About Be Our Guest from Beauty and the Beast
Be Our Guest is a song from Walt Disney Pictures’ thirtieth animated feature film Beauty and the Beast. It was written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman. Be Our Guest is an up-tempo Broadway and cabaret-style song. In the film, the song is performed in the style of a large-scale musical number by the castle’s staff of enchanted servants to Belle in an attempt to make her feel welcome. Originally recorded by American actor Jerry Orbach and English actress Angela Lansbury in their film roles as the characters Lumiere and Mrs. Potts.
The song was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and an Academy Award in the same category but lost both to the title song from the film. Be Our Guest has enjoyed a mostly positive reception from critics, many of whom described it as one of the highlights of the film and its soundtrack. For many Disney film fans, it is one of their favorite songs from Disney movies.
Be Our Guest Lyrics
[Lumiere:] Ma chere Mademoiselle, it is with deepest pride
and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight.
And now we invite you to relax, let us pull up a
chair as the dining room proudly presents – your
dinner!
Be our guest
Be our guest
Put our service to the test
Tie your napkin ’round your neck, cherie
And we provide the rest
Soup du jour
Hot hors d’oeuvres
hy, we only live to serve
Try the grey stuff, it’s delicious
Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes
They can sing
They can dance
After all, Miss, this is France
And a dinner here is never second best
Go on, unfold your menu
Take a glance and then you’ll
Be our guest
Oui, our guest
Be our guest
Beef ragout
Cheese souffle
Pie and pudding “en flambe”
We’ll prepare and serve with flair
A culinary cabaret
You’re alone
And you’re scared
But the banquet’s all prepared
No one’s gloomy or complaining
While the flatware’s entertaining
We tell jokes
I do tricks
With my fellow candlesticks
[Mugs:] And it’s all in perfect taste
That you can bet
[All:] Come on and lift your glass
You’ve won your own free pass
To be out guest
[Lumiere:] If you’re stressed
It’s fine dining we suggest
[All:] Be our guest
Be our guest
Be our guest
[Lumiere:] Life is so unnerving
For a servat who’s not serving
He’s not whole without a soul to wait upon
Ah, those good old days when we were useful
Suddenly those good old days are gone
Ten years we’ve been rusting
Needing so much more than dusting
Needing exercise, a chance to use our skills
Most days we just lay around the castle
Flabby, fat and lazy
You walked in and oops-a-daisy!
[Mrs Potts:] It’s a guest
It’s a guest
Sakes alive, well I’ll be blessed
Wine’s been poured and thank the Lord
I’ve had the napkins freshly pressed
With dessert
She’ll want tea
And my dear that’s fine with me
While the cups do their soft shoeing
I’ll be bubbling, I’ll be brewing
I’ll get warm
Piping hot
Heaven’s sakes! Is that a spot?
Clean it up! We want the company impressed
We’ve got a lot to do
Is it one lump or two
For you, our guest?
[Chorus:] She’s our guest
[Mrs Potts:] She’s our guest
[Chorus:] She’s our guest
Be our guest
Be our guest
Our command is your request
It’s ten years since we had anybody here
And we’re obsessed
With your meal
With your ease
Yes, indeed, we aim to please
While the candlelight’s still glowing
Let us help you
We’ll keep going
Course by course
One by one
‘Til you shout, “Enough! I’m done!”
Then we’ll sing you off to sleep as you digest
Tonight you’ll prop your feet up
But for now, let’s eat up
Be our guest
Be our guest
Be our guest
Please, be our guest