For which song did The Little Mermaid win the Academy Award for Best Original Song?

The Little Mermaid won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Under the Sea.”

Written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman, “Under the Sea” is performed by Sebastian, voiced by Samuel E. Wright. In the film, Sebastian tries to persuade Ariel that life under the ocean is better than chasing the human world, using a lively production number influenced by Caribbean calypso and reggae styles.

At the 62nd Academy Awards, honoring films released in 1989, “Under the Sea” won Best Original Song. The film’s other nominated song, “Kiss the Girl,” lost the category, making it an especially common answer choice for viewers who remember both songs’ major musical roles.

“Under the Sea” was also an important breakthrough for Disney’s modern animation era. Its success helped establish The Little Mermaid as a landmark musical and contributed to the revival of Disney animated features in the late 1980s and 1990s.