<P> "Beauty and the Beast" was written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken in 1990 . Intending for the song to be "the height of simplicity", the songwriters drew much of its influence from Broadway music . Due to Ashman's failing health, some of Beauty and the Beast's pre-production was relocated to a hotel in Fishkill, New York near Ashman's residence to accommodate the ailing lyricist . Out of all the songs he has written for Beauty and the Beast, Menken devoted the most time to the title song . The track was first recorded by British - American actress Angela Lansbury, who voices the character Mrs. Potts, an enchanted teapot . The songwriters first introduced "Beauty and the Beast" to Lansbury as a demo recording, which was accompanied by a note asking her if she might possibly be interested in singing it . Although a seasoned film and stage performer who had previously done her own singing for Disney in the musical film Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), Lansbury, who was more accustomed to performing uptempo songs, was hesitant to record the ballad because of its unfamiliar rock style . Although she liked the song, Lansbury also worried that her aging singing voice was no longer strong enough to record "Beauty and the Beast", and was especially concerned about having to sustain its longer notes . Lansbury suggested that the songwriters ask someone else to sing "Beauty and the Beast", but they insisted that she simply "sing the song the way (she) envisioned it ." </P> <P> On October 6, 1990, "Beauty and the Beast" was recorded in a studio in New York accompanied by a live orchestra because the songwriters preferred to have all performers and musicians record together opposed to separating the singers from the instrumentalists . On the day of her scheduled recording session, Lansbury's flight was delayed due to a bomb threat, which prompted an emergency landing in Las Vegas . Unaware of her whereabouts for several hours, the filmmakers had begun making plans to reschedule the session until Lansbury finally telephoned the studio once she arrived safely in New York . At the behest of one of the directors, Lansbury recorded a demo of the song for them to use in the event that no other actress was available to sing it on her behalf, or no character other than Mrs. Potts was deemed suitable . Ultimately, Lansbury recorded her version in one take, which wound up being used in the final film . Producer Don Hahn recalled that the actress simply "sang' Beauty and the Beast' from beginning to end and just nailed it . We picked up a couple of lines here and there, but essentially that one take is what we used for the movie ." Lansbury's performance moved everyone who was present in the recording studio at the time to tears . Meanwhile, the actress credits recording the song with ultimately helping her gain further perspective on Mrs. Potts' role in the film . </P> <P> Some of Ashman's cut lyrics from the 1991 film were reinstated for the version in the 2017 film . </P> <P> The scene in Beauty and the Beast during which the song is heard is the moment when Belle and the Beast's true feelings for each other are finally established . Set in the ballroom of the Beast's castle, "Beauty and the Beast" is performed by the character Mrs. Potts, an enchanted teapot, midway through the film as she explains the feeling of love to her young teacup son Chip, referring to the emotion as "a tale as old as time". According to Armen Karaoghlanian of Interiors, "Belle familiarizes the Beast with the waltz and as soon he feels comfortable, he gracefully moves her across the floor". Afterwards, the song continues to play instrumentally as Belle and the Beast retire to the balcony for a romantic candlelit dinner . Believed to be the "centerpiece that brings Beauty and her Beast together," the sequence offers an insight into both characters' psyches . From the Beast's perspective, it is the moment he realizes that he wants to confess his true feelings for Belle to her and "decides he wants to tell Belle he is in love with her ." Meanwhile, Belle begins to fall in love with her captor . Writing for The Globe and Mail, Jennie Punter reviewed it as the scene in which "romance finally blossoms ." Film critic Ellison Estefan, writing for Estefan Films, believes that the sequence is responsible for "add (ing) another dimension to the characters as they continue to fall deeply in love with each other ." Explaining the song's role in the film, director Kirk Wise described the scene as "the culmination of their relationship," while producer Don Hahn pegged it as "the bonding moment of the film when the two main characters finally get together ." </P>

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