In 2007, composer Alan Menken and lyricist Tim Rice developed the concept for "Days in the Sun" during early discussions about a possible live-action adaptation of Disney's 1991 animated film Beauty and the Beast. They wrote it during a meeting in London where Menken attended the West End opening for his musical Sister Act. Menken described the song as a lullaby that explores Belle, Beast, and his servants' memories of earlier parts of their lives; Rice approved of the idea as a way of expanding the characters' backgrounds and emphasizing their emotional connection with the audience. When describing his creative process, Menken said he prefers to conduct collaborations in-person; he said: "I prefer to write face to face in the room, I want the feedback, where’s the title, the exposition, the architecture of the song." Menken produced the song while collaborating with Rice on the songwriting.
