Frollo and Quasimodo
Quasimodo with Hugo, Victor, and Laverne
Out There is a song sung by Claude Frollo and Quasimodo in the musical Der Glöckner von Notre Dame. It begins with a dark introduction by Frollo, telling Quasimodo to stay up in the tower where he will not be reviled as a monster. This introduction features a beautiful weaving of two counter melodies sung by Frollo and Quasimodo. A clever use of the phrase "Stay In Here" brings the text of the rest of the song into contrast, "Out There."
Once the judge leaves the scene, everything seems so much brighter and Quasi sings to his gargoyle friends of his dreams of leaving the bell tower and leading a normal life amongst the people he sees 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 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
Latin, Greek, Theology,
The study and austerity
I prayed it would forever be
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[]
