What inspired the style of “Be Our Guest”?

The song draws from classic Broadway revue numbers, French cabaret, and Busby Berkeley-style choreography — all animated into a whimsical dining room gala.

Why does “Be Our Guest” feel so emotionally rich despite being comedic?

Beneath the humor lies longing. The enchanted servants express their need for purpose and connection after years of silence, making the cheerfulness bittersweet.

Who performs “Be Our Guest” in the 1991 film?

Primarily Jerry Orbach as Lumière and Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts, supported by The Chorus of Beauty and the Beast.

Has “Be Our Guest” been covered by other artists?

Yes, including Broadway cast members, Ewan McGregor in the 2017 live-action remake, and even comedic parodies like “Be Jabba’s Guest.”

What’s the deal with “Try the grey stuff”?

It’s a cheeky line that became iconic. Disney ran with it — the grey stuff became an actual dessert at their theme parks, resembling cookies and cream mousse.

Be Our Guest Lyrics – Disney's Beauty And The Beast

Be Our Guest Lyrics

Lumiere:
Ma chere Mademoiselle, it is with deepest pride
and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight.
And now we invite you to relax, let us pull up a
chair as the dining room proudly presents -
your dinner!

Be our guest! Be our guest!
Put our service to the test
Tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie
And we'll provide the rest
Soup du jour
Hot hors d'oeuvres
Why, we only live to serve
Try the grey stuff
Chip:
It's delicious
Lumiere:
Don't believe me? Ask the dishes
They can sing, they can dance
After all, Miss, this is France
And a dinner here is never second best
Go on, unfold your menu
Take a glance and then you'll
Be our guest
Oui, our guest
Be our guest!
Lumiere and Chorus:
Beef ragout
Cheese souffle
Pie and pudding "en flambe"

Lumiere:
We'll prepare and serve with flair
A culinary cabaret!
You're alone
And you're scared
But the banquet's all prepared
No one's gloomy or complaining
While the flatware's entertaining
We tell jokes! I do tricks
With my fellow candlesticks
Chorus:
And it's all in perfect taste
That you can bet
Come on and lift your glass
You've won your own free pass
To be out guest
Lumiere:
If you're stressed
It's fine dining we suggest

Chorus:
Be our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest!
Get your worries off your chest
Let us say for your entree
We've an array; may we suggest:
Try the bread! Try the soup!
When the croutons loop de loop
It's a treat for any dinner
Don't belive me? Ask the china
Singing pork! Dancing veal!
What an entertaining meal!
How could anyone be gloomy and depressed?
We'll make you shout "encore!"
And send us out for more
So, be our guest!
Lumiere:
Be our guest!
Chorus:
Be our guest!
Mrs Potts:
It's a guest! It's a guest!
Sakes alive, well I'll be blessed!
Wine's been poured and thank the Lord
I've had the napkins freshly pressed
With dessert, she'll want tea
And my dear that's fine with me
While the cups do their soft-shoein'
I'll be bubbling, I'll be brewing
I'll get warm, piping hot
Heaven's sakes! Is that a spot?
Clean it up! We want the company impressed
Chorus:
We've got a lot to do!
Mrs Potts:
Is it one lump or two?
For you, our guest!
Chorus:
She's our guest!
Mrs Potts:
She's our guest!
Chorus:
She's our guest!
Be our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest!
Lumiere:
Life is so unnerving
For a servant who's not serving
He's not whole without a soul to wait upon
Ah, those good old days when we were useful...
Suddenly those good old days are gone
Ten years we've been rusting
Needing so much more than dusting
Needing exercise, a chance to use our skills!
Most days we just lay around the castle
Flabby, fat and lazy
You walked in and oops-a-daisy!
Chorus:
Be our guest! Be our guest!
Our command is your request
It's been years since we've had anybody here
And we're obsessed
With your meal, with your ease
Yes, indeed, we aim to please
While the candlelight's still glowing
Let us help you, We'll keep going
Course by course, one by one
'Til you shout, "Enough! I'm done!"
Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest
Tonight you'll prop your feet up
But for now, let's eat up
Be our guest!
Be our guest!
Be our guest!
Please, be our guest!
Last Update: May, 20th 2025

Song Overview

Be Our Guest Lyrics video by Angela Lansbury — Angela Lansbury is singing the 'Be Our Guest' lyrics in the music video.

Song Credits

Producers: Howard Ashman & Alan Menken
Writers: Howard Ashman & Alan Menken
Release Date: 1991-10-29
Genre: Soundtrack, Musical, Children’s Music
Album: Beauty and the Beast (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
Label: Walt Disney Records
Distributor: Universal Music Group
Orchestration: Danny Troob
Conductor: David Friedman
Vocal Arranger: David Friedman
Mixing Engineer: Michael Farrow
Recording Engineer: Michael Farrow
Mastering Engineer: Bruce Botnick
Language: English

Song Meaning and Annotations

Angela Lansbury performing song Be Our Guest — Performance of 'Be Our Guest' by Angela Lansbury in the music video.

Lumière, whose name translates to "light" in French, fittingly embodies his role as a candelabra. He warmly addresses Belle as "ma chère mademoiselle," a French term of endearment meaning "my dear young lady." The song invites Belle to indulge in the castle's hospitality, with lines like "Tie your napkin 'round your neck, chérie," emphasizing the staff's eagerness to serve. The menu presented is a delightful array of French cuisine, including "soupe du jour" (soup of the day), "beef ragout" (a hearty stew), "cheese soufflé" (a light, fluffy dish made from egg yolks and beaten egg whites), and "pie and pudding en flambé" (desserts set aflame with alcohol for dramatic effect). Lumière's assurance, "Try the grey stuff, it's delicious," has even inspired a real-life dessert at Disney parks—a cookies-and-cream mousse known as "the grey stuff." The song employs litotes, a figure of speech that uses understatement to emphasize a point. For instance, when the dishes claim the dinner is "never second best," they imply it's the finest meal Belle will ever experience. This humblebrag aligns with the modest yet proud demeanor of characters like Mrs. Potts and Chip. "Be Our Guest" also reflects the staff's longing for purpose. Lumière laments, "Life is so unnerving for a servant who's not serving," highlighting their decade-long wait for a guest. Given that the enchanted rose is set to bloom on the Beast's 21st year and the staff have been under the curse for ten years, it suggests the prince was only 11 when cursed—a detail that adds a layer of tragedy to the tale. The song's theatrical flair is reminiscent of a cabaret, with dancing flatware and singing dishes creating a spectacle. This grand performance, though slightly anachronistic, serves to uplift Belle's spirits and showcases the staff's dedication to hospitality. Mrs. Potts, ever the attentive hostess, prepares tea even before dessert, ensuring every detail is perfect for their guest. In essence, "Be Our Guest" is more than just a song—it's a celebration of warmth, service, and the joy of making someone feel at home. Through its lively verses and enchanting visuals, it encapsulates the magic that makes Beauty and the Beast a timeless classic.

If Broadway ever had a buffet line, “Be Our Guest” would be the showstopper served piping hot. This jubilant track from Beauty and the Beast isn’t just a song – it’s a jubilant explosion of French flair, stage musical pizzazz, and Disney’s golden-era confidence all rolled into a silver platter of animation spectacle.

Opening Lines: Setting the Scene

Ma chère mademoiselle / It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight

The introduction isn’t just ceremonial; it's theatrical seduction. Lumière, the flirty French candelabra, steps into the spotlight as maître d', welcoming Belle (and us) with the panache of a Parisian supper club’s emcee.

Feast of the Absurd – Verse Breakdown

Tie your napkin 'round your neck, chérie / And we provide the rest

Here, the food isn’t the focus – service is. Hospitality becomes high art, with animated dishware turning a simple meal into a carnivalesque revue. There's an absurd but delightful irony: inanimate objects yearning for purpose offer the most heartfelt welcome.

Theatrical Yearning Beneath the Gags

Life is so unnerving / For a servant who's not serving

Behind the dazzle lies a deep pathos. This line carries unexpected emotional weight – a lament of purpose lost. These enchanted servants aren't just playacting; they crave relevance, intimacy, and belonging, themes that echo the Beast’s arc too.

Mrs. Potts' Verse: The Heart of the Home

Wine's been poured and thank the Lord / I've had the napkins freshly pressed

Angela Lansbury, as Mrs. Potts, sings with the warmth of a favorite aunt who’s been waiting all year to host dinner. Her verse grounds the spectacle in maternal comfort – it’s less about dazzle now and more about heart and hearth.

Overall, “Be Our Guest” functions as narrative, comic relief, and character revelation all in one. Alan Menken’s orchestration dances between Broadway and big band, while Howard Ashman’s wordplay ("grey stuff," "culinary cabaret") adds gourmet-level lyrical humor.

Similar Songs

Thumbnail from Be Our Guest lyric video by Angela Lansbury — A screenshot from the 'Be Our Guest' music video.

“Under the Sea” – Samuel E. Wright
Another Ashman-Menken masterstroke, this one from The Little Mermaid, delivers Caribbean rhythms and jubilant optimism through Sebastian the crab. Both songs uplift their heroines with high-spirited ensembles and richly layered puns — a musical conga line versus a French banquet, but emotionally twins.
“Consider Yourself” – Oliver! (1960 Musical)
This old-school Broadway tune from Oliver! rolls out a musical welcome mat with similar fanfare. It's a communal anthem celebrating inclusion, with street kids offering kinship just as Lumière offers candlelit comfort.
“Friend Like Me” – Robin Williams (as Genie)
A bombastic, fourth-wall-breaking showpiece, Genie’s song also turns service into spectacle. Both characters (Genie and Lumière) act as magical facilitators, entertaining and empowering their human guest — dripping with razzle-dazzle and coded with depth.

Questions and Answers

Scene from Be Our Guest track by Angela Lansbury — Visual effects scene from 'Be Our Guest'.

What inspired the style of “Be Our Guest”?: The song draws from classic Broadway revue numbers, French cabaret, and Busby Berkeley-style choreography — all animated into a whimsical dining room gala.
Why does “Be Our Guest” feel so emotionally rich despite being comedic?: Beneath the humor lies longing. The enchanted servants express their need for purpose and connection after years of silence, making the cheerfulness bittersweet.
Who performs “Be Our Guest” in the 1991 film?: Primarily Jerry Orbach as Lumière and Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts, supported by The Chorus of Beauty and the Beast.
Has “Be Our Guest” been covered by other artists?: Yes, including Broadway cast members, Ewan McGregor in the 2017 live-action remake, and even comedic parodies like “Be Jabba’s Guest.”
What’s the deal with “Try the grey stuff”?: It’s a cheeky line that became iconic. Disney ran with it — the grey stuff became an actual dessert at their theme parks, resembling cookies and cream mousse.

Fan and Media Reactions

"The most deliciously theatrical scene in all of Disney. I wanted to eat my TV as a kid!" – YouTube user @DisneyNostalgiaNut

"Angela Lansbury’s voice is a warm hug. It’s like the song is tucking me into bed with a bedtime story and a croissant." – Comment by @StageKid90

"Still can’t believe this was just one track on a soundtrack. It’s like a whole Broadway number snuck into a cartoon!" – @AnimatedObsessions

"No CGI today matches the magic of this scene. Every frame was choreographed like a dance number." – @2D4Life

"‘Try the grey stuff’ became a family meme. We say it before every holiday dinner!" – @KitchenCabaretQueen

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