Arabian Nights

"Arabian Nights" is the opening song from Aladdin, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman. It was performed by The Peddler (singing voice by the late Bruce Adler). Howard Ashman and Alan Menken had written several reprises, but they were ultimately cut from the final film.

An alternate version of the song utilizing lyrics from the original demo was later featured in The Return of Jafar, performed by Brian Hannan. This version was also used as the main titles theme for the Aladdin television series.

Aladdin and the King of Thieves features a reprise performed by Bruce Adler, which was originally recorded for the first film.

Arabian Nights pops up in the movie's score quite often, primarily used as a theme for Jafar.

Aladdin version
''Oh, I come from a land, from a faraway place  Where the caravan camels roam  Where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense.  (Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face)  It's barbaric, but hey, it's home  When the wind's from the east  And the sun's from the west  And the sand in the glass is right  Come on down  Stop on by '' ''Hop a carpet and fly  To another Arabian night ''

''Arabian Nights like Arabian days  More often than not  Are hotter than hot  In a lot of good ways ''

''Arabian Nights 'neath Arabian moons  A fool off his guard  Could fall and fall hard  Out there on the dunes''

The Return of Jafar and TV series version
Follow me to a place where incredible feats are routine every hour or so  ''Where enchantment runs rampant  Yes wild in the streets  Open Sesame, here we go! ''

''Arabian Nights  Like Arabian Days  They tease and excite  Take off and take flight  They shock and amaze ''

''Arabian Nights  Like Arabian Days  More often than not  Are hotter than hot  In a lot of good ways ''

''Pack your shield, Pack your sword  You won't ever get bored  Though get beaten or gored, you might  Come on down  Stop on by '' ''Hop a carpet and fly  To another Arabian Night  Arabian Night!''

Deleted Reprises
Initially a longer composition, Howard Ashman and Alan Menken 1990 score treatment incorporated several reprises sung by The Genie of the Ring, who served as the story's narrator in the original treatment (although under the guise of the Peddler). The first reprise introduces The Wicked Wazir (later to be named Jafar) as the story's main antagonist. The second is sung as Wazir takes Aladdin to The Cave of Wonders posing as his uncle. The third plays as someone - presumably Aladdin - is locked in the dungeon, awaiting death. For the fourth and final reprise, The Genie of the Ring bids the audience farewell; this reprise was sung by The Peddler at the end of King of Thieves.

Reprise #1

 * “In the palace, right here, lived a wicked vizier; the advisor to Sultan Hamed. And this part-time magician, this amateur seer, wished his boss, the good sultan, dead. He was charming and slick, but unspeakably sick, this despicable parasite. What a villain, boo hiss! Further proof, dears, that this is another Arabian night...”

Reprise 2

 * “A contemptible skunk was this counterfeit "Unc". But Aladdin he led, alas, on a journey insane through forbidden terrain to a desolate mountain pass. And the trip that they had was so bad for our lad that he gradually got uptight... and suspected - guess what? This was possibly not just another Arabian night...”

Reprise 3

 * “What a room, what a stink. This is doom, don't you think? As the hours of the night crawl past. You've got rats in your cell, but you'll live with the smell, till the dawn, when you'll breathe your last. Every tick of the clock says get set for the block and the shock of your awful plight. You should sleep, but you don't, 'cause you know that you won't see another Arabian night.”

Reprise 4

 * “So, it goes, short and sweet. Now they live down the street, doing just what they all do best. Happy end to the tale, and tomorrow's a sale. So I'd better go home and rest. Here's a kiss and a hug. Sure you don't need a rug? I assure you the price is right. Well, salaam, worthy friend. Come back soon, that's the end, 'till another Arabian night!”

Aladdin and the King of Thieves reprise
This last reprise is sung by the Peddler at the end of Aladdin and the King of Thieves. It is a slightly different version of the fourth deleted reprise; the lyrics were altered to reflect changes made to the stories (mostly Aladdin living in the palace after his wedding, contrary to an early version where Jasmine would give up her status as a princess and come live with Aladdin in the end, reflected by the original version's lyric "Now they live down the street").


 * So it goes, short and sweet,
 * They were wed down the street,
 * May their marriage be truly blessed…
 * Happy end to the tale!
 * And tomorrow's a sale…
 * So I'd better go home, and rest !
 * Here's a kiss, and a hug;
 * Sure you don't need a rug?
 * I assure the price is right!…
 * Well salaam, worthy friend,
 * Come back soon, that's the end--
 *  ' Til another Arabian night!…
 * Arabian Niiiiiiight!

Trivia

 * When the film was first released to cinemas, the line, "Where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense" was originally, "Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face". Due to the line being offensive, it was changed shortly after being released. It's unknown whether Menken or lyricist Tim Rice wrote that extra lyric, seeing how it was never heard in the original demo.
 * In the Broadway musical, the song is sung by Genie instead of the Peddler, (Even though it's hinted they're both the same character).