Evermore (Beauty and the Beast song) facts for kids

"Evermore" is a special song written by Alan Menken and Tim Rice for the 2017 live-action movie Beauty and the Beast. This movie is a new version of Disney's classic 1991 animated film. The song is sung in the movie by English actor Dan Stevens, who plays the Beast.

Before the movie came out, a different version of "Evermore" was released as a single by American singer Josh Groban on March 3, 2017. Dan Stevens' version was released a week later with the movie's soundtrack. Josh Groban's version is played during the movie's closing credits.

In the original animated Beauty and the Beast movie, the Beast doesn't sing much. The creators, Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, couldn't find the right moment for him to have his own song. For the new live-action movie, Menken wanted the Beast to sing a song called "If I Can't Love Her", which he and Tim Rice wrote for the Beauty and the Beast stage musical. However, they decided a brand new song would be better. This new song, "Evermore", shows that the Beast has finally learned how to love.

"Evermore" is a sad but powerful song, like those you might hear in a Broadway show. Its lyrics talk about true love, feeling heartbroken, being lonely, and making sacrifices. In the movie, the Beast sings "Evermore" after he lets Belle leave his castle. He knows that freeing her might mean he can never become human again. But he realizes he loves Belle and chooses her happiness over his own. Many critics have praised "Evermore", calling it the best new song in the remake. They often compared it to "If I Can't Love Her". Critics also thought Dan Stevens sang it very well. Many believed it might even be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, but it wasn't.

How the Song Was Made

Composer Alan Menken helped create "Evermore" for the Beast. He first wanted to use an older song, but decided a new one was better for the movie.

The movie's director, Bill Condon, first thought about using most of the songs from the Beauty and the Beast Broadway musical in the new film. But Disney decided to ask composer Alan Menken and lyricist Tim Rice to write brand new songs instead. Menken had worked with Rice before on Disney's Aladdin (1992). They wrote three new songs for the remake. Tim Rice took the place of the original Beauty and the Beast lyricist, Howard Ashman, who had passed away. Menken felt that the songs from the stage musical wouldn't fit the movie well because movies and stage shows have different structures and pacing.

In the animated movie, the Beast only sings a small part in "Something There". Menken and Ashman couldn't agree on a good time for the Beast to have his own solo song. However, Menken believed it was very important for the Beast to sing a solo in both the stage musical and the live-action movie. He felt the Beast is the main character whose life changes the most. In the stage show, the Beast sings "If I Can't Love Her" after Belle runs away. He wonders how he can love anyone if he can't even love her.

Menken and Condon talked about using "If I Can't Love Her" in the movie. Menken really liked the song, but it was written to end the first act of a Broadway show. So, they decided not to use it. The screenwriter, Stephen Chbosky, suggested the Beast get a new song to sing after he saves Belle from wolves. Menken and Rice thought about changing the lyrics of "If I Can't Love Her" to "Now that I've lost her". But because the movie has a different story structure, they decided a new song would be better. This new song would show the Beast's feelings for Belle after he learns to love her and realizes she is no longer his prisoner. It also shows him accepting that letting her go means he might never become human again. Tim Rice helped convince Menken to write a new song, joking that using "If I Can't Love Her" would be like writing "Don't Cry for Me Brazil" instead of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina".

The songwriters decided that the best time for the Beast to sing was when he lets Belle go and fears he has lost her. Menken agreed that this moment, when the Beast realizes Belle is no longer his prisoner, would be perfect for a song. The song was first called "For Evermore" but later became "Evermore". It was the last of the three new songs written for the movie. It was finished quite late in the production after everyone agreed the Beast needed his own song. Menken wrote the music quickly in London in Spring 2015, and then Rice added lyrics about the Beast letting Belle go.

Dan Stevens, who plays the Beast, didn't have much singing experience before the movie. Bill Condon told him he would be singing a new song. Stevens hadn't sung professionally since he was a child, so he had to train his singing voice, which he found challenging. He worked closely with Menken and a vocal coach, Ann-Marie Speed. Stevens first recorded a "guide track" for "Evermore". Then, he and Menken changed some lines and notes. To make Stevens' voice sound more like a beast, sound engineers used Auto-Tune to make it lower and heavier. Menken kept making small changes to the song even during filming. Stevens said that singing a new song was "a big, romantic, soaring number" about the Beast realizing he's in love but Belle is leaving. He felt "Evermore" was about "I've fallen in love with her, and now she's gone," while "If I Can't Love Her" was about "How am I going to fall in love with her?" Having a new song also helped the songwriters be considered for an Academy Award nomination.

What Happens During the Song

"Evermore" is one of the ways the new movie is different from the original. It helps show the sadness and loneliness of both the Beast and Belle. The song appears about two-thirds of the way through the film. It takes the place of "If I Can't Love Her" from the Broadway musical. It's a powerful solo where the Beast truly expresses his deep feelings for Belle.

In Beauty and the Beast, "Evermore" is sung by the Beast just before "The Mob Song", as the movie gets close to its exciting ending. After the Beast and Belle (Emma Watson) dance in the castle's ballroom to Mrs. Potts (Emma Thompson) singing "Beauty and the Beast", they talk. The Beast learns how much Belle misses her father, Maurice (Kevin Kline). He finally admits that Belle is not his prisoner anymore. He sings "Evermore" right after he lets her leave the castle to protect Maurice from Gaston.

The Beast believes Belle is lost to him forever. He is heartbroken by her leaving and sings "Evermore" to show his sadness. He accepts that letting her go makes it harder, maybe even impossible, to break the enchantress's spell. This song shows how much the Beast has changed and grown emotionally. It adds more depth to his character by showing the journey he goes through in the movie.

Like "If I Can't Love Her", "Evermore" gives the Beast a stronger voice. The song happens at a very important moment in the movie. The Beast is sad about his decision to free Belle, and the song shows his inner pain and how much he has grown. For the first time, the audience truly understands how the Beast feels when he lets Belle go to save Maurice.

During the song, the Beast climbs higher and higher up the turret of his castle. He watches Belle ride away on her horse until she disappears. The scene looks like a live musical performance because of Dan Stevens' acting and the way it's filmed. The music gets louder and more dramatic as the sad Beast climbs. Menken explained that the Beast sings with "raw emotion," thinking, "I know what love is now, and it's wonderful, even though I'll never see her again." "Evermore" captures the Beast's pain as he watches the woman he loves leave him.

Director Bill Condon said that "Evermore" is one of the movie's "dramatic high points." It proves that the Beast has finally become "worthy of love." For the Beast, the song is a tribute to his love for Belle and his endless devotion as she rides away, possibly forever. It shows his deep thoughts about being alone and heartbroken. According to Menken, the Beast is "basically singing about how he now knows what love is." The Beast is now able to feel and show human emotions like heartbreak, loneliness, and helplessness. He has learned about true love and sacrifice.

Music and What the Lyrics Mean

"Evermore" is known as the most powerful new song in the remake. Critics call it a "big" and "romantic" song. It's a "soaring ballad" with grand music. Jason Fraley of WTOP called it a "haunting song of longing" and a "mournful love song" that gets louder as it goes on. The music starts with the Beast's mysterious theme, then becomes a solo. It grows from the movie's "Rose" theme before reaching its main tune.

Even though it's a sad "lovesick ballad," "Evermore" is more upbeat than "If I Can't Love Her." It captures the grand style of musical theater. However, it's still one of the sadder songs on the soundtrack, which mostly has happy songs. It adds a lot of emotional depth to the album. Alyssa Bailey from Elle called it a "Broadway version of a breakup ballad." The lyrics include lines like "I let her steal into my melancholy heart/It's more than I can bear."

The sad music of "Evermore" is combined with lyrics that talk about loneliness. The music gets louder and stronger as the song continues. The song is both "brooding" (meaning deep and thoughtful) and hopeful at the same time. Jay Jason of Comicbook.com thinks the lyrics are inspired by the saying, "If you love someone, let them go." Dan Stevens' voice shakes with emotion when he sings, "I never needed anybody in my life." The lyrics are meant to make listeners feel emotional.

The main part of "Evermore" (the chorus) talks about heartbreak: "Now I know she'll never leave me/Even as she runs away/She will still torment me/Call me, hurt me/Move me, come what may/Wasting in my lonely tower/Waiting by an open door/I'll fool myself, she'll walk right in/And be with me for evermore." Stevens sings these words with a lot of feeling. The song also talks about true love, sacrifice, and learning to understand what love means.

Dan Stevens sings the song with a deep, strong voice, called a "baritone". The song lasts three minutes and fourteen seconds. His voice sounds like "melted-chocolate" and becomes more human-like as the song goes on. Stevens' voice has been compared to Terrence Mann, who played the Beast in the Broadway show. Stevens starts the song using a more "guttural" (deep, rough) part of his voice to sound like the Beast. Then, it becomes a "soaring love ballad." You can hear some Auto-Tune in his performance, which helped make his voice sound lower and heavier for the Beast character.

Different Language Versions

When the movie was released in theaters, it had 32 different language versions, called dubbings. The song "Evermore" had 31 different versions. For example, Yoni Amar sang the song for both the French versions released in Europe and Canada, even though the rest of those two dubbings were separate.

Yiánnis Palamídas, the Greek voice actor for the Beast, had also voiced the character in the original animated movie. He returned to play the Beast again in the live-action film 24 years later.

How the Song Performed on Charts

Even though Dan Stevens' version of "Evermore" wasn't released as a single, it became popular. Because of the movie and its soundtrack, the song appeared on several music charts from digital downloads. On April 8, 2017, "Evermore" reached number 18 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. It also reached number 46 on the US Digital Songs chart. It stayed on both charts for one week.

Josh Groban's Version

"Evermore"
Single by Josh Groban
from the album Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Released	March 3, 2017
Recorded	January 2017
Genre	Operatic pop
Length	3:09
Label	Walt Disney
Songwriter(s)	Alan Menken Tim Rice
Producer(s)	Martin Nessi

After Ariana Grande and John Legend released their pop version of "Beauty and the Beast," Disney decided to release another song from the movie's soundtrack as a single. They chose "Evermore." Alan Menken and Bill Condon discussed which modern singer could handle such a demanding song. They thought about opera singer Andrea Bocelli, but then Disney's music president, Mitchell Leib, suggested Josh Groban. He felt Groban's voice was perfect for the song. Menken knew Groban personally and texted him. Groban immediately said he was interested.

On January 26, 2017, Disney announced that Josh Groban had recorded a cover of "Evermore." His version would be on the movie's soundtrack and played during the end credits. Groban released a statement saying he was "honored to sing this beautiful new song by two of my absolute favorites, Alan Menken and Tim Rice." He added that Beauty and the Beast had been with him since childhood. A short preview of Groban's song was put on SoundCloud on February 14, 2017. Groban's version was released as the second single from the soundtrack on March 3, 2017, a few days before the full album came out. Groban promoted the song by performing it on Good Morning America on March 14, 2017. This was the first time a new song from the remake was performed live on TV.

Groban's version is an "operatic pop" ballad, similar to a Broadway song. It has the same lyrics, starting with "I was the one who had it all." It's in the key of A major and has a moderately slow speed of 96 beats per minute. Groban's three-minute-and-nine-second version has a "sweeping, operatic quality." It talks about longing for true love. Critics praised Groban's version. Devan Coggan of Entertainment Weekly called it a "gorgeous ballad." Elle writer Alyssa Bailey said Groban's emotional performance would make listeners "feel the Beast's feels."