DVDizzy Forum

Hey everyone,

I was on wikipedia, and I stumbled onto this on the "Aladdin Soundtrack" page:

"A much debated lyric in this song states that Prince Ali is "Stronger than ten regular men down on one knee". Controversial at the time for its implied homosexual overtones, this lyric was changed for the VHS/Laserdisc release to say "Stronger than ten regular men definitely"."

I know that wikipedia is not the most reliable source. I also know that "stronger than ten regular men down on one knee" makes little sense, and doesn't really fit with the melody in that part of the song.
And I also know that they didn't get the final line right, which is "strong as ten...", not "stronger than ten..."

Has anyone ever heard about this alleged controversy? (I know that the "arabian nights" controversy IS true).

Seems fake to me since the 'down on one knee' lyric is part of a different verse in the song.

Ugh! I hate it when they called Aladdin controversial. Which is bullcrap. But I think what they're talking about is the cut lyric from Arabian Nights.

Where they cut off your ear/if they don't like your face to
Where it's flat and immense/and the heat is intense

Yes, I know about the "down on one knee" line, but the way it is, its clear that it means bowing in respect, not any sexual innuendo.

As far as the "arabian nights" controversy, we all know about it, and its mentioned in a different section of the article.

Again...does anyone know if the Prince Ali one was real?

Who the hell does it only on one knee?

TsWade2 wrote:Where they cut off your ear/if they don't like your face to
Where it's flat and immense/and the heat is intense

Oh I am Arabic and I am happy that disney cut this horrible part!

I am not Arabic and I am sad that disney cut this awesome part!

TsWade2 wrote:Ugh! I hate it when they called Aladdin controversial. Which is bullcrap.

That must be why Aladdin gets passed over whenever Disney theatrically re-release their 90s films.

This is wrong on so many levels... People trying to create controversy where there isn't any. I wonder why? (Could it be a latent reaction to the fact that Howard Ashman, a GAY, penned the lyrics, and therefore there must be SOME hidden, subversiveness to them? )

The lyric as it was originally written:

"Hey! Clear the way
In the old Bazaar!
Hey, you! Let us through!
It's a bright new star!
Oh, come be the first on your block to meet his eye!
Make way, here he comes, ring bells, bang the drums!
Ah, you're gonna love this guy!

Prince Ali, fabulous he
Ali Ababwa!
Genuflect, show some respect!
Down on one knee!
Now, try your best to stay calm, brush up your Sunday salaam,
Then come and meet his spectacular coterie!

Prince Ali, mighty is he,
Ali Ababwa!
Strong as ten regular men, definitely!
He once slew 70 Turks; Mustaches, sabers--real jerks!
Who gave those bad-guys the works? Why, Prince Ali!"

The only part changed was the "He once slew 70 Turks..." bit. It was changed to:

"He faced the galloping hoards!
A hundred bad-guys with swords!
Who sent those goons to their Lords? Why, Prince Ali!"

I guess Disney anticipated some backlash and changed it. (I wonder if Ashman was alive when they made this change, or if it was Tim Rice who penned that bit? I'm not too sure.)

All of these original lyrics can be heard on the Prince Ali Demo track of the Music Behind the Magic CD set. The song even had a few extra verses which, much like the extra verses in Gaston and its Reprise, seem to have been cut for no reason other than for the sake of brevity. (A pity.)

Prince Ali originally opened with the Genie announcing the parade through the lyric:

"Hail, your attention, I pray. Oh ye people of Agrabah: this is your lucky day.
Hail, high and low, great and small, lucky people of Agrabah, someone's coming to call...
Someone who tamed the Cyclops, then fought 40 thieves single hand!
He's richer than Croesus, he goes where he pleases, and this time he's chosen your land...
So, here he is now with...his...band!"

And then the song, as it starts now, kicks in with, "Make way for Prince Ali, say hey, it's Prince Ali."

Then, right after the "Has he got a zoo? I'm tellin' you! It's a world class menagerie!" lyric, this verse:

"Prince Ali, wonderful he, Ali Ababwa.
He's essayed quite a parade for ya to see!
So get on out in that street! Got someone I want ya to meet!
Come on, start kissin' the feet of Prince Ali!"

And then, right after, the girls who are fawning over Ali sing:

"There's no question this Ali's impressive. Though his entourage might be excessive...
All those elephants at once can quite unnerve one!
Still, the guy gives a parade new meaning. And the sight of all those peacocks preening?
He's a prince without a peer, and we deserve one!"

Which leads into the counterpoint between the Genie and the Girls. "Prince Ali, handsome is he, Ali Ababwa, that physique, how can I speak, weak at the knee?!"

And that's all the lyrics in the song that didn't make it in...I believe. As for the Arabian Nights controversy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVLTpKmOvnE

Listen to the full, uncensored demo here, sung by Menken and Ashman and then ask yourself how 'offensive' you find it. It is nothing of the sort. It describes a FICTIONAL kingdom that happens to be rough and violent and comically pokes at it. (Besides, I don't think the Middle East REALLY has a leg to stand on about a lyric in a Disney song when there are little girls being shot for attempting to go to school over there, women are kept down and gays are being hung in the city square in some places... *cough, Iran, cough* But that's another matter...)

Sorry for the LENGTHY post, but Howard Ashman is one of my biggest heroes, a true inspiration, and to have his lyrics defamed like that just irritates me beyond belief. Prince Ali is one of the finest songs ever written, one of the wittiest, funnest and most clever lyrics and melodies in not only Disney, but all of music, and the fact of the matter is, Ashman was LITERALLY on his deathbed when he wrote it. That just shows how amazing the man truly was. To suggest he, while dying, would slip in a reference to Aladdin getting blowjobs makes me slap my forehead in exasperation. Oy vey!

Here's the link for the full Prince Ali Demo (sung by Menken exclusively, as Ashman was far too sick to sing at the time): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R2yyr7atrA

Disney Duster wrote:Who the hell does it only on one knee?

I wonder why Disney write that lyric to Arabian Nights in the first place. Did they really think that no one would think that is racist? And then after they changed it they wanted all they other countries to changed it too.

In Sweden the lyrics was first:
And where an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth was the law that was used.

In 2004 for the Platinum edition of Aladdin, Disney wanted Sweden to change the lyrics to match the English version so they lyrics today is:
In a landscape of sand burning the heat sometimes even for those who is used to it.[/b]

Hey profRatigan,

Thanks so much for the very informative posting. So, as I suspected, that wikipedia entry was innacurate. If I knew how to change it, I would. If anyone wants to do it, its under the "aladdin soundtrack" page.

That being said, I dont think Aladdin is a racist movie in any way. And neither was the original lyric of Arabian Nights. It COULD be deemed prejudiced against a culture, but not a race. That's just Americans being overly-sensitive about ethnicity (as usual).

But even so, the song is talking about a fictional place, in a "once upon a time" setting... people really need to lighten up. I doubt anyone watched Aladdin in theaters and thought "the cut off yr ear if they don't like yr facE??? That's it... Im gonna hate Arabs from now on!"

I agree completely with Professor Ratigan. This is just another case of people looking for controversy where there is none.

And if Arabic countries were so offended that they might be portrayed as violent and oppressive--they should “come to grips with reali-ty.” That’s how most of them are. I would think Hell would be only a margin worse than the Middle East. I feel sorry for every person who is born there, but especially for women and LGBT people. Not that there is any perfect place in the world, but that's easily in the bottom 3.

Semaj wrote:

TsWade2 wrote:Ugh! I hate it when they called Aladdin controversial. Which is bullcrap.

That must be why Aladdin gets passed over whenever Disney theatrically re-release their 90s films.

Does this mean Aladdin is becoming a banned movie as Song of the South?

No, not like SOTS... but Aladdin is not as heavily promoted as other hit films, and its been supposedly demoted from the Diamond line...

The lyrics for "Arabian Nights" was not changed when Aladdin was released on VHS in Norway in the 90's, but the lyrics were changed on the DVD release in 2004.

I don't understand the controversy though. Jafar and much of the Agrabah society is portrayed like Hollywood would portray the Middle East during the 1930's. I thought that was a deliberate choice made by the directors.

And let's face it - the Middle East is even today the most repressive area in the world when it comes to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, political rights, women rights, LGBT rights... Human rights to put it that way. Why Muslims/people of Arabic origin living in the US and enjoying the freedom there had a problem with the lyrics, I can't understand.

Marce82 wrote:Yes, I know about the "down on one knee" line, but the way it is, its clear that it means bowing in respect, not any sexual innuendo.

As far as the "arabian nights" controversy, we all know about it, and its mentioned in a different section of the article.

Again...does anyone know if the Prince Ali one was real?

Yep. Most people never imagined that as the implication, and this is why wikipedia is still considered a laughingstock.

For crying out loud. It's a FANTASY KINGDOM.

What's next ? LoTR is racist because there's no dark skinned Hobbits ?

^read the original post. the controversy is over a made-up sexual implication.

I know you aren't talking to me, but some stuff about Arabian people being offended by the original verses of Arabian Nights have been said.