"Beauty and the Beast" is a song written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for Disney's 1991animated feature film of the same name, serving as its theme song originally recorded by Angela Lansbury in her film role as Mrs. Potts. A pop version recorded by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson plays during the closing credits and is credited as a "Duet" on the movie soundtrack; the DVD version has a separate music video recording by Christian pop group Jump5.
Commonly identified as the film's theme song, its lyrics describe the relationship between the film's two main characters, Belle and the Beast. It specifically addresses how it has managed to transform them, allowing their friendship (and later, love) to grow as Lumiere, Cogsworth, and Chip watch on.
Angela Lansbury told The Huffington Post that Ashman and Menken had originally written the song in the style of a rock ballad. Although she enjoyed it, she felt incapable of recording it because of the unfamiliar style in which it was written. She questioned the songwriters' choice in her, asking them, "Are you sure you want me to do this?" She also felt as though her voice she was not in suitable condition to record "Beauty and the Beast", feeling insecure about having to sustain its several "long, extended notes". Ashman and Menken simply advised her "to sing it the way [she] envisioned it". Ultimately, she successfully recorded it in only one take, which ended up in the film.
Both Céline Dion and Peabo Bryson have included the song on some of their respective greatest hit and compilation albums.
Peabo Bryson would later sing "A Whole New World" with Regina Belle for the closing credits of Aladdin the following year.
Both American pop group Jump5 and American Idol winner Jordin Sparks have recorded pop renditions of the song for the film's platinum and diamond edition re-releases respectively.
In 2002, the song was covered by the group Jump5 and placed on the CD, Disneymania.
In 2005, Julie Andrews selected the song for her album Julie Andrews Selects Her Favorite Disney Songs.
In 2009, the CD Disney's Dream Pop: Tribute to Tokyo, the song is covered by the group Bright.
In 2010, Jordin Sparks recorded her cover version of the song and filmed an accompanying music video with director Philip Andelman.
In Kingdom Hearts II, an arrangement of the song created by Yoko Shimomura plays during the finale of the episode at the Beast's Castle when the Beast and Belle are dancing on the courtyard of the castle.
The song has been referenced in various Disney works:
A brief minor version can be heard in the score of Enchanted, which, not coincidentally, was also composed by Alan Menken.
In Once Upon a Time, Mr. Gold plays the song when he dances with Belle for the first time as husband and wife. Mr. Gold even dresses up in the blue outfit worn by the Beast. The song reappears in a much fuller orchestrated form, in the Season 6 premiere, as Rumple uses the song in an attempt to awaken Belle from her nightmarish dreamscape.
The reprise used in the 2017 remake contains an additional verse, sung between verses four and five, with new lyrics, which were written by Ashman for the original 1991 film but removed from the final version. They were added back for the 2017 film as a nod to Ashman.[2]
Enchanted Christmas:Angelique • Forte • Fife Belle's Magical World:Webster • Crane • Le Plume • Witherspoon • Chandeleria Deleted Characters:Clarice • Marguerite • Belle's Sisters • Belle's Suitors • Belle's Mother Sing Me a Story with Belle:Harmony • Big Book • Lewis and Carol Book Characters:Countess de la Perle • Thunder • Love • Death Remake:Cadenza • Jean Potts • The King • The Queen
Broadway:No Matter What • Me • Home • How Long Must This Go On? • If I Can't Love Her • Maison Des Lunes • A Change in Me Enchanted Christmas:Stories • As Long As There's Christmas • Don't Fall in Love • A Cut Above the Rest Belle's Magical World:A Little Thought • Listen With Our Hearts Live-Action Film:Aria • How Does A Moment Last Forever • Days in the Sun • Evermore
Locations
Beast's Castle • Library • Belle's Cottage • Village • Ballroom • The Black Forest • Tavern • The West Wing • Belle's Room
Original Worlds:Destiny Islands • Traverse Town • Radiant Garden/Hollow Bastion • Disney Castle/Disney Town/Timeless River • Dive to the Heart • End of the World • Realm of Darkness • Twilight Town/Mysterious Tower • The World That Never Was • Castle That Never Was • Land of Departure/Castle Oblivion • Keyblade Graveyard • Daybreak Town/Scala ad Caelum
Books:Once Upon a Time: Shadow of the Queen • Once Upon a Time: Out of the Past • Once Upon a Time: Red's Untold Tale • Once Upon a Time: Regina Rising
Season One: "Pilot" • "The Thing You Love Most" • "Snow Falls" • "The Price of Gold" • "That Still Small Voice" • "The Shepherd" • "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" • "Desperate Souls" • "True North" • "7:15 A.M." • "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree" • "Skin Deep" • "What Happened to Frederick" • "Dreamy" • "Red-Handed" • "Heart of Darkness" • "Hat Trick" • "The Stable Boy" • "The Return" • "The Stranger" • "An Apple Red as Blood" • "A Land Without Magic"
Season Two: "Broken" • "We Are Both" • "Lady of the Lake" • "The Crocodile" • "The Doctor" • "Tallahassee" • "Child of the Moon" • "Into the Deep" • "Queen of Hearts" • "The Cricket Game" • "The Outsider" • "In the Name of the Brother" • "Tiny" • "Manhattan" • "The Queen Is Dead" • "The Miller's Daughter" • "Welcome to Storybrooke" • "Selfless, Brave and True" • "Lacey" • "The Evil Queen" • "Second Star to the Right" • "And Straight On 'Til Morning" Season Three: "The Heart of the Truest Believer" • "Lost Girl" • "Quite a Common Fairy" • "Nasty Habits" • "Good Form" • "Ariel" • "Dark Hollow" • "Think Lovely Thoughts" • "Save Henry" • "The New Neverland" • "Going Home" • "New York City Serenade" • "Witch Hunt" • "The Tower" • "Quiet Minds" • "It's Not Easy Being Green" • "The Jolly Roger" • "Bleeding Through" • "A Curious Thing" • "Kansas" • "Snow Drifts" • "There's No Place Like Home" Season Four: "A Tale of Two Sisters" • "White Out" • "Rocky Road" • "The Apprentice" • "Breaking Glass" • "Family Business" • "The Snow Queen" • "Smash the Mirror" • "Fall" • "Shattered Sight" • "Heroes and Villains" • "Darkness on the Edge of Town" • "Unforgiven" • "Enter the Dragon" • "Poor Unfortunate Soul" • "Best Laid Plans" • "Heart of Gold" • "Sympathy for the De Vil" • "Lily" • "Mother" • "Operation Mongoose" Season Five: "The Dark Swan" • "The Price" • "Siege Perilous" • "The Broken Kingdom" • "Dreamcatcher" • "The Bear and the Bow" • "Nimue" • "Birth" • "The Bear King" • "Broken Heart" • "Swan Song" • "Souls of the Departed" • "Labor of Love" • "Devil's Due" • "The Brothers Jones" • "Our Decay" • "Her Handsome Hero" • "Ruby Slippers" • "Sisters" • "Firebird" • "Last Rites" • "Only You" • "An Untold Story" Season Six: "The Savior" • "A Bitter Draught" • "The Other Shoe" • "Strange Case" • "Street Rats" • "Dark Waters" • "Heartless" • "I'll Be Your Mirror" • "Changelings" • "Wish You Were Here" • "Tougher Than the Rest" • "Murder Most Foul • "Ill-Boding Patterns" • "Page 23" • "A Wondrous Place" • "Mother's Little Helper" • "Awake" • "Where Bluebirds Fly" • "The Black Fairy" • "The Song in Your Heart" • "The Final Battle" Season Seven: "Hyperion Heights" • "A Pirate's Life"• "The Garden of Forking Paths" • "Beauty" • "Greenbacks" • "Wake Up Call" • "Eloise Gardener" • "Pretty in Blue" • "One Little Tear" • "The Eighth Witch" • "Secret Garden" • "A Taste of the Heights" • "Knightfall" • "The Girl in the Tower" • "Sisterhood" • "Breadcrumbs" • "Chosen" • "The Guardian" • "Flower Child" • "Is This Henry Mills?" • "Homecoming" • "Leaving Storybrooke"
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland: "Down the Rabbit Hole" • "Trust Me" • "Forget Me Not" • "The Serpent" • "Heart of Stone" • "Who's Alice?" • "Bad Blood" • "Home" • "Nothing to Fear" • "Dirty Little Secrets" • "Heart of the Matter" • "To Catch a Thief" • "And They Lived..."
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland: Wonderland Castle • The Mad Hatter's House • White Rabbit's House • Underland • Tulgey Wood Both series:Storybrooke • Maine • Enchanted Forest • Forbidden Fortress • Wonderland • Wonderland Maze • Agrabah • Sherwood Forest • The Sultan's Palace
Objects
Once Upon a Time: Once Upon a Time (Book) • Red Riding Hood • Maleficent's Staff • Magic Wand • Glass Slipper • Poisoned Apple • Spinning Wheel • Magic Lamp • Dark One's Dagger • Chipped Cup • Jefferson's Hat • Magic Beans • Captain Hook's Hooks • Enchanted Candle • Pixie Dust • Dreamshade • Salad Fork • Pandora's Box • Silver Slippers • Sorcerer Hat • Enchanted Broom • Trident • Enchanted Shell • Heroes and Villains (Book) • Merida's Bow • Magical Rose • Excalibur • Olympian Crystal • Cinderella's Dress • Golden Scarab Beetle • Rapunzel's Frying Pan • Magical Golden Flower • Shrinking Potion • Floating Lanterns • Tarot Cards • Maui's Fish Hook
Original Songs:Powerful Magic • The Queen Sings • Love Doesn't Stand a Chance • Revenge Is Gonna Be Mine • Wicked Always Wins • Charmings vs. Evil Queen • Emma's Theme • A Happy Beginning
