Phil Collins, the drummer and singer who has sold 100 million albums with Genesis and as a solo artist, was approached by Disney to record a version of "If I Can't Love Her" from the Beauty and the Beast Broadway adaptation. However, he was unable to complete the project, marking a rare professional setback for the accomplished musician working on a high-profile production.

The song's numerous chord changes proved insurmountable for Collins, who does not read music and instead relies on instinct and ear to create. After recording his version, producer Chris Montan told him he had "cut all the good material out" by simplifying the arrangement. Collins admitted he "couldn't read that stuff," and the project ultimately never happened, though the article suggests his honest acknowledgement of this limitation was reasonable given his career-long dependence on instinct over formal music theory.