"Arabian Nights" (Song)

Arabian Nights.png

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