Part of Your World

"Part of Your World" is a song written and composed by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman for The Little Mermaid, which later become Ariel's theme song. It is also featured in the Broadway musical adaptation of the film and Kingdom Hearts II.

The song was included on the tape, Disney Sing Along Songs: Circle of Life. It is sung by Ariel, the title character, while in her hidden cavern which holds all of her treasures, most of which are human objects. It reveals how she longs to be human and live among their culture, and how she's tired of being a mermaid living under the sea.

In the second movie, The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, it is sung at the end by country singer Chely Wright.

For Kingdom Hearts II, it was sung by Ariel twice. The first time was when she rescued Eric, and the second was in a minigame. It was also sung by Ursula, disguised as Vanessa, when she hypnotized Eric.

Lyrics
Originally, the song was going to have more specific lyrics on the objects in Ariel's grotto, but then it was deigned that since Scuttle was her provider of information, she wouldn't really know the names of these objects.

Movie Lyrics= Look at this stuff. Isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collection's complete? Wouldn't you think I'm the girl, the girl who has everything?

Look at this trove, treasures untold How many wonders can one cavern hold? Looking around here, you'd think Sure, she's got everything

I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty I've got whozits and whatzits galore You want thing-a-mabobs? I've got twenty But who cares? No big deal. I want more!

I wanna be where the people are I wanna see, wanna see 'em dancin' Walkin' around on those... What do you call 'em? Oh, feet

Flippin' your fins you don't get too far Legs are required for jumpin', dancin' Strolling along down the... What's that word again? Street

Up where they walk Up where they run Up where they stay all day in the sun Wanderin' free, wish I could be part of that world

What would I give if I could live outta these waters? What would I pay to spend a day warm on the sand?

Betcha on land they understand Bet they don't reprimand their daughters Bright young women, sick of swimmin' Ready to stand

And I'm ready to know what the people know Ask 'em my questions and get some answers What's a fire and why does it... What's the word? Burn?

When's it my turn? Wouldn't I love, love to explore that shore up above? Out of the sea, wish I could be part of that world

Look at this stuff. Isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collection's complete? Wouldn't you think I'm the girl, the girl who has everything?
 * -|Original Lyrics=

Look at this trove, treasures untold Copper and bronze and fine leather and gold Paper and china and books Look, feathers and everything

I should start an aquatic museum I've got gadgets and whatzits galore All these fish'd pay money to see 'em But who cares? No big deal. I want more!

I wanna be where the people are I wanna see, wanna see 'em dancin' Walkin' around on those... What do you call 'em? Oh, feet

Flippin' your fins you don't get too far Legs are required for jumpin', dancin' Strolling along down the... What's that word again? Street

Up where they walk Up where they run Up where they stay all day in the sun Where they breathe free Wish I could be part of that world

Kingdom Hearts II
The song appears as a part of Sebastian's Musical minigame in Atlantica and is performed by Ariel. It's story-related use alludes to her discovery of Prince Eric's statue and wish to set foot on the land, similarly to how it's used in the film.

Trivia

 * In the 2006 2-Disc Platinum Edition, the reprise part was given a higher pitch.
 * Jodi Benson sang the song in the dark to get that "under the sea" feeling.
 * The song was nearly cut because Jeffrey Katzenberg felt that it was "boring", as well as being too far over the heads of the children for whom it was intended. It was only through the insistence of Howard Ashman and Glen Keane that it was included in the movie.
 * Alan Menken and Howard Ashman discovered that the song shared contextual and rhythmic similarities with another one of their songs: "Somewhere That's Green" from Little Shop of Horrors, leading them to humorously call it "Somewhere That's Dry".
 * Jodi Benson sang the song when she received her Disney Legend award in 2011.
 * The song would have been sung by Melissa Fahn had she gotten the role of Ariel instead of Jodi Benson.
 * Miley Cyrus, Skye Sweetnam, Ashley Tisdale and Carly Rae Jepsen have all covered the song.
 * A brief allusion to the original tale was made in the lyrics nearing the end, as Ariel says "When's it my turn? Wouldn't I love, love to explore that shore up above?" (in the original tale, mermaids were allowed to go up to the surface at age 15).
 * A parody of the song titled "Up There", was used in the film South Park:Bigger Longer Uncut.