Menken has collaborated with several renowned lyricists including Howard Ashman (1950-1991), Tim Rice and Stephen Schwartz. He is best known for his work on several Disney animated features, including The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Hercules, Pocahontas, Aladdin, and Home on the Range. His first successful work was the 1982 off-Broadway musical Little Shop of Horrors. Menken has received eight Academy Awards, and has one of the the highest film to Oscar ratio of anyone in the industry.
Howard Ashman ( May 17, 1950 - March 14, 1991) was an American playwright and movie music lyricist. Ashman first studied at Boston University and Goddard College (with a stop at Tufts University's Summer Theater) and then went on to achieve his master's degree from Indiana University in 1974. He collaborated with Alan Menken on several films, notably animated features for Disney, Ashman writing the lyrics and Menken composing the scores.
Ashman and Menken first worked on a 1979 musical adapted from Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. They also collaborated on Little Shop of Horrors with Ashman as director, lyricist, and librettist.
Along with Menken, Ashman was the co-recipient of two Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes and two Oscars. His second Academy Award in 1992 was awarded posthumuously for Best Song and was accepted by his partner, Bill Lauch. It was the first Academy Award given posthumously to someone who had died of AIDS.
Ashman died on March 14, 1991, at age 40, during the making of both Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. The song Proud of Your Boy was the one of the last songs ever written by Ashman, for Aladdin but was cut from the movie after the mother was taken out of the story. Ashman and Menken had finished the songs for Beauty and the Beast, but Tim Rice was brought in to finish the Aladdin songs with Menken. Beauty and the Beast was dedicated to him with the following:
To our friend, Howard,
Who gave a mermaid her voice,
and a beast his soul.
We will be forever grateful.
Howard Ashman
1950-1991
High Adventure
Alan Menken & Howard Ashman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, do it faster, let's be gone
In wasting time we court disaster
Pick up that sword and strap it on
Fate blows her kiss
Chills your heart
Takes your hand
Fate feels like this
Play your part
This was planned
And lo, before you know
You grab your horse, you grab your gear
Your moment's now, your moment's here
It's time for high adventure
You're off and riding saber flashing
Your banner high, your molars gnashing
You feel so dashing on in the air, guys
Get set to give some guy a thrashing
'Cause high adventure's in the air
There's high adventure in the air, guys
Someone's out there, guys, someone bad
He's got a damsel in despair, guys
Heck, that's not fair, guys, and I'm mad
Fate blows her kiss
Winks her eye
Plots her scheme
Plots it for Babkak, Omar, and Kassim
And so
We five will go
Until it's through
Until it ends
Here comes Aladdin and his friends
Off on a
High Adventure
To confrontations so exciting
They're playing music while we're fighting
Scratching and biting on a
High Adventure
Fell that adrenaline igniting
'Cause high adventure's in the air
One more time, it's
High Adventure
Heigh-ho, the stallions are stampeding
With Allah's wisdom ever leading
My finger's bleeding! Well, that's
High Adventure
What we've collectively been needing
Is high adventure in the air
Hark! Something calls like a dream from afar
Calls out to Babkak, Kassim, and Omar
It's -- wait! -- the voice of fate
It calls to me, it calls to you
Abu, Aladdin, and the crew, off on a
High adventure
Danger to Danger we go flying
Completely unafraid of dying
Omar stop crying, this is
High adventure
There's no ignoring or denying
The kind of thrills that it's supplying
And the effect's electrifying
When high adventure's in the air
The lyrics to Alan Menken/Howard Ashman's song "High Adventure" from the Aladdin musical are about a group of friends, Babkak, Omar, Kassim, Aladdin, and Abu, who embark on an exciting adventure. The opening lines express impatience to leave, urging their leader to convince their master to let them go quickly. The friends warn that hesitation could bring disaster. They ultimately convince their leader to take action and "grab your horse, grab your gear." Fate is present throughout the song, blowing a kiss, and leading the group's path. Each member prepares themselves for their part in the journey, picking up their swords and strapping them on.
The chorus is an upbeat and lively depiction of the group's journey, with the lyrics describing the excitement of the moment: "High adventure, you're off and riding saber flashing, your banner high, your molars gnashing." The friends are adrenaline-fueled, and there is a sense of camaraderie and purpose as they band together to reach their destination. The verses also depict the action they will face on their journey, with confrontations that are both exciting and dangerous. The final verse invokes one of the friend's names, Omar, who is crying, and reiterates the boldness of the group's mission, stating, "There's no ignoring or denying the kind of thrills that it's supplying and the effect's electrifying when high adventure's in the air."
Line by Line Meaning
Convince those guys, my lord and master
Persuade the higher-ups to authorize this task, my lord, quickly!
Well, do it faster, let's be gone
Hurry up, we can't waste any more time. We need to leave immediately!
In wasting time we court disaster
If we delay, we will only invite misfortune to come our way.
Pick up that sword and strap it on
Equip yourself with your weapon, because we are going to face some danger.
Fate blows her kiss
Destiny beckons.
Chills your heart
It sends shivers down your spine.
Takes your hand
It beckons you to follow it, taking your hand.
Fate feels like this
This is what destiny is like.
Play your part
Do what you were meant to do.
This was planned
It was all predetermined.
And lo, before you know
Before you even realize it is happening,
You grab your horse, you grab your gear
You get ready for the adventure by getting your horse and weapons prepared.
Your moment's now, your moment's here
This is your time to shine, and it's happening right now.
It's time for high adventure
We are about to embark on a dangerous journey.
You're off and riding saber flashing
You set out with your sword glistening, ready for action.
Your banner high, your molars gnashing
You wave your flag with pride, ready to fight with your teeth clenched.
You feel so dashing on in the air, guys
You feel brave and daring as you ride forward.
Get set to give some guy a thrashing
Prepare to defeat whoever stands in your way.
'Cause high adventure's in the air
The thrill of adventure is in the atmosphere.
There's high adventure in the air, guys
You can sense the excitement and danger all around.
Someone's out there, guys, someone bad
There is an evil presence lurking nearby.
He's got a damsel in despair, guys
He has captured a helpless woman and imprisoned her.
Heck, that's not fair, guys, and I'm mad
That's totally unjust and it makes me angry.
Plots it for Babkak, Omar, and Kassim
Destiny has a plan for everyone on this adventure, including Babkak, Omar, and Kassim.
And so
Therefore,
We five will go
The five of us will embark on this mission.
Until it's through
Until the task is complete.
Until it ends
Until the adventure comes to a close.
Here comes Aladdin and his friends
Aladdin and his buddies are ready for action.
Off on a
Departing for a
High Adventure
An exciting and risky journey lies ahead.
To confrontations so exciting
We are headed towards thrilling and dramatic conflicts.
They're playing music while we're fighting
Even in the midst of battle, music is being played.
Scratching and biting on a
Engaging in hand-to-hand combat during a
High Adventure
That thrilling quest which we are on.
Fell that adrenaline igniting
Feel that excitement of adrenaline within your body stirring.
'Cause high adventure's in the air
The thrill of adventure is in the atmosphere.
Heigh-ho, the stallions are stampeding
The horses are running rapidly.
With Allah's wisdom ever leading
With the wisdom of God constantly guiding us.
My finger's bleeding! Well, that's
With an injury on my finger, yet still that's
High Adventure
The adventurous journey with all its excitement and associated risks.
What we've collectively been needing
This is what we all collectively have been in need of.
Is high adventure in the air
That thirst for adventure is in the atmosphere.
Hark! Something calls like a dream from afar
Listen up! There is an alluring sound calling us from a distant dream.
Calls out to Babkak, Kassim, and Omar
It beckons all the adventurers, including Babkak, Kassim, and Omar.
It's -- wait! -- the voice of fate
Hold on! It turns out to be destiny calling.
It calls to me, it calls to you
It is calling out to everyone in the group.
Abu, Aladdin, and the crew, off on a
Abu, Aladdin, and whoever else is with them, ready to embark on another
High adventure
A thrilling and dangerous journey.
Danger to Danger we go flying
From one perilous situation to another, we continue rushing towards it.
Completely unafraid of dying
Without any fear of the possibility of dying.
Omar stop crying, this is
Omar, you need to stop crying. This is nothing else but another
High adventure
Another exciting adventure with its own set of risks.
There's no ignoring or denying
It's impossible to ignore or deny
The kind of thrills that it's supplying
The type of excitement it is providing.
And the effect's electrifying
The effect it has is invigorating and intense.
When high adventure's in the air
The excitement of adventure can be felt in the atmosphere.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: HOWARD ELLIOTT ASHMAN, ALAN MENKEN, ALAN IRWIN MENKEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
AsteroidBK
this would have made the movie much more serious feeling
Lenny Carter
Oh man, it sounds like it could have come out from a System of a Down record. It's almost like Serj Tankian ripped off Howard Ashman's style.
Nur Núria
Totally agree!! Awesome!
seankkg
Now that you mention it.
jammer
I can hear this now you say it
Everett Davis
Wait so the song's the four minutes and twenty seconds and it's called HIGH Adventure.... hmmmmm
AsteroidBK
this does sound very psychedelic
Ricco Canipe
Could you upload call me a princess demo song?