Aladdin's Proud of Your Boy

Songwriters Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's incredible Proud of your Boy is an amazingly personal and deep character song that was excluded from the original animated version of Aladdin. It was later recorded by Clay Aiken and then even later finally added to the Broadway musical version of the show. Take a look at his heartbreaking plea-

[ALADDIN] (speaking):
I'm going to become somebody. I don't know how exactly, but I am. I have to... somehow

[ALADDIN]
Proud of your boy
I'll make you proud of your boy
Believe me, bad as I've been, Ma
You're in for a pleasant surprise

I've wasted time
I've wasted me
So say I'm slow for my age
A late bloomer
Okay, I agree

That I've been one rotten kid
Some son, some pride and some joy
But I'll get over these lousin' up
Messin' up, screwin' up times

You'll see, Ma, now comes the better part
Someone's gonna make good
Cross his stupid heart
Make good and finally make you
Proud of your boy

Tell me that I've been a louse and loafer
You won't get a fight here, no ma'am
Say I'm a goldbrick, a goof-off, no good
But that couldn't be all that I am

Water flows under the bridge
Let it pass, let it go
There's no good reason that you should believe me
Not yet, I know, but

Someday and soon
I'll make you proud of your boy
Though I can't make myself taller
Or smarter or handsome or wise

I'll do my best, what else can I do?
Since I wasn't born perfect like Dad or you
Mom, I will try to
Try hard to make you

Proud of your boy
-----

Do you relate to these words? I sure do! I was reminded of these words this morning as I was quietly praying, realizing that even my best efforts to please God fall short and how truly deep the impact of sin is in my life. Chasing after so many things to try to fill that gap. These things only bring pain instead as my spirit cries out when the attempt at peace is unsuccessful. But its never impossible to find peace as I sit and wait in His presence. Jesus only "falls short" in the places I do not give him access. When I do release that to him, whatever it is, His peace floods in.

Interestingly, the counterpoint unreleased Howard Ashman / Alan Menken song is called Humiliate the Boy, a song intended for the evil Jafar, sung when he reveals Aladdin to be just a street rat in disguise. The parallels to Satan and his role in our world can't be missed. He accuses, confuses, and leads astray to our destruction if we follow him. Now and at the end of time, Jesus stands as our defense and as the payment for our sins. There's no humiliation for those who follow Christ. Only temporary pain and struggle as we try to live out our faith in a broken world. Praise God for what He has done because of His great love!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)