world. With that added dialogue - There’s no indication that she new everything per say about the human world, and there’s no indication that she didn’t know those things in the original either. Just because she new a couple of new things doesn’t mean that she didn’t have anything left to learn or to be fascinated with. It better elucidated (at least, in my opinion) that she’s been studying up on human culture and there’s still so many more things she wants to learn. I’m not saying by not having this in the Og is reductive (I actually do prefer both equally), nor am I saying that the OG doesn’t have any merits, but those elements didn’t take away seamless transition and build of part of your world. Also, I can understand where you’re coming from with the exchange between Ariel and King Triton, but I would have to again disagree because sometimes you don’t need heavy emotions to get a point across. The fact that king triton can’t move past his own righteousness and productively listen to his daughter in good faith and silence her without question is reason enough for Ariel to feel misunderstood and suppressed within her own cohort. Javier did a great job of expressing that with his more stoic and less grandiose rendition of the character. Again, this is all my personal opinion and can understand where you’re coming with these takes, but just aren’t factors or blotches to me :)
I actually think that have the instruments cut out was really powerful, it kinda made it feel like she was more isolated and alone. I do wish they kept some of the original's simplicity though.
Listening to both builds for “I want more”…it sounded like Halle wanted more stuff, like I got a Veruca Salt feel “don’t care how, I want it now”… and Ariel was subtle but you could tell she wanted to be a human. Just what struck me from listening to it 🤷♀️
I haven’t seen the remake but I’ve listened to both versions and I’d describe them as a friend letting you in on a secret vs. listening to a friend vent. Which are both valid ways to interpret the song imo
perfectly stated. the original ariel sounds like she’s letting flounder in on a little secret when the remake is like she’s bursting out with it for holding it in for so long
Please do Kiss the Girl next it’s so empty feeling compared to the older movie most likely due to the fact they only let Flouder, Sebastian, and Scuttle sing but the visuals between Ariel and Eric are pretty cute
Lies 🙄
@@ShantesTravelThingsHow the fuck can someones opinion be a lie
@@jesusiscomingback1829 Yeah Daveed is great but I lowkey feel this role is a bit of Lin-Manuel nepotism, because it seems weird that they made a guy not known for a Jamaican accent or anything near Sebastian's cadence play this role
@@certifiedbruhmoment85I like a good chunk of Lin’s works but this was by far my least favorite I literally dissociated myself from watching the movie when the Scuttle rap came on it was so annoying and jarring 😔
@@Meadowlarkk Yeah, it was pretty unnecessary. I found it charming on the first watch but it got old really quick, and children growing up with this movie will probably have this as one of their favorite songs 😞
this is absolutely perfect and i love that you didn’t just hate on the new version and actually provided technical comparison in such great depth. great job
I hope you do Under the Sea I’m interested in what you think maybe a bit more insight, but
For me it was the worse song out of that entire movie because they removed so much that made the original fun, the other creatures singing and using their bodies as instruments, the liveliness of the ocean waters it’s what brought it together, but importantly made us understand how Ariel felt about life under the sea.
In the remake it just sounded so off, but WORSE of the entire song was having Hallie “Ariel” sing under the sea. It was very out of character for Ariel IMO
It defeated the purpose of her being uninterested in what Sebastian was saying.
And I think it was only added so it could sell more and be more marketable as well.
In the original Ariel disappears half way through the song because she gets distracted by flounder wanting to show her something which show to us how truly she’s really not interested, but in the remake she disappears at the end of the song once she was done singing and to me it doesn’t give me that same impression, her just poof magic be gone just felt so odd where again in the original we saw her kinda swim away and not mention she wouldn’t even have enough time for her to disappear without Sebastian noticing in the first place in the remake.
But maybe it’s just me, but I hope to see a talk on it and knowing your opinion, breakdowns and perhaps it could possible changing my perspective.
Edited: For those in the comments I never said that Ariel dislikes/hated being under the sea I said that she was “uninterested”. Ariel loves her home, but she already knows about all the stuff under the sea it’s literally all she knows, it’s her home, so Sebastian is tell her nothing new and is trying to convince her that life is better where she is. This is why she’s is UNINTERESTED when Sebastian is singing to her.
That's the only song of the remake I hated, they got rid of the vibe and the accent, even in dubs
You nailed exactly the problem I had with it. I couldn't quite put my finger on why Ariel singing along and vibing the whole time bothered me so much. This is why. It's a contradiction to Part of Your World, which is the very heart of her character.
@@marieg595she wants to be part of that world above but that doesn’t mean she can’t also enjoy the fun in the moment. People always complain about consumers saying that Ariel is one-note yet y’all want to put her into a box where she can’t interact with their surroundings and be a real fleshed out person
why the “Ariel”? She is Ariel.
I disagree having Ariel sing Under the Sea, showed that she didn’t hate her home, honestly I found having Ariel be dismissive and completely hate & dread living in the sea was a little annoying & makes her a bit unlikable.
I actually teared up in the theater listening to the new one
Idk why it resonated with me so much
I like that in this critique you actually acknowledge that things can be different and be good or bad on a personal level.
I really like at the end of the remake when it shows her sitting alone at the bottom of the sea. It makes it seem like it was all in her head. She was only reaching through the grotto in her imagination. It makes the whole thing seem even more bittersweet to me. Also, I do like those controversial belts. The first builds that excitement and wonder about all the human things she’s curious about. The second has this strong longing and desperation that is even more accentuated by the music fading away and only leaving her voice. And then again, the music comes back with her stuck in the same spot as if she had been sitting there the whole time, trapped not by rocks or any physical barrier, but reality itself.
But like you said, we all have our own opinions and different things resonate in different ways personally. I wouldn’t say either is better, just different.
That’s the most passive opinion you can have and deflects any real criticism
@@InnerAtanih what is?
@@artesquecouldn't have said it better than myself
I have no issues with Halle Bailey. I think she deserved a better version of this movie.
Probably the best way I can put it. I feel like the aesthetics and the film itself just didn’t match up to Halle’s performance.
I like your perspective on the two versions! You're right, it is a matter of personal preference, and I'd say the first one you see is the one that sticks with you the most. I never thought about the intentions of each version, but I'm glad you mentioned it! I think the new version fits really well within the context you put to it, and I actually think the decision to have her hold that note on "above" past the instrumentals suits that context. Like the song as a whole represents her desire to visit the human world, and even when reality sets in (the instrumentals stop), that desire remains. And with the added desperation to Halle's performance, it really makes sense to me.
Your comment on dreams being personal and intimate vs shouted to the world is such a good take on the difference between the generations. I certainly know which one I prefer, and also which way leads to a more satisfying life. Personal circles care about your concerns and dreams; the world as a whole is not listening to the dreams of individuals being screamed dramatically at them.
To anyone who really relates to this song, I recommend listening to Nala’s song in the lion king musical Shadowlands . As someone who’s wrestling with the idea. leaving a university I’m already in that’s close to my family and lover to go far away to another school I might not even get into, it’s so cathartic. While Part of Your World gives you “when’s it my turn?”, shadowland answers that with “it’s your turn right now” and the fear that comes with making decisions that will affect your life path immediately.
Both pair wonderfully together and can be cathartic for both fear and excitement. Gets me through the hard times :)
I just love both versions. And I really liked the extended "that shore above ". The instruments stops and so should she, but she can't except that yet, she wants to hold to that fantasy as long as she can.
I agree this is mostly due to the direction.
There is no doubt that Halle is a great singer. But the direction of the song, and the narrative clash and contradicts.
Remake Ariel's version feels MORE desperate. but still follows the rule of NEVER going to the surface- UNTIL she sees the fireworks from Eric's ship.
Meanwhile, Animated Ariel is the one who seems to be more accepting of her sad fate. And yet SHE is the one, out of the two versions, who has broken the surface, and has been visiting plenty of times.
Animated Ariel was even planning to meet Eric as a mermaid. She was THAT content with where she was.
It feels like both Ariels were kind of switched in a way. As if the songs were meant for the other version.
And this is what's frustrating with the Remake.
Interesting ideas. Poor execution.
I think your wistfulness vs. excitement hit the nail on the head. In the remake, the human world feels like a want - if a very strong one - where in the original it feels to me like a NEED, and so we don’t get frustration but pain at what we know we so desperately need but can never have. In the movie, but also so much in Howard Ashman’s demo recording. And even if that’s painfully relatable and makes you a little emotional at times, I can also appreciate the wanderlust that the remake carries
Man I wasn’t expecting to cry but here we are! This song gets to me like nothing else.
It's like Dolly's "I will Always Love You". Some people will prefer Whitney's version, but both are good, depending on which mood you're in. 🥰 I personally cannot choose.
I've listened to Jodi, halle, Sierra, and others so many times, that everyone's version started to mesh into 1 song in my head lol like all my favorite parts in every rendition as 1 song. Anyone can choose a favorite, i just hate seeing fighting and hating when they're all so good.
(Edit to add that i find Halle's version closer to Sierra's Broadway rendition than jodi's original that was heavily directed by Ashman)
Anyway, thanks for the breakdown comparison!
I actually love dolly version more because it soft and got more emotion, but i think whitney really killing it too, both versions are great and yeah it's a matter of preference.
While I prefer the original still, the new one did get me to cry, so I’ll give it that. I have tendency to be very receptive to dramatic, grandiose music. There were some points I felt the original did much better, like the ending at “above.” Stopping with the music actually adds to the emotion in this case rather than drawing it out. And the “wish I could be” was also better in the original where they kept that part short too.
I just feel like the second one sounds particularly pop music-y comparitively, especially with it being at a higher key and all the higher notes and runs and stuff. It's reminds me of the pop music covers they put in the credits of some Disney movies, like Moana. It's still preformed very nicely though.
I remember thinking the songs felt off when I saw the movie, but not understanding why so thank you for making these videos,
Been really appreciating your breakdowns of these songs, I watched your poor unfortunate souls video and now this (subscribed!) And I really like your approach in breaking down and comparing these songs. You clearly have a lot of knowledge and passion for these things - hope you have continued success and growth on your channel!
Love your analysis. And eeeeeeee so glad to see Tangled the series acknowledge!!!!! One of my favourites. Would love to see you do some videos about those songs too
There's a missing point here, that is an important part of maintaining that type of reserved passion is also that the original song does not change key. In the worlds of pop music and musical theater finishing off with a key change is a helpful tool for bringing songs to a heightened emotional level and when covering Part of Your World, some people have done exactly that but I don't really think that a key change is necessary because that wasn't the intent of the songwriters. Howard said that intensity is better than enormous in this song. In fact I think that's staying in the same key the whole time is what makes it work so well having it push and pull and eventually bring Ariel back down to where she started tells a story effectively it even ends with the same motif it began with showing the audience the life that she wants but then going back to the life that she has. As you can see in the first (look at this stuff) and last (part of that world) sentence the song doesn't change the key at all which really shows that the song is just a small wish from the bottom of her heart and then she realizes that it is impossible to achieve so she returns to the world/reality where she lives. So yeah the live action one is more like a current pop music imo because they change the key, making the highs feels higher and as a result the lows feel lower. But it still works as "I Want" song. From this you can know that Howard Ashman was a great lyricist that he can even tell a story from a song. He also made the song dynamically switching from singing to talking and vice versa but the transition between them is still unnoticeable. But in the remake, Halle looks like she is always singing. Well because im bad at explaining so here's the full explanation.
th-cam.com/video/f004vevFZYQ/w-d-xo.html
Some people say that Jodi sings the song as a character and Haile sings the song like she is in front of America's Got Talent's juries. Well i can agree with that. Actually, directors (I mean Ashman) do direct them in a certain way. When Jodi Benson was recording, the director specifically told her that she had to sing like she was saying something intimate instead of belting it like she was in front of thousands of people, that's why all her big notes don't actually sound big and powerful but sweet and dramatic. While I believe in Halle's version they did quite the opposite.
The really butchered songs are Poor Unfortunate Soul and Kiss the Girl. The lyrics changes is unnecessary and completely ruined the meaning of the song. Under the sea is just out of context because Ariel is not supposed to sung along at that part. You know it's just shows that they dont even care about the story and just want to show off Halle's voice. I dont know what they want to fix from the original even though they just kept ruined Ashman’s legacy. The additional songs are okay, except for Scuttlebutt, it is just a trash. It should not be exist anymore. I mostly prefer Le Poisson than this garbage. I know both songs are supposed to be a jokes but Le poisson is happy and fun meanwhile scuttlebut is cringe. In the original, scuttle doesnt need to sings a literall song and waste our 2 minutes just to conveyed Ariel that Eric is getting married. Scuttle was not character that is designed to be able to sing in the first place (you can see it from kiss the girl scene when its voice literally ruined the mood) yet in this live action they literally gived it a song?! Idk why they still added new song for Eric even though they keep tried to kill his character in every chances
Also Im so grateful you mentioned Howard Ashman here. Mad respect for Howard! Disney always had "I want" songs since Snow White but it's only after The Little Mermaid and "Part of Your World" that that's been the formula ever since, thanks to Howard Ashman. The little mermaid, beauty and the beast and aladdin's songs is written by Howard Ashman. It's a shame that just few of disney fans talked about Howard. He is literally the reason why disney is still exist now. Howard Ashman is a legendary lyricist who made Disney rise from its downfall and started the renaissance era of Disney, who recently returned from his huge career in musical broadway theater world that time. You can know that Howard Ashman was a great lyricist that he can even tell a story from a song. He also made the song dynamically switching from singing to talking and vice versa but the transition between them is still unnoticeable. He is the one who directing Jodi Benson to sing Part of Your World. We all know that the original Part of Your World will always be the best "I Want" song, not just because the nostalgia vibe but also Jodi Benson is really well and carefully directed by Howard Ashman, that even her breaths, stress and pause on each syllable are really well and gently cared for. Hard to believe that this beautiful song was almost cut from the movie. Jeffery Kratzenberg hated it and thought that it not only slowed down the movie but was boring. Howard fought hard to convince Katzenberg that this song belonged in the movie. And I'm glad he did. Disney renaissance is mostly known by their songs. Before the little mermaid project, Howard gathered the whole disney crew for a meeting. He tell about broadway history to all the crew and they all were impressed at him. Fun fact: Howard did much more than write the songs on this movie, he also brought on board Jodi Benson, directed her during this song, changed an English butler crab named Clarence to be a Jamaican crab named Sebastien, wrote the dialog in the scene where Triton gives Ariel her legs, and also produced the movie with John Musker.
After The Little Mermaid released and became a biggest success in box office, Howard Ashman and Alan Menken was going to make movie called Aladdin. They've come up with several of ideas and musical numbers but Jeffrey Katzenberg then dragging them to a new project, Beauty and The Beast. Unfortunately, Ashman passed away 6 month before beauty and the beast was released and that movie was dedicated to him that even in the credit scene you can see that they gaved him credit to honor him because of how important he was. After beauty and the beast released, Jeffrey then took away all of Ashman's idea and script, almost 99% of them. But sadly some of the songs were removed in the final film
He is the one who bring the new element broadway musical to the movie. This is the bright spot where everyone started to wacthing to animated movies again, previously no one was at all interested in animated movies. That's why every single disney movie now has a song in it. Disney keep using this formula until now (but not as effective as in the renaissance) because it's Howard's legacy. You can tell how they respect Ashman that even in Beauty and The Beast credit scene, there's a statement to honor him
"To our friend, Howard,
who gave a mermaid her voice
and a beast his soul,
we will be forever grateful."
Howard Ashman
1950-1991
No wonder why The Little Mermaid be the first disney animated classic who get an oscar nomination. Also Beauty and the Beast is Disney's 30th animated motion picture, a dedication to Howard Ashman before he had passed away and the only classic movie to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and Best Picture.
He was the one who brought “I Want” song to another level! I Want song is literally every disney movies now. "In almost every musical ever written... the leading lady usually sits down on something... and sings about what she wants in life, and the audience falls in love with her and roots for her to get for the rest of the night." - Howard Ashman.
He and his partner, Alan Menken, is the greatest duo that anyone have ever recognized in animated movie history. Also gain respect to Alan Menken, The little mermaid is actually his first score yet he can bring the magic with that scores. You can said that Part of Your World orchestra in the opening scene is the best choir you have ever seen and heard.
Have you ever heard about the quote
"There are three kinds of pianists: Jewish pianists, homosexual pianists, and bad pianists."
-Vladimir Horowitz
That quote actually referring to Ashman because he was Jewish and gay but still doesnt changed the fact that he really putted his care and love the the movies
It's hard not to hear the parallels to his own life. To be a gay man in that day and age (and to be literally dying of AIDS) and to wrestle with that kind of longing, that kind of loneliness, that kind of confusion, that kind of self-hatred... The message comes loud and clear even when it's not sung by a mermaid. Tremendous achievement, brilliant man. RIP.
I can't imagine how much more greater and better Disney would have been doing today if this great man was still alive. It hurts to actually wonder.
Also here's the way Jodi talks about him
th-cam.com/video/8Ivp1e6-okE/w-d-xo.html
I feel like the original is about the character and the remake is about the singer they hired.
Jodi Benson is just amazing. I preformed with her in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I was fan-girling so hard! She was an absolute sweetheart.
Really love that the breakdown isn't exactly biased and openly admits when things aren't clearly one way or another, both pros and cons are presented in a really honest and refreshing way
I think my main complaint with the new song boils down to one sentence that by the end of the film I could not stop myself from saying out loud:
SING EVENLY
It gets so distracting to me when words aren’t on beat constantly and just mashed together. It can work, but not when they’re pulled off the obvious beat they’re supposed to be on and haphazardly mashed onto the next one.
This is what I come to TH-cam for. Thank you for your thorough analysis!!! Subbed!
It feels like the remake is too aware of how important the song is in a meta sense. Like, “look audience! This is the big song of your childhood! Bask!” A lot of the instrumentation feels grandiose for that reason, rather than purely because they’re trying to convey Ariel’s emotion.
11:31 I understand why you think remake version of this scene is worse but for me it's the best moment of Halle's performance. Maybe because it took me off guard, maybe because I love how you can see her hand reaching out just slightly out of a grotto or for any other reason I can't now recognize. I just think it's really neat :)
Tho, I love your analisys videos! You're very good at putting your thoughts and knowledge into a video format. I hope you'd make more of them!
Part of That World and Part of Your World are not part of finals week on American Idol.
The emotion and connection and little things that Howard and Jodi brought out in that song are what that song needed to tell that part of the story.
I cried to the original because i could related so hard to it. I cried to the remake because it gave me hope.
I love what you said in this video! It's so easy to immediately be negative toward something new, but you embraced and appreciated those differences! and you don't make those who like remake make feel bad. everyone has different taste!
I like listening to different versions of the same songs to see what they do with it. My personal favorite cover of Part of Your World is Jessie J's version from the We Love Disney album. I adore the big notes as I am someone who is very passionate about their dreams. I relate to it and the new version more because of that :)
And with the ending note, I actually really liked it! I don't really know how to explain it in words, but the fact that she holds that note just...adds so much desperation for me
My issue with this rendition of this song, along with basically every other aspect of the remake (granted I’ve only seen clips and not the whole movie yet) is that it all seems to take away from the original story they were telling and they don’t really account for it in most instances. Things were planned out the way they were for a reason! A lot of the changes are either totally unnecessary or work to even undermine the original story, and while I think it’s unintentional it just confirms for me that a lot of the people working on this didn’t understand what made the original so compelling to begin with. It’s disappointing.
The remake shouldn't have been crafted at all.
It feels like copying yourself or creative inflation.
@@Δ-Δ-Δ-Δ I don’t necessarily think the remakes shouldn’t exist, but if you’re going to do it, do it for a good reason! Do it while understanding the original. I don’t think most of these remakes do that at all.
@@SarahJHug I sadly do.
These remakes are not even 100 years old.
If I wanted my kids to watch something, I'd put the original, not the re-made versions with poorer casting and questionable ideological decisions thrown in there.
The remakes don't teach us anything new, they feel like wasting money in exchange for more money.
I know that's how cinema works, but at least the originals delivered a good product.
You give me your money, I'll give you the experience of a lifetime.
The new ones are like "Give me your money, I'll give you a poorer version of what we already had".
@@SarahJHugYeah.. you need to watch the whole movie cause you and this TH-camr are just comparing Halle's version to the cartoon. Which of course it's gonna be different why would it be the same that's lame to me. But in the remake it makes sense that in Halle's version she is more frustrated because unlike cartoon Ariel who is curious about the above world that's not the same for Halle's Ariel. The remake makes it seem like she already knows she wants to be in the above world and is mad that she is stuck below. All I know is when the remake comes on Disney+. A lot of people are gonna make videos of how ya'll were over-critiquing this film and saying it was bad when it was not at all. I have seen bad remakes this is no where near that. It's just ya'll we're always gonna be biased against it especially with them changing Ariel from jump.
@@laurenj6802 If you enjoy it that’s fine. Your reply doesn’t really get to the heart of my issues with it based on what I’ve seen, but that’s ok. Enjoy the movie.
For anyone who's versed in music theory: it's much more sensible to think of the A# and A#mi chords around 11:00 as Bb and Bbmi, since F is the V of Bb.
I saw a video of Jodi Benson recording this song and how meticulous the director was in what he wanted from her in the singing. Her original run was vastly different than the finished product. I love seeing stuff like that.
I love BOTH, they’re very distinct approaches to the same song but I think they both work, and Halles vocals are amazing. my personal favorite is the Part of your World (reprise ii) in the new one.
yeah, but ariel is known for her bright red hair. the new version has brownish red hair. everything got messed up
@@tourettekid8086 womp womp idc
Some people really don’t realize how much more emotional little vocal imperfections can make a song. One of my favorite video games of all time has a song in it by Mili, called Gone Angels, a sad, grief-filled somg made all the more heart wrenching by the singer’s voice cracking and shifting in volume, showing how emotional of a moment it is.
I felt as if that Halle was the most exceptional part of this movie and I felt that during this song. What I hate the most about all these remakes is that they hire people who either cannot act or sing. When hearing about Halle being casted in the movie, I was skeptical because of my hate for these remakes, but I appreciated that they actually found someone who can act and sing. While she was recording Part of Your World and recording the scenes for it, she was not trying to be a show off with her singing or acting like other big name Disney live action cast members, she sung the song and performed how the character, Ariel, might sing it and add a bit of her to not copy Jodi Benson. The visuals didn't connect with me, but I really did appreciate that Halle was singing and performing Part of Your World
At least compared to some other remake leads(I’m looking at you, Beauty and the Beast) Halle Bayley can sing
True, but Halle's version is not very immersive. It feels more like a stage performance. Jodi brings more subtlety. I think it's possible they tried to make Halle's version with more "Let It Go" vibes, but that doesn't work. Let It Go works for Elsa only because its intensity and power is contextual to the story. Whereas Part of Your World's context is more about wishful thinking and Ariel longing to be part of something greater than herself.
@@vetarlittorf1807as someone who isn’t attached to the original have to say I adore halle’s voice and performance
Each to their own :)
@@vetarlittorf1807I think the immersive feeling is subjective like she said in the video. It’s so weird that people have so much trouble giving credit to Halle despite the fact that objectively her singing is better quality than these past live actions. Like the reprise of this song is so great in the remake
@@christopherreeder1679 Oh she did a good job with what she was given and she has a great voice. It's just that she doesn't manage to live up to Jodi Benson. Her version is too intense which doesn't quite fit the character in that situation.
@@vetarlittorf1807Doesn’t fit the character? How?? The same character that disobeys her father to risk her life, give up her voice, alter her body and possibly sell her soul to a sea witch for a man she doesn’t know and live somewhere she’s never been? I think Haley captured that emotion of that level of determination and desperation
To me, the remake song was fine. I’ll always prefer Jodi Benson’s version, but I relate to it more as a wistful, dreamy kid who just wanted to be with everyone else, but knew that it would probably never happen. I like certain parts of the remake, the going up on “and” (while unnecessary) does make Halle feel more desperate, and I can relate to that too. And even her holding that note at the end when instrumentals cut out (I see it as jumping for a dream when there’s no support) I like that too. My problem is the run on “be”. If the interpretation is supposed to be desperate to despondent (which I think is supposed to be the interpretation; Ariel wanting and excited to be with humans, but realizing this will never happen); then the run at the end takes away from that. Instead it comes off as selfish or entitled, or even (hate to say this) tone deaf. I listen to that and hear a performance, not a personal diatribe. That’s my problem with it. Everything else is fine, but that ruins the whole thing for me.
My only gripe with the new Part of That World (and with a lot of the remake really) is that Sebastian was nowhere to be seen. He hardly interacts with Ariel at all until they're on land. He doesn't see her anguish, he doesn't see her perspective, it doesn't feel like he's ever in a position to truly understand her at all. The lack of chemistry/interaction between Sebastian and Ariel takes away a decent chunk of the whole story's impact.
I didn't necessarily grow up with the original. I owned many disney movies that were older than this one as a kid like Cinderella and 101 Dalmations, but somehow not the movie that kicked off the renaissance, but man, there's just no comparison imo. The original is visually and musically gorgeous. The remake isn't the absolute worst thing Disney's done in recent years, but like with all the remakes when compared to the originals, I know which versions I'll be showing my kids.
It's not bad. The problem is that the original was as close to perfect as you could get, and the remake didn't need to happen. Every deviation is going to be judged harshly in comparison, fairly or not.
This is such a well done video. This has always been my favorite Disney movie and favorite princess song. I will say one thing: you keep using the word “excitement” to describe Halles performance, but I think determination better describes this vibe. The original was wistful, Halles version is a promise to herself she’s declaring loudly. She’s determined to get on land no matter the cost. More than anything, Halles version just gives me chills her voices is so beautiful
YESSS THANK YOU
I actually kinda prefer the voice left without instruments. Its as if all of the instruments are what and where she wants to be, and then they die out, leaving her an empty shell, nothing changed, still lonely. I feel that silence deep within my soul.
Remake one just goes too overbooooooaarrrghhhhhhhhdddddddddddddd
I think you could really read into it when looking at Ashmans queerness and attitudes at the time - if you compare wishfulness and an idea of hope in the face of uncertainty verses strong feelings and power, we could relate these to attitudes towards LGBTQ rights. for the record I don't think this was intended or intensional but I think you could say that and I think it's an interesting idea - either way loved this breakdown
I actually considered mentioning this angle, but was worried about the potential response, so I'm glad someone in the comments said something
@@astorrhymemasterdo Under the Sea next cause I have a lot to say about Under the Sea
I personally really think halle holding out that note for a bit longer represents Ariel wanting to go farther than where everyone else is going, but is being held back sort of. I do think the riff she does on the "wish i could be" ruins what could have been a melancholic "wake up call" ending to the song like you mentioned.
I'm a twenty-year-old dude, and "Part Of Your World" is my favorite song since I was a child, and I don't think any piece of music will ever replace it. Its importance for me is hard to compare with anything. It's hard for me to remember a day when I didn't sing or listen to it. so yes,it became a part of my world. Jodi Benson's version is my childhood. She will forever remain in my heart. BUT. When I first heard Hailey’s version, I burst into tears really hard. It felt like I heard this song for the first time, and I felt it in a new way, somehow in a special way compared to before. This is easy to explain. Although Hailey sings that she wants to be a part of that world, with her expression she seems to shout that I MUST be a part of that world. We can compare for a long time these two versions, but they are just different, and damn, each one is good in its own way. I think the only thing I missed in the new version was the feeling of a "monologue song" that was in the original. Howard put a lot of effort into ensuring that Jodi fully realized his idea. The idea of a song that should not be sung so much as felt. Of course, Hailey tore up this song with her incredible vocals, but at the same time, the main idea of Howard was lost. Is this bad? don't think so. Because we are talking about an alternative that is no less beautiful. Just different
Look, ms, I'm not much into music or poems - but i LOVE your precision and obvious professionalism.
Simply put - you have a new subsriber.
I honestly like both versions, they are there own thing~
I actually like how her last note extends past the music because it’s like she doesn’t wanna stop singing about how much she wants it despite everything else cutting out, she wants it more
Just subscribed to your channel recently, and I really like the direction you’re taking lately. Keep up the good work! You’re quite clever and talented.
I guess I like the original best, but I love how you explain the difference between the two in a good way. I feel more like the original cause my voice feels more like a whisper rather then out loud. And I love the Sebastian jump scare gag XD. In the remake the way Sebastian looks in it would be horrifying for that jump scare gag.
Both are beautiful
I would honestly love for you to do a similar video like this with the lion king and the remake. Mainly the song “I just cant wait to be king” critiquing both the visuals of the remake and ofc the tone of the lyrics. I love your content btw ❤
I just don't like how choppy Halle sounds
I’m gonna be honest, even if this is an unpopular opinion, but the remake version of part of your world resonated with me far more than the original. Especially at the part that lost a lot of people was probably my favorite, because it was such an intense, feeling of longing and desperation that I couldn’t entirely relate to rather than a quiet sense of wonder. More like I know this place and I know where I belong, but I just had to except where I am even if it hurts. That’s a message and the feelings I connect with so much more. And this is coming from someone who was an avid fan of the original song and would have it on all of my playlists.
Part of Your World is an "I want" song. It's supposed to be about Ariel's wants and desires, so it's supposed to be a little bit sad. I feel like the remake just didn't quite get that.
I disagree. It’s still an “I want” song, however the tone is different. One of more wistful while the other is has more determination.
... Seriously? Then what are these songs if not "I Want" songs?
"Belle (Reprise)"
"I Just Can't Wait to Be King"
"Just Around the Riverbend"
"When Will My Life Begin?"*
"For The First Time In Forever"*
"Almost There"
"How Far I'll Go"
*Might have sad parts to them but the overall tone of the songs are not sad.
I got those vibes from the first time I heard it. I heard and felt every emotion in bailey's performance. She poured her heart and soul into the song and it showed. I mean this respectfully, of course.
I kind of really like that build-up in Halle’s “above”. It makes it sound like she’s rising up through the ocean, the noise of it clearing when she hits the surface and her voice can finally cut through the air. I will always prefer the original but I really appreciated that
Every time I listen to Halle's version, I'm on the verge of tears (or crying), so I definitely listen to hers a lot, but it's really cool to see all the comparisons between the two!
Off topic but since you mentioned it “waiting in the wings” from the tangled tv show is sooo good. God I wish Alan Menken could be writing more music for Disney instead of oops! All Lin Manuel Miranda
They got Tony nominees for the little side cartoon series but could only get one theater person for all of Encanto 🤔
In their defense, Lin is one of those recognizable names that could pull butts into theatres.
They wouldn't have not put his name on promotions and trailers if he wasn't already famous
The Tangled series has so many good songs and has a great story, but it gets ignored by most because it's 2D animation and treated as a kid's show.
When I saw the original, I knew instantly it was going to go down as one of the all-time great Disney films, and I was right.
The new one tries too hard to take its place and still falls short. The same places where the original gives things a light touch, the new one hits with a hammer.
Being an animator, I inherently despise the LiVe AcTiOn remakes; the biggest animation studio in the world devaluing the art form for a quick cash grab. I loved your analysis on Poor Unfortunate Souls and Under The Sea; it was my first time seeing any footage of the remake beyond the teaser trailer and couldn’t believe how it was both so bland and so horribly uncanny at the same time (that’s what you get prioritising rEaLiSm in a film like this). However, upon first listen at least, I actually really like Halle’s performance and the tone she gives to it. The frustration and longing is really relatable. I know you said Jodie’s version seemed more like a personal moment for the character because of how wistful and often understated it was, but a character being only able to truly express themselves along with their frustration, intense longing for something else and excitement at letting themselves get caught up in the idea of it actually being possible is something that really speaks to me, and (at least outside of the context of also considering what they did with Poor Unfortunate Sould) still absolutely feels like an emotionally intimate moment; she’s voicing her wishes not to the audience as you initially interpreted it (I’m not saying this in a passive aggressive way, I’m just saying how our initial reactions differed), but to herself and her close friend in one of the few spaces she can truly do so. I’ll still always prefer the original recording, and the visuals win hands-down, but can absolutely say this rendition of an absolutely iconic song in an overall terrible remake is surprisingly good. I just wish Halle’s talents could’ve been lent to a better movie
First of all, loved the video! You presented your points and the nuances so well! I loved how you weren’t rude or vitriolic at any point, just super kind and well spoken in your delivery.
Something I found particularly interesting is I ended up feeling the exact reverse as you; I didn’t like the more orchestral overdramatized nature of the song, and I didnt like how the wistfulness was changed…but the one part I _did_ like was her reaching just her hand out, and extending the note. In the original, the visual with her head is pretty, but it doesn’t alter anything or add emotion to what’s already there. In the remake, there is so much visceral desperation in that image it really adds a new layer for me. It feels similar to the image of a zombie reaching their hand out of the dirt as they wake up, but almost the opposite. She feels dead in her life but she can’t get out of the grave. In the original it almost looks like she could maybe squeeze through the hole. In the remake it’s viscerally clear she cannot get out. She’s a prisoner reaching through prison bars. And the way her lonely voice extends into the silence only exacerbates how she is powerless against circumstances-as dramatic as the song sounds to us, ultimately it reminds us she’s just a desperate lonely voice in the dark.
I saw the remake twice and I enjoyed it, respect to the original and Halle Bailey was awesome in this movie. Loved it❤
I watched it twice too 😅 Loved it
I love both ❤. I feel like Hallie’s blend is between musical theater and a monologue. I quite enjoy it. I like having something like that happen in music. Just my opinion both are wonderful.
@gabrielahin3811
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I think the 1989 Latino version of Isela Otelo captures greatly the same spirit, I enjoy both Jodi’s and the Spanish version I grew up with cause they’re so good.
Both interpretations capture the essence of this character, they give us a perfect insight into her reality, her dreams and desires. You don’t only need a good voice but most importantly, be a great interpreter to achieve this.
Another thing I noticed as a singer is the almost strained vowels when singing high notes; you can notice that precisely in the first “I want mooore”. Her singing style (pop) makes it sound so out of place, contrary to a more theatrical approach.
I really like tour analysis, waiting for more videos!
The new version isn't really that bad...
But the emotions, Ariel's childish-ness, naivety, and character isn't really passed through? Or shown?
Idk, the original is like what you said, it's like you're longing for something, and the new one is being so excited and stuff...
The "Burn" part though, was the part that I didn't like... The emotions in that lyrics was just uhmph...
Of course these are all just me, idk about the others
BRO you’re so good at music analysis I’d love to hear more of your analyses
I haven't watched the remake and I don't plan to but as far what you showed of the songs, I do felt the nuances between them.
With the original being more dreamy and full of wonder of how being up there must be fun and she can discover a lot more than what she can see from the shore. She's just very interested in seeing the upper land.
With the remake making it as if she's desperate to leave what she have for what she could have. Like she's tired of her interests being disregarded and how everything up there must be better for her. It has to be better for her, because if it isn't then why doesn't she felt like she belongs in the ocean
Remake is so annoying how she drags and holds her “sssss” and “shhh” and “ffffff” consonants. It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard
My favorite version of this song is Sierra Boggess on the Little Mermaid Broadway Cast Recording. I just can’t get into Halle’s because I find it to be incredibly overdone. Riffing does not immediately make a song/performance better or more emotional and I feel like people don’t understand that. Like, what do the inflections Halle incorporated add to the song itself? Nothing really. That’s not to say riffing is bad per se, Elphaba in Wicked is a great example of a character where riffs are welcome at certain points. Adding a powerhouse belting riff at the end of Defying Gravity is an easy way to get the audience applauding on their feet cause it makes it feel so climactic and a big riff makes complete sense there. Adding a random riff somewhere in I’m Not That Girl - a soft song about how the guy she really likes doesn’t like her back - would not make sense. Broadway performers don’t just get up and sing a silly song the way a lot of people seem to think they do. There is a logic to their performances and especially how their voices are used. If you listen to Broadway solos - male or female, a huge part of what they do is sing the song straight through while changing the volume and power of their vocals at very specific points in order to drive the emotion home. Even riffs are usually only used sporadically and again, in very specific moments and once you hear those changing levels, you can’t unhear it and how drastically you change your levels heavily depends on the song you’re singing.
All of that is exactly what Sierra does - sings it straight through as written with very little altercations but changing the level of her voice throughout - and it hits me in the gut every time even though I know exactly what she’s doing because it’s a trick that works and has for decades. You can’t just add the inflections or power anywhere all willy nilly because you think it’ll sound good there. It can genuinely mess with the journey the song is trying to take you on. Musical songs, especially solos are extensions of characters thoughts and feelings but they’re also entire journeys in and of themselves. If you listen to Sierra’s version, she builds and builds and builds until she gets to a climactic belt and then immediately brings it all the way back down for the ending and it absolutely slaps. Halle kinda starts belting in random places, putting riffs and note changes where they don’t really work and again, it messes with the journey of the song. Musical songs, especially solos, are written the way they are for a reason, especially if you have a good composer/lyricist. Sometimes a performer will come around and say, “hey, I think a note change here would work perfectly” but it’s still a collaborative effort to make it as impactful as you can. You have to trust that the melody, lyrics, orchestrations, phrasing…etc. are going to do what they’re supposed to do, your voice is just an extension of that but if the voice itself doesn’t do it’s job, it can mess with the entire song, especially if you’re singing how you think Broadway performers sing but are completely missing the mark because most people seem to think of theatrical performing in an all too literal way and end up overdoing it.
I feel like Disney was so excited to get a good singer for the role that they completely forgot it’s not just about the voice itself but how you utilize it for the performance. Halle’s version is all over the place and she obviously didn’t have great direction. She sang it as a vocalist doing a cover and added moments she thought were theatrical and it just doesn’t work for me. It vaguely reminds me of Taylor Swift in Cats. I think both probably thought they were singing all emotional because of the accent or voice inflections or riffing but they’re trying too hard and it ends up sticking out like a sore thumb (the whole Cats movie stuck out but ya know lol). It almost makes me think that this is the way Halle has been singing it her whole life, like it’s her personal rendition of it so of course she’s gonna sing it like that in the film if she’s not given proper vocal direction regardless of if it makes sense from a musical standpoint.
I agree with your points about how this is a different interpretation of a song, and through that lens it’s a good rendition of it. Personally though I do have to throw in that since it’s a medium I want to think of as needing to be alongside the visual medium it was created with, the animated version does a better job of conveying the message and matching/guiding the tone of everything together.
1989 >>>>>>>>2023
Not a fan of pipes for the sake of pipes, so 2023 is a hard no.
If Ariel is so excited and positive, how comes she's never broken the surface yet? Let alone actually communicated with people? This excitement in place of '89's hopeless longing actually hinders the whole stakes and conflict between Ariel and Triton, and conflict between the surface and underwater worlds. Resolute and attacking, where Ariel used to show longing, it kinda paints the 2023 version of character as even more headstrong - she's never even risen to surface, she's never had even a secondhand experience of it, yet she's so adamant that this, exactly this is what she wants. Truly, a picturesque performance for the time that lies to people that one can be anything.
Thank you for your video. Howard Ashman indeed was a genius, this performance set a standard for me to enjoy strength of voice only as secondary quality to any given song. Tone. Matters. Atmosphere matters. If I'll want to listen to strength and perfection of a voice that comes at a cost of nuance of performance, I may as well just go and listen to… what are they called in English? Gammas? -one google later- Scales!