Something There

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"Something There"
Song by Paige O'Hara and Robby Benson featuring Jerry Orbach, Angela Lansbury and David Ogden Stiers
from the album Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
ReleasedOctober 29, 1991
Length2:18
LabelWalt Disney
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Howard Ashman
  • Alan Menken

"Something There" is a song written by lyricist

Cogsworth
, respectively. The only song performed by the Beast, "Something There" is heard midway through Beauty and the Beast during a scene in which Belle and the Beast finally begin to acknowledge their feelings for each other.

A last-minute addition to the film, the simple

Human Again" after the latter was cut from Beauty and the Beast. O'Hara based her own vocal performance on that of American singer and actress Barbra Streisand
, whom Ashman advised the actress to impersonate, while O'Hara herself convinced the songwriters to have Benson record the song. Critical reception towards "Something There" has been positive, with film and music critics alike praising Ashman's abilities as both a songwriter and a storyteller.

Background

"Something There" was written by lyricist

Belle."[3] Upon learning that "Human Again" was removed from Beauty and the Beast, Ashman and Menken were forced to return "to the drawing board to write something more contained and simple," the ultimate result of which was the love song "Something There,"[4] which has been described as "shorter and more direct" than "Human Again".[5] The creative team had originally believed that the Beast saving Belle from the wolves was enough to justify the dance sequence near the end of the film, though later realised they had in fact not yet earned this moment; this quiet song where Beast gives Belle his library was pitched and written by Howard Ashman and "as soon as that was written, we knew the movie was going to work".[6]

In his biography I'm Not Dead... Yet!, actor Robby Benson, voice of the Beast, revealed that it was co-star Paige O'Hara's idea to have Benson's character duet with O'Hara's Belle in "Something There".[7] According to Benson, the actress "explained to Ashman and Menken that [Benson] had made records and sang in Broadway musicals."[8] O'Hara briefly struggled to record one of the song's lines – "a bit alarming" –[9] to which an ailing Ashman, who was forced to communicate with O'Hara and the studio via telephone from his hospital bed in New York due to his illness, simply responded "Streisand." By this, Ashman meant that he wanted O'Hara to impersonate singer and actress Barbra Streisand, and by doing so O'Hara finally recorded the song successfully.[10] "Something There" was recorded by O'Hara and Benson accompanied by a live orchestra.[7]

Context, sequence and analysis

In the book The Meanings of "Beauty and the Beast": A Handbook, author Jerry Griswold observed that the "Something There"

Hal Leonard Corporation and Music Theatre International, the castle's staff of enchanted objects also discover "something different between Belle and the Beast."[18][19] "Something There" concludes with Belle and the Beast retreating to a fireplace and reading.[20] In the original film, "Something There" immediately precedes the film's title song. However, for its special edition re-release, the song is immediately followed by the newly reinstated "Human Again".[21]

Screenshot of the Beast and Belle finally realizing that they are beginning to fall in love with each other during the "Something There" musical sequence.

Identifying the song as "where the genius of music as storytelling kicks in," Simon Brew of Den of Geek felt that "Something There" is "the track with the heaviest workload." The author observed that "In two minutes and 19 seconds, [the song] gets across just how the position and feelings of the characters have changed."[22] For instance, "At the beginning of 'Something There,' Belle admits that she thought the Beast was mean, coarse, and unrefined. By the end, she’s feeling pretty smitten," according to Oh My Disney.[23] The song also depicts the film's passing of time,[24] while providing audiences with an opportunity "to appreciate Beast and first see the potential for Belle and him."[25] On the song's role in the special edition version of the film, co-director Kirk Wise explained, "There's a ... little suite of music now that starts with 'Something There' ... which segues into 'Human Again' which gives the object perspective on what they hope for when [Belle and the Beast] fall in love and that transitions into 'Beauty and the Beast' the ballad, which is the culmination of their relationship."[26] Dubbing the song "soliloquies of Belle and the Beast," TV Guide drew comparisons between "Something There" and songs from the musical South Pacific.[27]

The "Something There" musical sequence was added towards the end of Beauty and the Beast's filmmaking process. Belle was animated by Mark Henn, while the Beast was animated by Aaron Blaise. Henn described "Something There" as "a great sequence," continuing, "I love to animate songs."[28][self-published source] The Los Angeles Times' Charles Solomon felt that Belle was drawn inconsistently throughout the film, observing that the character appears "noticeably slimmer" during "Something There".[29]

Composition

Something There
Sample of "Something There".
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Written in the key of

E♭5.[33] The song, described as "a poignant character number"[34] performed "Against a background of the easy rhythms of soft, lilting violins,"[12] "allowed [O'Hara and Benson] to blend their voices."[35] In addition, Women's Studies in Communication observed that the "tentative bursts of notes symbolize the uncertainties of this new way of relating".[12]

In the song's first verse, "Belle articulates how her attraction to [the Beast] stems from his shut-off demeanor," singing, "There's something sweet/And almost kind/But he was mean/And he was coarse and unrefined/But now he's dear/And so unsure/I wonder why I didn't see it there before."[36][23] The Beast's verse reads, "when we touched she didn't shudder at my paw."[37] According to Laurence E. MacDonald, author of the book The Invisible Art of Film Music: A Comprehensive History, Benson "shocked many filmgoers with his richly resonant baritone."[35] Finally, Belle sings the song's bridge, which reads, "New and a bit alarming/Who'd have ever thought that this could be?/True, that he's no Prince Charming/But there's something in him that I simply didn't see." According to the Los Angeles Times, by the end of "Something There", "the audience understands what Belle and Beast feel and how disconcerting those emotions seem."[29]

Reception

"Something There" has garnered mostly positive reviews from film and music critics. Writing for

Filmtracks.com described "Something There" as an "affable" song.[32] Particularly praising Ashman's songwriting, Charles Solomon of the Los Angeles Times wrote that "Ashman's songs advance the plot by exploring the characters' emotions and making story points more concisely than conventional exposition." Solomon concluded, "By the end of the deceptively simple-sounding 'Something There,' the audience understands what Belle and Beast feel and how disconcerting those emotions seem."[29] O'Hara continues to cite "Something There" as her favorite of the film's songs,[38][39] elaborating, "Every time I see the Beast with that grin on his face and the bird in his hand, my heart just melts."[40]

For the studio's pending live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, Julia Emmanuele of Hollywood.com suggested that the filmmakers "feel free to drop 'Something There' if there’s no room for it" because "it won't be missed."[41] However, when English actress Emma Watson confirmed in January 2015 that she will be portraying Belle via Facebook, she cited "Something There" as one of her favorite songs from her childhood.[42] Irving Tan of Sputnikmusic jokingly called "Something There" "the closest the movie comes to admitting its horrendously inappropriate stance on human-animal sexual relations."[37]

References

  1. ^ Maslin, Janet (November 13, 1991). "Beauty and the Beast (1991) Review/Film; Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast' Updated in Form and Content". The New York Times. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  2. ^ Greenberger, Robert (October 2, 2010). "Alan Menken Revisits 'Beauty & The Beast'". ComicMix. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  3. ^ DeMott, Rick (December 21, 2001). "Beauty and the Beast: Disney's Big Hit Gets Bigger". Animation World Network. AWN, Inc. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  4. ^ "Interview with Alan Menken, part one". Howard Ashman. Shoptalk Ltd. 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  5. ^ Tracy, Joe. "Digital Media FX Review of Beauty and the Beast Special Edition (IMAX)". Digital Media FX. Digital Media FX Magazine. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  6. ^ Ferguson, Sean (October 7, 2010). "A Talk with Beauty and the Beast's Glen Keane". Why So Blu?.
  7. ^ a b Breznican, Anthony (December 21, 2012). "'Beauty and the Beast': Robby Benson's book goes behind the scenes -- EXCERPT". Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  8. ISBN 9780983141655
    .
  9. ^ "Being Belle: Interview with Paige O'Hara , "Belle", from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST". Screen Invasion. Invasion Media. January 11, 2012. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  10. ^ Poletick, Rachel (May 4, 2011). "Toon Times: Ashman left Disney his heart". North by Northwestern. North by Northwestern. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  11. ^
    ISBN 9781551115634
    .
  12. ^ a b c Women's Studies in Communication. United States: Organization for Research on Women and Communication. 1996.
  13. ^
    PMID 17273950
    . Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  14. ^ Greydanus, Steven D. "Beauty and the Beast (1991)". Decent Films Guide. Steven D. Greydanus. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
  15. ^ Silverman, Rachel Anne (2009). "New Dreams, Old Endings: Searching for "A Whole New World" in Disney Second-Wave Animated Romance Films". Wesleyan University. Wesleyan University. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  16. ISBN 9780814731239
    . something there beauty and the beast.
  17. ^ Chow, Jeremy (2013). "Beauty-ful Inferiority: Female Subservience in Disney's Beauty and the Beast". Claremont. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  18. ^ "Disney's Beauty and the Beast Jr". Hal Leonard Online. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  19. ^ "Disney's Beauty and the Beast JR". Music Theatre International. Enterprises, Inc. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  20. Hearst Newspapers, LLC
    . Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  21. ^ Dequina, Michael (January 1, 2001). "Beauty and the Beast Large Format Special Edition (G)". The Movie Report. Michael Dequina. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  22. ^
    Dennis Publishing Limited. Archived from the original
    on February 11, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  23. ^ a b "A Lot Can Happen During a Disney Song". Oh My Disney. Disney. 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  24. ^ Grabert, Jessica. "Beauty and the Beast (Diamond Edition)". Cinema Blend. Cinema Blend LLC. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  25. ^ "TOP 100 DISNEY SONGS". DVDizzy.com. DVDizzy.com. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  26. ^ Ross, Anthony. "Interview with Beauty & the Beast Director". Ross Anthony. Ross Anthony. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  27. ^ "Beauty and the Beast". TV Guide. CBS Interactive Inc. 1991. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  28. ISBN 9781465368416
    .
  29. ^ a b c Solomon, Charles (December 31, 2001). "But It Was Big Enough Already". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  30. ^ Berardinelli, James (1991). "Beauty and the Beast". ReelViews. James Berardinelli. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  31. ^ "Beauty and the Beast (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Various Artists". iTunes. Apple Inc. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  32. ^ a b "Beauty and the Beast". Filmtracks.com. Christian Clemmensen (Filmtracks Publications). Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  33. ^ "Something There – From Beauty and the Beast: The Broadway Musical - Digital Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Walt Disney Music Publishing. 28 May 2007. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  34. ISBN 9780195335330
    .
  35. ^
    ISBN 9780810883987
    .
  36. ^ Kaelyn, Flowerday (2014). "Learning to Read (Gender): Children's Animation and the New Heterosexism". Portland State University. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  37. ^ a b Tan, Irving (April 10, 2011). "Soundtrack (Disney) – Beauty and the Beast". Sputnikmusic. Sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  38. ^ Nicholson, Amy (January 13, 2012). "Meet Paige O'Hara: The Voice—And More—Of Disney's Smartest Heroine". BoxOffice. BoxOffice® Media, LLC. Archived from the original on November 6, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  39. ^ "Interview With Paige O'Hara, The Voice Of Belle In "Beauty and the Beast"". Disney Dreaming. DisneyDreaming.com. October 5, 2010. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  40. ^ Simpson, Melody (October 13, 2010). "An Interview with Paige O'Hara of Beauty and the Beast". Hollywood The Right Way. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  41. ^ Emmanuele, Julia (June 5, 2014). "Everything Disney Should Do (and Not Do) with Its New Live Action 'Beauty and the Beast'". Hollywood.com. Hollywood.com, LLC. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  42. ^ Brown, Kat (January 26, 2015). "Belles ring for Emma Watson in Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
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