In 1994, he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for his role in She Loves Me. Additionally, he appeared in the Broadway revival productions of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Producers, On the Town, and 42nd Street, during which his caricature was drawn for Sardi's restaurant in 2002.
He also joined the cast of Beauty and the Beast as a replacement for Cogsworth, and currently plays Grimsby in the Original Broadway Cast of The Little Mermaid.
Prince Ali
Jonathan Freeman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes, it is he
But not as you know him
Read my lips
And come to grips
With reality
Yes, meet a blast from your past
Whose lies were too good to last
Say hello to your precious Prince Ali
So Ali
Turns out to be
Merely Aladdin
Just a con
Need I go on?
Take it from me
His personality flaws
Give me adequate cause
To send him packing on a one-way trip
So his prospects take a terminal dip
His assets frozen
The venue chosen
It's the ends of the earth, whoopee
So long, ex-prince Ali
The lyrics to "Prince Ali" are from the Disney movie Aladdin, and the song is a dramatic moment in the film where Jafar, Aladdin's nemesis, reveals that Prince Ali is, in fact, Aladdin himself. The song begins by introducing Prince Ali as we know him, but the following lines reveal that the character we've come to know as a prince is, in fact, a fraud. Jafar insists that Aladdin's true identity is as a common thief, known to everyone as Aladdin.
Jafar continues to enumerate Aladdin's personality flaws, arguing that the young man is unworthy of the status and wealth he has attained, and that he deserves to be punished. As the song progresses, the tone becomes increasingly ominous, with Jafar's actions having a sense of finality to them. It's clear that he intends to use his power to strip Aladdin of everything he has and leave him helpless and alone.
"Prince Ali" is an important moment in the film as it sets up the third act's conflict, and it shows how Aladdin has been lying about who he is, and it demonstrates that Jafar is a formidable antagonist, capable of outwitting Aladdin.
Line by Line Meaning
Prince Ali
Introducing Prince Ali
Yes, it is he
Confirming that the person is indeed Prince Ali
But not as you know him
However, he is not the person you think he is
Read my lips
Pay attention to what I'm saying
And come to grips
Accept the reality of the situation
With reality
With the truth of the matter
Yes, meet a blast from your past
You'll be greeted by someone from your past
Whose lies were too good to last
However, he lied to you and eventually, it caught up to him
Say hello to your precious Prince Ali!
So, say hi to your beloved Prince Ali
So Ali
Thus, Ali
Turns out to be
Is actually revealed to be
Merely Aladdin
None other than Aladdin
Just a con
A mere con-artist
Need I go on?
Do I need to continue?
Take it from me
Trust me on this
His personality flaws
Aladdin has serious character defects
Give me adequate cause
These problems provide me with enough reason
To send him packing on a one-way trip
To banish him from this place for good
So his prospects take a terminal dip
As a result, his future is doomed
His assets frozen
His belongings are seized
The venue chosen
The spot for his punishment is determined
It's the end of the world, whoopee!
This is the worst possible outcome, how exciting!
So long, ex-prince Ali
Goodbye, former Prince Ali
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Ernesto Brancucci, Alan Menken, Tim Rice
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind