Belle
Alan Menken (Children's) Lyrics


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Little town
It's a quiet village
Every day
Like the one before
Little town
Full of little people
Waking up to say
Bonjour bonjour
Bonjour bonjour bonjour

There goes the baker with his tray, like always
The same old bread and rolls to sell
Every morning just the same
Since the morning that we came
To this poor provincial town
Good morning, Belle
Good morning, monsieur Jean
Have you lost something again?

Well, I believe I have
Problem is, I've, I can't remember what
Oh well, I'm sure it'll come to me
Where you off to?

To return this book to Pere Robert, it's about to lovers in fair Verona
Sound boring

Look there she goes, that girl is strange, no question
Dazed and distracted, can't you tell?

Never part of any crowd
'Cause her head's up on some cloud
No denying she's a funny girl that Belle

Bonjour, good day
How is your family?
Bonjour, good day
How is your wife?
I need six eggs
That's too expensive!
There must be more than this provincial life!

Ah, If it isn't the only bookworm in town!
So, where did you run off to this week?

Two cities in Northern Italy
I didn't want to come back
Have you got any new places to go?

I'm afraid not
But you may re-read any of the old ones that you'd like
Your library makes our small corner of the world feel big

Bon voyage

Look there she goes, that girl is so peculiar
I wonder if she's feeling well
With a dreamy, far-off look
And her nose stuck in a book
What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle

Oh, isn't this amazing?
It's my favorite part because you'll see
Here's where she meets Prince Charming
But she won't discover that it's him 'til chapter three!

Now it's no wonder that her name means Beauty
Her looks have got no parallel

But behind that fair facade
I'm afraid she's rather odd
Very different from the rest of us

She's nothing like the rest of us
Yes, different from the rest of us is Belle!

Look at her, LeFou
My future wife
Belle is the most beautiful girl in the village
That's makes her the best

But she's so well-read
And you're so athletically-inclined

Yes, ever since the war, I felt like I've been missing something
She's the only girl that ever given me that sense of

Mmm je ne sais quoi?

I don't know what that means

Right from the moment when I met her, saw her
I said she's gorgeous and I fell
Here in town there's only she
Who is beautiful as me
So I'm making plans to woo and marry Belle

Look there he goes
Isn't he dreamy?
Monsieur Gaston
Oh, he's so cute!
Be still my heart
I'm hardly breathing
He's such a tall, dark, strong and handsome brute!

Bonjour, pardon
Good day, mais oui!
You call this bacon, what lovely flowers
Some cheese, ten yards, one pound, excuse me I'll get the knife
Please let me through!
This bread, those fish, it's stale, they smell!
Madame's mistaken Well, maybe so

There must be more than this provincial life!

Just watch, I'm going to make Belle my wife!

Look there she goes the girl is strange, but special
A most peculiar mademoiselle!

It's a pity and a sin
She doesn't quite fit in

'Cause she really is a funny girl
A beauty but a funny girl




She really is a funny girl
That Belle

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Belle" in Alan Menken's Children's song tell the story of Belle, a young girl who lives in a small, provincial town, and how she is perceived by the people around her. The song starts with a description of the town, its people, and their daily routines. Belle stands out from the rest of the population because of her love for books and her dreamy, unconventional personality. People in the town think of her as odd because she does not conform to the norms of society.


Throughout the song, we see different characters interacting with Belle, and it becomes clear that while they may not understand her, they are nonetheless drawn to her in different ways. Gaston, the handsome yet arrogant hunter, wants Belle to be his wife because he thinks she is the most beautiful girl around. However, Belle sees him for who he really is and is not interested in him. Monsieur Jean, the town's baker, is always kind to her, and they greet each other every day. Even LeFou, Gaston's sidekick, is intrigued by her, and they share a funny moment when he tries to impress her.


Overall, "Belle" is a song about acceptance, individuality, and the power of books and imagination. Belle is different from others, but that is what makes her special, and those who try to understand and appreciate her end up seeing beyond her oddness and admiring her for who she really is.


Line by Line Meaning

Little town
The village is small and uneventful


It's a quiet village
The village is peaceful and calm


Every day
Each day is the same


Like the one before
Nothing changes day-to-day


Little town
The village is small and uneventful


Full of little people
The villagers are of no great importance


Waking up to say
The villagers are starting their day


Bonjour bonjour
Good morning


Bonjour bonjour bonjour
Several people are saying "good morning"


There goes the baker with his tray, like always
The baker is on his routine delivery


The same old bread and rolls to sell
He is selling his usual baked goods


Every morning just the same
Nothing changes, ever


Since the morning that we came
It's been that way since they moved to the village


To this poor provincial town
The village is small and unimportant


Good morning, Belle
A villager greets Belle


Good morning, monsieur Jean
Belle greets Monsieur Jean


Have you lost something again?
Monsieur Jean is forgetful


Well, I believe I have
Monsieur Jean thinks he has lost something


Problem is, I've, I can't remember what
He cannot recall what he has lost


Oh well, I'm sure it'll come to me
He is optimistic about remembering


Where you off to?
Monsieur Jean is inquiring about Belle's destination


To return this book to Pere Robert, it's about to lovers in fair Verona
Belle is returning a book to Pere Robert about love in Verona


Sound boring
Monsieur Jean thinks the book sounds dull


Look there she goes, that girl is strange, no question
A villager sees Belle and thinks she is odd


Dazed and distracted, can't you tell?
Belle seems to be lost in thought


Never part of any crowd
Belle doesn't fit in with others


'Cause her head's up on some cloud
She is always deep in thought


No denying she's a funny girl that Belle
Belle is definitely an odd character


Bonjour, good day
The same villager greets Belle again


How is your family?
The villager inquires about Belle's family


How is your wife?
Monsieur Jean is asking about the villager's wife


I need six eggs
Belle needs six eggs


That's too expensive!
Belle is unhappy with the pricing


There must be more than this provincial life!
Belle is unhappy with the monotony of their lives


Ah, If it isn't the only bookworm in town!
A villager comments on Belle's love of books


So, where did you run off to this week?
The villager is asking where Belle went last week


Two cities in Northern Italy
Belle traveled to two cities in Italy


I didn't want to come back
Belle enjoyed her time away


Have you got any new places to go?
The villager is asking Belle about new travel locations


I'm afraid not
Belle doesn't have any new travel plans


But you may re-read any of the old ones that you'd like
The villager suggests that Belle read one of her old travel books again


Your library makes our small corner of the world feel big
The villager appreciates the library in their small village


Bon voyage
The villager wishes Belle well on her future travels


Look there she goes, that girl is so peculiar
Another villager sees Belle as strange


I wonder if she's feeling well
The villager is concerned for Belle's health


With a dreamy, far-off look
Belle seems lost in thought


And her nose stuck in a book
Belle is reading, even while walking


What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle
Belle is a mystery to the villagers


Oh, isn't this amazing?
Belle is excited about the book she's reading


It's my favorite part because you'll see
Belle loves this part of the book


Here's where she meets Prince Charming
This is a romantic scene in the story


But she won't discover that it's him 'til chapter three!
The romantic storyline takes a few chapters to develop


Now it's no wonder that her name means Beauty
Belle is beautiful


Her looks have got no parallel
No one else is as beautiful as Belle


But behind that fair facade
Despite her beauty


I'm afraid she's rather odd
Belle is still strange, despite her looks


Very different from the rest of us
Belle doesn't fit in with the other villagers


She's nothing like the rest of us
Belle is completely unique


Yes, different from the rest of us is Belle!
Belle is very unusual, and that's okay


Look at her, LeFou
Gaston and LeFou are talking about Belle


My future wife
Gaston is planning to marry Belle


Belle is the most beautiful girl in the village
Gaston thinks Belle is the best-looking girl in town


That's makes her the best
Gaston believes that beauty equals superiority


And you're so athletically-inclined
LeFou values athletic prowess over intelligence or beauty


Yes, ever since the war, I felt like I've been missing something
Gaston is still searching for something post-war


She's the only girl that ever given me that sense of
Belle is the only girl who has piqued Gaston's interest


Mmm je ne sais quoi?
"I don't know what"


Right from the moment when I met her, saw her
Gaston was smitten with Belle upon first glance


I said she's gorgeous and I fell
Gaston was immediately captivated by Belle's beauty


Here in town there's only she
Belle is the only interesting person in their village


Who is beautiful as me
Gaston considers himself the most handsome person in town


So I'm making plans to woo and marry Belle
Gaston is determined to win Belle's heart


Look there he goes
Another villager sees Gaston


Isn't he dreamy?
The villager thinks Gaston is attractive


Monsieur Gaston
The villager addresses Gaston formally


Oh, he's so cute!
The villager is enamored with Gaston's looks


Be still my heart
The villager is swooning over Gaston


I'm hardly breathing
The villager is short of breath from excitement


He's such a tall, dark, strong and handsome brute!
The villager fawns over Gaston's physical attributes


Bonjour, pardon
Gaston is greeting his fellow villagers


Good day, mais oui!
The villagers are responding to Gaston


You call this bacon, what lovely flowers
Gaston is mocking the villagers' idea of bacon


Some cheese, ten yards, one pound, excuse me I'll get the knife
Gaston is going to get some cheese and a knife


Please let me through!
Gaston is trying to navigate through a crowd


This bread, those fish, it's stale, they smell!
Gaston is unimpressed with the food selection


Madame's mistaken
Gaston is correcting a woman


Well, maybe so
The woman is conceding the point


She doesn't quite fit in
Belle doesn't belong in the village


'Cause she really is a funny girl
Belle is strange and unusual


A beauty but a funny girl
Despite being beautiful, Belle is still odd


She really is a funny girl
Belle is decidedly weird


That Belle
All these comments are about Belle




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@seroia

This record is priceless! So this is the demo that they worried about being rejected by Disney... :)

@AutismThespian1993

My fav song of all time. I can hear the passion in the composers for the story and I am glad the heads at Disney didn’t laugh at him. The song reveals so much about the town and I related with Belle so much!!!

@carolrickroll767

Ello Perkins!🙋🏼‍♀️

@Thomas_H._Smith

4:02 Fun Fact: You might notice that in the final movie there's more dialog here, that's because, one day when Howard and Alan played the song for Roger Allers, one of the writers of Beauty and the Beast, he said he loved it, except for this part here. He felt it needed more going on so Howard told Alan to play it again, and told Roger to just say whatever popped into his head, and so the rest of the lyrics were made up on the spot.

@WDI2008

Surprisingly Howard Ashman still had his singing voice because he was already two years HIV positive. And as it progressed he began to lose his voice.

@cvcvcvcvcv

El compromiso con su trabajo y su seguridad de lo que queria cuando trajaba de forma creativa son ejemplos a seguir.

@kariteinanen7710

Mr. Ashman probably had been HIV+ for at least 7-9years at this point. The averige incubation period without real symptoms is that. But then when it progress to AIDS the person starts to have many kind of symptoms and that's when they usually got tested in the early years of the pandemic. So what you meant was that mr. Ashman had been living with AIDS probably about 2years at this point. And that is no way a short time. He was of those who had determination and will to carry on and live as long as he could. He was a very special human being: strong and brave.

@VladSicoe

I love the excitement in their voices.

@oklu_

The lyrics wasn't revised at all. What a masterpiece.

@TheCapedWanderer

They actually revised it from “Little town, just a quiet village...” to “Little town, it’s a quiet village...” Heavy editing haha

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