Days in the Sun

"Days in the Sun"
Song by Adam Mitchell, Stanley Tucci, Ewan McGregor, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson, Emma Watson, Audra McDonald, Clive Rowe
from the album Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
ReleasedMarch 10, 2017
Recorded2016
GenreShow tune
Length2:40
LabelWalt Disney
Composer(s)Alan Menken
Lyricist(s)Tim Rice
Producer(s)
  • Alan Menken
  • Matt Sullivan
  • Michael Kosarin

"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.