Belle (Disney song): Difference between revisions

"Belle"
"Belle"
Song by Paige O'Hara and Richard White
from the album Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Released	October 29, 1991
Genre	Operetta
Length	5:09
Label	Walt Disney
Composer(s)	Alan Menken
Lyricist(s)	Howard Ashman
Producer(s)	Menken; Ashman;

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"Belle" is a song written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for Disney's animated film Beauty and the Beast (1991). Recorded by American actors Paige O'Hara and Richard White, "Belle" is a mid-tempo classical music-inspired song that borrows elements from Broadway and musical theatre. It was the first song Ashman and Menken wrote for Beauty and the Beast, which they feared Disney would reject due to its length and complexity, but the film's producers ultimately liked the song.

The film's first song and opening number, "Belle" appears during Beauty and the Beast as a bustling operetta-style musical number that introduces audiences to the film's heroine, Belle (O'Hara), and her arrogant suitor, Gaston (White). In addition to describing Belle's goals and aspirations, the song uses lyrics interspersed with spoken dialogue to reveal how the townsfolk feel about her and Gaston, positioning the former as an outcast due to her beauty and love of reading, and the latter as a hero despite his arrogance. Belle reprises the song later in the film after rejecting a marriage proposal from Gaston, declaring her deep longing for adventure.

"Belle" has received widespread acclaim from film and music critics, who praised its effectiveness as an opening number and likened it to songs from the musical films West Side Story (1961) and The Sound of Music (1965). "Belle" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 64th Academy Awards in 1992, but lost to the film's title song. "Belle" was similarly featured in the stage adaptation of the film, originally performed by actress Susan Egan on Broadway. Actors Emma Watson and Luke Evans performed the song in the 2017 live-action remake of the film.

Background and writing

In an effort to replicate the unprecedented success of The Little Mermaid (1989),^[1] Disney decided to adapt the fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" into a feature-length animated film.^[2] Although originally developed as an animated film without songs under the direction of Richard Purdum,^[3] Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg was unsatisfied with the dark, somber direction of the film at the time,^[4] and ultimately ordered that it be re-written into a "Broadway-style musical with a strong heroine", similar to The Little Mermaid.^[5] Disney then hired The Little Mermaid's songwriters, lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken, to write original songs for the revised film.^[6]^[7] The songwriting duo wrote "Belle".^[8]

According to Menken, songs such as "Belle" developed naturally due to the fact that Beauty and the Beast was written in the style of a traditional Broadway musical.^[9] Actress and singer Paige O'Hara,^[10] who voices Belle, said the songwriters wanted to eschew the pop songs of The Little Mermaid in favor of a more Jerome Kern and Rodgers and Hammerstein-inspired score for Beauty and the Beast.^[11] The film's songs were heavily inspired by French, classical, and traditional Broadway music.^[12] Additionally, Menken described "Belle" and the other Beauty and the Beast songs as "tangents from 18th-century France",^[13] with Ashman suggesting that the film's opening be transformed into "a full-fledged operetta".^[14] "Belle" was the first song they wrote for the film,^[15] which Menken described as far more ambitious than Disney had asked them for.^[16] Hoping to craft a song that would depict Belle in a safe, protected environment,^[17] Ashman and Menken drew inspiration from a storytelling technique traditionally heard in operettas,^[18] using the opening song to establish the tone of the rest of the film.^[19] Written in a style Menken described as "very distant from contemporary pop",^[13] the songwriters were influenced by classical music,^[20] Mozart, and the stage musical She Loves Me (1963).^[21] Menken said the song occupies several roles in the film, simultaneously serving as an opening song, entertaining production number, and showing audiences the character they should be rooting for, and emphasized the importance of it happening early in the film to establish that the film is a musical.^[22]

Ashman and Menken were initially skeptical about "Belle"'s success upon completing the song, fearing it would end their Disney careers should the studio not like their creation.^[13] Estimating the completed song to be seven minutes long,^[23] the songwriters doubted the filmmakers would appreciate their very theatrical approach to animation.^[24] Actor Richard White agreed that, at the time, "No show of any kind starts with a seven-minute opening number that's all exposition".^[19] Ashman was particularly wary,^[25] avoiding submitting the song to Disney for several days.^[6]^[23] Menken claims Ashman's AIDS diagnosis contributed to the lyricist's emotional vulnerability during this time.^[26] The cassette tape the songwriters eventually sent to the producers also contained the demo for the reprise and "Be Our Guest".^[27]^[28] Much to their surprise, "Belle" was ultimately very well received by the creative team,^[29]^[30] becoming one of the film's few songs to remain largely unchanged during production.^[24] Ashman determined where characters would speak or sing during the song, similar to a choreographer choreographing a dance routine.^[31] Story supervisor Roger Allers requested more back-and-forth among the townspeople towards the end of the song, prompting Ashman and Menken to suggest several phrases and actions the characters could sing about.^[31] Menken played an electric piano while Ashman wrote dialogue.^[31] Their demo recording of "Belle" was included on the compilation album The Legacy Collection: Beauty and the Beast (2018).^[32]^[33] O'Hara called the song one of her favorites from the film because it establishes who Belle is as a character.^[34]

Use in Beauty and the Beast

"Belle" is the first song in Beauty and the Beast.^[35]^[36] Described by the film's producer Don Hahn as a "Gilbert & Sullivan operetta style" song, "Belle" reveals a significant amount of information within a relatively short period of time.^[24] Casey Covel of Geeks Under Grace said the song "manages to convey at least twenty page’s worth of plot and character development within the confines of only five minutes".^[37] Taking place shortly after the prologue, "Belle" helps progress the film to the present-day,^[38] walking through the town to return a library book.^[39] According to Menken, the song relays "the story of Belle going to the town and everyone’s reaction to her and getting to see Gaston and knowing he is infatuated with her – but more infatuated with himself".^[17] As Beauty and the Beast's opening number,^[40]^[41] "Belle" is a "pivotal moment...in the narrative",^[42] playing a significant role by introducing both the film's heroine and villain, Belle and Gaston,^[35] as well as where both characters are in their lives,^[43] establishing Belle as an outsider.^[44] The song also introduces the same townsfolk who would eventually hunt the Beast later in the film due to fearing the unknown.^[44]

Belle has grown frustrated with her predictable village life and longs for an adventure similar to the ones she reads about in her books,^[45] while Gaston is a narcissistic hunter determined to marry her because he believes they are the two best-looking inhabitants.^[39] The sequence begins with Belle returning a library book about "a beanstalk and an ogre",^[46] in exchange for one she has already read several times.^[47] During the scene, Belle attempts to share the plot of her most recent novel with some villagers such as the Baker, only to be brushed off.^[48] In roughly five minutes, the song explains both Belle and Gaston's roles in Beauty and the Beast to the audience, offering insight into Belle's desire for "something more".^[49] Belle has grown bored of the feeling that every day seems to be the same to her. Ironically, Belle is unaware of the adventure she is about to embark on,^[50] or how her dreams would manifest.^[51] The song also voices the opinions of the townsfolk and "sets up the overall theme and foreshadows what makes the town so oppressive to [Belle]".^[52] While the villagers praise Belle for her beauty, they view her as "odd" because of her love of books,^[53] with their opinions of her ranging from open attraction to critical bewilderment.^[47] However, they idolize Gaston's looks and masculinity.^[54] Commonly referred to as the film's "I Want" song,^[55]^[56]^[57] "Belle" offers its protagonist an opportunity to convey her yearnings,^[10] specifically wanting more than the provincial life she has been living.^[57]

Belle reprises the song in a more defiant manner later in the film after rejecting Gaston's marriage proposal,^[49] which according to Dirk Libbey of CinemaBlend "captures all of Belle's dreams" in a manner the original version does not.^[43] The character explicitly wishes for "adventure in the great, wide somewhere",^[58] expressing her boredom with her current circumstances.^[59] O'Hara described it as the moment her character "wants to break loose out of this little town and explore the world—not looking for a man—just explore the world".^[60] Critics compared the scene to The Sound of Music (1965),^[6]^[61]^[62] which O'Hara confirmed they borrowed inspiration from.^[60] Nate Millado of Backstage cited inspiration from the musical Oklahoma! (1943) in the way the song " propels the plot and peeks into characters".^[63]

Music and lyrics

Ashman wrote the song's lyrics while Menken composed its music.^[61] According to its official sheet music from Walt Disney Music Publishing, "Belle" is a Broadway and musical theatre-inspired song, performed at a "pastorally" tempo of 80 beats per minute in the key of D major.^[64] Vocally, the arrangement includes several high notes.^[65] Combined, O'Hara and White's vocal ranges span approximately two octaves, from A3 to G5.^[64] Additionally, actors Jesse Corti, Alec Murphy, Mary Kay Bergman, and Kath Soucie's voices are also featured on the track.^[64]^[66] In total, "Belle" lasts five minutes and nine seconds in duration.^[67]^[68] The song's verse, chorus, and musical break structure allows for the interjection of monologue and dialogue.^[47] According to Irving Tan of Sputnikmusic, the track is an "idyllic, orchestra-driven" operetta.^[69]^[70] Menken described it as "19th-century operetta style",^[13] and Filmtracks.com called it "snare-tapping".^[71]

Belle

"Belle" is a highly complex piece, which comprises the interweaving of conversation snippets from several characters.

Problems playing this file? See media help.

The track begins slowly with Belle's solo describing a typical morning in her village before several distinct townspeople join her singing "bonjour".^[72]^[73] Afterwards, "Belle" adopts a faster speed, becoming a "rhythmically driven tune" that several patrons perform at various moments throughout the song,^[72] including the Baker's line "Marie! The baguettes! Hurry up".^[74] The town ostracizes Belle for her love of reading but considers her beauty a redeeming quality, describing her as "A beauty, but a funny girl".^[75] Eventually, the song introduces a counter melody performed by Belle, who lovingly recounts a book she is reading about a young woman and a handsome prince, followed by Gaston singing a faster melody with the Bimbettes, who fawn over him.^[72] As the song crescendos, Belle belts her desire for greater ambitions "There must be more than this provincial life",^[50]^[76] countered with Gaston's "Just watch, I’m going to make Belle my wife", highlighting their opposing dreams and goals.^[38] According to author Alexandra Heatwole, Belle's line is representative of the Disney Renaissance heroines' overarching desire to break away from the confines of social milieus, noting that Ariel and Jasmine expressed similar longings in their songs.^[77] Finally, in a Broadway-style climax, the song concludes with virtually every villager singing together.^[72]

Lyrically, its verses are interspersed with dialogue from various characters,^[53] which was unusual for an animated film at the time.^[36] The protagonist discusses how she feels left out and unseen by her peers,^[78] who describe her as their "most peculiar mademoiselle" due to her love of reading.^[79] It includes the lyrics "Here's where she meets Prince Charming/But she won't discover that it's him 'til chapter three!"^[44] Billboard found the vocal and lyrical layering to be reminiscent of songs from the musical Les Misérables.^[80] Katrine Ames of Newsweek likened its "sly and quick-cutting dialogue" to the work of composer Stephen Sondheim.^[81] Tyler B. Searle of Collider identified its overall theme as "how society treats those it deems different, which has helped it remain topical thirty years later".^[39] Thematically, Jonathan Romney of Sight and Sound found it similar to "Maria" from The Sound of Music.^[82]

Critical response

"Wandering through her village while reading a book, Belle becomes the focus of a spectacular opening number that captures the essence of this film's appeal. Bit by bit, the population trickles out to greet Belle and gossip about her, while she herself bemoans the small-mindedness of the place. This rousing number reaches such a flurry of musical counterpoint that it recalls sources as unlikely as West Side Story, while the direction builds energetically from quiet beginnings to a formidable finale."

— The New York Times film critic Janet Maslin's detailed analysis of the song and its corresponding scene.^[83]

When an unfinished version of Beauty and the Beast was screened at the New York Film Festival in March 1991, "Belle" was the only sequence to have been completely animated.^[84] "Belle" has received widespread acclaim.^[85]^[86] Filmtracks.com hailed the song as "among the most satisfying and clever cast pieces in history", calling its nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Song deserved.^[71] Filmtracks.com also praised the reprise, drawing similarities to the title song from The Sound of Music.^[71] Bob Hoose of Plugged In called it "masterful".^[87] James Berardinelli of ReelViews described "Belle" as "the animated equivalent of Broadway show-stoppers, with all the energy and audacity of something choreographed by Busby Berkeley".^[88] Pete Vonder Haar of the Houston Press liked both the song and its reprise, admitting to the inevitability of having to experience an "unexpected swell of emotion" when both songs are heard.^[89]

Several critics praised the song's quality as an opening number for the film.^[90]^[91] Jennie Punter of The Globe and Mail hailed "Belle" as "one of the most delightful openings of any movie musical".^[92] In a review for The New York Times, journalist Janet Maslin called "Belle" "a spectacular opening number that captures the essence of this film's appeal", comparing it to the musical selections from the film West Side Story (1961).^[83] Highlighting the song as one of the film's most notable, Sandie Angulo Chen of Moviefone described "Belle" as "infectious".^[93] TV Guide positively compared "Belle" to some of the songs featured in the musicals Fiddler on the Roof and She Loves Me.^[91] Writing for Sight and Sound, Jonathan Romney praised the animation and direction of the sequence, which he likened to the work of comic actor Buster Keaton.^[82] In 2017, Bustle writer Kayleigh Hughes said lyrics such as "There must be more than this provincial life" have "stood the test of time".^[74] Caitlin Devlin of Ticketmaster called "Belle "the best opening number of any Disney musical",^[94] while Flynn Kaufman of Screen Rant called it "wonderful".^[95] Gregory Ellwood of HitFix wrote, "you can't argue the cinematic joy in numbers such as the opening 'Belle'."^[96]

Alongside "Be Our Guest" and "Beauty and the Beast", "Belle" was one of the three Beauty and the Beast songs that received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song at the 64th Academy Awards in 1992.^[97]^[98] Beauty and the Beast became the first film to receive three Oscar nominations for Best Original Song.^[99] "Belle" ultimately lost to the film's title and theme song.^[100]

Live performances and cover versions

O'Hara performed "Belle" live for the first time at the 64th Academy Awards in 1992,^[101]^[102] where the song had been nominated for Best Original Song. Disney executives Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg insisted that "Belle" be performed by its original artists, despite producers of the telecast requesting pop stars.^[103] O'Hara also insisted on singing live, despite being offered the choice to lip-synch.^[104] The actress disliked the blue checked costume she wore for the performance, which she described as "too frilly" for Belle's personal style.^[105] In August 2011, O'Hara performed an abridged version of "Belle" live at the Disney Legends awards ceremony, at which she was an honoree.^[106] The performance was a Beauty and the Beast medley, in which O'Hara combined "Belle" with "Beauty and the Beast" and "Be Our Guest".^[107] In January 2020, O'Hara sang a few lines from "Belle" at the premiere of a Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along at Epcot.^[108]

Actress Michelle Nicastro covered "Belle" for her movie-themed album Toonful (1993).^[109] The song appears in the stage adaptation of the film, which premiered on Broadway in 1994.^[110] David Richards of The New York Times called it "reminiscent of Lerner and Loewe".^[110] Actress and singer Susan Egan originated the role of Belle in the production, and recorded the song for the show's original cast album with actor Burke Moses as Gaston.^[111]

In the 2017 live-action adaptation of the film, "Belle" is performed by actors Emma Watson and Luke Evans.^[112]^[113] Among some changes made to the scene's dialogue,^[114] Belle does not have a conversation with the Baker,^[46] but her love of books is maintained.^[114] Director Bill Condon confirmed the scene's staging was inspired by the film Love Me Tonight (1932), which opens with a musical number about Paris waking up.^[62] Writing for Variety, Owen Gleiberman found the staging of this version to be lacking the "slapstick spryness" of the animation despite its faithfulness to the original material and Watson's performance, saying, "the number feels like something out of one of those overly bustling big-screen musicals from the late ’60s that helped to bury the studio system".^[115] According to Kaitlin Reilly of Refinery29, some fans complained that the baker's line about baguettes had been removed from the remake.^[48] The author attributed the revision to the scene being paced differently than the animated film.^[48] In 2023, Watson's version of the song was certified Gold by the RIAA.^[116]

Legacy

"Belle" is considered to be one of the most famous songs from Beauty and the Beast.^[48] CinemaBlend ranked "Belle" and its reprise the third and fifth best songs from the film, respectively.^[43] The same publication named it the seventh best Disney Princess song.^[78] Consequence ranked "Belle" the 12th best Disney song, hailing it as "One of the great opening numbers in all of musical theatre" and arguably the score's catchiest song.^[117] The Ringer ranked Belle 23rd.^[118] Billboard ranked it the 42nd best song in the Disney universe, calling it "tough to beat" among opening numbers.^[38] The same publication ranked it the 13th best song from the Disney Renaissance,^[80] while Syfy ranked it 28th,^[44] and Den of Geek placed it 5th.^[61] "Belle" has also been ranked among Disney's best "I Want" songs by publications such as MTV News.^[53]^[119] Vulture ranked the reprise Disney's third-best "I Want" song.^[6] Collider ranked it the eighth-best opening song from a musical film.^[73]

"Belle" is heavily parodied in the animated musical film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999) through its opening number, "Mountain Town".^[120]^[121] Filmtracks.com described the parody as "a delightful introductory piece".^[122] Amy Keating Rogers, a writer working on the animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, mentioned she was influenced by the song as she wrote "Pinkie the Party Planner", the first musical number that appears in the musical-intensive episode "Pinkie Pride".^[123]

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[124]	Gold	500,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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External links

Disney Sing-Along on YouTube (on Disney's official channel)

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 }}
-"'''Belle'''" is a song written by lyricist [[Howard Ashman]] and composer [[Alan Menken]] for [[Walt Disney Animation Studios|Disney]]'s animated film ''[[Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)|Beauty and the Beast]]'' (1991). Recorded by American actors [[Paige O'Hara]] and [[Richard White (actor)|Richard White]], "Belle" is a mid-tempo classical music-inspired song that borrows elements from [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] and musical theatre. It was the first song Ashman and Menken wrote for ''Beauty and the Beast'', which they feared Disney would reject due to its length and complexity, but the ''Beauty and the Beast'' filmmakers ultimately enjoyed the song.
+"'''Belle'''" is a song written by lyricist [[Howard Ashman]] and composer [[Alan Menken]] for [[Walt Disney Animation Studios|Disney]]'s animated film ''[[Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)|Beauty and the Beast]]'' (1991). Recorded by American actors [[Paige O'Hara]] and [[Richard White (actor)|Richard White]], "Belle" is a mid-tempo [[classical music]]-inspired song that borrows elements from [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] and [[musical theatre]]. It was the first song Ashman and Menken wrote for ''Beauty and the Beast'', which they feared Disney would reject due to its length and complexity, but the film's producers ultimately liked the song.
-The film's first song and opening number, "Belle" appears during ''Beauty and the Beast'' as a busy [[operetta]]-style [[Number (music)|musical number]] that introduces audiences to the film's heroine [[Belle (Disney character)|Belle]] (O'Hara) and her arrogant suitor, [[Gaston (Beauty and the Beast)|Gaston]] (White). In addition to describing Belle's goals and aspirations, the song reveals how the townsfolk feel about her and Gaston, positioning the former as an outcast due to her beauty and [[Bibliophilia|love of reading]], and the latter as their hero despite his arrogance. Belle [[reprise]]s the song later in the film after rejecting a marriage proposal from Gaston, declaring her deep longing for adventure.
+The film's first song and opening number, "Belle" appears during ''Beauty and the Beast'' as a bustling [[operetta]]-style [[Number (music)|musical number]] that introduces audiences to the film's heroine, [[Belle (Disney character)|Belle]] (O'Hara), and her arrogant suitor, [[Gaston (Beauty and the Beast)|Gaston]] (White). In addition to describing Belle's goals and aspirations, the song uses lyrics interspersed with spoken dialogue to reveal how the townsfolk feel about her and Gaston, positioning the former as an outcast due to her beauty and [[Bibliophilia|love of reading]], and the latter as a hero despite his arrogance. Belle [[reprise]]s the song later in the film after rejecting a marriage proposal from Gaston, declaring her deep longing for adventure.
-"Belle" has received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised its effectiveness as an opening number and compared it to songs from the musical films ''[[West Side Story (1961 film)|West Side Story]]'' (1961) and ''[[The Sound of Music (1965 film)|The Sound of Music]]'' (1965). "Belle" was nominated for the [[Academy Award]] for [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]] at the [[64th Academy Awards]] in 1992, but lost to the film's [[Beauty and the Beast (song from the 1991 film)|title song]]''.'' "Belle" was similarly featured in the [[Beauty and the Beast (musical)|stage adaptation of the film]], originally performed by actress [[Susan Egan]] on Broadway. Actors [[Emma Watson]] and [[Luke Evans]] performed the song in the [[Beauty and the Beast (2017 film)|2017 live-action remake]] of the film.
+"Belle" has received widespread acclaim from film and music critics, who praised its effectiveness as an opening number and likened it to songs from the musical films ''[[West Side Story (1961 film)|West Side Story]]'' (1961) and ''[[The Sound of Music (1965 film)|The Sound of Music]]'' (1965). "Belle" was nominated for the [[Academy Award]] for [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]] at the [[64th Academy Awards]] in 1992, but lost to the film's [[Beauty and the Beast (song from the 1991 film)|title song]]''.'' "Belle" was similarly featured in the [[Beauty and the Beast (musical)|stage adaptation of the film]], originally performed by actress [[Susan Egan]] on Broadway. Actors [[Emma Watson]] and [[Luke Evans]] performed the song in the [[Beauty and the Beast (2017 film)|2017 live-action remake]] of the film.
 ==Background and writing==
@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 According to Menken, songs such as "Belle" developed naturally due to the fact that ''Beauty and the Beast'' was written in the style of a traditional Broadway musical.<ref name="seattlepi">{{cite web |last=Arnold |first=William |date=December 31, 2001 |title=Disney brings a 'Beauty' of a film to Imax splendor |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/movies/article/Disney-brings-a-Beauty-of-a-film-to-Imax-1076069.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521064710/http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/movies/article/Disney-brings-a-Beauty-of-a-film-to-Imax-1076069.php |archive-date=May 21, 2022 |access-date=September 23, 2013 |work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]] |publisher=}}</ref> Actress and singer [[Paige O'Hara]],<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Hartl |first=John |date=November 22, 1991 |title=A Classic Feel Already – Voices, Visuals Fit Superbly In Disney's 'Beast' |url=http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19911122&slug=1318824 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307171233/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19911122&slug=1318824 |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |access-date=November 25, 2013 |website=[[The Seattle Times]] |publisher=}}</ref> who voices [[Belle (Disney character)|Belle]], said the songwriters wanted to eschew the pop songs of ''The Little Mermaid'' in favor of a more [[Jerome Kern]] and [[Rodgers & Hammerstein|Rodgers and Hammerstein]]-inspired score for ''Beauty and the Beast''.<ref name="startribuneo'hara">{{cite web |last=Moore |first=Roger |date=January 13, 2012 |title=Voice of Belle had a ball in 'Beauty and the Beast' |url=http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/movies/137294418.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224053524/http://www.startribune.com/voice-of-belle-had-a-ball-in-beauty-and-the-beast/137294418/ |archive-date=February 24, 2017 |access-date=September 24, 2013 |work=[[Star Tribune]] |publisher=}}</ref> The film's songs were heavily inspired by [[French classical music|French]], classical, and traditional Broadway music.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |date=October 4, 2010 |title=Interview with Beauty and the Beast Composer Alan Menken |url=http://staticmultimedia.com/blu-ray-dvd/interview-with-beauty-and-the-beast-composer-alan-menken |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053401/http://staticmultimedia.com/blu-ray-dvd/interview-with-beauty-and-the-beast-composer-alan-menken |archive-date=September 21, 2013 |access-date=September 20, 2013 |website=Static Multimedia |publisher=}}</ref> Additionally, Menken described "Belle" and the other ''Beauty and the Beast'' songs as "tangents from [[18th-century France]]",<ref name=":8" /> with Ashman suggesting that the film's opening be transformed into "a full-fledged [[operetta]]".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bui |first=Hoai-Tran |date=August 3, 2020 |title='Howard' Review: A Soulful Tribute To The Man Behind Disney's Most Beloved Animated Classics |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/575718/howard-review/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328053449/https://www.slashfilm.com/575718/howard-review/ |archive-date=March 28, 2023 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |work=[[/Film]]}}</ref> "Belle" was the first song they wrote for the film,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Condon |first=Bill |author-link=Bill Condon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ajc9DgAAQBAJ&dq=Entertainment%20Weekly%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Ultimate%20Guide%20to%20Beauty%20and%20the%20Beast&pg=PA76 |title=Entertainment Weekly – The Ultimate Guide to Beauty and the Beast |publisher=TI Incorporated Books |year=2017 |isbn=9781683307839 |location=United States |pages=78 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> which Menken described as far more ambitious than Disney had asked them for.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Korkis |first=Jim |date=July 10, 2015 |title=Animation Anecdotes #220 |url=https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/animation-anecdotes-220/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127150225/https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/animation-anecdotes-220/ |archive-date=November 27, 2022 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |website=[[Cartoon Research]]}}</ref> Hoping to craft a song that would depict Belle in a safe, protected environment,<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Lipworth |first=Elaine |date=October 1, 2010 |title=An Interview with Alan Menken regarding 'Beauty and the Beast: Diamond Edition Blu-ray' |url=https://www.soundtrack.net/news/article/?id=1379 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326164340/https://www.soundtrack.net/news/article/?id=1379 |archive-date=March 26, 2024 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |website=[[Soundtrack.Net]]}}</ref> Ashman and Menken drew inspiration from a storytelling technique traditionally heard in operettas,<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Greenberger |first=Robert |date=October 2, 2010 |title=Alan Menken Revisits 'Beauty & The Beast' |url=http://www.comicmix.com/news/2010/10/02/alan-menken-revisits-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063332/http://www.comicmix.com/2010/10/02/alan-menken-revisits-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=September 20, 2013 |website=[[Comic Mix]] |publisher=}}</ref> using the opening song to establish the tone of the rest of the film.<ref name=":20">{{Cite news |last=Bell |first=Crystal |date=October 12, 2016 |title=The 'Beauty And The Beast' Cast Reflect On What Made The Revolutionary Disney Film So Bittersweet |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/i5wtol/disney-beauty-and-the-beast-cast-reflect-bittersweet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603212713/https://www.mtv.com/news/i5wtol/disney-beauty-and-the-beast-cast-reflect-bittersweet |archive-date=June 3, 2023 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |work=[[MTV News]]}}</ref> Written in a style Menken described as "very distant from contemporary pop",<ref name=":8" /> the songwriters were influenced by classical music,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tan |first=Corrie |date=April 11, 2016 |title=Alan Menken: Q&A with the music maestro behind Disney's Beauty And The Beast |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/alan-menken-qa-with-the-music-maestro-behind-disneys-beauty-and-the-beast |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415083216/https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/alan-menken-qa-with-the-music-maestro-behind-disneys-beauty-and-the-beast |archive-date=April 15, 2023 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |work=[[The Straits Times]]}}</ref> [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]], and the stage musical ''[[She Loves Me]]'' (1963).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Trendacosta |first=Katharine |date=January 23, 2015 |title=The Heartbreaking Story Behind Beauty and the Beast's Opening Song |url=https://gizmodo.com/the-heartbreaking-story-behind-beauty-and-the-beasts-op-1681309666 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240107220706/https://gizmodo.com/the-heartbreaking-story-behind-beauty-and-the-beasts-op-1681309666 |archive-date=January 7, 2024 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |work=[[Gizmodo]]}}</ref> Menken said the song occupies several roles in the film, simultaneously serving as an opening song, entertaining production number, and showing audiences the character they should be rooting for, and emphasized the importance of it happening early in the film to establish that the film is a musical.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Johnston |first=Sheila |date=September 24, 1992 |title=FILM / Drawn by numbers: Scores must be settled before Disney animators set to work. Alan Menken gives Sheila Johnston a song-by-song guide to the making of Beauty and the Beast |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-drawn-by-numbers-scores-must-be-settled-before-disney-animators-set-to-work-alan-menken-gives-sheila-johnston-a-songbysong-guide-to-the-making-of-beauty-and-the-beast-1553532.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708050252/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-drawn-by-numbers-scores-must-be-settled-before-disney-animators-set-to-work-alan-menken-gives-sheila-johnston-a-songbysong-guide-to-the-making-of-beauty-and-the-beast-1553532.html |archive-date=July 8, 2022 |access-date=June 20, 2024 |work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref>
-Ashman and Menken were initially skeptical about "Belle"'s success upon completing the song, fearing it would end their Disney careers should the studio not like their creation.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Holden |first=Stephen |author-link=Stephen Holden |date=March 15, 1992 |title=Film; For Alan Menken, A Partnership Ends But the Song Plays On |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/15/movies/film-for-alan-menken-a-partnership-ends-but-the-song-plays-on.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211220124910/https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/15/movies/film-for-alan-menken-a-partnership-ends-but-the-song-plays-on.html |archive-date=December 20, 2021 |access-date=20 September 2013 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Estimating the completed song to be seven minutes long,<ref name=":16">{{Cite magazine |last=Snetiker |first=Marc |date=January 22, 2015 |title=Alan Menken tells stories behind 7 classic Disney songs |url=https://ew.com/article/2015/01/22/alan-menken-disney-songs/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406191709/https://ew.com/article/2015/01/22/alan-menken-disney-songs/ |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> the songwriters doubted the filmmakers would appreciate their very theatrical approach to animation.<ref name="dengeekhahn">{{cite web |last=Brew |first=Simon |date=November 3, 2010 |title=Don Hahn interview: Beauty And The Beast, Howard Ashman, The Lion King, South Park and Frankenweenie |url=http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/16583/don-hahn-interview-beauty-and-the-beast-howard-ashman-the-lion-king-south-park-and-frankenweenie |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227150504/http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/16583/don-hahn-interview-beauty-and-the-beast-howard-ashman-the-lion-king-south-park-and-frankenweenie |archive-date=February 27, 2023 |access-date=September 25, 2013 |work=[[Den of Geek]] |publisher=}}</ref> Actor [[Richard White (actor)|Richard White]] agreed that, at the time, "No show of any kind starts with a seven-minute opening number that's all [[Exposition (narrative)|exposition]]".<ref name=":20" /> Ashman was particularly wary,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Edel |first=Victoria |date=May 29, 2023 |title=Howard Ashman's Lyrics Live On in the Live-Action "The Little Mermaid": Get to Know the Late Writer |url=https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/who-is-howard-ashman-49184566 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203201008/https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/who-is-howard-ashman-49184566 |archive-date=February 3, 2024 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |website=[[PopSugar]]}}</ref> avoiding submitting the song to Disney for several days.<ref name=":18">{{Cite news |last=Smyth |first=Tom |date=May 25, 2023 |title=Every Disney 'I Want' Song, Ranked |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/disney-i-want-songs-ranked.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526201459/https://www.vulture.com/article/disney-i-want-songs-ranked.html |archive-date=May 26, 2023 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |work=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]}}</ref><ref name=":16" /> Menken claims Ashman's [[HIV/AIDS|AIDS]] diagnosis contributed to the lyricist's emotional vulnerability during this time.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Aquilina |first=Tyler |date=August 6, 2020 |title=How Disney's Howard Ashman documentary honors The Little Mermaid songwriter's 'heroic' story |url=https://ew.com/movies/disney-plus-howard-ashman-documentary-preview/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240325175018/https://ew.com/movies/disney-plus-howard-ashman-documentary-preview/ |archive-date=March 25, 2024 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> The [[cassette tape]] the songwriters eventually sent to the producers also contained the demo for "[[Be Our Guest]]".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yamanaka |first=Jeanine |date=March 13, 2017 |title=Ten Minutes With Don Hahn |url=https://allears.net/2017/03/13/ten-minutes-with-don-hahn/ |access-date=April 16, 2024 |website=AllEars.Net}}</ref> Much to their surprise, "Belle" was ultimately very well received by the creative team,<ref name="empireemma">{{cite web |last=Cochrane |first=Emma |title=Beauty And The Beast |url=http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?DVDID=118543 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012064142/http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?DVDID=118543 |archive-date=October 12, 2013 |access-date=September 22, 2013 |work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 28, 2016 |title=The Best of The Beast: 25 Enchanting Beauty and the Beast Facts |url=https://disneyrewards.com/blog/entertainment/best-beast-25-enchanting-beauty-beast-facts/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606024523/https://disneyrewards.com/blog/entertainment/best-beast-25-enchanting-beauty-beast-facts/ |archive-date=June 6, 2023 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |website=Disney Rewards}}</ref> becoming one of the film's few songs to remain largely unchanged during production.<ref name="dengeekhahn" /> Ashman determined where characters would speak or sing during the song, similar to a choreographer choreographing a dance routine.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last=Rannie |first=Alexander |date=September 21, 2016 |title=Tales of the Songs and Score for Beauty and the Beast |url=https://d23.com/tales-of-the-songs-and-score-for-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208215633/https://d23.com/tales-of-the-songs-and-score-for-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-date=December 8, 2023 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |website=[[D23 (Disney)|D23]]}}</ref> Story supervisor [[Roger Allers]] requested more back-and-forth among the townspeople towards the end of the song, prompting Ashman and Menken to suggest several phrases and actions the characters could sing about.<ref name=":11" /> Menken played an [[electric piano]] while Ashman wrote dialogue.<ref name=":11" /> Their demo recording of "Belle" was included on the [[compilation album]] ''[[Walt Disney Records: The Legacy Collection#Beauty and the Beast|The Legacy Collection: Beauty and the Beast]]'' (2018).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018 |title=Belle (Demo) [Remastered 2018] |url=https://music.apple.com/pg/song/belle-demo-remastered-2018/1440802251 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327131841/https://music.apple.com/pg/song/belle-demo-remastered-2018/1440802251 |archive-date=March 27, 2024 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |website=[[Apple Music]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=February 9, 2018 |title=The Legacy Collection: Beauty and the Beast |url=https://www.soundtrack.net/album/the-legacy-collection-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327131840/https://www.soundtrack.net/album/the-legacy-collection-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-date=March 27, 2024 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |website=[[Soundtrack.Net]]}}</ref> O'Hara called the song one of her favorites from the film because it establishes who Belle is as a character.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gibson |first=Kelsie |date=March 16, 2016 |title=Beauty and the Beast: Emma Watson Has the Original Belle's Seal of Approval! |url=https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/paige-ohara-interview-about-beauty-beast-2016-42395908 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327150745/https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/paige-ohara-interview-about-beauty-beast-2016-42395908 |archive-date=March 27, 2024 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=[[PopSugar]]}}</ref>
+Ashman and Menken were initially skeptical about "Belle"'s success upon completing the song, fearing it would end their Disney careers should the studio not like their creation.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Holden |first=Stephen |author-link=Stephen Holden |date=March 15, 1992 |title=Film; For Alan Menken, A Partnership Ends But the Song Plays On |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/15/movies/film-for-alan-menken-a-partnership-ends-but-the-song-plays-on.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211220124910/https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/15/movies/film-for-alan-menken-a-partnership-ends-but-the-song-plays-on.html |archive-date=December 20, 2021 |access-date=20 September 2013 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Estimating the completed song to be seven minutes long,<ref name=":16">{{Cite magazine |last=Snetiker |first=Marc |date=January 22, 2015 |title=Alan Menken tells stories behind 7 classic Disney songs |url=https://ew.com/article/2015/01/22/alan-menken-disney-songs/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406191709/https://ew.com/article/2015/01/22/alan-menken-disney-songs/ |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> the songwriters doubted the filmmakers would appreciate their very theatrical approach to animation.<ref name="dengeekhahn">{{cite web |last=Brew |first=Simon |date=November 3, 2010 |title=Don Hahn interview: Beauty And The Beast, Howard Ashman, The Lion King, South Park and Frankenweenie |url=http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/16583/don-hahn-interview-beauty-and-the-beast-howard-ashman-the-lion-king-south-park-and-frankenweenie |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227150504/http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/16583/don-hahn-interview-beauty-and-the-beast-howard-ashman-the-lion-king-south-park-and-frankenweenie |archive-date=February 27, 2023 |access-date=September 25, 2013 |work=[[Den of Geek]] |publisher=}}</ref> Actor [[Richard White (actor)|Richard White]] agreed that, at the time, "No show of any kind starts with a seven-minute opening number that's all [[Exposition (narrative)|exposition]]".<ref name=":20" /> Ashman was particularly wary,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Edel |first=Victoria |date=May 29, 2023 |title=Howard Ashman's Lyrics Live On in the Live-Action "The Little Mermaid": Get to Know the Late Writer |url=https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/who-is-howard-ashman-49184566 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203201008/https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/who-is-howard-ashman-49184566 |archive-date=February 3, 2024 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |website=[[PopSugar]]}}</ref> avoiding submitting the song to Disney for several days.<ref name=":18">{{Cite news |last=Smyth |first=Tom |date=May 25, 2023 |title=Every Disney 'I Want' Song, Ranked |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/disney-i-want-songs-ranked.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526201459/https://www.vulture.com/article/disney-i-want-songs-ranked.html |archive-date=May 26, 2023 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |work=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]}}</ref><ref name=":16" /> Menken claims Ashman's [[HIV/AIDS|AIDS]] diagnosis contributed to the lyricist's emotional vulnerability during this time.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Aquilina |first=Tyler |date=August 6, 2020 |title=How Disney's Howard Ashman documentary honors The Little Mermaid songwriter's 'heroic' story |url=https://ew.com/movies/disney-plus-howard-ashman-documentary-preview/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240325175018/https://ew.com/movies/disney-plus-howard-ashman-documentary-preview/ |archive-date=March 25, 2024 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> The [[cassette tape]] the songwriters eventually sent to the producers also contained the demo for the reprise and "[[Be Our Guest]]".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Daly |first=Steve |date=March 14, 2017 |title=An oral history of the animated Beauty and the Beast |url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/03/14/beauty-and-the-beast-oral-history/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614054332/https://ew.com/movies/2017/03/14/beauty-and-the-beast-oral-history/ |archive-date=June 14, 2024 |access-date=June 20, 2024 |work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Yamanaka |first=Jeanine |date=March 13, 2017 |title=Ten Minutes With Don Hahn |url=https://allears.net/2017/03/13/ten-minutes-with-don-hahn/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240416203544/https://allears.net/2017/03/13/ten-minutes-with-don-hahn/ |archive-date=April 16, 2024 |access-date=April 16, 2024 |website=AllEars.Net}}</ref> Much to their surprise, "Belle" was ultimately very well received by the creative team,<ref name="empireemma">{{cite web |last=Cochrane |first=Emma |title=Beauty And The Beast |url=http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?DVDID=118543 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012064142/http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?DVDID=118543 |archive-date=October 12, 2013 |access-date=September 22, 2013 |work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 28, 2016 |title=The Best of The Beast: 25 Enchanting Beauty and the Beast Facts |url=https://disneyrewards.com/blog/entertainment/best-beast-25-enchanting-beauty-beast-facts/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606024523/https://disneyrewards.com/blog/entertainment/best-beast-25-enchanting-beauty-beast-facts/ |archive-date=June 6, 2023 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |website=Disney Rewards}}</ref> becoming one of the film's few songs to remain largely unchanged during production.<ref name="dengeekhahn" /> Ashman determined where characters would speak or sing during the song, similar to a choreographer choreographing a dance routine.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last=Rannie |first=Alexander |date=September 21, 2016 |title=Tales of the Songs and Score for Beauty and the Beast |url=https://d23.com/tales-of-the-songs-and-score-for-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208215633/https://d23.com/tales-of-the-songs-and-score-for-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-date=December 8, 2023 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |website=[[D23 (Disney)|D23]]}}</ref> Story supervisor [[Roger Allers]] requested more back-and-forth among the townspeople towards the end of the song, prompting Ashman and Menken to suggest several phrases and actions the characters could sing about.<ref name=":11" /> Menken played an [[electric piano]] while Ashman wrote dialogue.<ref name=":11" /> Their demo recording of "Belle" was included on the [[compilation album]] ''[[Walt Disney Records: The Legacy Collection#Beauty and the Beast|The Legacy Collection: Beauty and the Beast]]'' (2018).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018 |title=Belle (Demo) [Remastered 2018] |url=https://music.apple.com/pg/song/belle-demo-remastered-2018/1440802251 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327131841/https://music.apple.com/pg/song/belle-demo-remastered-2018/1440802251 |archive-date=March 27, 2024 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |website=[[Apple Music]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=February 9, 2018 |title=The Legacy Collection: Beauty and the Beast |url=https://www.soundtrack.net/album/the-legacy-collection-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327131840/https://www.soundtrack.net/album/the-legacy-collection-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-date=March 27, 2024 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |website=[[Soundtrack.Net]]}}</ref> O'Hara called the song one of her favorites from the film because it establishes who Belle is as a character.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gibson |first=Kelsie |date=March 16, 2016 |title=Beauty and the Beast: Emma Watson Has the Original Belle's Seal of Approval! |url=https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/paige-ohara-interview-about-beauty-beast-2016-42395908 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327150745/https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/paige-ohara-interview-about-beauty-beast-2016-42395908 |archive-date=March 27, 2024 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=[[PopSugar]]}}</ref>
 == Use in ''Beauty and the Beast'' ==
@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 Belle has grown frustrated with her predictable village life and longs for an adventure similar to the ones she reads about in her books,<ref name="howardashmansite">{{cite web |last=Ashman Gillespie |first=Sarah |title=Beauty and the Beast |url=http://howardashman.com/beauty.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312045543/http://howardashman.com/beauty.html |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |access-date=September 24, 2013 |work=Part of His World – Celebrating the Work of Howard Ashman |publisher=}}</ref> while Gaston is a narcissistic hunter determined to marry her because he believes they are the two best-looking inhabitants.<ref name=":35" /> The sequence begins with Belle returning a library book about "a [[Jack and the Beanstalk|beanstalk and an ogre]]",<ref name=":40" /> in exchange for one she has already read several times.<ref name=":39" /> During the scene, Belle attempts to share the plot of her most recent novel with some villagers such as the Baker, only to be brushed off.<ref name=":37">{{Cite news |last=Reilly |first=Kaitlin |date=February 21, 2017 |title=Did You Notice Beauty & The Beast Left Out An Important Part Of This Song? |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2017/02/141973/live-action-beauty-and-the-beast-marie-the-baguettes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417183637/https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2017/02/141973/live-action-beauty-and-the-beast-marie-the-baguettes |archive-date=April 17, 2024 |access-date=April 17, 2024 |work=[[Refinery29]]}}</ref> In roughly five minutes, the song explains both Belle and Gaston's roles in ''Beauty and the Beast'' to the audience, offering insight into Belle's desire for "something more".<ref name=":27">{{Cite web |last=Siede |first=Caroline |date=April 17, 2015 |title=All of Disney's "I Want" songs, ranked |url=https://boingboing.net/2015/04/17/all-of-disneys-i-want.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708085636/https://boingboing.net/2015/04/17/all-of-disneys-i-want.html |archive-date=July 8, 2023 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |website=[[Boing Boing]]}}</ref> Belle has grown bored of the feeling that every day seems to be the same to her. Ironically, Belle is unaware of the adventure she is about to embark on,<ref name=":29">{{Cite news |last=Turan |first=Kenneth |author-link=Kenneth Turan |date=November 15, 1991 |title=Movie Review : A 'Beast' With Heart : Animated Disney Feature Is Most Satisfying in Years |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-11-15-ca-1202-story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601021641/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-11-15-ca-1202-story.html |archive-date=June 1, 2023 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> or how her dreams would manifest.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dye |first=Tracy |date=August 15, 2015 |title=5 Reasons Belle Was Disney's Best Heroine |url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/104498-5-reasons-belle-from-beauty-and-the-beast-was-disneys-best-heroine-from-book-smarts-to |access-date=April 1, 2024 |website=[[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]]}}</ref> The song also voices the opinions of the townsfolk and "sets up the overall theme and foreshadows what makes the town so oppressive to [Belle]".<ref name="colliderbeauty">{{cite web |last=Goldberg |first=Matt |date=January 12, 2012 |title=Beauty and the Beast 3D Review |url=http://collider.com/beauty-and-the-beast-3d-review/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506083752/http://collider.com/beauty-and-the-beast-3d-review/ |archive-date=May 6, 2021 |access-date=September 24, 2013 |work=[[Collider (website)|Collider]] |publisher=}}</ref> While the villagers praise Belle for her beauty, they view her as "odd" because of her [[Bibliophilia|love of books]],<ref name=":21" /> with their opinions of her ranging from open attraction to critical bewilderment.<ref name=":39" /> However, they idolize Gaston's looks and [[masculinity]].<ref name="beautyandthebeastfilm">{{cite AV media | people=[[Kirk Wise|Wise, Kirk]] (director); [[Gary Trousdale|Trousdale, Gary]] (director) | date=November 22, 1991 | title=[[Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)|Beauty and the Beast]] | medium=Motion picture | location=United States| publisher=Buena Vista Pictures}}</ref> Commonly referred to as the film's "I Want" song,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kois |first=Dan |date=November 24, 2010 |title=Tangled Looks and Feels Great, So Why Is Disney Selling It Short? |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/film/tangled-looks-and-feels-great-so-why-is-disney-selling-it-short-6429266 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223011313/http://www.villagevoice.com/film/tangled-looks-and-feels-great-so-why-is-disney-selling-it-short-6429266 |archive-date=February 23, 2016 |access-date=November 25, 2013 |website=[[The Village Voice]] |publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Blauvelt |first=Christian |date=November 16, 2010 |title=Tangled |url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/tangled/5163 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701232240/http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/tangled |archive-date=July 1, 2015 |access-date=December 8, 2013 |website=[[Slant Magazine]] |publisher=}}</ref><ref name=":31">{{Cite web |last=Kois |first=Dan |date=November 24, 2010 |title="Tangled": Disney's latest makes Rapunzel funny and lively |url=http://www.sfweekly.com/2010-11-24/film/tangled-disney-s-latest-makes-rapunzel-funny-and-lively/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129023845/http://www.sfweekly.com/2010-11-24/film/tangled-disney-s-latest-makes-rapunzel-funny-and-lively/ |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |access-date=December 15, 2013 |website=[[SF Weekly]] |publisher=}}</ref> "Belle" offers its protagonist an opportunity to convey her yearnings,<ref name=":6" /> specifically wanting more than the provincial life she has been living.<ref name=":31" />
-Belle reprises the song in a more defiant manner later in the film after rejecting Gaston's marriage proposal,<ref name=":27" /> which according to Dirk Libbey of [[CinemaBlend]] "captures all of Belle's dreams" in a manner the original version does not.<ref name=":24" /> The character explicitly wishes for "adventure in the great, wide somewhere",<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ruiz |first=Michelle |date=January 17, 2017 |title=Wait, How Feminist Is Beauty and the Beast, Really? |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/belle-beauty-and-the-beast-not-a-feminist-princess |access-date=April 1, 2024 |work=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]}}</ref> expressing her boredom with her current circumstances.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Davis |first=Amy M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xRrnBgAAQBAJ&dq=i+want+adventure+in+the+great+wide+somewhere&pg=PA192 |title=Good Girls & Wicked Witches – Women in Disney's Feature Animation |publisher=John Libbey Publishing |year=2006 |isbn=9780861969012 |location=United Kingdom |pages=192 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> O'Hara described it as the moment her character "wants to break loose out of this little town and explore the world—not looking for a man—just explore the world".<ref name=":30">{{Cite news |last=Fierberg |first=Ruthie |date=February 5, 2019 |title=Watch: Disney's Paige O'Hara On Finding Her Belle Voice for the Original Beauty and the Beast |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/watch-disneys-paige-ohara-on-finding-her-belle-voice-for-the-original-beauty-and-the-beast |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327150436/https://www.playbill.com/article/watch-disneys-paige-ohara-on-finding-her-belle-voice-for-the-original-beauty-and-the-beast |archive-date=March 27, 2024 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=[[Playbill]]}}</ref> Critics compared the scene to ''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]'' (1965),<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":34">{{Cite news |last1=Crow |first1=David |last2=Burt |first2=Kayti |date=March 21, 2017 |title=The Top 25 Best Disney Songs from the Renaissance Era |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-top-25-best-disney-songs-from-the-renaissance-era/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603133201/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-top-25-best-disney-songs-from-the-renaissance-era/ |archive-date=June 3, 2023 |access-date=April 1, 2024 |work=[[Den of Geek]]}}</ref> which O'Hara confirmed they borrowed inspiration from.<ref name=":30" />
+Belle reprises the song in a more defiant manner later in the film after rejecting Gaston's marriage proposal,<ref name=":27" /> which according to Dirk Libbey of [[CinemaBlend]] "captures all of Belle's dreams" in a manner the original version does not.<ref name=":24" /> The character explicitly wishes for "adventure in the great, wide somewhere",<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ruiz |first=Michelle |date=January 17, 2017 |title=Wait, How Feminist Is Beauty and the Beast, Really? |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/belle-beauty-and-the-beast-not-a-feminist-princess |access-date=April 1, 2024 |work=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]}}</ref> expressing her boredom with her current circumstances.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Davis |first=Amy M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xRrnBgAAQBAJ&dq=i+want+adventure+in+the+great+wide+somewhere&pg=PA192 |title=Good Girls & Wicked Witches – Women in Disney's Feature Animation |publisher=John Libbey Publishing |year=2006 |isbn=9780861969012 |location=United Kingdom |pages=192 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> O'Hara described it as the moment her character "wants to break loose out of this little town and explore the world—not looking for a man—just explore the world".<ref name=":30">{{Cite news |last=Fierberg |first=Ruthie |date=February 5, 2019 |title=Watch: Disney's Paige O'Hara On Finding Her Belle Voice for the Original Beauty and the Beast |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/watch-disneys-paige-ohara-on-finding-her-belle-voice-for-the-original-beauty-and-the-beast |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327150436/https://www.playbill.com/article/watch-disneys-paige-ohara-on-finding-her-belle-voice-for-the-original-beauty-and-the-beast |archive-date=March 27, 2024 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=[[Playbill]]}}</ref> Critics compared the scene to ''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]'' (1965),<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":34">{{Cite news |last1=Crow |first1=David |last2=Burt |first2=Kayti |date=March 21, 2017 |title=The Top 25 Best Disney Songs from the Renaissance Era |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-top-25-best-disney-songs-from-the-renaissance-era/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603133201/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-top-25-best-disney-songs-from-the-renaissance-era/ |archive-date=June 3, 2023 |access-date=April 1, 2024 |work=[[Den of Geek]]}}</ref><ref name=":42">{{Cite news |last=Strauss |first=Bob |date=March 14, 2017 |title=How Disney scored new music for “Beauty and the Beast’ |url=https://www.dailynews.com/2017/03/14/how-disney-scored-new-music-for-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116211401/https://www.dailynews.com/2017/03/14/how-disney-scored-new-music-for-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-date=November 16, 2017 |access-date=July 25, 2024 |work=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]}}</ref> which O'Hara confirmed they borrowed inspiration from.<ref name=":30" /> Nate Millado of ''[[Backstage (magazine)|Backstage]]'' cited inspiration from the musical ''[[Oklahoma!]]'' (1943) in the way the song " propels the plot and peeks into characters".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Millado |first=Nate |date=February 26, 2024 |title=How These 8 Golden Age Broadway Shows Influenced Today’s Movie Musicals |url=https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/8-golden-age-broadway-shows-movie-musicals-76970/ |access-date=July 25, 2024 |work=[[Backstage (magazine)|Backstage]]}}</ref>
 == Music and lyrics ==
-Ashman wrote the song's lyrics while Menken composed its music.<ref name=":34" /><ref name=":38">{{Cite web |title=Belle |url=https://secondhandsongs.com/work/130115/versions#nav-entity |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904113307/https://secondhandsongs.com/work/130115/versions#nav-entity |archive-date=September 4, 2021 |access-date=April 18, 2024 |website=SecondHandSongs}}</ref> According to its official [[sheet music]] from [[Walt Disney Music Publishing]], "Belle" is a Broadway and musical theatre-inspired song, performed at a "pastorally" [[tempo]] of 80 [[beats per minute]] in the key of [[D major]].<ref name=":23" /> Vocally, the arrangement includes several high notes.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Strassberg |first=Rebecca |date=August 25, 2023 |title=8 Disney Audition Songs for Female Singers |url=https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/great-disney-audition-songs-women-6453/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323040335/https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/great-disney-audition-songs-women-6453/ |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=[[Backstage (magazine)|Backstage]]}}</ref> Combined, O'Hara and White's [[vocal range]]s span approximately two [[octaves]], from [[A (musical note)|A3]] to [[G (musical note)|G5]].<ref name=":23" /> Additionally, actors [[Jesse Corti]], Alec Murphy, [[Mary Kay Bergman]], and [[Kath Soucie]]'s voices are also featured on the track.<ref name=":23">{{Cite web |last1=Menken |first1=Alan (music) |author-link=Alan Menken |last2=Ashman |first2=Howard (lyrics) |author-link2=Howard Ashman |date=1991 |title=Belle – From Beauty and the Beast – Digital Sheet Music |url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0057057 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305141048/http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0057057 |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |access-date=September 20, 2013 |website=Musicnotes.com |publisher=[[Walt Disney Music Publishing]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Belle (From "Beauty and the Beast" – Soundtrack Version) |url=https://music.apple.com/gb/song/belle-from-beauty-and-the-beast-soundtrack-version/1585375344 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240328175506/https://music.apple.com/gb/song/belle-from-beauty-and-the-beast-soundtrack-version/1585375344 |archive-date=March 28, 2024 |access-date=March 28, 2024 |website=[[Apple Music]]}}</ref> In total, "Belle" lasts five minutes and nine seconds in duration.<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web |last=Hobart |first=Tavia |date=November 1, 1991 |title=Disney / Alan Menken Beauty and the Beast |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/beauty-and-the-beast-mw0000042616 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415083216/http://www.allmusic.com/album/beauty-and-the-beast-mw0000042616 |archive-date=April 15, 2023 |access-date=September 24, 2013 |work=[[AllMusic]] |publisher=}}</ref><ref name="itunesbeauty">{{cite web |date=January 1, 1991 |title=Beauty and the Beast (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) – Alan Menken |url=https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/beauty-beast-soundtrack-from/id390433307 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004144922/https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/beauty-beast-soundtrack-from/id390433307 |archive-date=October 4, 2018 |access-date=September 24, 2013 |work=[[iTunes]] |publisher=}}</ref> The song's [[Verse (music)|verse]], [[Chorus (song)|chorus]], and [[Break (music)|musical break]] [[Song structure|structure]] allows for the interjection of monologue and dialogue.<ref name=":39">{{Cite book |last=Wells |first=Paul |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tkEYAgAAQBAJ&dq=%22There+must+be+more+than+this+provincial+life%22+broadway&pg=PA103 |title=Understanding Animation |publisher=[[Routledge]] |year=2013 |isbn=9781136158735 |location=United Kingdom |pages=103–104 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> According to Irving Tan of ''[[Sputnikmusic]]'', the track is an "idyllic, orchestra-driven" operetta.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Tan |first=Irving |date=April 10, 2011 |title=Disney Soundtracks – Beauty and the Beast |url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/42895/Disney-Soundtracks-Beauty-and-the-Beast/ |access-date=September 20, 2013 |website=[[Sputnikmusic]] |publisher=}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Malcolm |date=November 22, 1991 |title=Disney's 'Beast' Is A Work Of Extraordinary Beauty, Brilliance |url=http://articles.courant.com/1991-11-22/features/0000209193_1_fairy-tales-beast-gary-trousdale |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054536/http://articles.courant.com/1991-11-22/features/0000209193_1_fairy-tales-beast-gary-trousdale |archive-date=September 21, 2013 |access-date=September 20, 2013 |website=[[Hartford Courant]] |publisher=}}</ref> Menken described it as "19th-century operetta style",<ref name=":8" /> and [[Filmtracks.com]] called it "snare-tapping".<ref name=":14">{{Cite web |date=September 24, 1996 |title=Beauty and the Beast (Alan Menken) |url=http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/beauty_beast.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304132429/http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/beauty_beast.html |archive-date=March 4, 2021 |access-date=September 20, 2013 |website=[[Filmtracks]] |publisher=}}</ref>{{Listen|type=music|pos=right|filename=Belle_(Beauty_and_the_Beast).ogg|title=Belle |description="Belle" is a highly complex piece, which comprises the interweaving of conversation snippets from several characters.}}
+Ashman wrote the song's lyrics while Menken composed its music.<ref name=":34" /> According to its official [[sheet music]] from [[Walt Disney Music Publishing]], "Belle" is a Broadway and musical theatre-inspired song, performed at a "pastorally" [[tempo]] of 80 [[beats per minute]] in the key of [[D major]].<ref name=":23" /> Vocally, the arrangement includes several high notes.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Strassberg |first=Rebecca |date=August 25, 2023 |title=8 Disney Audition Songs for Female Singers |url=https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/great-disney-audition-songs-women-6453/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323040335/https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/great-disney-audition-songs-women-6453/ |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=[[Backstage (magazine)|Backstage]]}}</ref> Combined, O'Hara and White's [[vocal range]]s span approximately two [[octaves]], from [[A (musical note)|A3]] to [[G (musical note)|G5]].<ref name=":23" /> Additionally, actors [[Jesse Corti]], Alec Murphy, [[Mary Kay Bergman]], and [[Kath Soucie]]'s voices are also featured on the track.<ref name=":23">{{Cite web |last1=Menken |first1=Alan (music) |author-link=Alan Menken |last2=Ashman |first2=Howard (lyrics) |author-link2=Howard Ashman |date=1991 |title=Belle – From Beauty and the Beast – Digital Sheet Music |url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0057057 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305141048/http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0057057 |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |access-date=September 20, 2013 |website=Musicnotes.com |publisher=[[Walt Disney Music Publishing]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Belle (From "Beauty and the Beast" – Soundtrack Version) |url=https://music.apple.com/gb/song/belle-from-beauty-and-the-beast-soundtrack-version/1585375344 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240328175506/https://music.apple.com/gb/song/belle-from-beauty-and-the-beast-soundtrack-version/1585375344 |archive-date=March 28, 2024 |access-date=March 28, 2024 |website=[[Apple Music]]}}</ref> In total, "Belle" lasts five minutes and nine seconds in duration.<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web |last=Hobart |first=Tavia |date=November 1, 1991 |title=Disney / Alan Menken Beauty and the Beast |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/beauty-and-the-beast-mw0000042616 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415083216/http://www.allmusic.com/album/beauty-and-the-beast-mw0000042616 |archive-date=April 15, 2023 |access-date=September 24, 2013 |work=[[AllMusic]] |publisher=}}</ref><ref name="itunesbeauty">{{cite web |date=January 1, 1991 |title=Beauty and the Beast (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) – Alan Menken |url=https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/beauty-beast-soundtrack-from/id390433307 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004144922/https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/beauty-beast-soundtrack-from/id390433307 |archive-date=October 4, 2018 |access-date=September 24, 2013 |work=[[iTunes]] |publisher=}}</ref> The song's [[Verse (music)|verse]], [[Chorus (song)|chorus]], and [[Break (music)|musical break]] [[Song structure|structure]] allows for the interjection of monologue and dialogue.<ref name=":39">{{Cite book |last=Wells |first=Paul |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tkEYAgAAQBAJ&dq=%22There+must+be+more+than+this+provincial+life%22+broadway&pg=PA103 |title=Understanding Animation |publisher=[[Routledge]] |year=2013 |isbn=9781136158735 |location=United Kingdom |pages=103–104 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240620172343/https://books.google.com/books?id=tkEYAgAAQBAJ&dq=%22There+must+be+more+than+this+provincial+life%22+broadway&pg=PA103 |archive-date=June 20, 2024 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> According to Irving Tan of ''[[Sputnikmusic]]'', the track is an "idyllic, orchestra-driven" operetta.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Tan |first=Irving |date=April 10, 2011 |title=Disney Soundtracks – Beauty and the Beast |url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/42895/Disney-Soundtracks-Beauty-and-the-Beast/ |access-date=September 20, 2013 |website=[[Sputnikmusic]] |publisher=}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Malcolm |date=November 22, 1991 |title=Disney's 'Beast' Is A Work Of Extraordinary Beauty, Brilliance |url=https://www.courant.com/1991/11/22/disneys-beast-is-a-work-of-extraordinary-beauty-brilliance/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054536/http://articles.courant.com/1991-11-22/features/0000209193_1_fairy-tales-beast-gary-trousdale |archive-date=September 21, 2013 |access-date=September 20, 2013 |website=[[Hartford Courant]] |publisher=}}</ref> Menken described it as "19th-century operetta style",<ref name=":8" /> and [[Filmtracks.com]] called it "snare-tapping".<ref name=":14">{{Cite web |date=September 24, 1996 |title=Beauty and the Beast (Alan Menken) |url=http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/beauty_beast.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304132429/http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/beauty_beast.html |archive-date=March 4, 2021 |access-date=September 20, 2013 |website=[[Filmtracks]] |publisher=}}</ref> {{Listen|type=music|pos=right|filename=Belle_(Beauty_and_the_Beast).ogg|title=Belle |description="Belle" is a highly complex piece, which comprises the interweaving of conversation snippets from several characters.}}
-According to [[Odyssey (website)|''Odyssey'']] contributor Freddie Miller, an opening flute invokes the feeling of "being transported to that quaint little French town".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Miller |first=Freddie |date=November 5, 2018 |title=The Top 10 Disney 'I Want' Songs |url=https://www.theodysseyonline.com/the-top-10-disney-i-want-songs/8-part-of-your-world-from-the-little-mermaid |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240328191511/https://www.theodysseyonline.com/the-top-10-disney-i-want-songs/8-part-of-your-world-from-the-little-mermaid |archive-date=March 28, 2024 |access-date=March 28, 2024 |work=[[Odyssey (website)|Odyssey]]}}</ref> The track begins slowly with Belle's solo describing a typical morning in her village before several townspeople join her to sing "bonjour".<ref name=":15">{{Cite book |last=MacDonald |first=Laurence E. |title=The Invisible Art of Film Music: A Comprehensive History |publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]] |year=2013 |isbn=9780810883987 |location=United States |pages=369–370 |chapter=The Rise of Independent Films, 1990-1999 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e0NYYHWtz6sC&q=richard%20white%20beauty%20and%20the%20beast%20gaston&pg=PA370 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> Afterwards, "Belle" adopts a faster speed, becoming a "rhythmically driven tune" that several patrons perform at various moments throughout the song,<ref name=":15" /> including the Baker's line "Marie! The baguettes! Hurry up".<ref name=":36">{{Cite news |last=Hughes |first=Kayleigh |date=March 21, 2017 |title=5 Big Lyric Changes In 'Beauty And The Beast' |url=https://www.bustle.com/p/these-beauty-the-beast-lyric-changes-matter-so-much-46020 |access-date=April 17, 2024 |work=[[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]]}}</ref> Eventually, the song introduces a [[counter melody]] performed by Belle, who lovingly recounts a book she is reading about a young woman and a handsome [[Prince Charming|prince]], followed by Gaston singing a faster melody with the Bimbettes, who fawn over him.<ref name=":15" /> As the song [[crescendo]]s, Belle [[Belting (music)|belts]] her desire for greater ambitions "There must be more than this provincial life",<ref name=":29" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Moore McClatchy |first=Roger |date=January 13, 2012 |title=Forever known as 'Belle' |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/jan/13/forever-known-as-belle/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326141555/https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/jan/13/forever-known-as-belle/ |archive-date=March 26, 2024 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |work=[[The Spokesman-Review]]}}</ref> countered with Gaston's "Just watch, I’m going to make Belle my wife", highlighting their opposing dreams and goals.<ref name=":17">{{Cite magazine |last=Chan |first=Anna |date=March 25, 2023 |title=The 100 Greatest Disneyverse Songs of All Time |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-disney-songs-movies-tv/belle-beauty-and-the-beast-1991/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326174723/https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-disney-songs-movies-tv/belle-beauty-and-the-beast-1991/ |archive-date=March 26, 2024 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> According to author Alexandra Heatwole, Belle's line is representative of the [[Disney Renaissance]] heroines' overarching desire to break away from the confines of social milieus, noting that [[Ariel (The Little Mermaid)|Ariel]] and [[Jasmine (Aladdin)|Jasmine]] expressed similar longings in their songs.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4Jd8EAAAQBAJ&dq=%22There+must+be+more+than+this+provincial+life%22+broadway&pg=PA109 |title=The Oxford Handbook of the Hollywood Musical |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2022 |isbn=9780197503423 |editor-last=McHugh |editor-first=Dominic |location=United Kingdom |publication-date=2022 |pages=109 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> Finally, in a Broadway-style climax, the song concludes with virtually every villager singing together.<ref name=":15" />
+The track begins slowly with Belle's solo describing a typical morning in her village before several distinct townspeople join her singing "bonjour".<ref name=":15">{{Cite book |last=MacDonald |first=Laurence E. |title=The Invisible Art of Film Music: A Comprehensive History |publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]] |year=2013 |isbn=9780810883987 |location=United States |pages=369–370 |chapter=The Rise of Independent Films, 1990-1999 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e0NYYHWtz6sC&q=richard%20white%20beauty%20and%20the%20beast%20gaston&pg=PA370 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref><ref name=":43">{{Cite news |last=Busani |first=Michael |date=February 4, 2023 |title=10 Best Opening Numbers from Movie Musicals, According to Reddit |url=https://collider.com/best-opening-numbers-from-movie-musicals/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210132743/https://collider.com/best-opening-numbers-from-movie-musicals/ |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |access-date=July 25, 2024 |work=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]}}</ref> Afterwards, "Belle" adopts a faster speed, becoming a "rhythmically driven tune" that several patrons perform at various moments throughout the song,<ref name=":15" /> including the Baker's line "Marie! The baguettes! Hurry up".<ref name=":36">{{Cite news |last=Hughes |first=Kayleigh |date=March 21, 2017 |title=5 Big Lyric Changes In 'Beauty And The Beast' |url=https://www.bustle.com/p/these-beauty-the-beast-lyric-changes-matter-so-much-46020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417182552/https://www.bustle.com/p/these-beauty-the-beast-lyric-changes-matter-so-much-46020 |archive-date=April 17, 2024 |access-date=April 17, 2024 |work=[[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]]}}</ref> The town [[Ostracism|ostracizes]] Belle for her love of reading but considers her beauty a redeeming quality, describing her as "A beauty, but a funny girl".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dray |first=Kayleigh |date=2017 |title=Emma Watson convinced Disney to give Beauty and the Beast a feminist makeover |url=https://www.stylist.co.uk/life/emma-watson-asked-disney-to-give-beauty-the-beast-a-feminist-makeover-and-they-said-yes/66991 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225004212/https://www.stylist.co.uk/life/emma-watson-asked-disney-to-give-beauty-the-beast-a-feminist-makeover-and-they-said-yes/66991 |archive-date=February 25, 2021 |access-date=October 8, 2024 |work=[[Stylist (magazine)|Stylist]]}}</ref> Eventually, the song introduces a [[counter melody]] performed by Belle, who lovingly recounts a book she is reading about a young woman and a handsome [[Prince Charming|prince]], followed by Gaston singing a faster melody with the Bimbettes, who fawn over him.<ref name=":15" /> As the song [[crescendo]]s, Belle [[Belting (music)|belts]] her desire for greater ambitions "There must be more than this provincial life",<ref name=":29" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Moore McClatchy |first=Roger |date=January 13, 2012 |title=Forever known as 'Belle' |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/jan/13/forever-known-as-belle/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326141555/https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/jan/13/forever-known-as-belle/ |archive-date=March 26, 2024 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |work=[[The Spokesman-Review]]}}</ref> countered with Gaston's "Just watch, I’m going to make Belle my wife", highlighting their opposing dreams and goals.<ref name=":17">{{Cite magazine |last=Chan |first=Anna |date=March 25, 2023 |title=The 100 Greatest Disneyverse Songs of All Time |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-disney-songs-movies-tv/belle-beauty-and-the-beast-1991/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326174723/https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-disney-songs-movies-tv/belle-beauty-and-the-beast-1991/ |archive-date=March 26, 2024 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> According to author Alexandra Heatwole, Belle's line is representative of the [[Disney Renaissance]] heroines' overarching desire to break away from the confines of social milieus, noting that [[Ariel (The Little Mermaid)|Ariel]] and [[Jasmine (Aladdin)|Jasmine]] expressed similar longings in their songs.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4Jd8EAAAQBAJ&dq=%22There+must+be+more+than+this+provincial+life%22+broadway&pg=PA109 |title=The Oxford Handbook of the Hollywood Musical |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2022 |isbn=9780197503423 |editor-last=McHugh |editor-first=Dominic |location=United Kingdom |publication-date=2022 |pages=109 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> Finally, in a Broadway-style climax, the song concludes with virtually every villager singing together.<ref name=":15" />
 Lyrically, its verses are interspersed with dialogue from various characters,<ref name=":21">{{Cite web |last=Barnes |first=Chloe |date=September 19, 2022 |title=Disney's 10 Greatest "I Want" Songs from Animated Musicals |url=https://collider.com/disneys-11-strongest-i-want-songs-from-beloved-musicals/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820005146/https://collider.com/disneys-11-strongest-i-want-songs-from-beloved-musicals/ |archive-date=August 20, 2023 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]}}</ref> which was unusual for an animated film at the time.<ref name=":19" /> The protagonist discusses how she feels left out and unseen by her peers,<ref name=":28">{{Cite news |last=Ramos |first=Alexandra |date=January 8, 2023 |title=12 Iconic Disney Princess Songs, Ranked |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/iconic-disney-princess-songs-ranked |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327130043/https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/iconic-disney-princess-songs-ranked |archive-date=March 27, 2024 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=[[CinemaBlend]]}}</ref> who describe her as their "most peculiar mademoiselle" due to her love of reading.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Ashley |date=March 16, 2017 |title='Beauty and the Beast': 9 Differences Between the Live-Action and Animated Movies — and Why They Matter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/beauty-beast-differences-between-animated-live-action-movies-why-they-matter-986622/a-most-peculiar-mademoiselle/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417200822/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/beauty-beast-differences-between-animated-live-action-movies-why-they-matter-986622/a-most-peculiar-mademoiselle/ |archive-date=April 17, 2024 |access-date=April 17, 2024 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> It includes the lyrics ''"''Here's where she meets Prince Charming/But she won't discover that it's him 'til chapter three!"<ref name=":33" /> [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']] found the vocal and lyrical layering to be reminiscent of songs from the musical ''[[Les Misérables (musical)|Les Misérables]].''<ref name=":25">{{Cite magazine |last=W |first=T. |date=March 13, 2017 |title=Every Song From the Disney Renaissance (1989–'99), Ranked: Critics' Take |url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/tv-film/disney-renaissance-songs-ranking-beauty-and-the-beast-7727697/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404164709/https://www.billboard.com/culture/tv-film/disney-renaissance-songs-ranking-beauty-and-the-beast-7727697/ |archive-date=April 4, 2023 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> Katrine Ames of ''[[Newsweek]]'' likened its "sly and quick-cutting dialogue" to the work of composer [[Stephen Sondheim]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ames |first=Katrine |date=November 17, 1991 |title=Just The Way Walt Made 'Em |url=https://www.newsweek.com/just-way-walt-made-em-202018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326130306/https://www.newsweek.com/just-way-walt-made-em-202018 |archive-date=March 26, 2024 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |work=[[Newsweek]]}}</ref> Tyler B. Searle of [[Collider (website)|Collider]] identified its overall theme as "how society treats those it deems different, which has helped it remain topical thirty years later".<ref name=":35" /> Thematically, Jonathan Romney of ''[[Sight and Sound]]'' found it similar to "[[Maria (Rodgers and Hammerstein song)|Maria]]" from ''The Sound of Music''.<ref name=":32" />
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 |}
-"Belle" has received widespread acclaim.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 17, 2017 |title=Around Town 1 |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2024/06/398_234951.html |access-date=June 20, 2024 |work=[[The Korea Times]] |quote=numerous other songs including "Belle," "Gaston" and "Be Our Guest" garnered wide acclaim.}}</ref> [[Filmtracks.com]] hailed the song as "among the most satisfying and clever cast pieces in history", calling it worthy of its nomination for the [[Academy Award for Best Original Song]].<ref name=":14" /> Filmtracks.com also praised the reprise, drawing similarities to the [[The Sound of Music (song)|title song]] from ''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]'' (1965).<ref name=":14" /> Bob Hoose of ''[[Plugged In (publication)]]'' called the song "masterful".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hoose |first=Bob |title=Beauty and the Beast (1991) |url=https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/beautyandthebeast/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327121427/https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/beautyandthebeast/ |archive-date=March 27, 2024 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=[[Plugged In (publication)]]}}</ref> [[James Berardinelli]] of ''[[ReelViews]] ''described "Belle" as "the animated equivalent of Broadway show-stoppers, with all the energy and audacity of something choreographed by [[Busby Berkeley]]".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Berardinelli |first=James |author-link=James Berardinelli |title=Beauty and the Beast |url=http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/b/beauty.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221117175307/http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/b/beauty.html |archive-date=November 17, 2022 |access-date=April 20, 2014 |website=[[ReelViews]] |publisher=}}</ref> Pete Vonder Haar of the ''[[Houston Press]]'' liked both the song and its reprise, admitting to the inevitability of having to experience an "unexpected swell of emotion" when both songs are heard.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vonder Haar |first=Pete |date=January 13, 2012 |title=Reviews For The Easily Distracted: Beauty And The Beast 3D |url=http://blogs.houstonpress.com/artattack/2012/01/beauty_and_the_beast_3d_review.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120820140857/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/artattack/2012/01/beauty_and_the_beast_3d_review.php |archive-date=August 20, 2012 |access-date=September 21, 2013 |website=[[Houston Press]] |publisher=}}</ref>
+When an unfinished version of ''Beauty and the Beast'' was [[Public and private screening|screened]] at the [[New York Film Festival]] in March 1991, "Belle" was the only sequence to have been completely animated.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jamieson |first=Doug |title=Beauty and the Beast |url=https://thejamreport.com/2020/05/06/the-house-of-mouse-project-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240621164013/https://thejamreport.com/2020/05/06/the-house-of-mouse-project-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-date=June 21, 2024 |access-date=June 21, 2024 |website=The Jam Report}}</ref> "Belle" has received widespread acclaim.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 17, 2017 |title=Around Town 1 |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2024/06/398_234951.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240620155912/https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2024/06/398_234951.html |archive-date=June 20, 2024 |access-date=June 20, 2024 |work=[[The Korea Times]] |quote=numerous other songs including "Belle," "Gaston" and "Be Our Guest" garnered wide acclaim.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 8, 1994 |title=Paige's Pacific paradise |url=https://www.scmp.com/article/77107/paiges-pacific-paradise |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240620161521/https://www.scmp.com/article/77107/paiges-pacific-paradise |archive-date=June 20, 2024 |access-date=June 20, 2024 |work=[[South China Morning Post]]}}</ref> [[Filmtracks.com]] hailed the song as "among the most satisfying and clever cast pieces in history", calling its nomination for the [[Academy Award for Best Original Song]] deserved.<ref name=":14" /> Filmtracks.com also praised the reprise, drawing similarities to the [[The Sound of Music (song)|title song]] from ''The Sound of Music''.<ref name=":14" /> Bob Hoose of ''[[Plugged In (publication)|Plugged In]]'' called it "masterful".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hoose |first=Bob |title=Beauty and the Beast (1991) |url=https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/beautyandthebeast/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327121427/https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/beautyandthebeast/ |archive-date=March 27, 2024 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=[[Plugged In (publication)|Plugged In]]}}</ref> [[James Berardinelli]] of ''[[ReelViews]] ''described "Belle" as "the animated equivalent of Broadway show-stoppers, with all the energy and audacity of something choreographed by [[Busby Berkeley]]".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Berardinelli |first=James |author-link=James Berardinelli |title=Beauty and the Beast |url=http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/b/beauty.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221117175307/http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/b/beauty.html |archive-date=November 17, 2022 |access-date=April 20, 2014 |website=[[ReelViews]] |publisher=}}</ref> Pete Vonder Haar of the ''[[Houston Press]]'' liked both the song and its reprise, admitting to the inevitability of having to experience an "unexpected swell of emotion" when both songs are heard.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vonder Haar |first=Pete |date=January 13, 2012 |title=Reviews For The Easily Distracted: Beauty And The Beast 3D |url=http://blogs.houstonpress.com/artattack/2012/01/beauty_and_the_beast_3d_review.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120820140857/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/artattack/2012/01/beauty_and_the_beast_3d_review.php |archive-date=August 20, 2012 |access-date=September 21, 2013 |website=[[Houston Press]] |publisher=}}</ref>
-Jennie Punter of ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' hailed "Belle" as "one of the most delightful openings of any movie musical".<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Punter |first=Jennie |date=January 13, 2012 |title=Beauty and the Beast 3D: Disney classic gets added pop |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/beauty-and-the-beast-3d-disney-classic-gets-added-pop/article630447/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415083216/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/beauty-and-the-beast-3d-disney-classic-gets-added-pop/article630447/ |archive-date=April 15, 2023 |access-date=September 21, 2013 |website=[[The Globe and Mail]] |publisher=}}</ref> In a laudatory review for ''[[The New York Times]]''{{'}}, journalist [[Janet Maslin]] praised "Belle" as "a spectacular opening number that captures the essence of this film's appeal", while comparing it to songs from the [[musical film]] ''[[West Side Story (1961 film)|West Side Story]]'' (1961)''.''<ref name="maslin">{{Cite web |last=Maslin |first=Janet |author-link=Janet Maslin |date=November 13, 1991 |title=Beauty and the Beast (1991) |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D0CE2DF1330F930A25752C1A967958260 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240325165729/https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D0CE2DF1330F930A25752C1A967958260 |archive-date=March 25, 2024 |access-date=September 21, 2013 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> [[Beliefnet]] called it a "joyous introductory".<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 13, 2012 |title=Beauty and the Beast |url=http://blog.beliefnet.com/moviemom/2012/01/beauty-and-the-beast.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013221955/http://blog.beliefnet.com/moviemom/2012/01/beauty-and-the-beast.html |archive-date=13 October 2013 |access-date=22 September 2013 |website=[[Beliefnet]] |publisher=}}</ref> Highlighting the song as one of the film's most notable, Sandie Angulo Chen described "Belle" as "infectious".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chen |first=Sandie Angulo |date=November 27, 2013 |title=The Best Disney Soundtracks of the Past 25 Years: 'Frozen,' 'Lion King,' and More (Video) |url=http://news.moviefone.com/2013/11/27/best-disney-soundtracks-of-the-past-25-years/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214214207/http://news.moviefone.com/2013/11/27/best-disney-soundtracks-of-the-past-25-years/ |archive-date=December 14, 2013 |access-date=December 14, 2013 |website=[[Moviefone]] |publisher=}}</ref> While describing the song as a "teeming ... opener", ''[[TV Guide]]'' positively compared "Belle" to some of the songs featured in the musicals ''[[Fiddler on the Roof]]'' and ''[[She Loves Me]]''.<ref name="tvguidebeautty">{{cite web |year=2001 |title=Beauty And The Beast: Review |url=http://movies.tvguide.com/beauty-and-the-beast/review/128275 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223828/http://www.tvguide.com/movies/beauty-and-the-beast/review/128275/ |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=September 23, 2013 |work=[[TV Guide]] |publisher=}}</ref> Writing for ''[[Sight and Sound]]'', Jonathan Romney praised the animation and direction of the sequence, which he likened to the work of comic actor [[Buster Keaton]].<ref name=":32">{{Cite news |last=Romney |first=Jonathan |date=1992 |title=Sight and Sound (1992–10)(BFI)(GB) |url=https://archive.org/details/Sight_and_Sound_1992_10_BFI_GB/page/n47/mode/2up |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=[[Sight and Sound]] |pages=46–47}}</ref> ''[[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]]'' writer Kayleigh Hughes said lyrics such as "There must be more than this provincial life" have "stood the test of time".<ref name=":36" /> Caitlin Devlin of [[Ticketmaster]] called "Belle "the best opening number of any Disney musical",<ref>{{Cite web |last=Devlin |first=Caitlin |date=May 6, 2022 |title=The 20 best Disney movie musical soundtracks, ranked |url=https://discover.ticketmaster.co.uk/music/the-20-best-disney-movie-musical-soundtracks-ranked-53203/ |access-date=March 28, 2024 |website=[[Ticketmaster]]}}</ref> while Flynn Kaufman of ''[[Screen Rant]]'' called it "wonderful".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kaufman |first=Flynn |date=October 14, 2023 |title=15 Best Animated Disney Movie Soundtracks, Ranked |url=https://screenrant.com/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtracks-ranked/ |access-date=March 28, 2024 |work=[[Screen Rant]]}}</ref> Gregory Ellwood of [[HitFix]] wrote, "you can't argue the cinematic joy in numbers such as the opening 'Belle'."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ellwood |first=George |date=November 25, 2013 |title=Top 20 Disney Animated Films of All-Time |url=http://www.hitfix.com/galleries/top-20-disney-animated-films-of-all-time#18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001422/http://www.hitfix.com/galleries/top-20-disney-animated-films-of-all-time#18 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=April 16, 2014 |website=[[HitFix]] |publisher=}}</ref>
+Several critics praised the song's quality as an opening number for the film.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 13, 2012 |title=Beauty and the Beast |url=http://blog.beliefnet.com/moviemom/2012/01/beauty-and-the-beast.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013221955/http://blog.beliefnet.com/moviemom/2012/01/beauty-and-the-beast.html |archive-date=13 October 2013 |access-date=22 September 2013 |website=[[Beliefnet]] |publisher=}}</ref><ref name="tvguidebeautty" /> Jennie Punter of ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' hailed "Belle" as "one of the most delightful openings of any movie musical".<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Punter |first=Jennie |date=January 13, 2012 |title=Beauty and the Beast 3D: Disney classic gets added pop |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/beauty-and-the-beast-3d-disney-classic-gets-added-pop/article630447/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415083216/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/beauty-and-the-beast-3d-disney-classic-gets-added-pop/article630447/ |archive-date=April 15, 2023 |access-date=September 21, 2013 |website=[[The Globe and Mail]] |publisher=}}</ref> In a review for ''[[The New York Times]]'', journalist [[Janet Maslin]] called "Belle" "a spectacular opening number that captures the essence of this film's appeal", comparing it to the musical selections from the film ''[[West Side Story (1961 film)|West Side Story]]'' (1961)''.''<ref name="maslin">{{Cite web |last=Maslin |first=Janet |author-link=Janet Maslin |date=November 13, 1991 |title=Beauty and the Beast (1991) |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D0CE2DF1330F930A25752C1A967958260 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240325165729/https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D0CE2DF1330F930A25752C1A967958260 |archive-date=March 25, 2024 |access-date=September 21, 2013 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Highlighting the song as one of the film's most notable, Sandie Angulo Chen of [[Moviefone]] described "Belle" as "infectious".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chen |first=Sandie Angulo |date=November 27, 2013 |title=The Best Disney Soundtracks of the Past 25 Years: 'Frozen,' 'Lion King,' and More (Video) |url=http://news.moviefone.com/2013/11/27/best-disney-soundtracks-of-the-past-25-years/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214214207/http://news.moviefone.com/2013/11/27/best-disney-soundtracks-of-the-past-25-years/ |archive-date=December 14, 2013 |access-date=December 14, 2013 |website=[[Moviefone]] |publisher=}}</ref> ''[[TV Guide]]'' positively compared "Belle" to some of the songs featured in the musicals ''[[Fiddler on the Roof]]'' and ''[[She Loves Me]]''.<ref name="tvguidebeautty">{{cite web |year=2001 |title=Beauty And The Beast: Review |url=http://movies.tvguide.com/beauty-and-the-beast/review/128275 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223828/http://www.tvguide.com/movies/beauty-and-the-beast/review/128275/ |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=September 23, 2013 |work=[[TV Guide]] |publisher=}}</ref> Writing for ''[[Sight and Sound]]'', Jonathan Romney praised the animation and direction of the sequence, which he likened to the work of comic actor [[Buster Keaton]].<ref name=":32">{{Cite news |last=Romney |first=Jonathan |date=1992 |title=Sight and Sound (1992–10)(BFI)(GB) |url=https://archive.org/details/Sight_and_Sound_1992_10_BFI_GB/page/n47/mode/2up |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=[[Sight and Sound]] |pages=46–47}}</ref> In 2017, ''[[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]]'' writer Kayleigh Hughes said lyrics such as "There must be more than this provincial life" have "stood the test of time".<ref name=":36" /> Caitlin Devlin of [[Ticketmaster]] called "Belle "the best opening number of any Disney musical",<ref>{{Cite web |last=Devlin |first=Caitlin |date=May 6, 2022 |title=The 20 best Disney movie musical soundtracks, ranked |url=https://discover.ticketmaster.co.uk/music/the-20-best-disney-movie-musical-soundtracks-ranked-53203/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240328165232/https://discover.ticketmaster.co.uk/music/the-20-best-disney-movie-musical-soundtracks-ranked-53203/ |archive-date=March 28, 2024 |access-date=March 28, 2024 |website=[[Ticketmaster]]}}</ref> while Flynn Kaufman of ''[[Screen Rant]]'' called it "wonderful".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kaufman |first=Flynn |date=October 14, 2023 |title=15 Best Animated Disney Movie Soundtracks, Ranked |url=https://screenrant.com/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtracks-ranked/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015154924/https://screenrant.com/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtracks-ranked/ |archive-date=October 15, 2023 |access-date=March 28, 2024 |work=[[Screen Rant]]}}</ref> Gregory Ellwood of [[HitFix]] wrote, "you can't argue the cinematic joy in numbers such as the opening 'Belle'."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ellwood |first=George |date=November 25, 2013 |title=Top 20 Disney Animated Films of All-Time |url=http://www.hitfix.com/galleries/top-20-disney-animated-films-of-all-time#18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001422/http://www.hitfix.com/galleries/top-20-disney-animated-films-of-all-time#18 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=April 16, 2014 |website=[[HitFix]] |publisher=}}</ref>
-Alongside "[[Be Our Guest]]" and "[[Beauty and the Beast (Disney song)|Beauty and the Beast]]", "Belle" was one of the three ''Beauty and the Beast'' songs that received an Academy Award nomination for [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]] at the [[64th Academy Awards]] in 1992.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1992|title = The 64th Academy Awards (1992) Nominees and Winners|website = The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|publisher = Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|access-date = 23 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title = Aging and Identity: A Humanities Perspective|last1 = Deats|first1 = Sara Munson|publisher = Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn = 978-0275964795|pages = 211|first2 = Lagretta Talent|last2 = Lenker|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=SdjljlluozcC&q=belle%20academy%20award%20best%20song%20beauty%20and%20the%20beast&pg=PA211|access-date = 23 September 2013|date = January 1, 1999|location = Westport, Connecticut, United States}}</ref> ''Beauty and the Beast'' became the first film to receive three Oscar nominations for Best Original Song.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=December 12, 2023 |title=From 'Cabaret' to 'Barbie,' All the Films That Received 2 or More Golden Globe Nods for Best Original Song |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/golden-globe-nominations-best-original-song-films-multiple-nominations/dick-tracy-1990/ |access-date=April 1, 2024 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> "Belle" ultimately lost to the film's title and [[theme song]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pat-gallagher/best-movie-songs_b_2712278.html|title = 20 Of The Best Oscar Songs of All Time – From The Vault|website = The Huffington Post|date = February 21, 2013|publisher = TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc|access-date = 23 September 2013|last = Gallagher|first = Pat}}</ref> According to producer [[Don Hahn]], Disney was actually hoping that the award would go to "Beauty and the Beast" and promoted the song heavily, spending significantly less money and attention on "Belle".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Young |first=John |date=February 22, 2012 |title=Oscars 1992: Producer Don Hahn on how 'Beauty and the Beast' changed animation |url=http://insidemovies.ew.com/2012/02/22/oscars-1992-beauty-and-the-beast/ |access-date=23 September 2013 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |publisher=}}</ref>
+Alongside "[[Be Our Guest]]" and "[[Beauty and the Beast (Disney song)|Beauty and the Beast]]", "Belle" was one of the three ''Beauty and the Beast'' songs that received an Academy Award nomination for [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]] at the [[64th Academy Awards]] in 1992.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 64th Academy Awards (1992) – Winners & Nominees |url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1992 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240507134312/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1992 |archive-date=May 7, 2024 |access-date=September 23, 2013 |website=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] |publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title = Aging and Identity: A Humanities Perspective|last1 = Deats|first1 = Sara Munson|publisher = Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn = 978-0275964795|pages = 211|first2 = Lagretta Talent|last2 = Lenker|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=SdjljlluozcC&q=belle%20academy%20award%20best%20song%20beauty%20and%20the%20beast&pg=PA211|access-date = 23 September 2013|date = January 1, 1999|location = Westport, Connecticut, United States}}</ref> ''Beauty and the Beast'' became the first film to receive three Oscar nominations for Best Original Song.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=December 12, 2023 |title=From 'Cabaret' to 'Barbie,' All the Films That Received 2 or More Golden Globe Nods for Best Original Song |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/golden-globe-nominations-best-original-song-films-multiple-nominations/dick-tracy-1990/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303014218/https://www.billboard.com/lists/golden-globe-nominations-best-original-song-films-multiple-nominations/dick-tracy-1990/ |archive-date=March 3, 2024 |access-date=April 1, 2024 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> "Belle" ultimately lost to the film's title and [[theme song]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Pat |date=February 21, 2013 |title=20 Of The Best Oscar Songs of All Time – From The Vault |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pat-gallagher/best-movie-songs_b_2712278.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603125859/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/best-movie-songs_b_2712278 |archive-date=June 3, 2023 |access-date=September 23, 2013 |website=[[The Huffington Post]] |publisher=}}</ref>
 ==Live performances and cover versions==
 O'Hara performed "Belle" live for the first time at the [[64th Academy Awards]] in 1992,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Greenbeeger |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Greenberger |date=October 3, 2010 |title=Paige O'hara, The Voice of Belle, on Being Part of 'beauty and The Beast' |url=http://www.comicmix.com/news/2010/10/03/paige-ohara-the-voice-of-belle-on-being-part-of-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108045828/http://www.comicmix.com/news/2010/10/03/paige-ohara-the-voice-of-belle-on-being-part-of-beauty-and-the-beast/ |archive-date=January 8, 2019 |access-date=September 23, 2013 |website=[[Comic Mix]] |publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Rusoff |first=Jane Wollman |date=November 22, 1992 |title=BEAUTY & THE BRIDGE FIRST SHE CHARMED US WITH HER VOICE IN BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. NOW FORT LAUDERDALE'S PAIGE O'HARA TAKES ON A VERY DIFFERENT ROLE IN A FILM ABOUT CHAPPAQUIDDICK. |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/1992/11/22/beauty-the-bridge-first-she-charmed-us-with-her-voice-in-beauty-and-the-beast-now-fort-lauderdales-paige-ohara-takes-on-a-very-different-role-in-a-film-about-chappaquiddick/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601121629/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/1992/11/22/beauty-the-bridge-first-she-charmed-us-with-her-voice-in-beauty-and-the-beast-now-fort-lauderdales-paige-ohara-takes-on-a-very-different-role-in-a-film-about-chappaquiddick/ |archive-date=June 1, 2023 |access-date=March 28, 2024 |work=[[Sun Sentinel]]}}</ref> where the song had been nominated for Best Original Song. Disney executives [[Michael Eisner]] and [[Jeffrey Katzenberg]] insisted that "Belle" be performed by its original artists, despite producers of the telecast requesting pop stars.<ref name="dodo'hara">{{cite web |date=October 2, 2010 |title=An Interview with Paige O'Hara, the voice of Belle |url=http://dadofdivas-reviews.blogspot.ca/2010/10/interview-with-paige-ohara-voice-of.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304215641/http://dadofdivas-reviews.blogspot.ca/2010/10/interview-with-paige-ohara-voice-of.html |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=24 September 2013 |work=Dad of Divas}}</ref> O'Hara also insisted on singing live, despite being offered the choice to [[lip-synch]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Belle by Cast of Beauty And The Beast |url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/cast-of-beauty-and-the-beast/belle |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128022050/https://www.songfacts.com/facts/cast-of-beauty-and-the-beast/belle |archive-date=January 28, 2022 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |website=[[Songfacts]]}}</ref> The actress disliked the blue [[Check (pattern)|checked]] costume she wore for the performance, which she described as "too frilly" for Belle's personal style.<ref name="otbo'hara">{{cite web |last=Sands |first=Jez |date=October 25, 2010 |title=Beauty And The Beast: Paige O'Hara Interview |url=http://blog.onthebox.com/2010/10/25/beauty-and-the-beast-paige-ohara-interview/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221118125006/https://www.onthebox.com/features/beauty-and-the-beast-paige-ohara-interview/ |archive-date=November 18, 2022 |access-date=September 24, 2013 |work=On the Box |publisher=}}</ref> In August 2011, O'Hara performed an abridged version of "Belle" live at the [[Disney Legends]] awards ceremony, at which she was an honoree.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brigante |first=Ricky |date=August 20, 2011 |title=Disney Princesses and Muppets sing at 2011 Disney D23 Expo Legends ceremony |url=http://www.insidethemagic.net/2011/08/disney-princesses-and-muppets-sing-at-2011-disney-d23-expo-legends-ceremony/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204221336/http://www.insidethemagic.net/2011/08/disney-princesses-and-muppets-sing-at-2011-disney-d23-expo-legends-ceremony/ |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |access-date=December 4, 2013 |website=Inside the Magic |publisher=}}</ref> The performance was a ''Beauty and the Beast'' [[medley (music)|medley]], in which O'Hara combined "Belle" with "Beauty and the Beast" and "[[Be Our Guest]]".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goldhaber |first=Mark |date=September 2, 2011 |title=Disney Legends Class of 2011: Modern princesses, the Muppet master and more |url=http://travel.usatoday.com/alliance/destinations/mouseplanet/post/2011/09/Disney-Legends-Class-of--2011-Modern-princesses-the-Muppet-master-and-more/545673/1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101200026/http://travel.usatoday.com/alliance/destinations/mouseplanet/post/2011/09/Disney-Legends-Class-of--2011-Modern-princesses-the-Muppet-master-and-more/545673/1 |archive-date=November 1, 2013 |access-date=December 4, 2013 |website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> In January 2020, O'Hara sang a few lines from "Belle" at the premiere of a ''Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along'' at [[Epcot]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Price |first=Jon |date=January 24, 2020 |title=Paige O'Hara, Disney Legend and Voice of Belle, Surprises Guests at the 'Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along' |url=https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/01/paige-ohara-disney-legend-and-voice-of-belle-surprises-guests-at-the-beauty-and-the-beast-sing-along/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610144403/https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/01/paige-ohara-disney-legend-and-voice-of-belle-surprises-guests-at-the-beauty-and-the-beast-sing-along/ |archive-date=June 10, 2023 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=[[Disney Parks]]}}</ref>
-Actress [[Michelle Nicastro]] covered "Belle" for her movie-themed album ''Toonful'' (1993).<ref>{{Cite web |date=1993 |title=Toonful – Michelle Nicastro |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/toonful-mw0000103996 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211209204113/https://www.allmusic.com/album/toonful-mw0000103996 |archive-date=December 9, 2021 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> The song appears in the [[Beauty and the Beast (musical)|stage adaptation of the film]], which premiered on Broadway in 1994.<ref name=":26">{{Cite news |last=Richards |first=David |date=April 19, 1994 |title=Review/Theater: Beauty and the Beast; Disney Does Broadway, Dancing Spoons and All |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/19/theater/review-theater-beauty-and-the-beast-disney-does-broadway-dancing-spoons-and-all.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170310024654/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/19/theater/review-theater-beauty-and-the-beast-disney-does-broadway-dancing-spoons-and-all.html |archive-date=March 10, 2017 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> David Richards of ''The New York Times'' called it "reminiscent of [[Lerner and Loewe]]".<ref name=":26" /> Actress and singer [[Susan Egan]] originated the role of Belle in the production, and recorded the song for the show's [[Beauty and the Beast (Original Broadway Cast Recording)|original cast album]] with actor [[Burke Moses]] as Gaston.<ref name=":38" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fawthrop |first=Peter |date=April 26, 1994 |title=Beauty and the Beast [Original Broadway Cast Recording] – Original Broadway Cast |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/beauty-and-the-beast-original-broadway-cast-recording--mw0000114741 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221218180905/https://www.allmusic.com/album/beauty-and-the-beast-original-broadway-cast-recording--mw0000114741 |archive-date=December 18, 2022 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref>
+Actress [[Michelle Nicastro]] covered "Belle" for her movie-themed album ''Toonful'' (1993).<ref>{{Cite web |date=1993 |title=Toonful – Michelle Nicastro |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/toonful-mw0000103996 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211209204113/https://www.allmusic.com/album/toonful-mw0000103996 |archive-date=December 9, 2021 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> The song appears in the [[Beauty and the Beast (musical)|stage adaptation of the film]], which premiered on Broadway in 1994.<ref name=":26">{{Cite news |last=Richards |first=David |date=April 19, 1994 |title=Review/Theater: Beauty and the Beast; Disney Does Broadway, Dancing Spoons and All |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/19/theater/review-theater-beauty-and-the-beast-disney-does-broadway-dancing-spoons-and-all.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170310024654/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/19/theater/review-theater-beauty-and-the-beast-disney-does-broadway-dancing-spoons-and-all.html |archive-date=March 10, 2017 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> David Richards of ''The New York Times'' called it "reminiscent of [[Lerner and Loewe]]".<ref name=":26" /> Actress and singer [[Susan Egan]] originated the role of Belle in the production, and recorded the song for the show's [[Beauty and the Beast (Original Broadway Cast Recording)|original cast album]] with actor [[Burke Moses]] as Gaston.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fawthrop |first=Peter |date=April 26, 1994 |title=Beauty and the Beast [Original Broadway Cast Recording] – Original Broadway Cast |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/beauty-and-the-beast-original-broadway-cast-recording--mw0000114741 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221218180905/https://www.allmusic.com/album/beauty-and-the-beast-original-broadway-cast-recording--mw0000114741 |archive-date=December 18, 2022 |access-date=March 27, 2024 |website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref>
-In the [[Beauty and the Beast (2017 film)|2017 live-action adaptation of the film]], "Belle" is performed by actors [[Emma Watson]] and [[Luke Evans (actor)|Luke Evans]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Konerman |first=Jennifer |date=January 8, 2017 |title=Emma Watson Sings "Belle" in the Newest 'Beauty and the Beast' Trailer |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/listen-emma-watson-sing-belle-new-beauty-beast-trailer-962304/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419190850/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/listen-emma-watson-sing-belle-new-beauty-beast-trailer-962304/ |archive-date=April 19, 2024 |access-date=April 19, 2024 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Utley |first=Riley |date=September 27, 2022 |title=Beauty And The Beast's Luke Evans Shares Cute Video After Waking Up To Billboard Of Belle Actress Emma Watson |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/beauty-and-the-beasts-luke-evans-shares-cute-video-after-waking-up-to-billboard-of-belle-actress-emma-watson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419190850/https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/beauty-and-the-beasts-luke-evans-shares-cute-video-after-waking-up-to-billboard-of-belle-actress-emma-watson |archive-date=April 19, 2024 |access-date=April 19, 2024 |work=[[CinemaBlend]]}}</ref> Among some changes made to the scene's dialogue,<ref name=":41">{{Cite magazine |last=Lee |first=Ashley |date=February 21, 2017 |title=Watch Emma Watson Sing 'Beauty and the Beast' Opening Number 'Belle' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/emma-watson-beauty-and-the-beast-opening-belle-7694482/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419191501/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/emma-watson-beauty-and-the-beast-opening-belle-7694482/ |archive-date=April 19, 2024 |access-date=April 19, 2024 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> Belle does not have a conversation with the Baker,<ref name=":40">{{Cite news |last=Gallagher |first=Brian |date=February 20, 2017 |title=Emma Watson Sings 'Belle' in Latest Beauty and the Beast Clip |url=https://movieweb.com/beauty-beast-movie-2017-video-emma-watson-belle-song/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128120613/https://movieweb.com/beauty-beast-movie-2017-video-emma-watson-belle-song/ |archive-date=November 28, 2021 |access-date=April 19, 2024 |work=[[MovieWeb]]}}</ref> but her love of books is maintained.<ref name=":41" /> Writing for ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', [[Owen Gleiberman]] found the staging of this version to be lacking the "[[slapstick]] spryness" of the animation despite its faithfulness to the original material and Watson's performance, saying, "the number feels like something out of one of those overly bustling big-screen musicals from the late ’60s that helped to bury the [[studio system]]".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gleiberman |first=Owen |author-link=Owen Gleiberman |date=March 3, 2017 |title=Film Review: 'Beauty and the Beast' |url=https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/beauty-and-the-beast-review-emma-watson-1202001341/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211222141452/https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/beauty-and-the-beast-review-emma-watson-1202001341/ |archive-date=December 22, 2021 |access-date=March 28, 2024 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> According to Kaitlin Reilly of [[Refinery29]], some fans complained that the baker's line about baguettes had been removed from the remake.<ref name=":37" /> The author attributed the revision to the scene being [[Pace (narrative)|paced]] differently than the animated film.<ref name=":37" /> In 2023, Watson's version of the song was [[RIAA certification|certified Gold]] by the [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Gold & Platinum |url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=Emma+Watson#search_section |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320140015/https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=Emma+Watson#search_section |archive-date=March 20, 2023 |access-date=May 2, 2023 |website=[[Recording Industry Association of America]]}}</ref>
+In the [[Beauty and the Beast (2017 film)|2017 live-action adaptation of the film]], "Belle" is performed by actors [[Emma Watson]] and [[Luke Evans (actor)|Luke Evans]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Konerman |first=Jennifer |date=January 8, 2017 |title=Emma Watson Sings "Belle" in the Newest 'Beauty and the Beast' Trailer |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/listen-emma-watson-sing-belle-new-beauty-beast-trailer-962304/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419190850/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/listen-emma-watson-sing-belle-new-beauty-beast-trailer-962304/ |archive-date=April 19, 2024 |access-date=April 19, 2024 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Utley |first=Riley |date=September 27, 2022 |title=Beauty And The Beast's Luke Evans Shares Cute Video After Waking Up To Billboard Of Belle Actress Emma Watson |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/beauty-and-the-beasts-luke-evans-shares-cute-video-after-waking-up-to-billboard-of-belle-actress-emma-watson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419190850/https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/beauty-and-the-beasts-luke-evans-shares-cute-video-after-waking-up-to-billboard-of-belle-actress-emma-watson |archive-date=April 19, 2024 |access-date=April 19, 2024 |work=[[CinemaBlend]]}}</ref> Among some changes made to the scene's dialogue,<ref name=":41">{{Cite magazine |last=Lee |first=Ashley |date=February 21, 2017 |title=Watch Emma Watson Sing 'Beauty and the Beast' Opening Number 'Belle' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/emma-watson-beauty-and-the-beast-opening-belle-7694482/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419191501/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/emma-watson-beauty-and-the-beast-opening-belle-7694482/ |archive-date=April 19, 2024 |access-date=April 19, 2024 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> Belle does not have a conversation with the Baker,<ref name=":40">{{Cite news |last=Gallagher |first=Brian |date=February 20, 2017 |title=Emma Watson Sings 'Belle' in Latest Beauty and the Beast Clip |url=https://movieweb.com/beauty-beast-movie-2017-video-emma-watson-belle-song/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128120613/https://movieweb.com/beauty-beast-movie-2017-video-emma-watson-belle-song/ |archive-date=November 28, 2021 |access-date=April 19, 2024 |work=[[MovieWeb]]}}</ref> but her love of books is maintained.<ref name=":41" /> Director [[Bill Condon]] confirmed the scene's staging was inspired by the film ''[[Love Me Tonight]]'' (1932), which opens with a musical number about Paris waking up.<ref name=":42" /> Writing for ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', [[Owen Gleiberman]] found the staging of this version to be lacking the "[[slapstick]] spryness" of the animation despite its faithfulness to the original material and Watson's performance, saying, "the number feels like something out of one of those overly bustling big-screen musicals from the late ’60s that helped to bury the [[studio system]]".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gleiberman |first=Owen |author-link=Owen Gleiberman |date=March 3, 2017 |title=Film Review: 'Beauty and the Beast' |url=https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/beauty-and-the-beast-review-emma-watson-1202001341/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211222141452/https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/beauty-and-the-beast-review-emma-watson-1202001341/ |archive-date=December 22, 2021 |access-date=March 28, 2024 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> According to Kaitlin Reilly of [[Refinery29]], some fans complained that the baker's line about baguettes had been removed from the remake.<ref name=":37" /> The author attributed the revision to the scene being [[Pace (narrative)|paced]] differently than the animated film.<ref name=":37" /> In 2023, Watson's version of the song was [[RIAA certification|certified Gold]] by the [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Gold & Platinum |url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=Emma+Watson#search_section |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320140015/https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=Emma+Watson#search_section |archive-date=March 20, 2023 |access-date=May 2, 2023 |website=[[Recording Industry Association of America]]}}</ref>
 == Legacy ==
-"Belle" is considered to be one of the most famous songs from ''Beauty and the Beast''.<ref name=":37" /> [[CinemaBlend]] ranked "Belle" and its reprise the third and fifth best songs from the film, respectively.<ref name=":24" /> The same publication named it the seventh best Disney Princess song.<ref name=":28" /> ''[[Consequence (publication)|Consequence]]'' ranked "Belle" the 12th best Disney song, hailing it as "One of the great opening numbers in all of musical theatre" and arguably the score's catchiest song.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shoemaker |first=A. |date=May 17, 2023 |title=A Definitive Ranking of Every Disney Song, Ever |url=https://consequence.net/2023/05/disney-songs-ranked/59/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240325181509/https://consequence.net/2023/05/disney-songs-ranked/59/ |archive-date=March 25, 2024 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |work=[[Consequence (publication)|Consequence]]}}</ref> [[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]] ranked Belle 23rd.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Goddu |first=Charlotte |date=July 17, 2019 |title=The 40 Best Disney Songs, Ranked |url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2019/7/17/20696940/forty-best-disney-songs-ranked-lion-king |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602221556/https://www.theringer.com/music/2019/7/17/20696940/forty-best-disney-songs-ranked-lion-king |archive-date=June 2, 2023 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |work=[[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]]}}</ref> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' ranked it the 42nd best song in the Disney universe, calling it "tough to beat" among opening numbers.<ref name=":17" /> The same publication ranked it the 13th best song from the [[Disney Renaissance]],<ref name=":25" /> while [[Syfy]] ranked it 28th,<ref name=":33" /> and ''[[Den of Geek]]'' placed it 5th.<ref name=":34" /> "Belle" has also been ranked among Disney's best "I Want" songs by publications such as [[MTV News]].<ref name=":21" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bell |first=Crystal |date=November 21, 2016 |title=Ranking Disney's 'I Want' Songs From Worst To Best |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/4gas3u/disney-i-want-songs-ranked |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326150945/https://www.mtv.com/news/4gas3u/disney-i-want-songs-ranked |archive-date=March 26, 2024 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |work=[[MTV News]]}}</ref> ''[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]'' ranked the reprise Disney's third-best "I Want" song.<ref name=":18" />
+"Belle" is considered to be one of the most famous songs from ''Beauty and the Beast''.<ref name=":37" /> [[CinemaBlend]] ranked "Belle" and its reprise the third and fifth best songs from the film, respectively.<ref name=":24" /> The same publication named it the seventh best Disney Princess song.<ref name=":28" /> ''[[Consequence (publication)|Consequence]]'' ranked "Belle" the 12th best Disney song, hailing it as "One of the great opening numbers in all of musical theatre" and arguably the score's catchiest song.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shoemaker |first=A. |date=May 17, 2023 |title=A Definitive Ranking of Every Disney Song, Ever |url=https://consequence.net/2023/05/disney-songs-ranked/59/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240325181509/https://consequence.net/2023/05/disney-songs-ranked/59/ |archive-date=March 25, 2024 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |work=[[Consequence (publication)|Consequence]]}}</ref> [[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]] ranked Belle 23rd.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Goddu |first=Charlotte |date=July 17, 2019 |title=The 40 Best Disney Songs, Ranked |url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2019/7/17/20696940/forty-best-disney-songs-ranked-lion-king |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602221556/https://www.theringer.com/music/2019/7/17/20696940/forty-best-disney-songs-ranked-lion-king |archive-date=June 2, 2023 |access-date=March 25, 2024 |work=[[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]]}}</ref> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' ranked it the 42nd best song in the Disney universe, calling it "tough to beat" among opening numbers.<ref name=":17" /> The same publication ranked it the 13th best song from the [[Disney Renaissance]],<ref name=":25" /> while [[Syfy]] ranked it 28th,<ref name=":33" /> and ''[[Den of Geek]]'' placed it 5th.<ref name=":34" /> "Belle" has also been ranked among Disney's best "I Want" songs by publications such as [[MTV News]].<ref name=":21" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bell |first=Crystal |date=November 21, 2016 |title=Ranking Disney's 'I Want' Songs From Worst To Best |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/4gas3u/disney-i-want-songs-ranked |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326150945/https://www.mtv.com/news/4gas3u/disney-i-want-songs-ranked |archive-date=March 26, 2024 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |work=[[MTV News]]}}</ref> ''[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]'' ranked the reprise Disney's third-best "I Want" song.<ref name=":18" /> Collider ranked it the eighth-best opening song from a musical film.<ref name=":43" />
-"Belle" is heavily parodied in the animated musical film ''[[South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut]]'' (1999) through its opening number, "Mountain Town".<ref name="southparkplaybill">{{cite web |last=Ehren |first=Christine |date=July 2, 1999 |title='South Park' Movie Mocks Bway Musicals, Features Howard McGillin |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/46448-South-Park-Movie-Mocks-Bway-Musicals-Features-Howard-McGillin |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013100230/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/46448-South-Park-Movie-Mocks-Bway-Musicals-Features-Howard-McGillin |archive-date=13 October 2013 |access-date=11 October 2013 |work=Playbill |publisher=Playbill, Inc}}</ref><ref name="eweeklysouthpark">{{cite magazine |last=William |first=Chris |date=August 9, 1999 |title=Music From and Inspired by South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,64165,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013065017/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,64165,00.html |archive-date=13 October 2013 |access-date=11 October 2013 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Filmtracks.com described the parody as "a delightful introductory piece".<ref name="southparkfilmtracks">{{cite web |title=South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut |url=http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/south_park.html |access-date=11 October 2013 |work=Filmtracks |publisher=Filmtracks Publications}}</ref> [[Amy Keating Rogers]], a writer working on the animated television series ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'', mentioned she was influenced by the song as she wrote "Pinkie the Party Planner", the first musical number that appears in the musical-intensive episode "[[Pinkie Pride]]".<ref>{{cite web |author=Amy Keating Rogers |date=2014-02-01 |title=When I wrote the lyrics for... |url=https://twitter.com/KeatingRogers/status/429639366948843520 |access-date=2014-02-01 |work=Twitter}}</ref>
+"Belle" is heavily parodied in the animated musical film ''[[South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut]]'' (1999) through its opening number, "Mountain Town".<ref name="southparkplaybill">{{cite web |last=Ehren |first=Christine |date=July 2, 1999 |title='South Park' Movie Mocks Bway Musicals, Features Howard McGillin |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/46448-South-Park-Movie-Mocks-Bway-Musicals-Features-Howard-McGillin |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013100230/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/46448-South-Park-Movie-Mocks-Bway-Musicals-Features-Howard-McGillin |archive-date=13 October 2013 |access-date=11 October 2013 |work=Playbill |publisher=Playbill, Inc}}</ref><ref name="eweeklysouthpark">{{cite magazine |last=William |first=Chris |date=August 9, 1999 |title=Music From and Inspired by South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut |url=https://ew.com/article/1999/08/09/music-and-inspired-south-park-bigger-longer-uncut/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013065017/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,64165,00.html |archive-date=13 October 2013 |access-date=11 October 2013 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Filmtracks.com described the parody as "a delightful introductory piece".<ref name="southparkfilmtracks">{{cite web |title=South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut |url=http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/south_park.html |access-date=11 October 2013 |work=Filmtracks |publisher=Filmtracks Publications}}</ref> [[Amy Keating Rogers]], a writer working on the animated television series ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'', mentioned she was influenced by the song as she wrote "Pinkie the Party Planner", the first musical number that appears in the musical-intensive episode "[[Pinkie Pride]]".<ref>{{cite web |author=Amy Keating Rogers |date=2014-02-01 |title=When I wrote the lyrics for... |url=https://twitter.com/KeatingRogers/status/429639366948843520 |access-date=2014-02-01 |work=Twitter}}</ref>
 ==Certifications==

v t e Howard Ashman
Musicals	God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (1979) Little Shop of Horrors (1982) Smile (1986) Beauty and the Beast (1994) The Little Mermaid (2007) Aladdin (2014)
Musical films	Little Shop of Horrors (1986) Oliver & Company (1988) The Little Mermaid (1989) Beauty and the Beast (1991) Aladdin (1992) Beauty and the Beast (2017) Aladdin (2019) The Little Mermaid (2023)
Soundtracks	The Little Mermaid (1989) Beauty and the Beast (1991) Aladdin (1992) Beauty and the Beast (2017) Aladdin (2019) The Little Mermaid (2023)
Songwriter	"Mean Green Mother from Outer Space" (1986) "Fathoms Below" (1989) "Part of Your World" (1989) "Under the Sea" (1989) "Poor Unfortunate Souls" (1989) "Les Poissons" (1989) "Kiss the Girl" (1989) "Belle" (1991) "Gaston" (1991) "Be Our Guest" (1991) "Something There" (1991) "Beauty and the Beast" (1991) "The Mob Song" (1991) "Human Again" (1991) "Proud of Your Boy" (1992) "Friend Like Me" (1992) "Prince Ali" (1992)
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