"Days in the Sun" is a song written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Tim Rice for the musical fantasy film Beauty and the Beast (2017), a live-action adaptation of Disney's 1991 animated film of the same name. Rice and Menken developed the concept in 2007 during the first discussions about a remake. Performed by Adam Mitchell, Stanley Tucci, Ewan McGregor, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson, Emma Watson, Audra McDonald, and Clive Rowe, "Days in the Sun" is one of four songs added to the 2017 film. It was released on March 10, 2017, as part of the film's soundtrack.
"Days in the Sun" is prominently featured in a flashback sequence about the death of the Beast's mother. In the lyrics, the Beast's servants and Belle reminisce about earlier parts of their lives. Serving as a replacement of the song "Human Again" from the stage adaptation of the original Disney film, it was regarded as a more sombre expression of the subject matter by music critics. An alternative version of "Days in the Sun", in which the Beast's mother sings a verse, was made available on the Blu-ray release; it was changed after a test audience confused Harriet Jones with Hattie Morahan, who played the mother and Agathe, respectively. Critical response to "Days in the Sun" was mixed; some critics praised its content while others questioned whether it was a necessary addition.
Background and release
In 2007, composer Alan Menken and lyricist Tim Rice developed the concept for "Days in the Sun" during early discussions about a possible live-action adaptation of Disney's 1991 animated film Beauty and the Beast. They wrote it during a meeting in London where Menken attended the West End opening for his musical Sister Act. Menken described the song as a lullaby that explores Belle, Beast, and his servants' memories of earlier parts of their lives; Rice approved of the idea as a way of expanding the characters' backgrounds and emphasizing their emotional connection with the audience. When describing his creative process, Menken said he prefers to conduct collaborations in-person; he said: "I prefer to write face to face in the room, I want the feedback, where’s the title, the exposition, the architecture of the song." Menken produced the song while collaborating with Rice on the songwriting.
"Days in the Sun" is one of four songs introduced in the 2017 live-action adaptation Beauty and the Beast; the others are "Evermore", "Aria", and "How Does a Moment Last Forever". Menken said he only wanted to create more material for the remake if "it fe[lt] organic to the medium". David Hoberman, who produced the 2017 film, thought "Days in the Sun" would earn Menken his ninth Academy Award for Best Original Song.
A preview of "Days in the Sun" was released on February 17, 2017, along with a portion of Emma Thompson's performance of the 1991 song "Beauty and the Beast". "Days in the Sun" was considered for release as a single but director Bill Condon did not feel it "len[t] itself to the process". A version of "Evermore" performed by Josh Groban was ultimately chosen as a single. Before the film's debut and the soundtrack's release, a series of nail polishes was released; a yellow nail polish was named after the song. "Days in the Sun" was released on March 10, 2017, as a track on the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack; it was made available as an audio CD and a digital download. It is performed by Adam Mitchell as the young Beast, Emma Watson as Belle, and Stanley Tucci, Ewan McGregor, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson, Audra McDonald, and Clive Rowe as the Beast's enchanted servants.
Context and composition
"Days in the Sun" is played three times during the film. It is first heard performed by Audra McDonald as part of a debutante ball. Director Bill Condon identified it as a lullaby the Beast's mother sang for him and said the court had chosen its most celebrated diva to appeal to the Beast.