Menken has collaborated with several renowned lyricists including Howard Ashman (1950-1991), Tim Rice and Stephen Schwartz. He is best known for his work on several Disney animated features, including The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Hercules, Pocahontas, Aladdin, and Home on the Range. His first successful work was the 1982 off-Broadway musical Little Shop of Horrors. Menken has received eight Academy Awards, and has one of the the highest film to Oscar ratio of anyone in the industry.
Howard Ashman ( May 17, 1950 - March 14, 1991) was an American playwright and movie music lyricist. Ashman first studied at Boston University and Goddard College (with a stop at Tufts University's Summer Theater) and then went on to achieve his master's degree from Indiana University in 1974. He collaborated with Alan Menken on several films, notably animated features for Disney, Ashman writing the lyrics and Menken composing the scores.
Ashman and Menken first worked on a 1979 musical adapted from Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. They also collaborated on Little Shop of Horrors with Ashman as director, lyricist, and librettist.
Along with Menken, Ashman was the co-recipient of two Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes and two Oscars. His second Academy Award in 1992 was awarded posthumuously for Best Song and was accepted by his partner, Bill Lauch. It was the first Academy Award given posthumously to someone who had died of AIDS.
Ashman died on March 14, 1991, at age 40, during the making of both Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. The song Proud of Your Boy was the one of the last songs ever written by Ashman, for Aladdin but was cut from the movie after the mother was taken out of the story. Ashman and Menken had finished the songs for Beauty and the Beast, but Tim Rice was brought in to finish the Aladdin songs with Menken. Beauty and the Beast was dedicated to him with the following:
To our friend, Howard,
Who gave a mermaid her voice,
and a beast his soul.
We will be forever grateful.
Howard Ashman
1950-1991
Be Our Guest
Alan Menken & Howard Ashman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Be our guest
Put our service to the test
Tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie
And we provide the rest
Soup du jour
Hot hors d'oeuvres
Why, we only live to serve
Don't believe me? Ask the dishes
They can sing
They can dance
After all, Miss, this is France
And a dinner here is never second best
Go on, unfold your menu
Take a glance and then you'll
Be our guest
Oui, our guest
Be our guest
Beef ragout
Cheese souffle
Pie and pudding "en flambe"
We'll prepare and serve with flair
A culinary cabaret
You're alone
And you're scared
But the banquet's all prepared
No one's gloomy or complaining
While the flatware's entertaining
We tell jokes
I do tricks
With my fellow candlesticks
And it's all in perfect taste that you can bet
Come on and lift your glass
You've won your own free pass
To be out guest
If you're stressed
It's fine dining we suggest
Be our guest
Be our guest
Be our guest
Life is so unnerving
For a servant who's not serving
He's not whole without a soul to wait upon
Ah, those good old days when we were useful
Suddenly those good old days are gone
Ten years we've been rusting
Needing so much more than dusting
Needing exercise, a chance to use our skills
Most days we just lay around the castle
Flabby, fat and lazy
You walked in and oops-a-daisy!
It's a guest
It's a guest
Sakes alive, well I'll be blessed
Wine's been poured and thank the Lord
I've had the napkins freshly pressed
With dessert
She'll want tea
And my dear that's fine with me
While the cups do their soft shoeing
I'll be bubbling, I'll be brewing
I'll get warm
Piping hot
Heaven's sakes! Is that a spot?
Clean it up! We want the company impressed
We've got a lot to do
Is it one lump or two
For you, our guest
She's our guest
She's our guest
She's our guest
Be our guest
Be our guest
Our command is your request
It's ten years since we had anybody here
And we're obsessed
With your meal
With your ease
Yes, indeed, we aim to please
While the candlelight's still glowing
Let us help you
We'll keep going
Course by course
One by one
'Til you shout,enough, I'm done
Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest
Tonight you'll prop your feet up
But for now, let's eat up
Be our guest
Be our guest
Be our guest
Please, be our guest
The song “Be Our Guest” from the Disney film Beauty and the Beast is performed by the enchanted objects in the Beast’s castle. The song serves as an invitation to Belle as the castle's guests with the lyrics "Be our guest, be our guest, put our service to the test." The objects transform the Beast's dull and gloomy castle into a vibrant and lively place by providing a delicious meal accompanied by singing and dancing performances. The three-course menu is offered to Belle, and she is encouraged to indulge in the castle's culinary cabaret.
The song is a reflection of the objects' desire to become human again, as they’ve been enchanted for ten years, with lyrics, "Ten years we've been rusting, needing so much more than dusting, needing exercise, a chance to use our skills." They see Belle as a chance to break the spell, as one line goes, “life is so unnerving for a servant who's not serving, he's not whole without a soul to wait upon.” The song is a showcase of the objects' hospitality, entertainment and their admiration for human company, hinting at their desperation to break the curse.
Line by Line Meaning
Be our guest
We invite you to experience our hospitality
Put our service to the test
Evaluate us and we'll prove our excellence
Tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie
Prepare yourself for an indulgent meal
And we provide the rest
We'll take care of everything beyond your expectation
Soup du jour
The soup of the day
Hot hors d'oeuvres
Delicious finger foods served to stimulate your palate
Why, we only live to serve
Service is our ultimate purpose
Try the grey stuff, it's delicious
Be adventurous and try our unique dish called the grey stuff
Don't believe me? Ask the dishes
The enchanted objects that serve you will vouch for the taste
They can sing
These objects can not only serve but entertain you too
They can dance
Our 'staff' members have many talents
After all, Miss, this is France
Be assured of our high culinary standards as we are in France
And a dinner here is never second best
You can expect the best dining experience at our establishment
Go on, unfold your menu
Explore the exciting options on our menu
Take a glance and then you'll
Discover some unique and tempting dishes, which will
Oui, our guest
Yes, our guest
Beef ragout
A hearty stew made with chunks of beef and vegetables
Cheese souffle
A savory dish made with cheese and light, fluffy egg batter
Pie and pudding "en flambe"
Delicious pies and puddings that have been flambeed to perfection
We'll prepare and serve with flair
We'll artfully prepare and present each dish with great skill
A culinary cabaret
A fanciful feast with lots of entertainment value
You're alone
We understand dining alone can be uncomfortable
And you're scared
We'll make this experience as comfortable and pleasant as possible for you
But the banquet's all prepared
Everything has been arranged to perfection for this special meal
No one's gloomy or complaining
All our staff members are cheerful and pleasant
While the flatware's entertaining
Even our cutlery adds to the excitement with their antics
We tell jokes
We love to entertain you with humor and fun stories
I do tricks
The candlesticks have amazing and amusing tricks up their wicks
With my fellow candlesticks
The other candlesticks join in the fun and frolic
And it's all in perfect taste that you can bet
We maintain high standards of taste and presentation
Come on and lift your glass
Join us in toasting this great experience with a drink in hand
You've won your own free pass
You've earned this complimentary dining experience
To be out guest
To enjoy our hospitality as our valued guest
If you're stressed
If you're facing stressful times
It's fine dining we suggest
We recommend indulging in a luxurious dining experience to relieve stress
Life is so unnerving
Life can be challenging and difficult
For a servant who's not serving
Being idle and not serving feels meaningless
He's not whole without a soul to wait upon
A servant derives purpose and fulfillment by serving others
Ah, those good old days when we were useful
The enchanted objects reminisce about the good old days when they were useful and active
Suddenly those good old days are gone
The objects lament about their current state of being idle and inactive
Ten years we've been rusting
The objects have been inactive for ten years, causing rust and degradation
Needing so much more than dusting
The objects require more than mere dusting to be restored to their former glory
Needing exercise, a chance to use our skills
The objects need a chance to use their skills and talents to serve once again
Most days we just lay around the castle
The objects lead dull and boring lives, spending most of their days lying idle
Flabby, fat and lazy
The idle lifestyle has made the objects out of shape and lethargic
You walked in and oops-a-daisy!
Your arrival has given the objects hope and renewed purpose
It's a guest
We have a guest and we're thrilled to serve them
Sakes alive, well I'll be blessed
We can hardly believe that we have a guest after so long
Wine's been poured and thank the Lord
Wine has been poured and we're grateful to have this opportunity
I've had the napkins freshly pressed
We're attentive to every detail, even the napkins
With dessert
After the main course, enjoy our delicious desserts
She'll want tea
We'll prepare a comforting cup of tea to accompany dessert
And my dear that's fine with me
It would be our pleasure to serve you tea
While the cups do their soft shoeing
Even the cups join in the entertainment
I'll be bubbling, I'll be brewing
Our staff is skilled in preparing hot beverages too
I'll get warm
Your tea will be served piping hot
Piping hot
Very hot and steaming
Heaven's sakes! Is that a spot?
We're vigilant about cleanliness and attention to detail
Clean it up! We want the company impressed
We strive to impress you with our exceptional service
We've got a lot to do
We have a lot of work to do to ensure your dining experience is exceptional
Is it one lump or two
Would you like one or two sugar lumps in your tea?
For you, our guest
We'll go above and beyond to make your experience special
She's our guest
We're proud to have you as our guest
Our command is your request
We're at your service, ready to fulfill your every request
It's ten years since we had anybody here
It has been a decade since anyone has dined with us
And we're obsessed
We're completely focused on making your dining experience unforgettable
With your meal
We're dedicated to ensuring your meal is perfect
With your ease
We're committed to making this a relaxing and enjoyable experience for you
Yes, indeed, we aim to please
Our ultimate goal is to please you and exceed your expectations
While the candlelight's still glowing
While the candles are still lit, we'll continue to serve you
Let us help you
Allow us to assist you with anything you may need
We'll keep going
We'll be here to ensure your meal is perfect from start to finish
Course by course
We'll serve each dish one at a time
One by one
Each dish will be served in a methodical and thoughtful way
'Til you shout,enough, I'm done
We'll continue serving until you're completely satisfied and full
Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest
We'll entertain you with song after the meal, giving you time to digest and relax
Tonight you'll prop your feet up
You'll be able to fully relax at the end of this meal
But for now, let's eat up
Let's focus on enjoying the delicious meal before us
Please, be our guest
We warmly welcome you to enjoy our hospitality as our guest
Lyrics © WONDERLAND MUSIC COMPANY INC, WALT DISNEY MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: HOWARD ELLIOTT ASHMAN, ALAN MENKEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alexanderpytko5394
Walt Disney actually wanted to do "Beauty and the Beast" after finishing "Pinocchio" but he just couldn't figure out how to make it as magical as "Snow White" and "Pinocchio." Walt tried a few more times to make "Beauty and the Beast" but kept reaching dead ends before getting far in, they just couldn't get the story going. Walt finally put the idea aside and it was kept aside for decades. They tried again, in the 80's to make it but once again, reached a dead end and had to start all over. Given Howard's success with "The Little Mermaid," Disney felt that Howard was probably the one who could finally break through that barrier and he was. He was then put as the one in charge of making "Beauty and the Beast." Howard, being a big fan of Disney, was able to tackle something that even Walt Disney couldn't. That IS something.
@kevinzhang6623
Lol. Howard didn't want to do Beauty in the Beast, he did it grudgingly, he was all in for Aladdin.
@alexanderpytko5394
Howard Ashman and Alan Menken were the perfect team for making musicals. Alan's brilliant music making and Howard's brilliant lyric writing, made songs perfect for movies and musicals. If Howard were still alive we'd still be getting these incredibly magic movies. Howard left the world too soon. :(
@rr7firefly
Howard was intense, as is often the case when someone has great intelligence and a passion for what he does. His understanding of the role that a song plays in a story's arc brought a new dynamic to Disney's animated musicals.
@JustSomeCanadianGuy
Howard Ashman and Alan Menken would have won an Oscar every year if Ashman was still around.
@alexanderpytko5394
They're in a studio in NYC close by where Howard lived. Whenever they needed to work with Howard, everyone and everything had to come from LA to NYC where Howard was. Everyone including Howard knew it would be much easier if Howard just came from NYC to LA but because Howard was dying from AIDS he could not travel. Whenever they couldn't come to NYC to see Howard, they would perform the dialogue, the singing and music in LA and have Howard listen to it over the phone and he'd give them his feedback. It was not an easy way to make a movie but it was all worth it given that the movie was a HUGE success. Howard was really committed as he kept working on it almost until he died. This was Howard's most successful movie and it sucks that he didn't live to see it's completion. He was the master mind behind this whole movie and yet he was the only one who didn't get to share in it's success.
@seroia
This is precious RIP Howard Ashman
@shubdawg70
Myungji and Jerry Orbach.
@darnieceking
Also David o. S.
@andi1235
Wow, Alan Menken had kind of a spectacular 90s mullet, LOL!