La Belle et La Bête

Info

La Belle et la Bête (previously known as Conversation Diva) is track #1 on Babyshambles' debut album, Down in Albion and is credited to Doherty, Chevalley and Peter Wolfe. The track is the only one from Down in Albion to feature Kate Moss (Doherty's girlfriend at the time of recording) on vocals. Before Doherty and Moss split, Moss would sometimes join Babyshambles on stage to perform the song, along with other hits. As well as the official released recording, there exist two other versions; one recorded during Doherty's Shaken and Withdrawn Megamix session, and one uploaded to French Dog Blues under The Purple Sessions.

The title of the song comes from the 1946 film of the same name, directed by Jean Cocteau.

In a 2005 interview, when asked whether the song had been written about Kate Moss, Doherty replied "No, I’d written the song before I met Kate. She sings a few lines in the song, but no. The whole point is that la belle is le bête at the same time. The beauty is the beast. The beast is invisible in a beautiful girl.”

Appearing on

Oui FM - Live Acoustic	Babyshambles	Session	2007-10-18
Down In Albion	Babyshambles	Album	2005-11-14

Concerts

Roundhouse, Camden	Babyshambles	Camden Roundhouse, London	2014-03-10
La Maroquinerie	Peter Doherty	Paris, France	2008-11-28
Rhythm Factory	Peter Doherty	London (Whitechapel), UK	2008-02-26
Rhythm Factory	Peter Doherty	Whitechapel, London	2007-12-16
Live in Birmingham	Babyshambles	Birmingham, UK	2006-10-01
Live at Ambassador Theatre, Dublin (with Kate Moss)	Babyshambles	Dublin, IRL	2006-09-26
Topvar Rockfest, Slovakia	Babyshambles	Slovakia	2006-07-01
Live at FIB Benicassim	Babyshambles	Benicassim, Spain	2006-06-21
Paradiso, Amsterdam	Babyshambles	Amsterdam, Netherlands	2006-05-01

Lyrics

I'll tell you a story but you won't listen
It's about a nightmare steeped in tradition
It's the story of a coked-up pansy
Who spents his nights in flights of fancy

Met two fellas over Gin and mixers
They talked for a while and soon got the picture
One was a souped up Soho mincer
And the other was a pikey with a knowledge for scripture

Then the conversation turned evil.. (evil)
Talked, talked and talked about people
Why did you do it to so many people?

Stumbled left out of the boozer,
Threw some schrapnel to the legless fusalier,
An endless ceiling and another light,
With a half-tenner smile and you're looking alright.

That girls out way ahead of the game
Way ahead of the game
Way ahead of the game

You've turned your back upon her
One too many times
Spent all her hard earned money
Getting high she sang

(Kate Moss)
Is she more beautiful, is she more beautiful
Is she more beautiful than me?
Is she more beautiful, is she more beautiful
Is she more beautiful than me?

She's La Belle Et La Bete at the ball
La Belle Et La Bete at the ball
La Belle Et La Bete at the ball
You know she could have us all.

You've turned your back upon her
One too many times
Spent all her hard earned money
Just getting high...
She sang

(Kate Moss)
Is she more beautiful, is she more beautiful
Is she more beautiful than me? (than she)
Is she more beautiful, is she more beautiful
Is she more beautiful than me? (than she)

Is she more beautiful, is she more beautiful
Is she more beautiful than she?

I'll tell you a story but you won't listen
It's about a nightmare steeped in tradition
It's the story of a coked-up pansy
Who spents his nights in flights of fancy

Met two fellas over Gin and mixers
They talked for a while and soon got the picture
One was a souped up Soho mincer
And the other was a pikey with a knowledge for scriptures

Then the conversation turned evil (evil)
Talked and talked and talked about people
Why did you do it to so many people?

That girls out way ahead of the game
Way ahead of the game
Way ahead of the game
Out Way ahead of the game

You've turned your back upon her
One too many times
Spent all her hard earned money
Just getting high...
She sang

(Kate Moss)
Is she more beautiful, is she more beautiful
Is she more beautiful than me?
Is she more beautiful, is she more beautiful