Beauty and the Beast (Disney song)
"Beauty and the Beast" is a song written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for the Disney animated feature film Beauty and the Beast (1991). The film's theme song, the Broadway-inspired ballad was first recorded by British-American actress Angela Lansbury in her role as the voice of the character Mrs. Potts, and essentially describes the relationship between its two main characters Belle and the Beast, specifically how the couple has learned to accept their differences and in turn change each other for the better. Additionally, the song's lyrics imply that the feeling of love is as timeless and ageless as a "tale as old as time". Lansbury's rendition is heard during the famous ballroom sequence between Belle and the Beast, while a shortened chorale version plays in the closing scenes of the film, and the song's motif features frequently in other pieces of Menken's film score. Lansbury was initially hesitant to record "Beauty and the Beast" because she felt that it was not suitable for her aging singing voice, but ultimately completed the song in one take.
"Beauty and the Beast"
"Beauty and the Beast" was subsequently recorded as a pop duet by Canadian singer Celine Dion and American singer Peabo Bryson, and released as the only single from the film's soundtrack on November 25, 1991. Disney first recruited solely Dion to record a radio-friendly version of it in order to promote the film. However, the studio was concerned that the then-newcomer would not attract a large enough audience in the United States on her own, so they hired the more prominent Bryson to be her duet partner. At first Dion was also hesitant to record "Beauty and the Beast" because she had just recently been fired from recording the theme song of the animated film An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991). First heard during the film's end credits, the single was produced by Walter Afanasieff who also arranged it with Robbie Buchanan, and included on Dion's self-titled album (1992) and Bryson's album, Through the Fire (1994). The single was accompanied by a music video. Directed by Dominic Orlando, it combined footage of the singers recording the song at The Power Station with excerpts from the film.
Both versions of "Beauty and the Beast" were very successful, garnering both a Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Song, as well as Grammy Awards for Best Song Written for Visual Media and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The single was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. Lansbury's performance has been universally lauded by both film and music critics. While the Dion-Bryson version received mixed reviews from critics who felt that it was not as good as Lansbury's original, the single became a commercial success, peaking at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming the better-known of the two renditions. In addition to returning Disney songs to the pop charts after a thirty-year absence, the success of "Beauty and the Beast" also boosted Dion's career and established her as a bankable recording artist. After "Beauty and the Beast" became the first Disney song to undergo a complete pop transformation, several contemporary artists were inspired to release their own radio-friendly renditions of Disney songs throughout the decade. Considered to be among Disney's best and most popular songs, "Beauty and the Beast" has since been covered by numerous artists. In 2004, the American Film Institute ranked "Beauty and the Beast" at number 62 on their list of the greatest songs in American film history.
The song is also featured in the 2017 live-action adaptation; sung by Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts during the film and also as a duet cover version by Ariana Grande and John Legend during the end credits.[1][2][3] Grande and Legend's version of the song is an homage to the cover performed by Dion and Bryson for the 1991 film.[4][5] The song was also performed by Shania Twain in the 2022 television special Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration, and as a duet with H.E.R. and Josh Groban.[6][7]
Reception[edit]
Critical response[edit]
"Beauty and the Beast" received widespread acclaim from film and music critics alike.[108] Film critic Janet Maslin of The New York Times praised "Beauty and the Beast", describing it as "a glorious ballad" while dubbing it Ashman and Menken's "biggest triumph".[109] Beliefnet called the song "stirring",[110] while Hal Hinson of The Washington Post considers it to be among the film's best.[111] Roger Moore of the Chicago Tribune referred to "Beauty and the Beast" as a "brilliant" song that "can move you to tears,"[107] while James Berardinelli of ReelViews cited it among the film's most "memorable" songs.[54] Anthony Quinn of The Independent highlighted "Beauty and the Beast" as the film's best song, going on to praise Lansbury's "magnificent" performance,[112] while the Deseret News' Chris Hicks called it "beautiful".[113] Simon Brew of Den of Geek specifically enjoyed the lyrics "bittersweet and strange, finding you can change," describing the song as "superb".[114] Lansbury's vocal performance has also been singled out for praise: Slant Magazine's Jaime N. Christley wrote that Lansbury "delivers the film's title tune, gooey treacle that it is, like nobody's business".[115] Describing the song as "beautiful", the Chicago Tribune's Gene Siskel wrote that "Beauty and the Beast" is "performed poignantly by the richly textured voice of Angela Lansbury".[85] Similarly, PopMatters' Bill Gibron penned, "the moment Angela Lansbury's trite teapot steps up to sing the title song, all dry eye bets are off".[116] Aylin Zara of BuzzFeed opined that Lansbury's version is superior to the single, penning, "Though the commercial pop version of 'Beauty and the Beast,' sung by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, is great, the film version — performed by Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts — is even better. Tender and warm ... it tugs at all the right heartstrings to get your eyes a little misty".[84] Rachael Monaco of AXS cited "Tale as old as time. Tune as old as song. Bittersweet and strange. Finding you can change. Learning you were wrong. Certain as the sun rising in the East. Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme, Beauty and the Beast" as the film's best lyric.[31] Entertainment Weekly's Darren Franich, however, admitted to preferring "Be Our Guest" and "Belle" over "Beauty and the Beast".[117]
"Beauty and the Beast"
"The Beast Lets Belle Go" (instrumental)
November 25, 1991
October 1991
- Power Station, New York City, New York[155]
- The Plant, Sausalito, California
- 4:57 (album version)
- 3:30 (radio edit)
"Beauty and the Beast"
Covers and use in media[edit]
In 1993, jazz singer Chris Connor covered "Beauty and the Beast" for her album My Funny Valentine.[264] In 1998, O'Hara recorded a version of "Beauty and the Beast" for her album Dream with Me.[265] This marked the first time O'Hara had ever recorded the song,[266] although she has covered it live several times.[267] Billboard reviewed O'Hara's performance positively, writing that the actress provides each song with "the right youthful and gentle touch".[268] In 2000, singer Kenny Loggins covered the song on his children's music album More Songs from Pooh Corner.[269] In 2002, music group Jump5 covered "Beauty and the Beast" for the Walt Disney Records compilation album Disneymania;[270] a music video was released later that year and included as a bonus feature on the film's Platinum Edition DVD re-release, Beauty and the Beast: Special Edition.[271] Belonging to a segment known as "Chip's Fun and Games - For the Young at Heart", the music video features the group performing their "bouncy"[272] teen pop rendition of the song interpolated with scenes from the film.[273] Lauren Duca of The Huffington Post described the group's uptempo cover as "ridiculously '90s pop".[274] Meanwhile, musical duo H & Claire covered the song for the film's Platinum Edition re-release in the United Kingdom, which Betty Clarke of The Guardian dismissed as a "boring" rendition.[275]
On the country-themed compilation album The Best of Country Sing the Best of Disney (1996), "Beauty and the Beast" was covered by country band Diamond Rio.[276] To support the film's Diamond Edition re-release in 2010, singer Jordin Sparks recorded an R&B version of "Beauty and the Beast",[277] which was released on iTunes in September.[278] A music video directed by Philip Andelman was included on the re-release as a bonus feature,[279] part of the disc's "Music and More" segment.[280] The video depicts Sparks performing "Beauty and the Beast" in a castle.[277] In 2011, Sparks performed her rendition of the song live at the 30th anniversary of the televised Independence Day concert "A Capitol Fourth".[281] The cover is believed to have initiated the singer's gradual transition from music to film.[282] The compilation album Eurobeat Disney (2010) features a Eurobeat cover by singer Domino.[283] In 2014, actors Clare Bowen and Sam Palladio covered "Beauty and the Beast" for the television special Backstage with Disney on Broadway: Celebrating 20 Years, which documents the development of eight of Disney's Broadway musicals.[284] Both known for their roles in the television musical drama Nashville,[285] Bowen, a fan of the film, arranged the cover herself to satisfy the documentary producers' vision, who "were looking for performers who could offer unexpected interpretations of the [musicals'] familiar tunes".[286] Hilary Lewis of The Hollywood Reporter observed that Bowen and Palladio's rendition "is more stripped down" than the stage, Lansbury and Dion-Bryson versions.[284] The song has been covered multiple times as part of the We Love Disney album series. We Love Disney France (2013) features a cover by singers Garou and Camille Lou while We Love Disney Australia (2014) features a cover by operatic pop vocal group Sol3 Mio (2014).[287] We Love Disney Indonesia (2015) featured a cover by Chilla Kiana, while We Love Disney (Latino) (2016) featured a cover by Jencarlos and Paula Rojo.[288]
The song appears in the Broadway musical adaptation of the film, which premiered in 1994.[289] When the song first premiered on Broadway, there were few Broadway musicals at the time that featured ballads about love.[290] Originally covered live by actress Beth Fowler as Mrs. Potts,[291] "Beauty and the Beast" was included on the Original Broadway Cast Recording of the musical, again performed by Fowler.[292][293] While critical reception towards the musical ranged from negative to mixed, John Simon of New York commended Fowler for "manag[ing] to heat up and brighten [her] material".[294] Within the realm of reality television talent competitions, "Beauty and the Beast" was covered on The Voice Australia by contestants Lionel Cole and Sabrina Batshon in 2014.[295] Candice Barnes of The Sydney Morning Herald reviewed that the "song suited Sabrina best" while it was "too high" for Cole, in the end accusing both contestants of "destroying one of the best loved Disney songs with their vocal gymnastics".[296] In 1998, a version of the song, called "Beauty and the Bees", was made for the 3D movie It's Tough to Be a Bug!'s queue at Disney's Animal Kingdom and Disney California Adventure Park. The song, written by Bruce Broughton and George Wilkins, was released on the album The Legacy Collection: Disneyland. In 2021, the song was featured in the second season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.[297]