"Arabian Nights" (Song)
Artist: Disney
Year: 1992
Date of Action: July 1993
Region: North America
Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Music
Confronting Bodies: American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
Description of Artwork: 'Arabian Nights,' the opening theme of the Disney film Aladdin, originally featured lyrics describing the fictional Arab city in which the film takes place as "a faraway place/...where they cut off your ear/if they don't like your face/ it's barbaric, but hey, it's home!"
The Incident: Various Arab groups throughout the United States, including the aforementioned American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, criticized composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman as racist.
Results of Incident: After it's release and receiving several Oscars for musical score, Disney agreed to change the two lines.
Source:
• https://articles.latimes.com/1993-07-10/entertainment/ca-11747_1_altered-lyric
