The song is a romantic pop ballad.
Damon Smith of the Chichester Observer described the its melody as "haunting,"
while Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum referred to Lansbury's rendition as a "lullaby". Commonly identified as the film's theme song, its lyrics describe the relationship between the film's two main characters, Belle and the Beast, and specifically addresses how it has managed to transform them, allowing their friendship (and later, love) to grow. One reviewer writing for JoBlo.com wrote that the song serves its purpose in the film by "offering a sure sign of romance between" Belle and the Beast.