"Out There" is the second song from Disney's 1996 animated feature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Background[]
It began with a dark introduction by the main villain and antagonist, Claude Frollo, telling Quasimodo to stay up in the bell tower where he will not be reviled as a monster. This introduction featured a weaving of two counter melodies sung by them, with the use of the phrase "Stay in Here" bringing the text of the rest of the song into contrast, "Out There."
Once Frollo left the scene, everything seemed so much brighter and Quasimodo sang about his dreams of leaving the bell tower and leading a normal life among the people he saw every day. This song may have been what finally convinced him to escape down into the Festival of Fools.
Lyrics[]
Frollo:
The world is cruel
The world is wicked
It's I alone whom you can trust in this whole city
I am your only friend
I who keep you, teach you, feed you, dress you
I who look upon you without fear
How can I protect you, boy, unless you always
Stay in here,
Away in here?
Remember what I've taught you, Quasimodo.
You are deformed
Quasimodo:
I am deformed
Frollo:
And you are ugly
Quasimodo:
And I am ugly
Frollo:
And these are crimes for which the world shows little pity
You do not comprehend
Quasimodo: You are my one defender
Frollo:
Out there, they'll revile you as a monster
Quasimodo:
I am a monster
Frollo:
Out there, they will hate and scorn and jeer
Quasimodo: Only a monster
Frollo:
Why invite their calumny and consternation?
Stay in here
Be faithful to me
Quasimodo:
I'm faithful
Frollo:
Grateful to me
Quasimodo:
I'm grateful
Frollo: Do as I say
Obey
Both:
And/I'll stay in here
Quasimodo:
Safe behind these windows and these parapets of stone
Gazing at the people down below me
All my life, I watch them as I hide up here alone
Hungry for the histories they show me
All my life, I memorize their faces
Knowing them as they will never know me
All my life, I wonder how it feels to pass a day
Not above them
But part of them
And out there, living in the sun
Give me one day out there, all I ask is one
To hold forever
Out there, where they all live unaware
What I'd give
What I'd dare
Just to live one day out there
Out there among the millers and the weavers and their wives
Through the roofs and gables I can see them
Every day they shout and scold and go about their lives
Heedless of the gift it is to be them
If I was in their skin
I'd treasure every instant
Out there, strolling by the Seine
Taste a morning out there, like ordinary men
Who freely walk about there
Just one day and then, I swear
I'll be content
With my share
Won't resent
Won't despair
Old and bent
I won't care
I'll have spent one day out there!
Frollo:
The world is cruel
The world is wicked
It's I alone whom you can trust
In this whole city
I am your only friend
Remember what I taught you, Quasimodo.
You are deformed
Quasimodo:
I am deformed
Frollo:
And you are ugly
Quasimodo:
And I am ugly
Frollo:
And these are crimes for
Which the world shows little pity
You do not comprehend
Quasimodo:
You are my one defender...
Frollo:
You are such a monster they would hurt you if they could
They would call you you hideous and hateful
Quasimodo:
A monster...
Frollo:
Everything I tell you boy I do for your own good
I'm surprised to find you so ungrateful
Quasimodo:
Only a monster
Frollo:
Out there you'd become their prey
Quasimodo:
Master I am sorry I've offended you this way
Frollo:
But they can't hurt you out there
Not if you obey and stay
In here
Frollo:
The world is cruel
The world is wicked
It's I alone whom you can trust
In this whole city
I am your only friend
I who keep you, teach you, feed you, dress you
I who look upon you without fear
How can I protect you boy
Unless you always stay in here
Away in here...?
Remember what I taught you, Quasimodo.
You are deformed
Quasimodo:
I am deformed
Frollo:
And you are ugly
Quasimodo:
And I am ugly
Frollo:
And these are crimes for
Which the world shows little pity
You do not comprehend
Quasimodo:
You are my one defender...
Frollo:
Out there they'll revile you as a monster
Quasimodo:
I am a monster...
Frollo:
Out there they will hate and scorn and jeer
Quasimodo:
Only a monster...
Frollo:
Why invite their curses and their consternation?
Stay in here!
Here you will be happier by far
You don't know how fortunate you are...
Once I was as blessed as you,
A novice priest in service to
This holy church which was, I knew
My sanctuary
Oh, then my duty called
Paris was burning
Sin, vice, corruption ev'rywhere
For me to rout
Out there...
Quasimodo:
You are good to me, master. I'm sorry.
Frollo:
I see the great unwashed are beginning to congregate. It appears that I will have to dip my handkerchief in perfume and hold it to my nose to get me through this day. Well then, I must be off.
Out where it's dark
Loni:
Out where it's bright
Frollo:
Out where it's dirty
Charles:
Out where it's busy
Frollo:
Out in that morally debauched
And putrefied world
Gargoyles:
There's such a wide world to share
Frollo:
I am so thankful for our sanctuary
Antoine:
If you go out, it can remain our secret
Frollo:
Our secret sanctuary
Gargoyles:
Oh, if this once you go
Frollo:
I've kept you pure
Gargoyles:
Out in the air
Frollo:
Year after year
Antoine:
It may be right...
Charles:
It may be wrong...
Loni:
But you will know...
Frollo:
Knowing that you're...
Gargoyles:
How you would fare...
Frollo:
Always
In here...
Gargoyles:
Out there...
Quasimodo:
Safe behind these windows
And these parapets of stone
Gazing at the people down below me
All my life I watch them
As I hide up here alone
Hungry for the histories they show me
All my life, I memorize their faces
Knowing them as they will never know me
All my life, I wonder
How it feels to pass a day
Not above them
But part of them
And out there
Living in the sun
Give me one day out there
All I ask is one
To hold forever
Out there
Where they all live unaware
What I'd give
What I'd dare
Just to live one day out there
Out there among the millers
And the weavers and their wives
Through the roofs and gables I can see them
Ev'ry day they shout and scold
And go about their lives
Heedless of the gift it is to be them
If I was in their skin
I'd treasure ev'ry instant
Out there
Strolling by the Seine
Taste a morning!
Out there
Like ordinary men
Who freely walk about there
Just one day and then
I swear, I'll be content
With my share
Won't resent, won't despair
Old and bent, I won't care
I'll have spent one day
Out there!
Gallery[]
Video[]
Trivia[]
- This song was comparable to "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid, as they're both about the protagonists' struggle with living in their own little purgatory and wanting to explore the outer world. The first half of the song also shared similarities to "Mother Knows Best" from Tangled and "Stay With Me" from Into the Woods, where the film's antagonists/parental figures lecture the protagonist on the importance of staying secluded from the world and always listening to their every word.
- At one point during the song, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, the Magic Carpet from Aladdin, and Pumbaa from The Lion King can be seen in the village.
- The Spanish group Ketama made a version of this song, deleting Frollo's part.
- This song was included on the tape, Disney Sing Along Songs: Topsy Turvy; however, the serious and dark introduction was edited out to make the song seem less darker for younger audiences.
v - e - d  | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|