Author's Note: This is inspired by xMourns the Wickedx's 'Notre Dame de Paris Retitled!' which I highly recommend. Due to her, I was inspired to write this, and I guess this is the English version- where I mention the English songs. They are really comments about the changes made. I think it's a sense of you'll get it if you do.
Three things I must point out.
I love the French version and really dislike the English version
I love Bruno Pelletier's Gringoire and Bruno Pelletier himself
I really don't like Tina Arena
Therefore, this is how my views will be biased. I don't speak French but I have read translations of the lyrics. I used .#17 to see the English lyrics.
ACT 1
The Age of the Cathedrals: we decided that we want to surprise you so this whole thing is going to appear from nowhere and we'll make our end of the world prediction more reliable by throwing a reference source (1)
The refugees: we decided to change a verse- never mind that it is the one verse with the really different words
Intervention of Frollo: he better still be the archdeacon…you won't get away with doing what Disney did! (2)
Bohemienne: Esmeralda suddenly loves Andalusia so much that it is always her home even though she has never been there before (3)
Esmeralda you see: English-speaking audience will like the English-singing singer more instead of the French-singing singer, so let's cut away his lines and give it to her (4)
So look no more for love: hold on a second…isn't it a bit too early for the mature content stuff? Isn't that only happening at the end of the act? (5)
The feast of fools: we'll change the title from pope to king, more impressive that way
The king of fools: is it me or did this song suddenly got much shorter?
The sorceress: Best way of insulting someone- saying that their hair is like fur (6)
The founding: am I too paranoid by thinking that the song seems to emphasise the master-servant relationship more then the father-son aspect?
The doors of Paris: Let's get this song cut too but we'll disguise this by letting everyone think: Gringoire, didn't know you have that kind of thoughts about the night (7)
Kidnap Attempt: Esmeralda now have a higher standard, instead of not going with a solider, she now does not go with any man (8)
The court of miracle: We'll compromise cutting Gringoire's previous song short by giving him a few extra lines here
The word Phoebus: a poet is using 'don't you know'? A poet?
Shining like the sun: tough as anyone? Can't run away as he is too warm? Is there truly no other words that could be used as a substitute? (9)
Torn apart: Unlike the original Phoebus, this Phoebus seems to be genuinely struggling which might be why he knelt first (See note for to get back to you) (10)
Anarchy: English speaking audiences are too dumb to understand 'Ananke' so we will just use a word that has a totally different meaning and hope that no ones will look at the dictionary (11)
Water please: I wish that they will not use oh so often…
Belle: I am not surprise at Phoebus and Frollo thinking about Esmeralda in that way but Quasimodo? I am amazed. (12)
Home in the sky: the girl is more likely to agree to visit if it is a home in the sky instead of any normal house
Ave Maria: the French Esmeralda didn't get her words hear as she was too soft spoken so we will do it louder
If you can see inside me: Eh…isn't this Frollo's song?
Your love will kill me: what love?
The shadow: Like the French one, I don't get what Phoebus means at the end. Nice to see that something remains the same
At Val d'amour: there is no question of this Gringoire being a regular visitor here
The voluptuary: one can almost feel sorry for this Phoebus
Oh Destiny: we really want to use destiny but it has one less syllable then fatalite, so what do we do? Ah, add an Oh in front of it, never mind the fact that this makes the song sound really stupid.
ACT 2
Talk to me of Florence: the English speaker audience are clearly more into a duet of the special friendship between the two who does not have a special friendship instead of an intellectual conversation so let's scrape this song off from the English concept albums. (13)
The bells: hmm…a song that actually did not get changed that much
Where is she: this is no one's fault but swallow just sounds so much nicer in French
The birds they put in the cages: we decided, the priest will be the bad guy from here (14)
Cast away: we will lessen the name calling
The trial: why can't pagan be used? Why do you have to switch it to pig? (15)
The torture: this basically stays the same but surely it is hard to screw this up?
I am a priest: really original title. Instead of being a struggle of one's profession and feelings, it becomes a 'this is what I do and by the way I happen to love a girl'.
Phoebus: what, you don't want to go to Andalusia even though you decided that it is actually your home? (16)
To get back to you: we decided to make Phoebus nicer, so he will do the begging first
My heart if you will swear: Am I the only one who is a bit scared? Why is it that I can see her pulling out a knife? (17)
Frollo's visit to Esmeralda: the return of can't you see comes…
One morning you danced: is there any other way to nod other then to use your head? (18)
Free today: ladies and gentleman, Gringoire has become a participant instead of the narrator as we are just letting him sing the same as what every one else is singing (19)
Moon: eh, yes, the changes in the lyrics. Well, eh, I was perhaps a bit too distracted by how good the singer is
This small whistle I leave you: same logic with 'Esmeralda you see'
God you made the world all wrong: seriously, there is no other word then an 'ugly stain?' (20)
Live for the one I love: the song that is so good that the English album has to include it twice (21)
Attack on notre dame: please see the notes for free today
By royal law: we are too lazy to write new lyrics so we will just throw in the old words
My master my saviour: the don't you see returns again….
Give her to me: luckily this bit remains the same…
Dance my Esmeralda: hey maybe the English version can be good…what, this is the last song? (22)
What follow here is a long author's note where I explain what I wrote.
(1) The original lyrics: 'The time of cathedrals has arrive…the end of the world is predicted for the year 2000'. As opposed to 'From nowhere came the age of the cathedrals…a wise man once said, in two thousand this world ends
(2) In the original version, Phoebus actually says 'Monsieur the archdeacon' but the English version has him saying monsieur Frollo. The reason that I am paranoid is because in the Disney version, Frollo wasn't even the archdeacon.
(3) In the original version, Esmeralda does show a tendency of thinking about Andalusia but it is only an image 'But when I imagine the sea it takes me far from here, towards the mountains of Andalusia'. But in the English version, the same line becomes: 'I dream of oceans rolling on, they take my heart where I must come, Andalusia mountain home'. In the French musical she talks about continuing wandering: 'I will follow to the end of the world' and then talks about whether it is worth going back to Andalusia: 'The skies of Andalusia, is it worth the trouble to return here?' In the English version she talks about how she will go home and then immediate talk about Andalusia. Therefore, it seems that she regard Andalusia as the place of her home and unlike the French version, she is certain of her wanting to go there.
(4) In the French version, this whole song is Clopin's but in the English version, the lines are divided up pretty evenly. However, in the Spanish and Italian version, while Esmeralda does get an extra verse and line, the song is still mainly Clopin's. However, in the English version, the song is no longer Clopin's song, but a duet between them.
(5) I am sure that I am not the only one who thinks that this is a bit rated: "And all the words you'll say, will fill my heart with fire. As night turns into day, I'll do all you desire". But the Frnech version is perfectly innocent: "All the words of love, all the words of desire. Better then any torubadours, you will say them to me."
(6) I just thought that this line is really weird: 'She wanders obscene with a dark hair like fur'.
(7) The French version just have Gringoire talking about what the night have, but the English become: "The night takes off her clothes"
(8) In the French version, she says: "Esmeralda is not a soldier's girl" but in the English version, she actually says: "Esmeralda does not just go with any men."
(9) I just really dislike Fleur-de-lys' line here. 'He is shining like the sun, but he's tough as anyone, when I'm in his soldier's arms, I want to run, but he's too warm.'
(10) I really feel that Steve Balsamo sounds so gentle that one almost feels a bit sorry for him, where as Patrick Fiori just looks so smug.
(11) Can someone explain how anarchy can be destiny?
(12) I really could not believe my ears when I heard this line: "She dances naked in my soul and sleep won't come." As I said, I won't be surprised if Phoebus or Frollo said this, but Quasimodo, whose love for her is meant to be pure…
(13) Florence actually got cut off in the English concept album. In the English concept album, all the songs except 'la cour des miracles' and 'Florence' stayed and instead, we have 'Cast away' and 'The birds they put in cages'. Since Cast away is still a Clopin's song, I presume that Florence got replaced by the Birds they put in cages. And I am not surprised because all the English versions I have seen of the story, never include the part about 'this will kill that'
(14) The English version have this line: "There's a priest who counts your heartbeat, if he comes near you must run'. But the original version is just about how she is a pagan and would not wish to let a priest be near her for the last rite.
(15) This is the French lyrics: 'c'est une sorciere, c'est une etrangere, c'est une bohemienne, c'est une paienne' which basically translate to 'Sorceress, stranger/foreigner, gypsy, pagan'. And intialily, it seems the English version is using the same words but then: "She is a stranger, a sorceress; she is a pig, she is a bohemienne.' So…what happened to pagan?
(16) As I previously mentioned, it seemed that Esmeralda in the English version really regard Andalusia as her home. Yet it is really ironic, because in the last line of the song in French, she actually asks Phoebus to take her away, to Andalusia. But the English version just have: "Please come and take me far from here'.
(17) When I heard the line: "Unloose my belt let down my hair, come take me if you still dare' it really feel as if she is pulling out a knife…
(18) I am referring to this line: "If you nod yes with your head"
(19) In the English version this is all Gringoire says: "Hear our prayer asylum now" but in the French version, we can see him being a narrator by the reference of them. He is still the narrator. "They demand the right of asylum, give them the right of asylum."
(20) In reference to this line: "I am just an ugly stain that the world just wants to hide"
(21) I am not sure why but there is the version sung by Tina Arena who played Esmeralda, and a version especially sung by Celine Dion.
(22) I was actually quite impressed by a lot of the lyrics in this song.