Write It Out Wednesdays: A day of Songwriters, Poets, Lyrics, and Poems……

 

Hello Lovelies! OK so before I get to our blab Im gonna tell you about some of my news. I bought the special edition vogue and I’m totally loving it! Hahaha can’t pull me away from it J

 

Oh yes and I must not forget about the Happy Bunny of the month ;)

 

Ok so moving on……

Hahahahaha

 

 OK so today’s blog for Write It Out Wednesday is about one of my favorite lyricists of all time, Howard Ashman. He wrote songs for numerous amounts of musicals, movies, etc. and had a strong relationship with Disney. In fact, you are probably most familiar with his work from movies like Beauty and The Beast, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Little Shop of Horrors.

 

The thing I loved about Howard’s lyrics, were that they had so much meaning.My favorite scene of The Little Mermaid is one of the most passionate, amazing things I have ever heard in my life. This part would be the “Part of Your World Reprise”

 

In this scene, Ariel has saved Eric’s life and has brought him to safety. His body, lying there unconscious on the shore, she sings these words to him.

 

What would I give to live where you are? What would I pay, to stay here beside you? What would I do to see you smiling at me? Where would we walk? Where would we run? If we could stay all day in the sun….Just you and me, and I could be part of your world.

 

I always thought those words were so beautiful. I mean for such a young, fun and happy movie, these words are SO passionate! It’s like I could literally feel Ariel’s desire to be a part of his life. And in the Broadway musical, the scene is SO intense.

 

Of course, Part of Your World is a wonderful piece too. Even though it’s about a mermaid wanting to live on land, you can feel the desire she has to live on land. Halfway through the song, these are the lyrics she sings.

 

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 swimming, ready to stand…. And 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! Whens 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.

 

If you have ever had a true desired dream that you felt was so far away from you, then you must love these lyrics. At least I’ve always felt that way.

 

Moving on to some of Howard’s other work; another great movie with wonderful music would be Beauty and The Beast. My favorite song in this movie is actually called “Belle reprise”. It’s about Belle’s desire for adventure. To leave her everyday life and find a new, more adventurous place. After having a marriage proposal from Gaston, she runs out in the open and sings these words:

 

I want much more than this provincial life……I want adventure in the great wide somewhere, I want it more than I can tell…..And for once it might be grand…..To have someone understand….I want so much more than they’ve got planned…….

 

I always felt these words were nice because of the feeling Belle had. The feeling of always wanting more out of her life. I always thought these lyrics suited it perfect.

 

Later in the movie, during a duet that Belle and the Beast are singing, the Beast sings some great lyrics that are fitting for the changing soul. These are the lyrics he sings:

 

She glanced this way, I thought I saw, and when we touched she didn’t shudder at my paw. No it can’t be….I’ll just ignore……But then she’s never looked at me that way before..

 

Always loved that song J and cool fact, when this movie was turned into a Broadway play, the song was extended.

 

Howard of course wrote lyrics for so many more things,  and those were just a couple of my favorites.

 

I consider Howard one of the most talented songwriters of all time. He created words that I could connect with and truly understand. I always felt like his lyrics defined the character in every show he did. And that is one of the best qualities any type of broadway/disney writer can have. Unfortunately, on March 14, 1991, the world lost a wonderful human being and heaven took in a beautiful angel. Howard Ashman died at the age of 40 years old.

 

The picture up above is of Howard and his music paretner/composer Alan Menken. They say Howard was known for giving a "mermaid her voice and a beast his soul". I honestly believe those movies would not have been what they are if it weren’t for Howard. He was a wonderful part of Disney, Broadway and my life heroes. I will always love Howard Ashman!

 

Well that’s it for today lovelies. I’ve enjoyed today’s blog and who knows……Maybe after reading this you will go pull out your old Little Mermaid video tape and put it in the VCR….. J hehe.

Have a beautiful day

Love, Abby Gough XOXO.         www.Abbygough.com