Poor Unfortunate Souls (reprise)
Ursula gets a mini reprise of "Poor Unfortunate Souls" while in her human form as Vanessa, and it is her use of her stolen set of pipes that tips off Scuttle (and then Ariel) to Ursula's schemes. What makes this song thrilling for us the viewer is the opportunity to hear Jodi Benson villain it up, complete with maniacal cackling at the end. This song is brief, but delicious.
As far as I'm aware, this song wasn't released in any of the official albums until 2014, when it was included in the "Legacy Collection" album. Funnily enough, the album's booklet credits Pat Carroll for this song, not Jodi Benson.
What a lovely little bride I'll make, my dear I'll look divine
Things are working out according to my ultimate design
Soon I'll have that little mermaid and the ocean will be mine
Poor Unfortunate Souls (reprise): Broadway
While the original "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is a hard sell in musical form targeted at Ariel, this reprise that's new for the Broadway musical is a hard sell in musical targeted at King Triton. Featuring Ursula who wheedles on him to sign the contract and save his daughter's soul. Sherie Renee Scott does diva gloating extremely well.
Triton:
Ursula!
Ursula:
Brother, darling, you're right on cue.
Triton:
Give Ariel back to me.
Ursula:
Not on your life.
It so happens that your daughter signed a contract
Triton:
No!
Ursula:
Even drew a little heart above the "i"
Is it binding? Goodness, yes
Unbreakable, unless
Triton:
Unless?
Ursula:
There is a little something we could try
Triton:
Go on.
Ursula:
Yes.
Perhaps we could arrange a sort of trade-off
Triton:
What?
Ursula:
Maybe swap your daughter's soul for, say, your own?
Sign the scroll and set her free
Or else she comes with me
To suffer through eternity alone
The mute little hatchling drowning in her own sorrow, with no voice left
to cry out your name. Well, I'm waiting.
Triton:
It's not my soul you're after. It's my power.
Ursula:
Which would you rather be? The king of the sea or a father to his little
girl? Finally! The oceans belong to me!
And now you poor unfortunate soul
Time's up, you're through
Now the power of Poseidon has been once again made whole
All the magic of the trident and the shell at my control
And now dark shall reign forever over ocean, sea and shoal
Now see for yourself how banishment feels!
You poor unfortunate soul
Poor Unfortunate Souls (reprise): Broadway demo
The Broadway workshop recording has a completely different reprise for "Poor Unfortunate Souls" than what ended up on stage. In this case, if the original "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is Ursula's contract for Ariel, then this reprise is Ursula's hidden footnote. I'm guessing this new reprise was meant to be sung when Ursula is getting ready to transform into Vanessa and snatch Eric's attention away from Ariel, but the Vanessa subplot was dropped before the production made it to this stage, so this song wasn't used.
Thank you to Daniel for the correction!
Who'd have guessed that this was gonna be so easy?
Why, I would have done it sooner had I known
'Cause unless I'm very wrong
It won't be very long
Until my skinny bottom's on the throne
Oh, yes!
Let her have her bit of fun, the little hussy
After all, it's merely part of my design
Let her flitter all about
'Cause time is running out
And long before she's his, she will be mine
As for that poor unfortunate soul
Time's up! She's through
Sure, a contract is a contract
Fair is fair and blah blah blah
Well, guess what, boys?
Whoop-de-doo!
That poor unfortunate soul
She'll learn, I don't lose
If she thinks for half a minute
This is gonna be a stroll
She can kiss my you-know-what
'Cause you-know-who is in control
Starting now, you bet your bippy
She's really in the hole
That poor unfortunate soul
Mascara, tiara, yea, winds of the tropics appear
Catharsis, lavorious, et qual manicurist mutato me here
Wait'll Ariel gets a load of me!
That poor unfortunate soul
Poor Unfortunate Souls (reprise): ABC Live!
Queen Latifah's Ursula in "The Little Mermaid Live!" gets a brand new, spiffy reprise, which is sung immediately after alongside the movie's Vanessa reprise in the film. It's time for some (premature) celebrations, and Ursula's just getting warmed up.
And at last I'll get the life that I have longed for
All the glamour and glitter and the glitz
Not to mention, by the way
A great seafood buffet
I love my subjects literally to bits
As for those poor unfortunate souls
My reign, my rules
I'll employ delicious terror from the trenches to the shoals
And enjoy sadistic pleasures from the tropics to the poles
And oh boy, I'll get revenge with you-know-who in starring roles
Those poor unfortunate souls
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