who sang tale as old as time in the original beauty and the beast
Beauty and the Beast (Disney song) "Beauty and the Beast" is a song written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for the Disney animated feature film Beauty and the Beast (1991). The film's theme song, the Broadway-inspired ballad was first recorded by British-American actress Angela Lansbury in her role as the voice of the character Mrs. Potts, and essentially describes the relationship between its two main characters Belle and the Beast, specifically how the couple has learned to accept their differences and in turn change each other for the better. Additionally, the song's lyrics imply that the feeling of love is as timeless and ageless as a "tale as old as time". Lansbury's rendition is heard during the famous ballroom sequence between Belle and the Beast, while a shortened chorale version plays in the closing scenes of the film, and the song's motif features frequently in other pieces of Menken's film score. "Beauty and the Beast" was subsequently recorded as a pop duet by Canadian singer Celine Dion and American singer Peabo Bryson, and released as the only single from the film's soundtrack on November 25, 1991.
Evermore (Beauty and the Beast song) Originally entitled "For Evermore",[12] "Evermore" was written by composer Menken and lyricist Rice.[13] The last of the three original songs written for the remake, "Evermore" was completed considerably late into production after the filmmakers finally agreed that the Beast should perform his own.[14] Written in Spring 2015 in London, England, Menken quickly composed its melody before Rice contributed lyrics revolving around the Beast releasing Belle.[14] Actor Dan Stevens, who portrays the Beast and performs "Evermore", had little singing experience prior to being cast in the film.[12] Before "Evermore" was written, Condon informed Stevens that he would be singing a new song in his role as Beast.[15] Having not sung professionally since childhood, Stevens was required to retrain his singing voice, the process of which he found challenging.[16] To prepare for the recording, Stevens received extensive vocal coaching from vocal coach Ann-Marie Speed in addition to working closely with Menken.[12][17] Stevens first recorded a "guide track" for "Evermore" before he and Menken revisited the track to modify specific lines and notes.[15] To make the actor sound more "beast-like", sound engineers digitally modified Stevens' voice,[18] which Menken produced himself.[14] Auto-Tune was used to make Stevens' voice sound lower and heavier.[19][20] Menken continued making minor changes to the song well into production.[15] On recording a new song, Stevens said, "the pressure's sort of off — but it's also on — because it doesn't have to sound like it did before, but it should sound good enough to sit alongside the music that's already pretty great."[15] Stevens agreed that the song is "a big, romantic, soaring number" about the Beast lamenting "I've fallen in love with her, and now she's buggered off, woe is me", while "If I Can't Love Her" is "How am I going to fall in love with her?"[12] Replacing "If I Can't Love Her" with "Evermore" helped make the songwriters eligible for an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.[21][22]