Beauty and the Beast theme song

This article is about the origin and progress of the classic Beauty and The Beast theme song.

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The classic theme for Beauty and the Beast was composed in 1991 specifically for the Disney animated film. Having already established a relationship with Disney for composing music for The Little Mermaid, and Pocahontas, Oscar-winning duo Howard Ashman (lyrics) and Alan Menken (music) wrote the much beloved theme which was sung by 66-year old actress Angela Lansbury in the film.

Angela Lansbury played the character Mrs Potts, and she essentially describes the relationship between 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 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!


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Although Lansbury's rendition was very much appreciated, it was considered to be unsuitable for a commercial release or radio airplay. Thus, the studio decided to make "Beauty and the Beast" the first Disney song to be arranged into a pop version of itself for the film's end credits.

Disney recruited Celine Dion to record a radio-friendly version. However, the studio was concerned that the then-relatively obscure singer would not attract a large enough audience in the U.S. on her own, so they hired the more prominent Peabo 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 to another animated film. But in the end she pushed through. Their version was produced by Walter Afanasieff who also arranged it with Robbie Buchanan, and included on Dion's album.

Their version later won Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals at the 1993 Grammy Awards, with the Lansbury version winning the Oscar for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards.
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24 years later, Disney debuted the music video for Ariana Grande and John Legend's new interpretation of the song. Their theme will be used for the live-action remake of the movie, starring Emma Watson as Belle.

Their version features sweet serenades with Grande boasting her high-ranging powerhouse vocals, and her more stripped-down delivery better suits Legend's warm tone. Their harmonies are what really stand out, proving why they were the right pair Disney chose.

Whose version do you like best? Tell us in the comments below!

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