Lovely Lyrics: Human Again

Today's song choice is courtesy of one of the greatest songwriting teams in Disney history:  Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.  Their work was celebrated with many nominations and awards and I believe their music is absolutely magical.

Howard Ashman passed away in 1991, before the release of Beauty and the Beast, which to this day remains one of my favorite movies of all time.  When the movie was released, it was dedicated to Howard Ashman as follows:

To our friend Howard,

who gave a mermaid her voice

and a beast his soul,

we will be forever grateful.

When Beauty and the Beast became a Broadway musical, some additional numbers were added, including some work of Tim Rice.  One song that was originally written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, Human Again, did not make it into the film, but was included in the musical when it opened on Broadway in 1994.  C and I saw Beauty and the Beast on Broadway several times, but it only took one performance for me to fall in love with this song.  The soundtrack from the Broadway musical is one of the "permanent" playlists on my phone, due in large part to Human Again.  It is a great number in the show and its entertaining lyrics always put a smile on my face.  It is sung by all of the enchanted objects who long for the day when the spell on the castle is broken.  The bridge of the song also includes a conversation between the title characters and the emotion that results gives me goosebumps. Every.Single.Time.

Alan Menken has continued to compose incredible music for Disney since collaborating with Howard Ashman on The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.  Most notably, in my opinion, is his work on Tangled...another favorite movie whose lyrics will undoubtedly be featured in future posts because I love its soundtrack, too!

If you are a Disney fan, or just a fan of Beauty and the Beast, and are not familiar with this song, I think you will love it as much as I do.  I believe one of the DVD releases of the movie included a new animated sequence and the inclusion of this song, but I can't say for sure (and I don't really want to see it - I don't like when "originals" are revamped like that, even though I love this song).

Human Again

from Beauty and the Beast on Broadway

Ha ha, oui, my friends, the day we have waited for may be at hand!

Oh, if only that were true, Lumiere...

Aah, human again

Human again

Yes, think what that means

I'll be cooking again, be good-looking again

With a mademoiselle on each arm

When I'm human again, only human again

Poised and polished and gleaming with charm

I'll be courting again, chic and sporting again

Which should cause several husband's alarm

I'll hop down off the shelf and tout de suite be myself

I can't wait to be human again

When we're human again, only human again

When we're knickknacks and what-not's no more

Little push, little shove, they could, whoosh, fall in love

Ah, Cherie, won't it all be top-drawer?

I'll wear lipstick and rouge and I won't be so huge

Why, I'll easily fit through that door

I'll exude savior-faire, I'll wear gowns, I'll have hair

It's my prayer to be human again

When I'm human again, only human again

When the world once more starts making sense

I'll unwind for a change, really? That'd be strange

Can I help it if I'm t-t-tense?

In a shack by the sea, I'll sit back sipping tea

Let my early retirement commence

Far from fools made of wax, I'll get down to brass tacks and relax

When I'm human again

So sweep the dust from the floor

Let's let some light in the room

I can feel, I can tell

Someone might break the spell any day now

Shine up the brass on the door

Alert the dust pail and broom

If it all goes as planned

Our time may be at hand any day now

Open the shutters and let in some air

Put these here and put those over there

Sweep up the years of sadness and tears

And throw them away

"When Guinevere heard that Arthur was slain

She stole away to a convent

And no one could ever make her smile again.

The end."

"What a beautiful story!"

"Oh, I knew you would like it!"

"I would like to ask you for something."

"What's that?"

"A second chance.

"Would you have dinner with me tonight?"

"Dinner? Me? With you?

"Well, that would be, I mean, ooohhhh, YES!"

When we're human again, only human again

When the girl finally sets us all free

Cheeks a-bloomin' again, we're assumin' again

We'll resume our long-lost joie de vivre

We'll be playin' again, holiday' again

And we're prayin' it's ASAP

When we cast off this pall

We'll stand straight, we'll walk tall

When we're all that we were
Thanks to him, thanks to her

Coming closer and closer and closer
and closer and closer and closer and...

We'll be dancing again, we'll be twirling again

We'll be whirling around with such ease

When we're human again, only human again

We'll go waltzing those old one-two-three's

We'll be floating again, we'll be gliding again

Stepping, striding as fine as you please

Like the real human does, I'll be all that I was

On that glorious morn' when we're finally reborn

And we're all of us human again!

Happy Tails to you!