If I Can't Love Her
Terry Mann Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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 love her and made 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.

Overall Meaning

In the musical "Beauty and the Beast", "If I Can't Love Her" is sung by the Beast as he laments his inability to break the curse cast upon him until he can learn to love and be loved. The song explores the Beast's character and his self-loathing as he realizes that his inability to love and be loved is the root of his punishment. The lyrics are filled with despair as the Beast confesses his hopelessness, his lack of beauty, and his utter blindness to love.

The lines "No beauty could move me, No goodness improve me" emphasize the Beast's isolation and his lack of self-worth. The song is a moment of introspection that allows the audience to empathize with the character and understand his innermost fears and deep despair.

Despite the bleakness of "If I Can't Love Her," the song serves as a turning point for the character. After singing the song, the Beast realizes that he has feelings for Belle, who also sees beyond his exterior to the kindness within. He begins to embrace the idea of being loved and loving in return, which leads to the ultimate breaking of the curse.

Line by Line Meaning

And in my twisted face
My face, distorted by pain and bitterness

There's not the slightest trace
There is no hint or sign of kindness

Of anything that even hints of kindness
There is no hint or sign of kindness

And from my tortured shape
From my suffering and tormented body

No comfort, no escape
There is no comfort or escape from my pain

I see, but deep within is utter blindness
Although I can see physically, internally there is complete blindness and hopelessness

Hopeless
I have no hope

As my dream dies
As my hope and dream for love dies

As the time flies
As time passes by

Love a lost illusion
Love seems like a hopeless illusion

Helpless
I am powerless

Unforgiven
I cannot forgive myself

Cold and driven
I am cold and determined to suffer

To this sad conclusion
To this tragic and miserable end

No beauty could move me
No physical beauty could attract me

No goodness improve me
No amount of goodness could change me

No power on earth, if I can't love her
Nothing in the world can help if I cannot love her

No passion could reach me
No emotion, no matter how strong, can touch my soul

No lesson could teach me
There is nothing anyone can teach me to learn to love

How I could have love her and made her love me too
I regret not being able to love her and make her love me too

If I can't love her, then who?
If I cannot love her, who else can?

Long ago I should have seen
I should have realized a long time ago

All the things I could have been
All the possibilities I had for a happy life

Careless and unthinking, I moved onward
I carelessly ignored these possibilities and moved forward

No pain could be deeper
There is no deeper pain than the pain of not being able to love

No life could be cheaper
My life is worthless and meaningless without love

No point anymore, if I can't love her
My life has no point if I cannot love her

No spirit could win me
No inspiration or motivation can win me over

No hope left within me
I have lost all hope

Hope I could have loved her and that she'd set me free
I still wish I could have loved her and that she could have freed me from this pain

But it's not to be
But it will never happen

If I can't love her
If I cannot love her

Let the world be done with me.
My life is meaningless and I am ready to let go

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@iamclassicforlife

7y↑76

"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."

All comments from YouTube:

@schulmantwin

2y↑29

Wow, to be able to sing and project like he does, while showing the delicateness The Beast is supposed to reveal at this juncture is simply breathtaking! To the naysayers, this show was the night of my marriage proposal and could not have gone any more perfect. 3:17

@napili00

8y↑62

Brings back great memories of seeing Terrence's amazing performance in Los Angeles 20 years ago! Josh Groban's new version is excellent, but great acting+ great singing= the very best of live musical theatre!!!

@candieevavold4937

6y↑3

napili00 I got to see him perform this in L.A. as well! He was a fantastic beast!

@gordoncherry

3y↑3

I saw him in LA as well. He was amazing!

@alanvaytsman

2y↑2

Josh Groban is the next beast

@rickstalentedtongue910

27w

@@alanvaytsman James Barbour, then Groban. But I never have seen Groban in that role, and can picture it for sure!

@jmacjr101

8y↑28

I remember seeing this on Broadway and being blown away. I saw it last year in my home state. Not to this magnitude but it was pretty amazing. I love this version (terrance) he was absolutely amazing! And the costumes...Wow!! This version blows me away everytime. Such a passionate song & time in the play. I wish they would have put this in the cartoon.

@jjaniero

7y↑68

Terrence Mann never disappoints

@cards0486

1y↑2

He was my absolute favorite Broadway star for all the shows he took to unimaginable heights.
I was fortunate enough to see the original Broadway cast, and he had me sobbing when he sang this.
Afterward I actually spoke with him at the stage door.
Both of us being from Kentucky got me a longer conversation than I could have ever hoped for.
I’ll never forget that night.

@rickstalentedtongue910

27w

He has dramatic flair, and vocal uniqueness that I have yet to hear anywhere else. James Barbour sacrifices a little acting to deliver a lush powerful baritone, my two favorite beast.

@iamclassicforlife

7y↑76

@shlomomeyers3261

7y↑1

Why you put down the wards from the song ?

@denisecampbell6736

2y↑5

One of my very favourite songs period!! The power & pain of this never fails to give me the chills. Sigh...How I wish Brian Boitano had skated to this back in the day. It would’ve been perfect for him.

@kathiehart2234

8y↑94

I adored Terrance for years. I got to see him in BEAUTIFUL AND THE BEST not long after it opened.
After the show I was at the stage door and got to talk to him when he came out. He was such a friendly person.

@coadjacob

7y↑2

Kathie Hart Well, lucky you!

@wwozanewmusical

6y↑6

My best friend Sebastian worked with him during his summer stock days performing while in collage. Terance Mann and his wife were wonderful to him and his family. I saw Beauty during the second week of previews and he was awesome, and then saw him in Scarlet Pimpernel and was just as awesome. Every Actor is entitled to have some bad days for all the comments saying other actors were better than him. Did any one see his interview describing what it is like wearing that costume and make up night after night day after day for his double shows on wednesdays and sat and sundays? it was like taping 30 angora cats to your entire body and running around the black or through central park.

@littlesongbird1

4y↑2

@wwozanewmusical Yikes..maybe they should have had an alternate and switched them each performance. I know the role of Chrstine from POTO is done that way.

@alanvaytsman

You meant Beauty and the Beast

@alanvaytsman

Shaq Taylor is better

@hakonboen

6y↑9

Doing this song myself this weekend (!!) as the Beast. :D Truly a beautiful song! <3

@singingway

2y↑6

What an extraordinary voice, expressiveness, and powerful acting, it even comes through the horrible makeup, as so many nuances are expressed in every line with the voice. I'm weeping it was so moving.

@trevcomeau

7y↑349

the fact that this is cut from the new film is so so so sad

@auroraspiderwoman5886

7y↑21

yep, hard to believe.

@melissamarshall4597

7y↑39

Thank you! Someone finally said it! I wished they had not done the "Oh we're writing 3 new songs" bullsh*t and just put the songs for the musical into the new movie. They could've done so much with them. Especially this song and "Human Again." That's the thing that really annoys me about this new movie.

@davidfilmer1

7y↑17

Alan Menken tried hard to get this song into the movie, but it is just too Broadway. Tim Rice told him it would be like writing "Don't Cry For Me Brazil." It just wouldn't work.

@auroraspiderwoman5886

7y↑8

Thanks for that information. I can see how they might feel that way, especially without a first-act curtain falling

@salkdiaz

7y↑17

I agree. This and Home were my two most favorite songs from the animation. I also didn't like that they took out the exchange between Belle and Beast when she was teaching him how to read, it was crucial in the development of their relationship.

18 More Replies...

@casstheshifter2176

6y↑68

Awww... I'm only three seconds into the song and I want to give him a big hug

@Shankzwilhelm

1y↑6

He took a lot of liberties, and I’m in favor of those sort of choices. Very touching representation of the complex character in a simply rendered fashion. Nice recording!

@davidgottfried6669

6y↑59

This is what you get when you've been in the production for four years running without a single layoff.

@ShowtuneSampler

5y↑5

David Gottfried Except that the musical premiered in 1993. So unless I’ve been doing mathematical subtraction wrong my entire life, he had been doing the role for no more than two years at this point. This was also filmed in Los Angeles after Mann had left the Broadway cast.

Taken together, those two facts mean that your entire comment is flat-out wrong. Maybe you should do your research before inserting your two cents that literally no one asked for? Just saying 🤷🏻‍♂️

@CoalDiamondandhisawesomeness

4y↑3

@G C maybe you should do your own research. The musical had it's Houston premiere in 1993, but didn't open on Broadway until 1994.

@regularjosh1

@CoalDiamond- TheMagicRogue He never said that it opened in 1993

@CoalDiamondandhisawesomeness

@Regularjosh1 sure, he said "premiered" and not opened, but between it and the context of what he was replying to, he's clearly suggesting the broadway production opened in 1993

@MeiPrime31

5y↑5

Of all the Beauty and The Beast soundtrack this Song is the most beautiful song of all time! 🥀🌹🥀🌹🥀🌹

@BABLUV23

7y↑9

I have the Broadway soundtrack and I love this song!!!

@annagracemccurdy794

7y↑6

This song is so much better than Nevermore!

@summermcpherson8209

3y↑6

This was always my favorite part of Act 1. Terrence Mann was the perfect role for the Beast.

@pinupdollsarabeth

I remember my choir director tried to put this song in our show set. It was so cool however the boys thought it was too hard lol so this was a show dress gone unused lol

@sofiacausa1161

40w↑1

I heard this song a few days ago and I almost cried

@wwozanewmusical

6y↑7

My only real complaint with the live action Beauty and the Beast was that the directer felt the need to disregard the songs from the Broadway show, and felt they had to add new ones, this song would have worked where Evermore is placed with or without the reprise? I would have rather seen Gaston sing ME, over the scene they gave the two of them. But I do love how does a moment last for ever, and the bit about Belles mother.

@KLK1618

8y↑2

Thank you so much for uploading. I love this show and the song is great

@auroraspiderwoman5886

8y↑1

+Kalli Karagianes
You're welcome--glad you liked it.

@KLK1618

+aurora spiderwoman It was amazing. This show makes me happy. I love Disney!

@mikapollo

8y↑24

I agree with others saying that this performance was a little lackluster in comparison to some of his others, but still stunning regardless.

@aliaboubel4733

4y↑6

this is just beautiful.

@markroberts171

3y↑2

That's incredible singing

@jasontachin

5y↑6

RW:for anyone who feels like the beast ,this is a beautiful song. :^_^:

@afternoontaee

6y↑14

bro this song makes me cry because it’s so flipping emotionallll poor beasty

@bustaload714

6y↑169

As far as I know, the original makeup was too heavy and difficult for Terry to perform in so they cut it down a bit. I think they did the right thing anyway because he looks like there really is a man trapped in the body of a crossbreed between a bison, a wolf and a lion.

@supermarroman9120

2y↑4

Honestly it doesn’t make a difference. He still goes hard and the ending still slaps.

@adriannaayala1545

7y↑14

Are we all going to pretend that he didn't say 'No bean could be deeper' instead of pain at 3:01? He's still amazing but…I can't be the only one who noticed that?

@beethockmtee8565

Well, his diction and pronunciation is very poor in this performance - particularly in the latter half of the song, and if I didn't already know the lyrics, I think the whole line would sound like "noooobeaagoobeedeebeer," so I'm not surprised that it does sound like "bean".

@JehRehMyUh

6y↑1

@Bailey Hocking yea, usually Terrance Mann is a king of diction...

@MrStars-bj9yf

4y↑25

Guys just so you know 8 shows a week with all that heavy makeup and prosthetics can probably be tiring. So this performance wasn’t the best. If you want to see it at its best, listen to the album

@jacobkeppler1984

This is one of my favorite Disney musical

@crimsonmaverick8237

2y↑8

His subtlety and gentle sound brings you to nearly tears in the beginning; it’s like your listening to a real beast; it sounds like he truly feels that pain. But when the song picks up, he drops the ball because he keeps that same gentle style in his expression and movement; making him actually seem kinda bored.

@KyraOdayashi

32w

I completely agree.

@hungergames7fan13

7y↑104

this is so much better than evermore

@Chocobear555

6y↑12

I like them both the same.

@jacksongriffee

6y↑10

Chocobear555 I agree this is more affectionate than Evermore but I still think evermore is the best song in the movie

@MaskedMan66

6y↑9

This song certainly makes more sense to the Beast's mood when the villagers attack the castle, but "Evermore" is nonetheless a beautiful song.

@missanne629

6y↑3

Amen! Why they didn’t use the music from the Broadway show in the new film, I will never know. This is gorgeous!

@hakonboen

6y↑1

If i can't love her apparently was too broadway to make it into the film, so Alan Menken wrote Evermore exclusivly for the film :)

3 More Replies...

@85LesMiz0689

8y↑36

Terrence Mann was the best Beast.

@jacquelineforbes6668

7y↑4

I tend to differ. James Barbour was the best Beast. check him out singing this song.

@jarretheaston979

6y↑3

And the best Javert
And the best Frank N. Furter
And the best Rum Tum Tugger

@trekkiegamer3599

4y↑1

@Jarret Heaston And the Chauvelin. The OBC The Scarlet Pimpernel was the first play I ever saw. I was eight. I fell in love with The Scarlet Pimpernel and Terrence Mann who stole the show. Not an easy feat against Douglas Sills and Christine Andreas.

@0ne0nlyLarry

6y↑17

So hard to see The Beast knowing 8 years later he's gonna be Dr. Frank n Furter and not laughing about it

@ShowtuneSampler

@Djizzle96 Yeah, actors tend to do this pesky thing where they gasp AUDITION FOR DIFFERENT CHARACTERS.

@Dr_Peeper_ICU

How about the Bounty Hunter in Critters 9 years before this?

@4dultw1thj0b

7y↑187

It must be hard to effectively emote a song like this under all that makeup. Especially the eyebrows.

@MaskedMan66

6y↑9

It depends on the actor.

@JehRehMyUh

6y↑11

Its all about the eyes and voice to emote.

@cameronbranning1404

4y↑1

AlwaysGonnaSing It really is tough sometimes. I’m Shrek in my schools version of Shrek the musical and LET ME TELL YOU it is SOOOO tough to portray facial emotion sometimes

@choirkitty

3y↑1

And that just proves how incredible of an actor Terrence was/is!

@nerdvisions4625

3y↑1

It probably helps with the character because the Beast dosen’s show a lot of emotions

1 More Replies...

@pjb2773

Breathtaking!

@ameliachastain5186

5y↑2

THIS IS THE SHIT I. REMEBER. THIS THIS IS THE OG

@DasmusicMusicalsonYouTube

3y↑2

Are there more clips to this performance:)

@foreverhopeful8497

16w

Beautiful ..

@lillonefoti6245

7y↑2

Beauty and the Beast; Terrence Mann as the Beast, Emma Watson as Belle and Luke Evans as Gaston 😍😍😍😍

@pamelalabarbiera7308

7y↑1

YES! I thought the same thing--Dan Stevens just didn't do it for me.

@ChienaAvtzon

47w↑1

Emma Watson is tone deaf. Luke Evans, while amazing, is a tenor not a baritone.

@Dr_Peeper_ICU

5y↑9

I saw one of these shows May 26, 1995 at the Shubert Theatre in Century City.

@MsWickedWolf

6y↑111

I guess The Rum Tum Tugger really is a curious BEAST

@livingwithautism3789

4y↑3

I guess The Run Tum Tugger really is a curious BEAST

@Peaches100

3y↑5

terrance mann is awesome

@GillianBrown13

7y↑1

Where'd you get this great quality video??

@jacobkeppler1984

6y↑1

He sing good love this

@littlesongbird1

4y↑1

And to think a couple of years after this he directed a regional production of Annie.

@epicrapfan73

4y↑1

Directed it? He should have starred in it as Daddy Warbucks!

@HoboDrell

8y↑5

Do you know if there's a copy of the full musical with Terrence as the beast?

@shlomomeyers3261

I didn't know that would be awesome because this one is actually awesome

@xtreme3394

I know one

@TheFoxPrince1

I wondered why they didn’t used that song in their 30th celebration?

@emilydiveley9661

Nice voice, Chuck Wagner

@nickvaladez657

7y↑4

3:36 my favorite part

@ladyragdollgreen

2y↑2

After Robbie, this is the voice I most associate with Beast

@nilbog972

3y↑1

Tbh the makeup is abominable, but his voice.. 🤩

@alanvaytsman

Joshua Bassett is the Beast

@creativeguy1138

7y↑6

Not bad, but to me Evermore is much more moving and emotional.

@shlomomeyers3261

I actually agree

@SongRainbows

6y↑1

I thought that too until I realized this song was in a completely different place in the story than Evermore. Evermore is about the heartbreak when he realizes he’s in love with Belle and lets her go. If I Can’t Love Her is about despondency and hopelessness, it’s sung before he’s even in love with her.

@meganchristian7085

excellente

@BearsDenAcrylicArt

7y↑2

Ummm... thanks for phoning it in, Terrence. That was delightfully tepid.

@neenabelle1342

7y↑19

His nails are on fleek. (I'm so sorry, I just had to.)

@themediocreduelist963

6y↑20

He just looks like he's trying to hold in a sneeze during the entire somg

@ReallyKee

Check out my version of this. I played the Beast for my school. I'd love to hear your thoughts

@skepticalbaby6912

8y↑88

Beautiful voice, but boy he must've been tired this day. He looks and sounds totally bored, and waiting for the cues... a pretty lackluster performance from a fantastic performer.

@CarlosFadiga

5y↑3

Terrance Mann may be the original Beast, but he's far from being the best. And this is not the only recording of him having a bad time, which makes me wonder if he's really all that good people say.

@morganmiller5413

4y↑3

@Carlinhos Fadiga I guess this just goes to show that even great performers have bad days too. I find it endearing.

@ProfessorStuDDS

4y↑8

@Carlinhos Fadiga I think he just had trouble performing under all the heavy costuming and makeup. He clearly knows what the character beats are supposed to be, and if you watch other scenes from the show, the same is certainly true. He just looks tired and weighed down. And on the OBCR, unimpeded, he knocked it out of the park

@jjfroemke3505

2y↑1

Beauty and the Beast terrnce Mann if can love her

@MistaBombasticG

6y↑4

Let the world be done with
MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

@aldualcaide4568

Hi, I'm really intresting in the full show, Do you have it for trade?

@shaneoliver4362

7y↑4

I'm sorry at the end the beast apologizing he reminds me of the cowardly lion

@MrGlittergirl554

i have a question ...... since he plays the beast does that mean he also plays the prince 2

@soggyechidna

7y↑3

Laura Cristina De La Espriella Yes. There's a beast double that fights Gaston while he changes back into the prince

@StevenFowlerDPhil

29w

Beast! Javert! and…Bob…

@neil3372

3y↑1

As wooden as a table, emotionless

@isufan89

this is great

@alexeverything5115

In my honest opinion this is a terrible performance he is obviously falling asleep has no standing notes and does not even try to act in character. Even though working on Broadway is a stressful job and requires lots of stamina it also requires you to give everything you have every performance which is not shown in this performance although I do have the greatest of respect for this actor.

@rayhopkinsactor

8y↑2

I expected more than that.

@joshriley9851

it says los angelas 1995. Terrence Mann was never in the Los Angelas production. when most of the OBC went to the LA Production. James Barbour took over as the beast in LA.

@auroraspiderwoman5886

6y↑2

Terrence Mann did go (along with several of the other original Broadway leads) to open the show in L.A. James Barbour replaced Mann in L.A.

@bryanmann4704

@aurora spiderwoman He was in L.A. cast. My wife and I saw him in it, and as his brother I can assure you it was him!

@stephen7760

COGSWORTH JUMPSCARE AT 0:00:00

@constancekreese8946

wonder if this was what the director asked of him

@brenneneshleman9547

Definitely not. He's different on other nights, much better, just that night must've been an off day for him

@markhall7646

4y↑1

I'm sorry. Every time I see this, I keep going back to Jim Henson's "Dark Crystal" character "Aughra" when I see this miserable made-up interpretation of "Beast". At least Beast has two eyes...

@thephantomfantasia

8y↑6

I am doing a school production very soon I have been chosen to portray the beast I am getting nervous because I am not familiar with this song because it was not in the movie version I tried to ask my music teacher to take it out the script but he had written the script and I got to do it just very nervous

@Listicpop

Wait... This song isn't in the junior version. Is your school actually doing the full show (Broadway's version) HOW? Or did your teacher just add it in?

@thephantomfantasia

Marcell McKenzie my teacher added it

@Listicpop

8y↑1

+thephantomfantasia Oh wow okay. Good luck to you man because this is a tough song to do. I'm sure you'll do amazingly though or he wouldn't have you do it in the first place!

@tristonanan

Oh man, we're doing the Broadway version at my school with all the songs (we're gonna die). Auditions are tomorrow and a snippet of this song has to be prepared for callbacks the day after. I really don't know if anyone could really do this song justice at our school besides our director.

@xtreme3394

Mr Duncan's vlogs same I got the part for the beast in my school pkay

1 More Replies...

@TheMsiaddict

8y↑17

No emotions. Maybe it was his off day.

@TheMsiaddict

8y↑1

*****
He sounds bored.

@Lionloverky

7y↑1

TheMsiaddict maybe he possibly had a bad cold a cold can affect how you perform

@TheMsiaddict

Lionloverky
It could be.

@sammywestenberger9303

Cool

@kathiehart2234

8y↑1

...Terrence...

@ginonovanta

8y↑3

a pro-shot?? O_O

@auroraspiderwoman5886

8y↑4

Yes---this clip is from the pro-shot footage for the L.A. production.

@ginonovanta

8y↑2

can i ask you where did you find it?

@DasmusicMusicalsonYouTube

48w

Do u have be our guest? I see a clip in the beginning of this?

@ericmorgan47

8y↑57

Am I the only one that thinks this performance wasn't his strongest? in fact it was very weak. I have heard much better from Terrance than this.

@TheMsiaddict

8y↑1

Matt Cammelle was the best. You can feel his emotions through his song.

@TheMsiaddict

Joe Velazquez
Let me check him.

@TheMsiaddict

8y↑1

Joe Velazquez
He's the second best after Matt Cammelle. Especially the last high notes. And both of them are the most operatic Beasts.

@TheMsiaddict

Lol lol. Two beasts throwing the tantrums.

@Lionloverky

Eric Morgan maybe he had a cold at the time

5 More Replies...

@NotRoseSpacesingOut

8y↑4

I agree with half of the comments that he sounds hella bored. It sounds unenthusiastic, slurred, and even rushed in a lot of places. Also, that ending note sounded nasally af.