This Song From ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Didn’t Make It to the Original Version of the Film
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast features fan-favorite songs like “Be Our Guest” and “Belle.” However, one group number is excluded from several versions of this animated movie.
Here’s what we know about the song “Human Again.”
Disney’s animated classic, ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ earned Academy and Golden Globe Awards
It’s a tale as old as time. Disney premiered their animated film Beauty and the Beast in 1991, introducing fans to the book-loving Belle and Beast’s enchanted castle. This film also featured several original songs, including “Beauty and the Beast,” “Belle,” and “Something There.”
This film and its soundtrack earned a whopping seven Grammy nominations, taking home 4 Grammy Awards at the 1992 ceremony.
That includes Best Album For Children, Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal and Best Song Written Specifically For A Motion Picture Or For Television, and Best Instrumental Composition Written For A Motion Picture Or For Television.
‘Human Again’ only appears in select copies of ‘Beauty and the Beast’
There are several fan-favorite songs that appear in the original animated movie, Beauty and the Beast. However, some songs and scenes were cut from Disney’s final version.
That includes “Human Again,” performed by the enchanted objects as they dreamed of post-spell life while cleaning the ballroom. “Human Again” is also missing from the Disney+ version of this film, although it does appear in the Special Platinum Edition DVD.
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Composer Alan Menken revealed the two songs used in the Broadway musical that he wanted for the animated film. One of those songs was “Human Again.”
“I love that song, but it was a nine-minute number and problematic because of the logic of the story,” he explained. “So instead, we used ‘Something There,’ since both deal with Belle and the Beast falling in love and everyone anticipating becoming human again.”
Additionally, one version of this song appeared in the Walt Disney Records The Legacy Collection: Beauty and the Beast. The Spotify track, which is just under 5 minutes long, has over 2 million plays.
The live-action and stage adaptation of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ featured new original songs
This animated movie reappeared in several different forms over the years. At Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios, cast members perform a shortened stage version for guests. There, attendees can see songs like “Be Our Guest” and “Belle” live.
On Broadway, an extended version of this musical ran for several months, featuring new songs like “Home.” The 2017 live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast included new and original songs like “Evermore,” performed by the Beast, and “Days in the Sun,” performed by the cast.
The animated classic, Beauty and the Beast, is available on Disney’s streaming platform, Disney+. The subscription service also holds the Beauty and the Beast-filled season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
