His best known work includes the Disney animated movies, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, as well as Little Shop of Horrors, Enchanted, Tangled and most recently, Sister Act the Musical.
Out There
Alan Menken Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
You are deformed, I am deformed
And you are ugly, and I am ugly
And these are crimes for which the world shows little pity
You do not comprehend, you are my one defender
Out there they'll revile you as a monster
I am a monster out there they will hate
And scorn and jeer, only a monster
Why invite their calumny and consternation?
Stay in here
Be faithful to me, I'm faithful
Grateful to me, I'm grateful
Do as I say, obey
And stay in here
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'd shown 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
The song "Out There" by Alan Menken is a deeply emotional and introspective song that describes the isolation and loneliness of Quasimodo, the singer of the story of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The song is primarily sung by Quasimodo's guardian and mentor, Frollo, who tries to convince him of his deformity and insists on keeping him in the bell tower.
The song's lyrics reflect Frollo's narcissistic attitude and his belief that he alone can protect and care for Quasimodo in a world that would otherwise reject and mock him. He reminds Quasimodo that they are both deformed and ugly and that the world outside will never accept them. Frollo is trying to manipulate him and maintain his control over him, urging him to stay indoors and obey his commands.
The song's bridge, however, takes a turn, as Quasimodo sings about his yearning to experience the world outside the cathedral. He has memorized the faces of the people he sees everyday from his windows, and hungers to be a part of their lives. He wishes to experience the simple pleasures and freedoms that others take for granted, even just for a day. The song ends on a beautiful and bittersweet note, with Quasimodo dreaming of a life where he too can be a part of the world.
Overall, "Out There" is a powerful and poignant song that highlights the themes of isolation, belonging, and acceptance. It explores the complexity of the human condition and the desire to be accepted for who we are.
Line by Line Meaning
The world is cruel, the world is wicked
The world is not a kind place, it is filled with individuals who want to do harm
It's I alone whom you can trust in this whole city
You can only trust me in this city as everyone else is out to hurt you
I am your only friend
I am the only person in your life who cares about you
I who keep you, teach you, feed you, dress you
I am the one responsible for your care, education, feeding and clothing
I who look upon you without fear
I am not afraid to look at you and accept who you are
How can I protect you, boy, unless you
I need you to do something for me so that I can protect you
Always stay in here, away in here
You need to stay indoors at all times, it's the only way I can keep you safe
Remember what I've taught you, Quasimodo
Please keep in mind everything I have taught you, Quasimodo
You are deformed, I am deformed
Both of us are not physically perfect
And you are ugly, and I am ugly
We are not conventionally attractive
And these are crimes for which the world shows little pity
Unfortunately, society does not have much sympathy for people who are not beautiful or perfect
You do not comprehend, you are my one defender
You might not understand fully, but you are the only person who can help protect me
Out there they'll revile you as a monster
If you go out, people will spew hate towards you and call you a monster
I am a monster out there they will hate
I, too, will be hated and seen as a monster if I step outside
And scorn and jeer, only a monster
Society will not hesitate to mock us and make fun of us in every possible way
Why invite their calumny and consternation?
Why even give them the chance to ridicule and make us feel miserable?
Stay in here
It's best if we both stay indoors, far away from the cruelties of the outside world
Be faithful to me, I'm faithful
If you remain faithful, I will stay loyal to you. It's a two-way street
Grateful to me, I'm grateful
If you show gratitude towards me, I, too, will be grateful to you
Do as I say, obey
Please follow my instructions and do what I tell you to
And stay in here
The only way to stay safe is to remain indoors all the time
Safe behind these windows and these parapets of stone
Staying behind closed windows and stone walls keep us both safe from the outside world
Gazing at the people down below me
Observing the people from above is the only way to know more about them without being too exposed
All my life I watch them as I hide up here alone
I have spent my entire life watching them from afar as I remain hidden all alone up here
Hungry for the histories they'd shown me
I am so curious to know more about their stories, their lives, and their experiences
All my life I memorize their faces
I have spent my entire life memorizing their faces, their expressions...everything about them
Knowing them as they will never know me
I know these people inside-out, but they will never know me since I am always hidden away
All my life I wonder how it feels to pass a day
I often wonder how it feels to step outside and be one with them. To live a carefree life just for a day
Not above them but part of them
I don't want to be above them, but rather a part of them. I want to feel belonged and accepted in their midst
And out there living in the sun
Out there, people are living a bright and happy life under the sun
Give me one day out there
Just one day out there is all I ask for
All I ask is one to hold forever
One single day out there is something that I want to cherish for the rest of my life
Out there where they all live unaware
They might be living unaware of all the dangers, but it's still worth it to get out there
What I'd give, what I'd dare
I am willing to give anything and do anything just for this one day out there
Just to live one day out there
All I want is to live one day like ordinary people, without any worry or fear, just for a day
Contributed by Leah S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
rebecca | レベッカ
Unpopular opinion, but I think this movie has some of the best music Menken ever wrote for Disney.
Xavier Spriggs
That’s not a opinion! That’s a fact!
Áxel Clown
FACTS
Nick Menchaca
I don’t disagree with you one bit, this truly was his best. It’s just too bad these songs and the movie as a whole are overshadowed by the other films from the Disney renaissance, such an underrated film
Jackson Waldrop
This is literally the truest thing ever Aladdin is close but not compared to this
João Victor Ferreira
No way this opinion is unpopular
Fabulousmyriad
I like how Frollo turns the opening cords of Out There into a negative song, whereas Quasimodo turns his version of Out There into a hopeful, joyous song.
The musical captured this theme really well.
Aidan Devine
Quasi is deformed but he’s kind and optimistic. Frollo is normal looking but he’s cruel and cynical.
Carlos Fadiga
The same happens again in the transition between Haven's Light and Hell Fire
Michael William Ybarra
Tafami If you listen to the song “Sanctuary”(Which is basically “the world is cruel” segment of “Out There” expanded into its own song) from the 1999 German stage adaptation of this movie, “Der Glockner Von Notre Dame”, Frollo sings the starting notes of “Out There” in minor formation near the end as well!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_kigA6Dqkc