How does a freak show, deformed orphan son of unknown parentage
With a face scar, dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot in the French sewers
By providence, impoverished, in squalor, grow up to be a conjuror and composer?

The outcasts freak
Opera ghost without a father
Got a lot farther by working a lot harder, by being a lot smarter
By being a self-starter, by the age of ten, they placed him as the main attraction

And everyday while patrons mocked and jeered at his face
"The Devil's Child", he was called struggled to keep his guard up
Inside he was longing for something to be a part of
The brother was ready to beg, steal, borrow or barter

Then he found his escape and he found a way out
Our man saw his future drip, dripping down the drain
Gagged his captor till he couldn't breathe behind the bars
Madame Giry couldn't believe her eyes
Saw the gashes on his arms and legs, a testament to his pain

Well they both got out and, Madame Giry said
"This kid is insane, man!"
Took up a collection just to hide him away
"Get your education, don't forget from whence you came
And the world's gonna know your name. What's your name man?"

Erik, the Phantom of the Opera
My name is the Phantom of the Opera
And there's a million thing I haven't done
But just you wait, just you wait

The Opera House was his shelter now, soon became his home
Where he could hide away where he could be a new man
In Paris
In Paris you can be a new man
Just you wait
(In Paris you can be a new man) Just you wait
In Paris you can be a new man
In Paris (Paris)
Just you wait!

Phantom of the Opera (Phantom of the Opera), we're waiting in the wings for you (waiting in the wings for you)
You could never back down, you never learned to take your time
Oh, Phantom of the Opera (Phantom of the Opera), when France sings for you
Will they know what you overcame?
Will they know you rewrote the song?
The Opera House will never be same, oh

He hides within its walls, see if you can spot him
Firmin and Andre coming up from the bottom
His captors destroyed his dignity behind bars, the freak show forgot him

Firmin and Andre: We fought against him

Piangi and Joseph Buquet: Me? I died cus of him

Madame Giry: Me? I trusted him

Christine Daae: Me? I loved him

Erik: And me? I'm the damn fool that destroyed the Opera House

There's a million thing I haven't done
But just you wait
What's your name man?
Phantom of the Opera