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"Out There" is the second song from Disney's 1996 animated feature The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It is sung by Quasimodo as he dreams about walking among the common man

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?

(spoken) 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:
I am 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

Quasimodo:
Safe behind these windows and these parapets of stone
Gazing at the people down below me
All my life, I watched 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
Give me one day 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

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[]

Wiki
The Disney Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Out There.

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 with Frollo warning Quasimodo was edited out and skips right to Quasimodo's "I want" part, to make the song seem less darker for younger audiences.


v - e - d
The-hunchback-of-notre-dame-logo
Media
Films: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (video/soundtrack/Studio Cast Recording) • The Hunchback of Notre Dame IIHunchback

Television: House of MouseEsmeralda
Video Games: The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Topsy Turvy GamesKingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop DistanceDisney Sorcerer's Arena

Disney Parks
Disney Animation Building

Entertainment: Disney Classics: The Music & The MagicOne Man's Dream II: The Magic Lives OnMickey's Gift of DreamsThe Golden MickeysThe Hunchback of Notre Dame: A Musical Adventure
Restaurants: Clopin's Festival of Foods
Parades: Disney's Party ExpressThe Hunchback of Notre Dame Topsy Turvy Cavalcade
Fireworks: Believe... There's Magic in the StarsDisney Dreams!Happily Ever AfterHarmoniousMomentousWorld of ColorWonderful World of AnimationWondrous Journeys
Spring: Disney's Easter Wonderland
Summer: Stitch and Friends Summer Surprise
Halloween: Frightfully Fun ParadeHappy HallowishesIt's Good to be Bad with the Disney VillainsKooky Spooky Halloween NightRe-Villains! Halloween ParadeThe Disney Villains Halloween ShowtimeVillains GroveVillains Mix and MingleVillains Night Out! Chapter 2
Christmas: A Christmas Fantasy Parade

Characters
Original: QuasimodoEsmeraldaClaude FrolloPhoebusVictor, Hugo, and LaverneDjaliClopinArchdeaconAchillesBrutish and Oafish GuardsFrollo's SoldiersOld PrisonerQuasimodo's MotherQuasimodo's FatherSnowball

Sequel: MadellaineZephyrSarousch

Songs
Original: The Bells of Notre DameOut ThereTopsy TurvyHumiliationGod Help the OutcastsThe Bell TowerHeaven's LightHellfireParis BurningA Guy Like YouThe Court of MiraclesSanctuaryAnd He Shall Smite the WickedInto the SunlightSomeday

Sequel: Le Jour D'AmourAn Ordinary MiracleI'd Stick With YouFa la la la Fallen In LoveI'm Gonna Love You
Musical: Balancing ActRest and RecreationRhythm of the TambourineInto Notre DameTop of the WorldThai Mol PiyasEsmeraldaCity Under SiegeFlight Into EgyptOut of Love (Reprise) • Made of StoneFinale Ultimo
Deleted Songs: In a Place of MiraclesAs Long As There's a MoonSomeday

Locations
ParisNotre Dame de ParisPalace of JusticeCourt of Miracles
Miscellaneous
MusicalDisney Sing Along Songs: Topsy TurvyThe Making of The Hunchback of Notre Dame
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