The Least Bombastic Love-Song in Disney History: Something There that wasn't there Before - Beauty & The Beast's Romance Song by Dan

The Song

If there’s one Disney movie that tackles the theme of love better than any other movie, it would have to be Beauty and the Beast. (The animated one. It’s much better in my opinion.) It’s interesting that this song really pushed the love song in the movie, just like Ursula pushed the villain song in Disney movies.

Also, Something There wasn’t going to be part of the movie initially, as the song “Human Again” was the original one, but the powers that be made the right choice to bring in this beautiful and underrated song. We all know the song “Beauty and the Beast” as an iconic song in the history of Disney, and yet, this sweet, soft song details how the Beast starts to learn to get in touch with his feelings and how he matures, whereas Belle sees something more in Beast than the monster who imprisoned her father.

The song starts after the Beast saves Belle from the wolves, and Belle nurses him back to health after his injury. It starts with an instrumental portion before getting into the song itself.

It starts with Belle and Beast eating breakfast with porridge being served, and Belle eats with a refine nature, and impressed by the taste, she looks at the Beast who has the table manners of a drunk cow that is missing a leg, and has the grace of a donkey high on whatever it has around it.

There’s a minute of awkwardness, as Chip pushes the spoon forward, and Beast reaches for it, in a way, having forgotten how to use it as he spent years not worried about table etiquette.

This is vital to the Beast’s growth as it represents his return to civilised society, and actually sheds the animalistic beast within him, reconnecting with his humanity, as he still makes a mess, but like a child, he is relearning what it means to have a heart, after a lifetime of misery because of that evil curse. And as the Beast and Belle take their bowls to toast then to drink the milk, it’s an acknowledgement that Adam accepts his humanity, and for Belle to see that Adam’s nothing but an awkward boy who hasn’t yet learned to open up his heart, and doesn’t know how to act around others.

It also means that they are now on the same level, and the same wavelength, now understanding each other a lot more deeply, and they are discovering layers to each other.

We then start the song, when Belle takes the Beast outside for a walk to feed the birds, and we notice that when Beast goes down to feed the birds, Belle looks at him in a way that seems a little different, as if she doesn’t only have to be a lover, but a mother for the lonely boy within Beast, that needs a lot more nurturing than most other protagonists.

Belle: There's something sweet

And almost kind

But he was mean and he was coarse and unrefined

And now he's dear, and so unsure

I wonder why I didn't see it there before

Belle is rather confused by what she sees. She sees the kind heart within, and his sensitive soul, but she can’t help but forget his first impression, which one cannot blame her for that point of view.

The way she’s also singing that, as she sees him trying to feed the birds a bit too forcefully, she’s also enjoying a part of his growth, that she’s enjoying the layers within him. Her acknowledging the awkward boy, is important in both their growths, as she shows her gentle nature,

And the way the Beast doesn’t lash out, but just lets her lead in feeding the birds, or even touch him shows that he trusts her, and he’s deferring to Belle in this moment, showing that he wants her to take the lead in the relationship. He was so used to commanding, that he also lost control, not knowing what releasing it could mean. Letting Belle control everything always him to start his rebirth, as she starts by showing him how to walk and eat on his own, and once he’s ready to take the lead, as he does in the song “Beauty and the Beast”, when he shifts hands and takes control of the dance, “Something There” is about the start of this important step in his life.

Beast: She glanced this way

I thought I saw

And when we touched she didn't shudder at my paw

No it can't be, I'll just ignore

But then she's never looked at me that way before

When a bird finally lands in his hands, Beast is so happy, he looks at Belle like a child at Christmas time, or when he achieves a milestone he worked hard for, wanting her acknowledgement.

The Beast is confused by the social cues Belle is giving him, and confused by his own feelings, as he forgets about the Rose, and is getting nervous and butterflies in his stomach. He’s thinking too deeply, and is getting extremely shy about things, so he will deny his feelings, and pretty much approach things like an ostrich. He’s also very excited that she is no longer scared of him, and that they are far closer than before, learning that he can’t just force things.

Belle: New and a bit alarming

Who'd have ever thought that this could be

True that he's no Prince Charming?

But there's something in him that I simply didn't see

Belle then hides behind a tree, and she shows her own confused state. In this scene, she is wearing a hooded cloak, and she removes the hood after fidgeting with her fingers. This shows that she has finally made a decision that she needs to help him, and that she wants to be closer to him, without hiding behind something or under the hood of her cloak.

When she looks back after hiding behind the tree, she sees the Beast with a large number of birds climbing all over him, and she can’t help but chuckle and find his awkward clumsiness rather charming.

But as she sings that last line, she gets excited and mischievous as she throws a snowball harmlessly, something that many would fear doing so before, but she shows that she’s no longer frightened of him, as she initiates his playful side, as he goes to create a big ball of snow, as he starts to plot how to get back in this snowball fight.

Now that he’s fed the birds on his own, he’s growing up now, learning independence, no longer relying on Belle to lead him, although he still lets her be in charge so he can learn more. He’s now able to play with her on the same level.

And unfortunately for the Beast, Bell smacks him with another snowball, and the large one he put together is dropped on his own head, as Lumière, Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts watches from the window, surprised by what they see.

Lumière: Well, who'd have thought?

Mrs. Potts: Well, bless my soul

Cogsworth: Well, who'd have known?

Mrs. Potts: Well, who indeed?

The three of them are expressing their surprise at the development that’s going on. Before, they tried to force things because they wanted to break their own curse, with them not understanding true love either, until they saw it in action. Before they were really hands on, and tried to force the issue, but they are shocked at what happened when they took their eyes off of the two.

Lumiere: And who'd have guessed they'd come together on their own?

Mrs. Potts: It's so peculiar.

Lumiere/Mrs. Potts/Cogsworth: We'll wait and see, a few days more

There may be something there that wasn't there before

The three are actually discussing how the moment the three of them backed off, both Belle and the Beast became friends and started falling in love with each other. The three decide to completely back off and let the events work themselves out, although they are still willing to give advice, they want to let things go naturally, something they had to learn.

Belle also teaches them that they need not fear the Beast anymore, and that the terror he inflicted upon them before is no longer there. It also changes them as their roles shift now into a more supportive one. Mrs. Potts moves into a more matronly role, also acting as a mother to the Beast, Lumière becomes a confidant and seems to end up in a position of trust to the Beast, and Cogsworth plays the role of making sure that things are well organised, making sure that the Beast is well kept. He starts to trust them, just as they reaffirm what their roles were meant to be from the beginning.

We then see that at the end of the day, Beast takes Belle’s cloak off and hangs it on a coat rack, and the two sit down by the fire to read together. Beast finally is learning manners, and is coming back to the civilised world, letting go of the monster inside him, and learning about human connection.

Cogsworth: You know, perhaps there's something there

That wasn't there before

Chip: (Spoken) What?

Mrs. Potts: There may be something there that wasn't there before

Chip: (Spoken) What's there, mama?

Mrs. Potts: (Spoken) Shh! I'll tell you when you're older.

The three of them, plus Fifi and Chip all observe the scene, but they stay away, respecting the privacy and the personal circle that is established between Belle and Beast. The three leading the furniture are happy to see their Prince actually genuinely smiling from the heart, and at peace.

Chip asks what Cogsworth and his mother are talking about when they say that there’s something there, as he is too young to truly understand love. He is innocent, despite the terrible way he’s lived. His mother tells him that he’ll understand when he’s older, essentially avoiding the Birds and the Bees talk.

They then finish by closing the door to give Belle and Adam privacy, affirming the spirit and love they share between each other, and that space that the two will share forever.

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