<Tr> <Th> Songwriter (s) </Th> <Td> Alan Menken (Music) and Howard Ashman (Lyrics) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Producer (s) </Th> <Td> Pat Carroll </Td> </Tr> <P> "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is a song from the Walt Disney Pictures animated film The Little Mermaid . Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken and performed by Pat Carroll, "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is sung to Princess Ariel by Ursula the Sea Witch . In a style that combines Broadway theatre with Burlesque, Ursula uses the song to seduce Ariel into trading her voice for the chance to temporarily become human . </P> <P> Howard Ashman recorded a version of the song with himself in the role of Ursula, to send to Carroll to convince her to take the role, which it did . This version was released in the four - CD set The Music Behind the Magic . Carroll admits that she borrowed some of the inflections she used in the song from Ashman's performance, and that he had been delighted she had done so . </P>

Who sang poor unfortunate souls in little mermaid