Beauty and the Beast (1991 soundtrack)
Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | ||||
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Soundtrack album by Various Artists | ||||
Released | October 22, 1991 (original release)[1] | |||
Recorded | 1989–1991 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 50:12 (1991 release) | |||
Label | Walt Disney | |||
Producer | ||||
Walt Disney Animation Studios chronology | ||||
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Singles from Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | ||||
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Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the official
Following a difficult period during where
Like the film, the soundtrack was a massive critical success, receiving universal praise and recognition from both film and music critics. The music featured on the album won several awards, including the
On December 18, 2001, the soundtrack was re-released as a Special Edition to coincide with the
Background
During the 1970s and 1980s,
Prior to getting professionally involved with Disney, Ashman and Menken had collaborated on a
Ashman's failing health
Ashman was initially reluctant to agree to work on Beauty and the Beast because he had just recently been diagnosed with
Content and composition
Lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken intended for the songs in Beauty and the Beast to serve as
While composing the orchestral score that accompanies the film's
When it came time to write the film's large-scale "scintillating"[12] musical number "Be Our Guest", Menken originally composed and provided Ashman with a simple melody that was initially intended for temporary use only, simply for the purpose of allowing his co-writer to start developing the song's lyrics. He labeled the rough composition "the dummy". However, Menken eventually gave up on his attempt to improve upon the song's simple melody, and it ultimately became the version to which Ashman wrote his lyrics.[6] Menken described "Be Our Guest" as a song that is both "simple and tuneful" that "let[s] the lyric shine."[13]
Originally, Ashman and Menken had written a rather lengthy, large-scale musical number for the film called "Human Again". However, when it was deemed "too ambitious", they swiftly wrote and replaced it with a smaller-scale musical number entitled "Something There".
Single
When the film was released, it garnered three separate Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song for "Belle", "Be Our Guest" and "Beauty and the Beast". Producer Don Hahn expressed concern that this would cause confusion among audiences and voters, and potentially result in an unfavorable tie. In order to prevent this from happening, the studio fought in favor of the film's title song and decided to release a pop rendition of "Beauty and the Beast" as a commercial single in an attempt to persuade voters to vote for it.[14] When "Beauty and the Beast" was written, it was composed with the potential of having "half a life outside the movie."[5] Menken revealed that this was the first time one of his compositions had been rearranged and "turned into ear candy".[15]
Menken recruited musician Robbie Buchanan to arrange[16][17] "Beauty and the Beast" into the form of a pop duet[18] while Walter Afanasieff was responsible for producing the track.[15][19][20] Afanasieff also assisted Buchanan in the arranging of the song.[21] Menken was ultimately pleased with Afanasieff's production, explaining, "Walter Afanasieff ... took it and really molded it into something very different than I ever intended and I grew to love it. In a way, Walter made it his own, and I love that."[15] Because Disney could not afford to hire a "big singer", they drafted Canadian singer Celine Dion, who was relatively new to the music industry at the time, to record "Beauty and the Beast". However, the studio feared that she would not draw much media attention because of her relative obscurity in the United States, so they hired American singer Peabo Bryson, who was a more well-known recording artist at the time, to perform alongside her.[11][14] The newly arranged song was released as the album's lead single on November 25, 1991.[10]
Reception
Critical response
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [22] |
Filmtracks | [23] |
Sputnikmusic | 4.5/5[24] |
Similar to the overwhelmingly positive critical response that the film received, Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was met with universal acclaim from both music and film critics, garnering nearly unanimous praise for both its songs and score. Tavia Hobart of
When Beauty and the Beast was released in November 1991, several film and entertainment critics awarded specific praise to its music, both songs and score. Entertainment Weekly's Lisa Schwarzbaum wrote, "The songs unleash a chemical reaction of happiness."[25]
The soundtrack became the first (and so far, the only) animated film to receive a
Track listing
In the movie, track eight comes after track nine.
No. | Title | Recording artist(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
16. | "Beauty and the Beast" ([C]) | Jordin Sparks | 3:14 |
Total length: | 53:26 |
No. | Title | Recording artist(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Prologue" (Score) (Narration by Stiers) | 2:26 | |
2. | " Human Again" (Previously Unreleased) ([D]) | Lansbury, Stiers, Orbach, Jo Anne Worley, Chorus | 4:54 |
9. | "The Mob Song" | White, Chorus | 3:30 |
10. | "Beauty and the Beast" | Lansbury | 2:46 |
11. | "To the Fair" (Score) | 1:58 | |
12. | "West Wing" (Score) | 3:42 | |
13. | "The Beast Lets Belle Go" (Score) | 2:22 | |
14. | "Battle on the Tower" (Score) | 5:29 | |
15. | "Transformation" (Score) | 5:47 | |
16. | "Be Our Guest" (Demo) (Previously Unreleased) | Ashman | 3:29 |
17. | "Beauty and the Beast" (Work Tape & Demo) (Previously Unreleased) | Menken & Ashman | 3:58 |
18. | "Beauty and the Beast" | Dion & Bryson | 4:04 |
19. | "Death of the Beast" (Score) (Early Version) ([E]) | 1:29 | |
Total length: | 1:04:43 |
Notes
- A^ Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
- B^ Won an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
- C^ Produced by Robert Buchanan.
- D^ New song integrated into the film for the 2001 Special Edition IMAX re-issue and 2001 DVD release.
- E^ Integrated into the film's end credits for the 2001 Special Edition IMAX re-issue and 2002 DVD release. On initial pressings of the original release of the soundtrack, this cue replaced the version used in the film up until the moment when the transformation begins. Eventually the album was re-pressed with the film version of the cue and has been presented in its proper film version on the 2001 and 2010 reissues.
Charts
Chart (1991–2017) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[27] | 14 |
Irish Albums (IRMA)[28] | 28 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[29] | 25 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[30] | 21 |
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[31] | 95 |
US Billboard 200[32] | 19 |
US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard)[33] | 9 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[34] | Gold | 35,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada)[35] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Germany (BVMI)[36] | Gold | 250,000‡ |
Japan (RIAJ)[37] | Gold | 100,000^ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[38] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[39] | Silver | 60,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[40] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
The Legacy Collection release
Walt Disney Records released a two-disc soundtrack album of Beauty and the Beast as part of The Legacy Collection.[41] It includes the complete score and early demos.
See also
References
- ^ "RIAA". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ Sunderland, Mitchell. "Beauty and the Plague". Vice. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ "The Touching Tribute Behind Disney's First Openly Gay Character". Vanity Fair. March 2017.
- ^ "Don Hahn interview: Beauty and the Beast, Howard Ashman, the Lion King, South Park and Frankenweenie". 3 November 2010.
- ^ a b Murray, Rebecca. "Exclusive Interview with Alan Menken on 'Tangled'". About.com. Archived from the original on 20 January 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f Greenberger, Robert (October 2, 2010). "Alan Menken Revisits 'beauty & The Beast'". Comic Mix. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ "Interview with Beauty and the Beast Composer Alan Menken". Static Multimedia. October 4, 2010. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
- ^ Blauvelt, Christian (November 24, 2010). "Alan Menken discusses 'Tangled' and the past, present, and future of the animated musical". Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly Inc. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
- ^ a b Tan, Irving (April 10, 2011). "Disney Soundtracks - Beauty and the Beast". Sputnikmusic. IndieClick Music Network. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ a b Carlos (December 10, 2010). "Beauty and the Beast". Celine Dion. Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
- ^ a b Kois, Dan (November 24, 2010). "Tangled Looks and Feels Great, So Why Is Disney Selling It Short?". The Village Voice. Village Voice, LLC. Archived from the original on 2015-03-07. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
- ^ a b Dickey, Timothy. "Alan Menken Beauty and the Beast, film score". AllMusic. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ a b Rees, Jasper (May 16, 2010). "theartsdesk Q&A: Composer Alan Menken". The Arts Desk. The Arts Desk Ltd. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ a b Young, John (February 22, 2012). "Oscars 1992: Producer Don Hahn on how 'Beauty and the Beast' changed animation". Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly Inc. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
- ^ a b c Lammers, Tim (October 5, 2010). "Menken Still Enchanted By Beauty Of 'Beast'". Internet Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
- ^ "Alan Menken, Howard Ashman – Beauty And The Beast (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Special Edition)". Discogs. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ "Robbie Buchanan". Allmusic. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ "Stephen Schwartz and Alan Menken Interview – ENCHANTED". Collider. Collider.com. November 21, 2007. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
- ^ Hogan, Ed. "Walter Afanasieff". Allmusic. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
- ^ "Walter Afanasieff". Pop Tower. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
- ^ "Motion Pictures". Walter Afanasieff. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
- ^ Hobart, Tavia. "Beauty and the Beast - Disney, Alan Menken". Allmusic. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
- ^ "Filmtracks: Beauty and the Beast (1991) (Alan Menken)".
- ^ "Soundtrack (Disney) - Beauty and the Beast (Album review ) | Sputnikmusic".
- ^ Schwarzbaum, Lisa (January 12, 2012). "Beauty and the Beast 3D (2012)". Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly Inc. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ "Rock on the Net: 35th Annual Grammy Awards - 1993". Rock On The Net. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Soundtrack – Beauty and the Beast". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Soundtrack". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Soundtrack – Beauty and the Beast" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Soundtrack – Beauty and the Beast". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Soundtrack – Beauty and the Beast". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- ^ "Soundtrack Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- ^ "Soundtrack Chart History (Soundtrack Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1993 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Various artists – The Beauty and the Beast Soundtrack". Music Canada. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Diverse; 'Disney - Die Schöne und das Biest (Das Original-Hörspiel zum Film)')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
- ^ "Japanese album certifications – オリジナルサウンドトラック – 美女と野獣 オリジナル・モーション・ピクチャー・サウンドトラック" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved September 25, 2018. Select 1993年10月 on the drop-down menu
- ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- ^ "British album certifications – Walt Disney – Beauty and the Beast". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- ^ "Beauty & the Beast". RIAA.
- ^ "D002679402 | The Legacy Collection: Beauty and the Beast - VGMdb". vgmdb.net. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
External links
- Beauty and the Beast at Discogs (list of releases)