If I Can't Love Her
Beauty And The Beast [Broadway Cast] Lyrics
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And in my twisted face
There's not the slightest trace
Of anything that even hints of kindness
And from my tortured shape
No comfort, no escape
I see, but deep within is utter blindness
Hopeless
As my dream dies
As the time flies
Love a lost illusion
Helpless
Unforgiven
Cold and driven
To this sad conclusion
No beauty could move me
No goodness improve me
No power on earth, if I can't love her
No passion could reach me
No lesson could teach me
How I could have loved her and make her love me too
If I can't love her, then who?
Long ago I should have seen
All the things I could have been
Careless and unthinking, I moved onward
No pain could be deeper
No life could be cheaper
No point anymore, if I can't love her
No spirit could win me
No hope left within me
Hope I could have loved her and that she'd set me free
But it's not to be
If I can't love her
Let the world be done with me.
The song "If I Can't Love Her" is from the Broadway musical "Beauty and the Beast" and sung by the Beast. The song portrays the Beast's feeling of hopelessness, misery, bitterness, and self-condemnation in love. The Beast's twisted physical appearance mirrors his emotional state, which is a result of the curse he and his castle were put under. Throughout the song, the Beast experiences a sense of confusion and despair regarding love, and finally concludes that if he can't love Belle, the Beauty, the world is better off without him.
The first stanza of the song sheds light on the Beast's emotional state. He is aware of his physical appearance and how it reflects his inner self. He confesses that he can't find any trace of kindness, which means he believes that he's incapable of experiencing or giving it. He's in despair and feels trapped in his "tortured shape," which has made him blind to love and goodness.
Through the lyrics of the song, the Beast acknowledges that he had a chance to find love and happiness through Belle. But his fears, insecurities, and lack of self-belief have made him miss that opportunity. He's now filled with regret and feels that there's no going back. He recognizes that he's helpless and unforgiven, and his bitterness drives him to the conclusion that he's better off alone.
In conclusion, "If I Can't Love Her" is a poignant song that reflects the Beast's feelings of despair, regret, and bitterness. It portrays the Beast's understanding of his flaws and how they've robbed him of love and happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
And in my twisted face
My appearance is grotesque and unpleasing
There's not the slightest trace
I am devoid of any hint
Of anything that even hints of kindness
I have no sign of benevolence whatsoever
And from my tortured shape
My figure is distorted and anguished
No comfort, no escape
I cannot find solace or relief
I see, but deep within is utter blindness
Despite being able to see outwardly, I am emotionally blind inside
Hopeless
I am despondent and without hope
As my dream dies
My aspirations are fading away
As the time flies
Time passes quickly, and I am running out of it
Love a lost illusion
Love is an illusion that I cannot grasp
Helpless
I am powerless to change my circumstances
Unforgiven
I carry a burden of guilt with no forgiveness in sight
Cold and driven
I am dispassionate and determined
To this sad conclusion
I know where this story ends, and it is a melancholy one
No beauty could move me
No aesthetic appeal can stir my emotions
No goodness improve me
No virtuous act can reform me
No power on earth, if I can't love her
I am impervious to any force if I cannot love her
No passion could reach me
No intense feeling can penetrate my heart
No lesson could teach me
No learning can change my mind
How I could have loved her and make her love me too
I ponder the possibility of reciprocated love
If I can't love her, then who?
If I cannot love her, then who else can?
Long ago I should have seen
I should have realized it much earlier
All the things I could have been
I missed out on all the opportunities I had
Careless and unthinking, I moved onward
I was reckless and thoughtless in my decisions, but I went ahead anyway
No pain could be deeper
This pain I am feeling is incomparable
No life could be cheaper
My life is worthless without her love
No point anymore, if I can't love her
Life has lost its purpose if I cannot love her
No spirit could win me
No fervor can invigorate me
No hope left within me
I am bereft of any hope
Hope I could have loved her and that she'd set me free
I yearned for love and the freedom it could bring
But it's not to be
But my fate won't allow it
If I can't love her
If I cannot love her
Let the world be done with me.
I no longer want to be a part of this world
Contributed by Jackson A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@aroamingamerican
Beast:
And in my twisted face
There's not the slightest trace
Of anything that even hints of kindness
And from my tortured shape
No comfort, no escape
I see, but deep within is utter blindness
Hopeless
As my dream dies
As the time flies
Love a lost illusion
Helpless
Unforgiven
Cold and driven
To this sad conclusion
No beauty could move me
No goodness improve me
No power on earth, if I can't love her
No passion could reach me
No lesson could teach me
How I could have loved her and make her love me too
If I can't love her, then who?
Long ago I should have seen
All the things I could have been
Careless and unthinking, I moved onward
No pain could be deeper
No life could be cheaper
No point anymore, if I can't love her
No spirit could win me
No hope left within me
Hope I could have loved her and that she'd set me free
But it's not to be
If I can't love her
Let the world be done with me.
@OblivionHelena
"No spirit could win me. No hope left within me".
It sounds oddly triumphant as the words are sung with such conviction
@Yeet-yj9lw
OblivionHelena To me, he's completely convinced that there's no hope anymore. The ending of the song is practically suicidal. His conviction isn't really a good thing is this circumstance
@OblivionHelena
Oh of course, it's definitely not a good thing for the character. It's really tragic.
I was simply referring to the way the lines were sung and the acting ability of Terrence Mann.
@horseymusiclover
I see it as a declaration that he WILL learn to love her, with the kind of all-or-nothing approach that involves taking a risk on your last hope. I think it's a shift in attitude from the beginning of the song, when he was melancholy and tragic and hopeless. It does sound triumphant, and I think that's intentional as he gathers the resolve to learn to love her.
@deborahhanna6640
Ok i can see it with that perspective.
@dclark142002
You really don't love someone until you are ready to die for them.
It's why this song is SO MUCH BETTER for this part of this movie than Evermore.
If he can't love Belle, than there is no more reason to live...and it would be a worthy death.
I would even go so far as to say that Evermore isn't about Belle at all. That if you listen to the words divorced from the context...it could just as easily be sung about the Enchantress...
@Somefrickface
Did anyone ever notice that Gaston’s first song ends the same way? With the word “Me,” held at an F note, just like this one? At this point Gaston and Beast had changed roles, and I think this was the perfect subtle symbolism
@musicaltheatrefan2k226
Steve Blanchard played both roles.
@musicaltheatrefan2k226
And Alex Bourne and Earl Carpenter did that (in the 1999 West End show with Annalene Beechey as Belle and in the 2001 UK Tour with Dianne Pilkington as Belle)
@katiefreisem3292
am i the only one who thinks this is the best song in the entire show?