My Hunchback of Notre Dame (Stage Musical) Song Ranking
(excluding the songs in Latin)
I really can’t stand how they slowed down Topsy Turvy in the stage show. It’s one of my favourite Disney songs ever and I probably listen to the movie version every day, but I just can’t really jam out to this one as hard because it’s slowed down. I also hate how they got rid of the rallentando at the very end when they sing “mad and crazy upsy-daisy topsy turvy day.” It always scratches my brain in the movie version so I was pretty disappointed they didn’t use it in the musical. I liked the little “hey!” they add at the end though, that was fun.
Not as fun as the rallentando though 😔
Same problems as Part 2 but I’m honestly grieving how they got rid of the rallentando yall have no idea. Also I know they probably slowed down Topsy Turvy to make it easier to sing and dance to at the same time, but honestly any actor who’s crazy enough to audition for Clopin is crazy enough to pull off Topsy Turvy just let them cook.
I like this song. I have no problems with it. There are just better songs.
You can hear the melody in the background of the scene when Phoebus first arrives in Paris in the movie, so that’s pretty cool.
I LOVE the harmonies in this song, but again there are other numbers that I personally enjoyed more.
PLEASE STOP SLOWING DOWN CLOPIN’S SONGS I CAN’T TAKE IT. I liked the additional lyrics they included in this one though, made Clopin seem a little less…
15. In a Place of Miracles
Between the two songs they had written for Phoebus and Esmeralda to sing in the Court of Miracles, I personally prefer “As Long as There’s a Moon” but this song is still very sweet. Personally I find it a bit chaotic when Esmeralda and Quasimodo are singing over the top of each other, but the harmonies at the end are EXQUISITE. I transcended. I also love Ciara Renée’s delivery of the line “where the blind can see.” I don’t know how to explain it but it tickles my brain.
I have no problems with this song, it builds up tension for Esmeralda’s execution, great harmonies as always, I just feel like it’s too short to justify placing it any higher.
Better than some of the other songs but also not quite as good as the others. For me personally this song mainly picks up in the second half when the ensemble is singing about Esmeralda entering Notre Dame for the first time. Ciara Renée’s delivery of “the light of Notre Dame” gives me CHILLS every single time.
Ok this song is like 12 minutes long so not all of it is going to hit for me. There’s a fair bit of talking which personally tends to annoy me when it comes to musical theatre songs. But with that being said, the parts that do hit, hit SO HARDDD. Stephen Schwartz was cooking with these lyrics oh my GOD. Phoebus’ reprise of “Someday” is SO GOOD. And the gargoyles’ “the world is cruel. The world is ugly. But there are times and there are people when the world is not. And at its cruelest it’s still the only world we’ve got.” Had me IN TEARS the first time I heard it. And of course we can’t forget the iconic line
“WHAT MAKES A MONSTER AND WHAT MAKES A MAAAAAAN?”
Ok I know I’m probably ruffling some feathers with this one. It’s a solid song, classic “I want” song that is phenomenally performed Michael Arden. Personally though there are just other songs that I prefer and listen to more often.
Alright before some of yall start coming for me, I really do love this song. It’s a fantastic piece of music with amazing lyrics, the subject matter just makes me uncomfortable so I tend to skip it when I’m listening to the soundtrack. I know that the song is intentionally uncomfortable, it’s meant to make you uneasy, and it does its job. Mom come pick me up I’m scared.
I’m so glad that this song gets its own place on the soundtrack and isn’t combined with “Hellfire” because I love it so much and it deserves to stand on its own, as does “Hellfire.” This is probably a little bit nitpicky but I personally prefer in the movie version where the final “heaven’s liggggghhhhhht” is sung very softly and not belted like in the stage show. I think it creates more contrast with “Hellfire,” showing how Quasimodo is much more gentle and his feelings for Esmeralda are more innocent.
I did appreciate the lyric change though from “and kissed my cheek without a trace of fright” in the film to “and touched my face without a trace of fright” in the musical. Rhymes much better.
8. The Bells of Notre Dame
Like with “Finale,” this song is too long for every single second to resonate with me, but I vibe with it a lot more. Obviously there are a lot of differences between the stage show version and the film version, but I can get with that, except for the fact that the opening verse was taken from Clopin and divided amongst the ensemble (who are amazingly talented don’t get me wrong) and Phoebus PLEASE LET CLOPIN COOK, I’M BEGGING.
I also notice how “who is the monster and who is the man?” was changed to “what makes a monster and what makes a man?” because let’s all be so for real, it’s probably the line that most people think of when they’re asked to think of a quote from Hunchback.
7. Tavern Song (Thai Mol Piyas)
Just a fun song, total vibe. Kind of reminds me of “I’ve Got a Dream” from Tangled, but I way prefer this song. Esmeralda’s riffs on lyrics like “with the taste of the wineeeeee” are so beautiful. I also love how everyone in the tavern is just having fun and flirting, meanwhile Frollo is outside like “brazen, lude, and odious, this vile, depraved display.” Like I’m convinced this man has only ever read the Bible and a Thesaurus.
6. While the City Slumbered/ Made of Stone
I’m combining these two because they pretty much merge together.
I LOVE HOW THEY DID THE GARGOYLES FOR THE STAGE SHOW!!!
I don’t even know what to say about this song, it’s just amazing and totally speaks for itself. Michael Arden is like a male Idina Menzel or Eden Espinosa, this man can belt like it’s nobody’s business. I also love the harmonies and the rallentando on the “we just thought that you were made of something… stronger.” Chills every time.
Gorgeous, gorgeous harmonies (can you tell I’m a sucker for good harmonies by now). It’s also such a lovely change of pace and tone compared to the songs earlier on in the show like “God Help the Outcasts” and “Into Notre Dame,” which are much more sad and contemplative. This song is pretty much just good times, and it’s so beautifully sung as well.
Once again I’m loving the gargoyles so much more in this production than the movie because whoever sings the line “this girl appears” “and she is kind” I LOVE YOU SM. Gets me right in the heart. And I feel like that line sums up Quasi and Esmeralda’s relationship so well. She one day just appears in his life, and she’s the first person to ever be truly show him compassion.
You can also hear the melody of this song in the background of the scene in the movie when Esmeralda is reading Quasimodo’s palm, which is a really sweet detail!!
4. Rhythm of the Tambourine
MY FAVOURITE SONG FROM THE FESTIVAL OF FOOLS SEQUENCE.
Look, it’s just such a vibe. I love seeing the range of songs that Esmeralda gets to sing. From more gentle and reflective pieces like “God Help the Outcasts” and “Someday” which show how much she’s really hurting inside and longing for justice in a world that’s so unbelievably broken, to more bright pieces like “Rhythm of the Tambourine” and “Top of the World,” which I guess circle back to that idea that this broken world is the only world we’ve got. There’s light and dark. Foul and fair. “Rhythm of the Tambourine” and “Top of the World” remind of us the light.
Ok honestly, second and third are interchangeable depending on my mood, but whatever.
This song is SOUL SHATTERING. I’m so glad that they reworked this song for the stage show, and as much as it shocked me and made me cry, Esmeralda’s admission that she’ll die before she gets to see the world she’s fought so hard for, I loved it. Just from that acceptance of “though I will die long before that morning comes, I’ll die while believing still, it will come when I am gone” tells us so much about Esmeralda’s character. She’s not doing this just for herself, she doesn’t fight just for her sake, she’s doing it for her people. It also shows such great maturity from her. With such an idealistic character like Esmeralda, it can be easy for them to come across as naive, and I feel like this song really helps prevent her from being perceived this way. She’s a truly selfless person and I’m far too attached to her because of this god damn song.
Honestly, it makes me cry even harder when I realise that it’s been nearly 600 years since Hunchback is set, and we’re still not seeing that world Esmeralda wanted so badly.
First time I listened to this song, I was in the car with my mother, she let me play the HoND soundtrack on the Bluetooth speakers, I started sobbing, and this is how it went.
Mom: if I get you a hot chocolate, will you stop crying?
(I did not but the hot chocolate was really good.)
Again can be swapped with “Someday” depending on my mood.
This is actually the song that got me into Hunchback!! I was listening to a Disney playlist on Spotify and it came on, so I decided to give it a chance and I was BAWLING. I’ve actually never listened to another song that’s resonated with me so deeply every single time I’ve listened to it, even after all these years. In my opinion, this is some of Stephen Schwartz’s best lyricism.
“God help the outcasts, or nobody will.” I CANT BREATHE.
The way Esmeralda sings so softly, then the Parishioners come in and they sing so loud, and Esmeralda starts belting to be heard over the top of them only to decrescendo through her final verse because she knows that literally nobody else will help her so she has no reason to scream and shout so they can all hear??
My favourite song from any Disney movie, hands DOWN.
Possibly a hot take but I listen to this song on loop several times a day. Whenever I’m listening to the whole OST and this song ends, I press restart so I can hear it again…
And then when it ends a second time I press restart again, and again, and again.
This song is like the HoND equivalent to “Ready As I’ll Ever Be” from Tangled the Series and I’m exactly the same with that song. Just listening to it on repeat.
“Where is the girl called Esmeraldaaaa?” scratches my brain so harddddd. And the melody is so unbelievably catchy as well.
baratheonpilled
janainaart
origamiaround
discoholicmusic
turnnoffyourmind
kianamaiart
dailybridgerton
izzy806
tangentwithtanner
