Beauty and the Beast (Disney song)

"Beauty and the Beast"
Single by Céline Dion and Peabo Bryson
from the album Beauty and the Beast and Celine Dion
Released	November 16, 1991 (1991-11-16)
Format	CD single, cassette single, vinyl single
Recorded	October 1991 at Right Track Recording, The Plant Recording Studios
Genre	Pop
Length	4:04 (Album Version) 3:33 (Radio Edit)
Label	Walt Disney
Writer(s)	Alan Menken, Howard Ashman
Producer	Walter Afanasieff
Certification	Platinum (Japan) Gold (U.S.)
Céline Dion singles chronology "L'amour existe encore" (1991) "Beauty and the Beast" (1991) "Je danse dans ma tête" (1992)

"Beauty and the Beast" is the Oscar winning leading single from the Academy Award Best Picture nominated animated film Beauty and the Beast film, and the first hit single from Céline Dion's eponymous album. It was performed in the movie by Angela Lansbury, and sung over the movie's closing credits by Céline Dion and Peabo Bryson. The Dion-Bryson single was released on November 16, 1991 in Canada, on December 30, 1991 in the United States and the next year in the rest of the world.

The song is a ballad about the love developing between Belle and the Beast. It was written by composer Alan Menken and late lyricist Howard Ashman. It was one of Ashman's last works before he died of AIDS in 1991.

Versions

During the film, "Beauty and the Beast" is performed by Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts, and is heard whilst Belle and the Beast dance in the castle ballroom. Another version is performed by Céline Dion and Peabo Bryson at the end of the film. This was also the version released on a CD single and is also included on Dion's self-titled album (1992). A music video, directed by Dominic Orlando, was released in January 1992.

Lansbury, Dion and Bryson all performed the song live on stage during the 64th Academy Awards ceremony. Dion and Bryson performed it also at the Grammy Awards in 1993.

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. A short arrangement of "Beauty and the Beast" can be heard in Kingdom Hearts II video game. The song was included later on Céline Dion's greatest hits albums All the Way… A Decade of Song (1999) and My Love: Essential Collection (2008).

In 2002, the song was covered by the group Jump5 and placed on the album, DisneyMania.

In 2005, Julie Andrews selected the song for her album Julie Andrews Selects Her Favorite Disney Songs.

In 2007 the song was covered by the Cyndi Lauper on the album, Cyndi Lauper the Disney Classic Song Vol. 2.

On the 2009 album, 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 theme song "Beauty and the Beast", and filmed an accompanying music video with director Philip Andelman, to support the 2010 DVD/Blu-ray re-release.

On the 2011 album V-Rock Disney, which features visual kei artists covering Disney songs, Ryuichi Kawamura covered this song in Japanese.

Other artists who covered this song include Cher and Jeffrey Osborne, James Ingram and Britney Spears, H & Claire, Christina Aguilera and Luther Vandross, Linda Ronstadt and Barry Manilow, Sting and Erykah Badu, Richard Marx and Shania Twain, Phil Collins and Regina Belle, Amy Jo Johnson and R Kelly, plus Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston.

Reception

"Beauty and the Beast" was successful on the charts around the world, becoming Dion's first international hit. The single reached number 9 in the U.S. (number 8 on the Hot 100 Singles Sales and number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay) and hit top 10 in Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. It was certified gold in the U.S. for selling over 500,000 copies, and platinum in Japan (100,000 copies sold). Thanks to its success, the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack was certified 3x platinum in the U.S., for selling over 3,000,000 copies.

Awards

"Beauty and the Beast" won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1992, marking Menken and Ashman's (posthumously) second win after the 1989 award for "Under the Sea" from The Little Mermaid. A couple of months before, it had also won the 1992 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. It also went on winning two Grammy Awards in 1993, for the Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media and the Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The song was also nominated for two other important Grammys: Record of the Year and the Song of the Year. In Canada, "Beauty and the Beast" won a Juno Award for the Single of the Year.

Formats and track listings

Worldwide CD single

1. "Beauty and the Beast" – 4:04
2. "The Beast Lets Belle Go" (instrumental) – 2:19

Canadian CD maxi single

1. "Beauty and the Beast" – 4:04
2. "The Beast Lets Belle Go" (instrumental) – 2:19
3. "Des mots qui sonnent" – 3:56
4. "Délivre-moi" (live) – 4:19

Official versions

1. "Beauty and the Beast" (Radio Edit) – 3:33
2. "Beauty and the Beast" (Album Version) – 4:04

Charts and certifications

Charts

Chart (1991)	Peak position
Canadian Record's Retail Singles Chart	2
Canadian Record's Contemporary Hit Radio Chart	21
Canadian RPM Top Singles	23
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary	1
US Billboard Hot 100	9
US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	3
Chart (1992)	Peak position
Australian Singles Chart	17
Belgian Singles Chart	25
Dutch Singles Chart	18
Irish Singles Chart	12
Japanese Singles Chart	67
New Zealand Singles Chart	8
UK Singles Chart	9

Year-end charts

Chart (1992)	Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	64

Certifications

Country	Certification
Japan	Platinum
United States	Gold