For the First Time

## Song by Halle

"**For the First Time**" is a song performed by Halle Bailey, composed by Alan Menken, with lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It is one of the four original songs created for *The Little Mermaid (2023 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)*, released by Walt Disney Records on May 19, 2023.

## Background

In February 2022, Lin-Manuel Miranda revealed to *Variety*, "Rob found a creative way to hear from Ariel, even though she is sans voice for a little while. We wrote some music for her time on land. She experiences a lot of firsts, as someone with legs for the first time. We got to lean into all of that musically.

In April 2023, snippets of the song were first heard by *Entertainment Weekly* in a video that had Manuel and Alan Menken discuss three of the original songs, including "Wild Uncharted Waters" and "The Scuttlebutt." "For the First Time" was based on the melody composed by Menken for the 1989 film version, when the characters Ariel and Prince Eric toured around the kingdom. Miranda made the alterations of a slower tempo and the addition of dancehall beats, where "It just gives it this kind of Caribbean island vibe that we were already headed towards." He added, "All the clues for what that song could be are actually laid in 'Part of Your World,' which is one of the greatest 'I want' songs of all time that Alan wrote with Howard Ashman. She's wondering all these things about what life on land is. One of my favorite lyrics of all time: 'What's a fire and why does it... what's the word? Burn?' We thought [about] the opportunity to actually see her come face to face with the realities of life on land with (1) gravity, (2) fire, (3) clothes, (4) how people on land regard sea creatures, (5) meeting this man that she has had been in love with."

In a June 2023 cover story published by *Empire*, director Rob Marshall informed them, "It's about her experiences the moment she hits land. We needed to create a number that could almost work as a montage, so we could take her through that experience—coming onto the land, what it's like to put on shoes, have legs. Anybody who has a different experience, it's wondrous and scary at the same time."

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Verse 1]

Look at the sun and the sky and the sand and

The sea behind me

Look at me, suddenly I am on land and I'm free

Don't mind me as I

Climb for the first time

Jump for the first time

Trying to stand but this gravity's pulling me down

[Verse 2]

Look, it's a fire, it's warm and it glows

And it lights this chamber

Let me admire it—, ow, get too close and it bites

I came too close for the first time

Burned for the first time

Everything's clearer and brighter and hotter

But now that I'm here like a fish out of water

I'm trying to stand but this gravity's pulling me down

[Bridge]

Are we only food for slaughter

Is this life on land?

Well, you were lonely underwater

Come on, Ariel, time to stand

[Verse 3]

Squeeze in the shoes and the corset, it's tight

And the seams are bursting

Some women choose this, I guess it's alright

Are my dreams adjusting?

[Chorus]

As I wait for the first time

Here for the first time

Now for the first time

He's coming through those doors

Up the stairs

From the shore

From that moment

And he'll smile

Like he knows

When I say—

[Outro]

Realize the prize that you paid with your voice

As he turns from you

Those sacrifices you made were a choice

That you can't undo

Lost for the first time

Scared for the first time

Gravity feels like an undertow pulling me down

## References

1. ↑ Chan, Tim (May 9, 2023). "The (New) 'Little Mermaid' Soundtrack Makes a Splash: Here's Where to Stream and Buy It Online". *Rolling Stone*.
2. ↑ Davis, Clayton (February 17, 2022). "Lin-Manuel Miranda Defends Not Submitting 'Bruno' for Oscars, Teases New 'Little Mermaid' Songs". *Variety*.
3. ↑ Romano, Nick (April 5, 2023). "*The Little Mermaid*'s New Songs First Listen: Hear Snippets of Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda's Music". *Entertainment Weekly*.
4. ↑ Travis, Ben (March 13, 2023). "The Little Mermaid's New Ariel Song 'For the First Time' Is 'About Her Experiences the Moment She Hits Land', Says Rob Marshall – Exclusive Image". *Empire*.

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