<P> `` Be Our Guest '' is a song written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for Walt Disney Pictures ' 30th animated feature film Beauty and the Beast ( 1991 ) . Recorded by American actor Jerry Orbach and English actress Angela Lansbury as Lumiere and Mrs. Potts , respectively , `` Be Our Guest '' is a large - scale Broadway - inspired musical number that takes place during the first half of Beauty and the Beast , performed by the castle 's staff of enchanted objects in an elaborate attempt to welcome Belle . Menken initially intended for the melody of `` Be Our Guest '' to be temporary but was ultimately unable to compose a satisfying one with which to replace it . The song had originally been intended for Belle 's father Maurice . However , `` Be Our Guest '' had to be entirely re-written as the story evolved in order to return its focus to Belle . </P>
who sang be our guest in beauty and the beast
American actor Jerry Orbach English actress Angela Lansbury