Beauty and the Beast Lyrics – Disney's Beauty And The Beast

Song Overview

Song Credits

• Featured: Beth Fowler as Mrs. Potts
• Producer: Bruce Botnick, Alan Menken
• Composer: Alan Menken
• Lyricist: Howard Ashman
• Release Date: April 26, 1994
• Album: Beauty and the Beast: The Broadway Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
• Genre: Show-tune / Pop ballad
• Label: Walt Disney Records
• Mood: Warm, gently nostalgic
• Length: ? 2 min 46 sec
• Language: English
• Copyright © 1994 Walt Disney Music Company / Wonderland Music Company, Inc.

Song Meaning and Annotations

I still remember the hush that settled over the Palace Theatre the first time these opening lines drifted out of the pit—“Tale as old as time.” Alan Menken threads a gently waltzing 3/4 heartbeat underneath Beth Fowler’s measured delivery, letting the orchestration bloom like candle-light catching on polished brass. On stage the Beast and Belle circle one another, nerves jangling, yet Mrs. Potts sings as if she already knows the ending and is simply gossiping with the teacups.

The piece is often labeled a Disney “ballad,” yet the Broadway arrangement adds a chamber-music sheen: harp flourishes, woodwind filigree, and a horn swell that feels almost baroque. What really lands is the lyrical pivot—Ashman slides from fairy-tale shorthand (“Barely even friends”) to direct self-correction (“Learning you were wrong”). There’s the thematic crux: transformation isn’t sparked by magic roses alone; it’s owning your misjudgments.

Culturally, the Broadway revival arrived in 1994 when megamusicals were flexing chandelier budgets, but Menken and Ashman chose intimacy. No crashing organ needed—just a teapot with perfect timing. The song text folds centuries of folklore into a single cup of tea, reminding us that love stories never grow stale, they only steep differently each retelling.

Verse 1

Tale as old as time / True as it can be

A direct nod to the oral-tradition roots of the tale. By framing love as an immutable old story, the verse quietly tells the audience: relax, you already know this tune—let us show you a new flavor.

Chorus

Beauty and the Beast

A three-word thesis. Beauty represents outward perception; Beast embodies inward turmoil. The conjunction “and” is the hinge—the lyrics insist both identities can coexist.

Bridge

Bittersweet and strange / Finding you can change

Note the near-internal rhyme of “bittersweet” and “strange,” mirroring the bittersweet orchestral modulation from B-flat to D-flat. Change feels both awkward and graceful, just like the couple’s tentative foxtrot morphing into a confident waltz.

Similar Songs

1. “A Whole New World” – Aladdin (Original Broadway Cast)
   Both duets pivot on discovery. Where Beauty and the Beast soft-shoes inside a ballroom, “A Whole New World” soars on a magic-carpet. Each score uses key-changes to mimic rising courage, and both underscore trust blooming between mismatched leads.
2. “Some Enchanted Evening” – South Pacific
   Rodgers & Hammerstein’s wartime ballad shares the idea of recognition at first sight. The verses describe fate as inevitable as tides, echoing Mrs. Potts’ assurance that love is “certain as the sun.” Stylistically, both songs rely on lush strings and uncluttered melodies.
3. “All I Ask of You” – The Phantom of the Opera
   This duet also features a sheltered ingénue and a misunderstood outsider. It parallels the plea for honest connection, though “All I Ask of You” leans into operatic grandeur while Menken opts for a genteel dance-hall swirl.

Questions and Answers

Why is the song placed late in Act II?

It functions as the narrative hinge: the dance seals Belle’s affection and primes the Beast’s ultimate sacrifice. Structurally it also gives the audience a musical breather after plot-heavy sequences.

Did the Broadway orchestration differ from the 1991 film?

Yes. The pit expanded the string section and added French horn counter-melodies, giving more glow to Mrs. Potts’ vocal lines.

Who sings on the cast album?

Beth Fowler, Tony-nominated for her portrayal of Mrs. Potts, handles the lead vocal, joined by Terrence Mann and Susan Egan in spoken interjections.

How long did Ashman work on these Lyrics before his passing?

Most of the verses were drafted in late 1989. Ashman died in March 1991, but his words remained untouched for the stage adaptation.

Why does the key modulate upward before the final refrain?

The half-step lift mirrors the Beast’s internal shift from doubt to hope, nudging dancers—and listeners—onto emotional tip-toe.

Awards and Chart Positions

• 1994 Tony Award – Best Costume Design: Winner (Anne Hould-Ward)
• 1994 Tony Awards – Best Original Score: Nomination (Alan Menken / Howard Ashman / Tim Rice)
• 1994 Grammy Awards – Best Musical Show Album: Nomination for the cast recording
• Earlier film version won the 1992 Academy Award for Best Original Song, boosting the Broadway track’s profile.

Fan and Media Reactions

Scroll any comment section beneath the official video and you’ll spot a pattern: people reminiscing about worn-out VHS tapes, parents introducing the tune to new generations, and stage-door stories about Beth Fowler’s curtain-call wink.

“Still gives me shivers after thirty years.” —YouTube user @SondheimKid

“I walked down the aisle to this rendition.” —@BroadwayBride

“Menken’s chord at 1:02? Chef’s kiss.” —@TheoryNerd

“My five-year-old asked why the teapot sounds like grandma. Mission accomplished.” —@DadJokes4Days

“Saw the revival last month; the live strings make this track soar.” —@StageDoorInsider

Critics at the time hailed it as proof that Disney could carry Broadway balladry without flashy pyro. The New York Times called Fowler’s delivery “as comforting as freshly baked brioche,” while Variety praised the restraint that let the Lyrics sparkle.