The creators of the live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid” have decided to modify the lyrics of some of the film’s most popular songs to promote the importance of consent. The man behind the original soundtrack, composer Alan Menken, recently revealed in an interview that audiences can expect subtle changes to both “Kiss the Girl” and “Poor Unfortunate Souls” when the film is released on May 26th.

The modification of the lyrics is a response to the growing woke culture and ultra-sensitivity around the issue of non-consensual acts of affection and their portrayal in popular culture. Menken explained that the revision has been made to ensure audiences do not interpret the storyline in the wrong way. For instance, the lyrics of “Kiss the Girl,” sung by the crab Sebastian, now avoid suggestive imagery, such as “It don’t take a word, not a single word / Go on and kiss the girl.”

Similarly, changes have been made to “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” in which Ariel is manipulated by Ursula to give up her voice. The original lyrics supposedly implied that women should be silent to be respected by men. The revised version does not include these lines, which read, “The men up there don’t like a lot of blabber / They think a girl who gossips is a bore / Yes, on land it’s much preferred / For ladies not to say a word.”

The problem there is that they don’t even realize that it’s the villain who is singing those lyrics and this could just as well be that she’s trying to tricker her because that’s not really the way things are.

Disney is not the only entertainment company to adjust lyrics to be more in line with modern woke beliefs. For instance, the 2019 remake of “Aladdin” included a new song for Jasmine, emphasising the importance of her voice and choice. “Snow White’s” upcoming live-action remake is also set to give a modern touch to the classic story by creating a more empowered heroine.

Disneyland is also showcasing its commitment to inclusivity and diversity by replacing the “highly-offensive” lyric “zip-a-dee-doo-dah” from its parade with “think of the happiest things” from Peter Pan. The company believes that the provocative lyrics have negative connotations for black Americans. According to CBS News, the lyric change is part of Disney’s efforts to make its entertainment more inclusive and reflective of modern times, but what they’re actually doing is making fools of themselves.