Daily Dialogue — August 17, 2010

ARIEL
But without my voice, how can I-

URSULA
You’ll have your looks, your pretty face.
And don’t underestimate the importance of body language, ha!

The men up there don’t like a lot of blabber
They think a girl who gossips is a bore!
Yet on land it’s much prefered for ladies not to say a word
And after all dear, what is idle babble for?
Come on, they’re not all that impressed with conversation
True gentlemen avoid it when they can
But they dote and swoon and fawn
On a lady who’s withdrawn
It’s she who holds her tongue who get’s a man

Come on you poor unfortunate soul
Go ahead!
Make your choice!
I’m a very busy woman and I haven’t got all day
It won’t cost much
Just your voice!
You poor unfortunate soul
It’s sad but true
If you want to cross the bridge, my sweet
You’ve got the pay the toll
Take a gulp and take a breath
And go ahead and sign the scroll
Flotsam, Jetsam, now I’ve got her, boys
The boss is on a roll
This poor unfortunate soul

 — Ariel (Jodi Benson), Ursula (Pat Carroll), The Little Mermaid (1989), written by John Musker and Ron Clements, song by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, based on a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is song lyrics in movies. The Little Mermaid suggested by ashleyfmiller.

Trivia: While writing “Part of Your World”, Alan Menken and Howard Ashman discovered that the song shared contextual and rhythmic similarities between “Somewhere That’s Green”; a song from their earlier musical, Little Shop of Horrors (1986). Hence, leading the duo to humorously nickname “Part of Your World” as “Somewhere That’s Dry”.