Rice, along with Menken, created "A Whole New World," which became the film's signature romantic ballad and an Oscar-winning success.

The primary musical controversy centered on the film's opening number, "Arabian Nights," written by Menken and Ashman. The song was designed to establish the setting of Agrabah and set a mysterious, exotic tone for the audience. However, the original theatrical version contained lyrics that drew immediate, severe criticism from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) and other civil rights groups. The original opening verse of the song ran as follows:

Rice’s lyrics for "Prince Ali" perfectly captured the theatrical, over-the-top nature of the Genie’s magic. 5. The Legacy of the Fixed Soundtrack

“Genie?” Aladdin asked. “Where’s the song? Where’s ‘Friend Like Me’?”