| "Beauty and the Beast" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Stevie Nicks | |
| from the album The Wild Heart | |
| A-side | "Whole Lotta Trouble (released in 1989)" |
| Released | 1983 |
| Recorded | 1983 |
| Genre | Soft rock |
| Length | 6:02 |
| Label | Modern |
| Songwriter(s) | Stevie Nicks |
| Producer(s) | Jimmy Iovine |
"Beauty and the Beast" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks. It is the final track on her second album The Wild Heart , released in 1983. It was later released in a live version from Nicks 1986 Rock a Little tour as a B-side to the UK single "Whole Lotta Trouble" in October 1989. It also appears on two compilations: Timespace – The Best of Stevie Nicks , released in 1991, and the boxset, Enchanted , released in 1998. [1] A new studio version appears on her album, The Soundstage Sessions , released in 2009.
The song receives its titles and initial inspiration from French filmmaker Jean Cocteau's 1946 film Beauty and the Beast , one of Stevie Nicks' favorite classic films. [2] Nicks explains the importance of the song to her, both during live performances and in various interviews, as one that encompasses her whole life and represents how everyone is either a beauty or a beast, usually both [3] [4] [5] On its re-release in Timespace – The Best of Stevie Nicks (1991), she dedicates the song to Vincent and Catherine, of the late 80's television show, "Beauty and the Beast." [3]
"Beauty and the Beast" was recorded during a single three-hour session in Gordon Perry's recording studio. It is recorded with a full string orchestra and grand piano. During the recording session, Stevie Nicks and her back-up vocalists wore long black gowns and served champagne to the visiting musicians. [6]
Main performers
String section
Main performers
String section
During her 2006 and 2007 tours, Stevie Nicks performed "Beauty and the Beast" as her encore. For this number, she changed into a black dress and styled her hair into an up-do to resemble Belle from the 1946 film. Footage from the film played in the background as well while she performed. Due to issues obtain copyrights for the 1946 film, a performance of the song was cut from the final edit of her 2009 Live in Chicago DVD. Instead, a new studio version recorded in Nashville in January 2008 appears on the accompanying album, The Soundstage Sessions .