Why Calypso for a Danish fairy-tale?

Caribbean rhythms signal exuberance and underline Ariel’s fascination with worlds beyond her own.

How does Tituss Burgess reinterpret the song?

He adds vocal runs and playful scoops, while the live pit orchestra sharpens percussion for the stage.

What’s with the fish playing instruments?

It's a lyrical pun that turns marine biodiversity into a swing band, celebrating community.

Is “Under the Sea” simply comic relief?

It entertains but also foreshadows Ariel’s departure, heightening narrative tension.

Why does the chorus modulate upward?

Successive modulations simulate rising excitement, pulling listeners deeper into the celebration.

Under the Sea Lyrics – Little Mermaid

Under the Sea Lyrics

(spoken)
Ariel, listen to me
The human world, it's a mess
Life under the sea is better than anything they got up there

(sung)
The seaweed is always greener
In someone else's lake
You dream about going up there
But that is a big mistake
Just look at the world around you
Right here on the ocean floor
Such wonderful things surround you
What more is you looking for?

Under the sea, under the sea
Darling its better down where its wetter
Take it from me
Up on the shore they work all day
Out in the sun they slave away
While we're devoting full time to floating
Under the sea

Down here all the fish is happy
As after the waves they roll
The fish on the land ain't happy
They sad cause they're in the bowl
The fish in the bowl is lucky
They're in for a worser fate
One day when the boss get hungry
Guess who goin' be on the plate?

Wo-no, under the sea
Under the sea
Nobody beat us, fry us and eat us
In fricassee
We what the land folks loves to cook
Under the sea we off the hook
We've got no troubles, life is the bubbles

Under the sea
Under the sea
Since life is sweet here, we got the beat here
Naturally (Under the sea)
Even the sturgeon and the ray
They get the urge and start to play
We've got the spirit, you've got to hear it
Under the sea

The lute play the flute
The carp play the harp
The plaice play the bass and they soundin' sharp
The bass play the brass
The chub play the tub
The fluke is the duke of soul (yeah)
The ray, he can play the lings on the strings
The trout acting out
The blackfish she sings
The smelt and the sprat
They know where it's at
And oh, that blowfish blow!

(instrumental)

Ah, under the sea (under the sea)
Under the sea (under the sea)
When the sardine begin the beguine
It's music to me
What do they got, a lot of sand?
We've got a hot crustacean band
Each little clam here know how to jam here
Under the sea
Each little slug here cutting a rug here
Under the sea
Each little snail here know how to wail here
That's why it's hotter under the water
Yeah, we in luck here down under the muck here
Under the sea
Under the sea!
Last Update: June, 28th 2025

Song Overview

Tituss Burgess singing the 'Under the Sea' song text in the Broadway video. — Tituss Burgess—as Sebastian—launches the carnival-bright opener of “Under the Sea.”

Song Credits

Track Title: Under the Sea
Primary Artist: Tituss Burgess (as Sebastian)
Album: The Little Mermaid (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
Track #: 12
Release Date: February 26, 2008
Composers/Lyricists: Alan Menken & Howard Ashman
Producer: Alan Menken
Genre: Calypso, Reggae-infused Broadway, Children’s Soundtrack
Label: Walt Disney Records
Length: ~3 min 45 sec
Instruments: Steel drums, marimba, brass section, woodwinds, Latin percussion
Key Themes: Contentment, perspective, under-dog camaraderie
Mood: Buoyant, sun-splashed, cheekily persuasive
Language: English (Caribbean accent flavor)
Copyright ©: 2008 Wonderland Music Company Inc./Walt Disney Music Company

Song Meaning and Annotations

Tituss Burgess performing Under the Sea on Broadway — The crustacean guru rallies every guppy, clam, and trumpet-fish in sight.

“Under the Sea” is Sebastian’s full-tilt sales pitch: a Caribbean-spiced reminder that the ocean floor—though soggy—beats the worries of dry-land drudgery. Menken’s orchestration splashes Calypso rhythms against Broadway brass, while Ashman’s witty rhymes throw punch lines like flying fish. The verses paint surface life as a sun-baked time-clock (“Up on the shore they work all day / Out in the sun they slave away”), then flip to the carefree reef where “life is the bubbles.”

Burgess leans into the patter with elastic phrasing, stretching vowels as though rubber-banding across the coral. Listen for the rhythm section: congas pop on the off-beat, steel pans glint like shafts of sun through water, horns slide in slinky glissandi. It’s island-nightclub meets orchestra pit.

Opening Lines

“The seaweed is always greener / In somebody else’s lake”

Ashman parodies the old proverb, instantly anchoring the message: envy is pointless when treasures surround you—sea urchins, yes, but treasures.

Mid-Verse Banter

“Nobody beat us, fry us and eat us / In fricassee”

Dark humor bubbles up—literally. The joking threat of becoming dinner heightens the stakes, yet the delivery is so buoyant it reads as carnival bark rather than existential dread.

Instrumental Break

The dance interlude invites choreography: fin-flaps, conga-line of jellyfish, shimmering mer-trombone slides. Notice the walking bass line mimicking a dolphin’s arc—up-and-down leaps a third apart.

Closing Rally

“That’s why it’s hotter under the water”

Final punch: Sebastian claims the sea as the planet’s hottest club. The ensemble answers with stacked harmonies that sparkle like light bouncing off scales.

Similar Songs

Thumbnail from Under the Sea lyric video by Tituss Burgess — Even the thumbnail drips with confetti-colored coral grooves.

“Hakuna Matata” – The Lion King (1994)
Both tunes preach worry-free living with animal mentors guiding naïve protagonists. Where “Under the Sea” rides Calypso, “Hakuna Matata” swings with Afro-pop flair, yet each uses comic verses and layered refrains to sell a carefree mantra.
“Friend Like Me” – Aladdin (1992)
Menken again, this time in jazzy vaudeville mode. The Genie and Sebastian share salesman swagger, brassy interjections, and rapid-fire asides that dazzle listeners into agreement.
“The Bare Necessities” – The Jungle Book (1967)
Baloo’s laid-back philosophy parallels Sebastian’s: appreciate the simple joys around you. Musically it skews bluesy instead of tropical, but the lyrical DNA—contentment over consumerism—is unmistakable.

Questions and Answers

Scene from Under the Sea track by Tituss Burgess — Sebastian mid-conga, lobster claws doubling as baton.

Why Calypso for a Danish fairy-tale?: Howard Ashman believed Caribbean rhythms instantly telegraph fun. The contrast between chilly Nordic origins and sun-soaked beats spotlights Ariel’s longing for foreign wonders.
How does Burgess reinterpret the song compared to Samuel E. Wright’s film version?: Burgess ups the vocal agility—extra runs, sly scoops—while Broadway’s live band thickens percussion, giving the groove more percussive snap on stage.
What’s with the fish playing instruments?: Menken uses musical puns (“plaice play the bass”) to animate sea life as a literal band, turning ecosystem into orchestra and reinforcing community.
Is “Under the Sea” simply comic relief?: Partly, but it also plants dramatic irony. Sebastian celebrates the ocean’s joys moments before Ariel abandons it, deepening the bittersweet stakes.
Why does the chorus modulate upward?: Each half-step lift mimics emotional elevation—Sebastian’s persuasion escalates, the party gets wilder, and the audience’s smile widens accordingly.

Awards and Chart Positions

Academy Award: Best Original Song (1989) — for the animated film version, later celebrated on Broadway.
Grammy Award: Best Song Written for Visual Media (1990).
The Broadway cast recording peaked within the Top 10 on Billboard’s Top Cast Albums chart upon release in 2008.

Fan and Media Reactions

“Steel-drum nirvana! My kids dance, my dad hums—cross-generational bliss.” @CalypsoMom95, TikTok

“Burgess hits those glissando notes like a dolphin on espresso.” Playbill Comment Section

“Proof that a song about sea snails can own a Tony night.” Broadway Beat Podcast

“I dare you to sit still through that marimba break—impossible.” @OrchestraPitLife, Twitter

“Menken’s most infectious ear-worm. Five seconds and I’m on a mental cruise.” NY Theater Fan Forum

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