Ariana Grande and John Legend have just released the title track for Disney's "Beauty and the Beast". I think I was as skeptical of this cover song as I was of the idea that this classic fairytale cartoon was turned into a real life action film. I mean, with real people, a dancing teapot, singing clock and one person dressed up like a beast?! Ooookay.......
Yes, I know that when you leave projects like these in the hands of people like Disneys', there's a 90% chance the outcome is going to be ok, at minimum. The trailer of the movie reassured me that they really have decided to try to do the animated version justice, but I'm still wary.
The song is giving away, that they may have played it extremely safe. The original song was performed by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson and released in 1991. I loved it, at the time and it's a song I've never really stopped playing, mainly due to Celine's involvement.
Ariana Grande and John Legend's version sounds pretty much exactly like the original. I mean, there are a few slight changes and additional vocals, but it's very much the same. It's because of this, that I don't really know what to think of it. I know the original too well, to say that this will replace it for me, but I'm also slightly concerned.
Some songs are classics as is, but when you re-do them, they need some updating to compete with other songs from this era. I somehow think they played it all too safe. Instead, they should've rearranged the song and dared to step out of that comfort zone. Ariana and John are just appearing on this song, so I very much consider this a Disney release and Disney today is not what it was in 1991. They should've shown that.
Nevertheless, if the movie hits on, so will this song. For Ariana, this is not as strong as "Faith" was for "Sing", but once again, you can tell who her idols were. She could've just as well done the Celine impression from SNL on this record. John is a very different singer from Peabo Bryson. He actually has a little bit of rawness to his vocals, in contradiction to Ariana's smooth vocals. It does give it a certain kind of interaction you would expect from the characters Belle (Beauty) and the Beast.
