Out There
Tony Jay & Tom Hulce Lyrics

The world is cruel
The world is a heartless place where people are often treated unfairly.

The world is wicked
The world is evil and full of wickedness.

It's I alone whom you can trust in this whole city
I am the only person you can rely on in this entire city.

I am your only friend
I am the only person who cares about you and is there for you.

I who keep you, teach you, feed you, dress you
I am the one who takes care of you, educates you, provides food for you, and dresses you.

I who look upon you without fear
I see you for who you are and am not afraid of you despite your appearance.

How can I protect you, boy, unless you
I cannot keep you safe if you don't listen to me.

Always stay in here
You need to stay in this place where I can protect you.

Away in here
Stay hidden and safe inside this space.

You are deformed
You have a physical deformity that people will judge you for.

(I am deformed)
I, too, am deformed and understand how the world views us.

And you are ugly
You are not attractive and will be judged for your appearance.

(And I am ugly)
I, too, am not attractive and understand how this will impact our lives.

And these are crimes
Having a deformity or being unattractive is seen as a crime in the eyes of society.

For which the world
The world at large

Shows little pity
People are cruel and have little compassion for those who are different from themselves.

You do not comprehend
You cannot understand the way people will treat you for your deformity and appearance.

(You are my one defender)
I am the only one who can protect you from the cruelty of the world outside.

Out there they'll revile you
Out in the world, people will show you open hatred and contempt.

As a monster
You will be viewed as a monster by those who don't understand.

(I am a monster)
I, too, am viewed by society as a monster due to my appearance and deformity.

Out there they will hate
People will treat you with hatred and disgust.

And scorn and jeer
They will mock and ridicule you for being different.

(Only a monster)
You will only be seen as a monster in the eyes of those who don't understand.

Why invite their calumny
Why subject yourself to their criticism and hatred?

And consternation
And their confusion at your existence.

Stay in here
Stay safe and hidden within the walls of our sanctuary.

Be faithful to me
Be loyal to me and trust me to protect you.

(I'm faithful)
I, too, am faithful to you and will keep my promises.

Grateful to me
Be thankful to me for all that I do for you.

(I'm grateful)
I, too, am grateful for your companionship and the trust you have placed in me.

Do as I say
Listen to my instructions and follow my lead.

Obey
Do what I tell you without question.

And stay
Remain where I put you for your own safety.

In here
Within the walls of our safe haven.

Safe behind these windows and these parapets of stone
We are secure and protected from the outside world by these windows and stone walls.

Gazing at the people down below me
We observe the people below us as they go about their daily lives.

All my life I watch them as I hide up here alone
I've spent my entire life watching the outside world from within the confines of this sanctuary.

Hungry for the histories they show me
I am fascinated by the stories of the people I observe from afar.

All my life I memorize their faces
I remember the faces of the people I observe and long to be a part of their world.

Knowing them as they will never know me
I know the people I observe, but they will never know me because I am hidden away and different from them.

All my life I wonder how it feels to pass a day
I have always wondered what it would be like to live a day in the life of an ordinary person.

Not above them
I don't want to be any better than they are or think myself superior.

But part of them
I want to be a part of their world and experience it as they do.

And out there
Outside of our sanctuary

Living in the sun
Living in the light and warmth of the outdoors

Give me one day out there
I want just one day to experience the world outside.

All I ask is one
I am content to have just one day outside to experience life as an ordinary person.

To hold forever
That one day is something I will treasure forever.

Out there
In the world outside of our sanctuary.

Where they all live unaware
Where people live their lives without knowing the secrets and dangers of the world we inhabit.

What I'd give
I would be willing to make any sacrifice

What I'd dare
I would be willing to take any risk

Just to live one day out there
In order to have one day to experience the world outside, I would be willing to give anything and take any risk.

Out there among the millers and the weavers and their wives
Out in the world with the people who work hard and are making a life for themselves.

Through the roofs and gables I can see them
From above I can see the people going about their everyday lives around me.

Ev'ry day they shout and scold and go about their lives
Every day they carry on with their day-to-day duties, even if they are unhappy.

Heedless of the gift it is to be them
They don't appreciate the gift of life and being alive that they have been given.

If I was in their skin
If I were living their lives

I'd treasure ev'ry instant
I would treasure every moment of it, even the hard parts.

Out there
In the world outside

Strolling by the Seine
Walking by the river Seine in Paris, France.

Taste a morning out there
Experience a morning outside in the fresh air.

Like ordinary men
Like any other person.

Who freely walk about there
People who can walk freely without fear of judgment or harm.

Just one day and then
Just one day to have the experience.

I swear I'll be content
I promise that one day will be enough for me to be satisfied.

With my share
With my portion of that experience.

Won't resent
I won't feel any resentment.

Won't despair
I won't feel hopeless.

Old and bent
Even when I am old and physically declined.

I won't care
I won't regret having had that one day in the world outside.

I'll have spent
I will have used that one day wisely and well.

One day
That one day outside in the world that I have always longed for.

Out there
In the world outside of our sanctuary.