"Evermore" or "If I Can't Love Her"?

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 10:45pm

Hey, guys! I was making plans to see the new Beauty and the Beast again this weekend, and listening to the soundtrack had me thinking. I remember at first, when I heard they weren't going to use the Broadway songs, I was really disappointed, and I wondered if the new songs would hold up as well. However, having listened to the new music, I have to say that I really, really enjoy the new stuff. 

One of my biggest sadnesses was them deciding not to use "If I Can't Love Her." But, having listened to "Evermore" a million times, I'm feeling like it was a good choice to replace IICLH; I'd say that "Evermore" has captured my heart more firmly than IICLH ever did. (As much as I love the Broadway score!) So what are your thoughts? Did you think Disney made the right choice in putting in a new song, or did you miss the Broadway additions? Which song do you think is better?

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 10:54pm

I like them both for different reasons. In theory, you could use both in the same version (well adding "Evermore" to a licensed production would be illegal, but bear with me for a moment) because they are in two VERY different places in the story, and as soon as I heard the song, I understood that. "Everyone"essentially would replace the "If I can't Love Her" REPRISE, rather than replace the original song. So that I understood and was totally cool with; this movie needed a song in a different place in the story than where IICLH was on stage. Had they opted to write a new song to go in the exact same spot, then I would have been ticked they didn't use the perfectly good one they had. But it's not in the same place in the story.

Plus, it is so beautiful and both the Dan Stevens and Josh Groban recordings are a joy. 

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 11:04pm

If I Can't Love Her. Not even a contest. My biggest worry going into the movie was that they cut If I Can't Love Her, and if they'd find a suitable replacement. When I saw that crappy CG beast singing simple ABAB lyrics through autotune, I don't think I've ever been more offended by a movie, and I've seen most of the Pureflix movies.

On that note, one of the biggest problems with this movie is they autotuned far too much. Evermore sounds like they had Dan Stevens speak the lyrics, then put the recording through a sampler playing the melody.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 11:51pm

If I Can't Love Her.


The songs written for the stage show are not as good as the ones with Ashman lyrics, but the new ones for the live action film are actually embarrassing to listen to next to the originals. 

[JennH]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 10:02am

Ah I had a feeling this would be asked sooner or later. I think it depends on the context of the question, but if we're talking about them just as songs being compared to each other without thinking of the context of each song, it's If I Can't Love Her....forever and a day. NO QUESTION, and I will fight anyone who says otherwise...lolz I'm very protective of IICLH   That song is by far the best one that was added to the musical. I've listened to it God only knows how many times and I never get tired of it. It's mostly brilliant writing in all areas, and the stakes are VERY high for our beloved Beast and it's perfectly placed as the Act One closer so it also helps the whole arc of the show rather than being a song put in for the sake of having a song. It's just artistically better overall and it's

Some brilliant person here on BWW described Evermore as very Wildhorn, and by golly, they're correct. I now can't get over it's Wildhorn-ness. It's...a lovely tune, but it's very general and not up to the usual standard Menken and Rice can have. Rice may be a clunker of a lyricist many a time, but he's got some good ones under his belt, and the stage songs for B and the B were better than his usual stuff. I mean, Rice is the man responsible for the "greatest" lyric that is "Greatest man since Noah only goes to show-uh" after all. Yes it suits a different purpose and comes at a different point, but the stakes aren't there. It reminded me of the new place that I Dreamed a Dream came at in Les Mis. They put it at a place where Fantine has lost all hope and it felt the same for The Beast singing Evermore. It's doesn't exactly do the story or character itself any favors. 

People are still bemoaning the fact they didn't use the stage songs for this film...and I'm still annoyed by this. The stage songs would NOT have worked in this film. Menken had said pretty much from day one they were never planning on doing this, so it was no secret that they weren't going to be used, so I'm still wondering why people were so surprised at the lack of them. But...then again, I'd been paying attention like a damn hawk to this film ever since it was announced that they were doing it, so I knew almost every detail as they were released.  That's how close I paid attention. One particular person I know in real life still wants the stage songs in it...I don't know how many times I had to mention they wouldn't have worked. The structure of the musical is different than this film and all those songs (with a POSSIBLE exception of a shortened No Matter What, I don't care what everyone says, I find that song charming in it's own way) just wouldn't have worked. Menken is intelligent, he knows what works for film and what works for the stage. Granted these three new songs are by no means that good, they more or less suit their purpose, even if they are a bit stagnant. Evermore is the best one of the three, but that's still not saying much. Of course said person still insists on highly praising Emma's...uh, singing skills so that's telling. I had no wish to hear her attempt to croak out Home and Change in Me....YIKES NO. But I DID appreciate the Home motif being used when she sees her room in the film though!! I'd heard it was being used somewhere and completely forgot, so when I heard it, I went quite ballistic!! And to Maddie and Alex....OH GOD if they did just merely cut IICLH and just replaced it something else at the same story moment, I would have thrown a fit. 

And lolz, now people are wanting a B and the B revival and have it based on THIS! WHAT!!?? Like no, what did I just say about what works for one medium doesn't always work for the other??? However....Disney Cruise is replacing "Villains" with a new B and the B production and it's being based off this film so...this ought be interesting...I would LOVE a revival as I mentioned in another thread, but NOT one that's been revamped to be based of this film. And dang it, this film did make me miss Ashman and his utter brilliance of text usage. God, that man had a way with words...Menken has had some good lyricists but his work with Ashman is the BEST.

Why do I always write dissertation length responses to things?? I can't keep my thoughts to a minimum...

Updated On: 3/29/17 at 10:02 AM

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 10:11am

If I Can't Love Her...as sung by Josh Groban

[SarahNYC2]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 10:23am

I don't remember If I Can't Love Her since it's been over 10 years since I saw Beauty and the Beast on Broadway.

But I LOVE Evermore sung by Josh Groan. I listen to it way more than I should be admitting!

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 10:28am

SarahNYC2 said: "I don't remember If I Can't Love Her since it's been over 10 years since I saw Beauty and the Beast on Broadway."

Well, here's a reminder...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7SkaANlNnI

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 10:35am

If I Can't Love Her all the way!!! Not only is it musically superior to Evermore, there is just something more in that song. Like someone said the stakes were higher. I feel like in Evermore the beast is a lot more passive and it's not exciting. I wanted the Broadway songs originally, but after hearing the cast sing....it's probably for the best they didn't. Evermore is basic and very wildhorn.