Poor Unfortunate Souls was written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman for Disney's animated film The Little Mermaid in 1989. Performed by Pat Carroll as the sea witch Ursula, the number shows her persuading Ariel to trade her voice for legs. The song became one of Disney's most quoted villain anthems and has been covered, parodied and staged in Broadway adaptations for decades. Short clips circulate online because the opening lines instantly signal a sly villain at work, making it a go-to reference for memes, edits and Halloween content.
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Ursula sings Poor Unfortunate Souls in Disney's The Little Mermaid, the villain song creators use for scheming reveals and dark dramatic deals.
This clip captures Ursula's rich, theatrical delivery from her signature villain number, with a slow, slinky build that feels both charming and menacing at once. Her voice rolls over the melody with exaggerated sweetness while the orchestral backing swells underneath, making every line sound like a bargain with hidden teeth. Listeners instantly recognise the tone of a tempting offer that should not be trusted. Used on its own, it turns an ordinary moment into a scheming monologue, giving the character on screen an air of confident, campy evil that is more playful than truly frightening.
