A Change in Me (Beauty and the Beast)
Encyclopedia
"A Change in Me" is a solo
song from the Broadway
musical Beauty and the Beast
, sung by the protagonist, Belle. It was written by Tim Rice
and Alan Menken
. The song was not included in the original Broadway production. It was introduced during 1998 when R&B singer Toni Braxton
joined the Broadway cast; although it was added solely for Braxton only, it has been included in the script ever since. Because of this, the song was never included on the Original Broadway Cast recording; however, Susan Egan
, the original Broadway Belle, recorded a version of the song and included it on her album, So far...
. The song is about Belle's internal transformation, the kind that each of the main characters, Belle, and the Beast
, go through. It describes how she no longer clings to her childhood dreams and has realized that she likes life how it is: "I never thought I'd leave behind/my childhood dreams, but I don't mind/I'm where and who I want to be."
The coda
of the song was changed in 2005 when Ashley Brown
joined the cast as Belle. It was made bigger to be similar to the ending that she sang when she played Kirsten in On the Record
. It now ends with belted notes and a grander orchestration.
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
song from the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musical Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (musical)
Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical...
, sung by the protagonist, Belle. It was written by Tim Rice
Tim Rice
Sir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
and Alan Menken
Alan Menken
Alan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist.Menken is best known for his numerous scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards...
. The song was not included in the original Broadway production. It was introduced during 1998 when R&B singer Toni Braxton
Toni Braxton
Toni Michelle Braxton is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Braxton has won six Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and five Billboard Music Awards and has sold over 60 million records worldwide...
joined the Broadway cast; although it was added solely for Braxton only, it has been included in the script ever since. Because of this, the song was never included on the Original Broadway Cast recording; however, Susan Egan
Susan Egan
Susan Egan is an American actress and singer known for her work on the Broadway stage.-Early life and career:Egan was born in Seal Beach, California. She attended Orange County High School of the Arts and UCLA. In the meantime she started her career touring with the performance group The Young...
, the original Broadway Belle, recorded a version of the song and included it on her album, So far...
Meaning
The original Broadway key is G-flat major, though it is played in the key of A majorA major
A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor...
. The song is about Belle's internal transformation, the kind that each of the main characters, Belle, and the Beast
Beast (Beauty and the Beast)
The Beast is a main character of Disney's 1991 animated film Beauty and the Beast. As the film is based on the traditional fairy tale of the same name, the Beast is based on the corresponding character from that fairy tale. He has also appeared in two direct-to-video midquels, Beauty and the Beast:...
, go through. It describes how she no longer clings to her childhood dreams and has realized that she likes life how it is: "I never thought I'd leave behind/my childhood dreams, but I don't mind/I'm where and who I want to be."
Versions
The song, "A Change in Me", has been recorded by various artists:- Susan EganSusan EganSusan Egan is an American actress and singer known for her work on the Broadway stage.-Early life and career:Egan was born in Seal Beach, California. She attended Orange County High School of the Arts and UCLA. In the meantime she started her career touring with the performance group The Young...
, So Far. Egan was the first "Belle" in the BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
version of Beauty and the Beast. - Ashley BrownAshley BrownAshley Brown is an actress who is best known for playing the title character in the United States national tour and Broadway productions of Mary Poppins.-Career:...
, Disney's On the Record. Brown recorded the song when she was cast as "Kirsten" in the national tour of the Disney revue On the RecordOn the Record (musical revue)On the Record is a jukebox musical revue featuring many classic songs from a variety of live action and animated films and television series produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Broadway musical plays produced by Walt Disney Theatrical, and even Disneyland attractions...
. - KC ConcepcionKC ConcepcionKC Concepcion is a Filipina actress and singer and who is currently a National Ambassador Against Hunger of the UN's World Food Programme.- Personal life :...
, Atlantis Production's show held in the Philippines last 2005. KC Concepcion recorded the song with the world renowned San Miguel Philharmonic OrchestraSan Miguel Philharmonic OrchestraThe San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the two major performing arts groups under the San Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts. As a young ensemble, its wide selection of works encompassing musical genres attests to its versatility and dynamism...
. - Chantal JanzenChantal JanzenChantal Janzen is a Dutch actress and musical star. She starred in The Preacher, Full Moon Party and Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo and presented Idols....
2006 Dutch Cast Recording. Chantal Janzen recorded the song in Dutch, titled 'Dat zegt het hart'. - Julia Möller, 2008 Madrid Cast Recording. Möller recorded the song for the first time in SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, called "Un cambio en mí". In 2009, coinciding with the arrival of the musical in BarcelonaBarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, María Adamuz, Möller's replacement, recorded the song again.
The coda
Coda
Coda can denote any concluding event, summation, or section.Coda may also refer to:-Acronyms:* Calgary Olympic Development Association, the former name of the Canadian Winter Sport Institute, a non profit organization...
of the song was changed in 2005 when Ashley Brown
Ashley Brown
Ashley Brown is an actress who is best known for playing the title character in the United States national tour and Broadway productions of Mary Poppins.-Career:...
joined the cast as Belle. It was made bigger to be similar to the ending that she sang when she played Kirsten in On the Record
On the Record (musical revue)
On the Record is a jukebox musical revue featuring many classic songs from a variety of live action and animated films and television series produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Broadway musical plays produced by Walt Disney Theatrical, and even Disneyland attractions...
. It now ends with belted notes and a grander orchestration.