Alan Menken composed the songs and musical score for Disney's 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid.
Menken worked with lyricist Howard Ashman on the film's songs, including “Part of Your World,” “Under the Sea,” and “Kiss the Girl.” Menken also wrote the instrumental score, making him responsible for the film's central musical sound rather than only one individual song.
The soundtrack played a major role in the film's success and helped begin the period often called the Disney Renaissance. “Under the Sea” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, while Menken and Ashman won the Academy Award for Best Original Score and Best Original Song for the film's music.
Menken is sometimes confused with Ashman because the pair are closely associated with the songs. Ashman wrote the lyrics, while Menken supplied the music. Ashman died in 1991, before the release of Disney's next major animated musical, Beauty and the Beast, for which Menken also composed the music.