"A Whole New World" is the key song from Disney's 1992 classic animated feature film Aladdin, which was composed by Alan Menken along with lyrics written by Tim Rice.
Its original version was sung by Brad Kane (Aladdin's singing voice) and Lea Salonga (Jasmine's singing voice). A pop version of it was performed by Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle in the film's closing credits, and was credited as "Aladdin's Theme" on the movie soundtrack.
Summary
The song was sung by Aladdin (still under the alias of Prince Ali Ababwa) and Jasmine while they were riding on the Magic Carpet about the new world that they are about to discover together, such as Egypt and Greece, while their love for each other blossomed before they eventually stop in China to watch fireworks. All the while, Jasmine silently deciphers that Prince Ali is the boy that she met in the marketplace.
After Aladdin saves Agrabah and the Sultan allows Jasmine to marry whomever she deems worthy, an engaged Aladdin and Jasmine reprise the song as fireworks light the night sky to celebrate the new chapter of their lives.
Lyrics
Aladdin: I can show you the world
Shining, shimmering, splendid
Tell me, princess, now when did
You last let your heart decide?
I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways and under
On a magic carpet ride
A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no
Or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
Jasmine: A whole new world
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I'm way up here
It's crystal clear
That now I'm in a whole new world with you
Aladdin: Now I'm in a whole new world with you
Jasmine: Unbelievable sights
Indescribable feeling
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling
Through an endless diamond sky
A whole new world (Aladdin: Don't you dare close your eyes)
A hundred thousand things to see (Aladdin: Hold your breath - it gets better)
I'm like a shooting star
I've come so far
I can't go back to where I used to be
Aladdin: A whole new world (Jasmine: Every turn a surprise)
With new horizons to pursue (Jasmine: Every moment red-letter)
Both:
I'll chase them anywhere
There's time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you
Aladdin:
A whole new world (Jasmine: A whole new world)
That's where we'll be (Jasmine: That's where we'll be)
Aladdin: A thrilling chase
Jasmine: A wondrous place
Both: For you and me
Aladdin: A whole new world
Jasmine: A whole new life
Both: For you and me
Chorus: A whole new world
(vocalizes)
Aladdin:
You must feel trapped inside these walls
We'll run away, just you and me
Why not escape as evening falls?
Theres a whole world you've yet to see
Jasmine:
(spoken) If I go with you, will it be safe?
Aladdin:
(spoken) Sure. Do you trust me?
Jasmine:
(spoken) What did you just say?
Aladdin:
(spoken) Do you trust me?
Jasmine:
(spoken) I'm not sure why, but... yes.
Aladdin:
I can show you the world
Shining, shimmering, splendid
Tell me, princess, now when did
You last let your heart decide?
I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways and under
On a magic carpet ride
A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
Jasmine:
A whole new world
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I'm way up here, it's crystal clear
That now I'm in a whole new world with you
Aladdin:
Now I'm in a whole new world with you
Jasmine:
Unbelievable sights
Indescribable feeling
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling
Through an endless diamond sky
A whole new world
Aladdin:
Don't you dare close your eyes
Jasmine:
A hundred thousand things to see
Aladdin:
Hold your breath, it gets better
Jasmine:
I'm like a shooting star
I've come so far
I can't go back
To where I used to be
Aladdin:
A whole new world
Jasmine:
Every turn a surprise
Aladdin:
With new horizons to pursue
Jasmine:
Every moment red-letter
Both:
I'll chase them anywhere
There's time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you
(instrumental break)
Jasmine:
A whole new world
Aladdin:
Don't you dare close your eyes
Jasmine:
A hundred thousand things to see
Aladdin:
Hold your breath, it gets better
Jasmine:
I'm like a shooting star
I've come so far
I can't go back
To where I used to be
Aladdin:
A whole new world
Jasmine:
Every turn a surprise
Aladdin:
With new horizons to pursue
Jasmine:
Every moment red-letter
Both:
I'll chase them anywhere
There's time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you
Aladdin:
A whole new world
Jasmine:
A whole new world
Aladdin:
That's where we'll be
Jasmine:
That's where we'll be
Aladdin:
A thrilling chase
Jasmine:
A wondrous place
Both:
For you and me
I can show you the world
Shining, shimmering, splendid
Tell me, princess, now when did
You last let your heart decide?
I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways and under
On a magic carpet ride
A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no
Or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
A whole new world
A dazzling place I never knew
But now from way up here
It's crystal clear
That now I'm in a whole new world with you
Unbelievable sights
Indescribable feeling
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling
Through an endless diamond sky
A whole new world
(Don't you dare close your eyes)
A hundred thousand things to see
(Hold your breath - it gets better)
I'm like a shooting star
I've come so far
I can't go back to where I used to be
A whole new world
With new horizons to pursue
I'll chase them anywhere
There's time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you
A whole new world
(A whole new world)
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no
Or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
A whole new world
(Every turn a surprise)
With new horizons to pursue
(Every moment red-letter)
I'll chase them anywhere
There's time to spare
Anywhere
There's time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you (you)
A whole new world
(A whole new world)
That's where we'll be
(Where we will be)
A thrilling chase
A wondrous place
For you and me
Aladdin: I can show you the world
Shining, shimmering, splendid
Tell me, princess, now when did
You last let your heart decide?
I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways and under
On a magic carpet ride
A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no
Or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
Jasmine: A whole new world
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I'm way up here
It's crystal clear
That now I'm in a whole new world with you
Aladdin: Now I'm in a whole new world with you
Jasmine:
Unbelievable sights
Indescribable
Both: Feeling
Jasmine: Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling
Through an endless diamond sky
A whole new world (Aladdin: Don't you dare close your eyes)
A hundred thousand things to see (Aladdin: Hold your breath - it gets better)
I'm like a shooting star
I've come so far
I can't go back to where I used to be
Aladdin: A whole new world (Jasmine: Every turn a surprise)
With new horizons to pursue (Jasmine: Every moment red-letter)
Both: I'll chase them anywhere
There's time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you
Aladdin: A whole new world (Jasmine: A whole new world)
That's where we'll be (Jasmine: That's where we'll be)
Aladdin: A thrilling chase
Jasmine: A wondrous place
Both: For you and me
Trivia
- Howard Ashman and Alan Menken discussed writing a song for the Magic Carpet ride. Sadly, Ashman passed away in March 1991 before they could begin. Fortunately, Tim Rice was brought in to help Menken finish the song on Ashman's behalf.
- Alan Menken's tentative title for the Magic Carpet ride was "The World at Your Feet." It was Tim Rice that changed it to "A Whole New World."[1]
- Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle performed it at the 65th Academy Awards and later won Best Song. It was also nominated for AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs as one of 15 from Disney and one of 17 from an animated movie to be nominated. The ones that eventually made the cut were: "When You Wish Upon a Star" (#7), "Someday My Prince Will Come" (#19), "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" (#36), "Wind Beneath My Wings" (#44), "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" (#47), "Beauty and the Beast" (#62), "The Rainbow Connection" (#74), and "Hakuna Matata" (#99).
- The song would later be featured in attractions at the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts such as The Magic Carpets of Aladdin and Mickey's PhilharMagic. Additionally, it was featured in a scene in World of Color and a short scene in Fantasmic!.
- The scene is one of the very few in the original script to have survived into the final film.
- Nineteen years after the song was made, a parody of it called Aerial Area Rug from the Phineas and Ferb episode "Magic Carpet Ride" was done.
- In the original film, the carpet flies not only in Agrabah, but also to the pyramids of Egypt, Zeus's temple in Greece, and the forbidden city in China.
- The song is the only Disney one that won a Grammy for Song of the Year.
- The song was included in Disney Sing Along Songs: Friend Like Me, Disney Sing Along Songs: Collection of All-Time Favorites: The Modern Classics and Disney Princess Sing Along Songs: Once Upon a Dream.
- Girl group Eternal released the song as the B-side to their 1996 single, "Someday", recorded for the Disney film The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
- LMNT covered the song for DisneyMania 2, released in 2004.
- Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey covered the song for DisneyMania 3 released in 2005, and on the two-disc Platinum Edition DVD for the Aladdin film.
- In 2007, Pixar employee Nick Pitera uploaded a video to YouTube where he performs both the male and female characters, earning 30 million views (as of January 18, 2013).
- Saxophonist Dave Koz covered the song on his album At The Movies. The song featured Donna Summer on vocals.
- On Disney - Koe no Oujisama album the song was sung by Kenichi Suzumura
- The song was covered in 2013 by Japanese hip-hop/EDM group M-Flo, featuring vocals by Matt Cab, for the album Electronic Disney Music.
- Malaysian singer Yuna recorded a ukulele version of the song to promote Disney's Aulani which was later included as a bonus track on the We Love Disney album.
- A 2018 ad for Walt Disney World has a spoken word version of the song.
- The song was used in a mashup alongside "When You Wish Upon a Star" as an intro to "The Wonderful World of Disney".
Gallery
.jpg "Aladdin & Jasmine (1).jpg (117 KB)")
.jpg "Aladdin & Jasmine - A Whole New World (1).jpg (329 KB)")
.jpg "Aladdin & Jasmine - A Whole New World (4).jpg (147 KB)")
.jpg "Aladdin & Jasmine - A Whole New World (3).jpg (140 KB)")
Add a photo to this galleryVideos
References
- ↑ Aladdin, Platinum Edition DVD: Pop-Up Fun Facts
