Topsy Turvy is a song featured in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (film). The choral
introduction of "Come one, come all" is reminiscent to the opening theme of "The Bells of Notre Dame" as the opening of the scene is displayed with beautiful views of the Cathedral. The main theme, Topsy Turvy, is a vivacious, light and energetic movement that features comedic lyrics that interplay between Clopin and the Chorus. Upon the realization that Quasimodo is actually the deformed bell ringer of Notre Dame, the theme from the introduction of "Out There" is developed upon as Frollo sees him and becomes furious at Quasimodo disobeying him.
Plot
It's the Festival of Fools, and the bouncy number is led by Clopin, the host of the event. After describing the events on Topsy-Turvy Day, there is a lengthy dance by Esmeralda, setting up the bulk of the movie's plot as Frollo, Phoebus, and Quasimodo all become enamored with her at the same time. At the end of the song, Quasimodo is crowned the king of fools, and received warmly, before things take a sharp turn for the worst.
Lyrics
- Chorus : Come one, come all
- Chorus : Leave your looms and milking stools,coop the hens and pen the mules
- Chorus : Come one, come all
- Chorus : Close the churches and the schools
it's the day for breaking rules
- Chorus : Come and join the Feast of.....
- Clopin : Fools!
- Clopin : Once a year we throw a party, here in town
- Clopin : Once a year we turn all Paris upside down
- Clopin : Every man's a king and every king's a clown once again it's Topsy Turvy Day
- Clopin : It's the day the devil in us gets released
- Clopin : It's the day we mock the pig and shock the priest
- Clopin : Everything is topsy turvy at the Feast of Fools
- Chorus : Topsy Turvy
- Clopin : Everything is upsy-daisy
- Chorus : Topsy Turvy
- Clopin : Everyone is acting crazy
- Clopin : Dross is gold and weeds are a bouquet
that's the way on Topsy Turvy Day
- Chorus : Topsy Turvy
- Clopin : Beat the drums and blow the trumpets
- Chorus : Topsy Turvy
- Clopin and Chorus : Join the bums and theives and strumpets streaming in from Chartres to Calais
- Clopin : Scurvy knaves are extra scurvy on the 6th of January
- Clopin and Chorus : all because it's Topsy Turvy Day
- Clopin : Come one, come all
- Clopin : Hurry, hurry here's your chance,
see the mystery and romance. Come one, come all
- Clopin : See the finest girl in France make an entrance to entrance
- Clopin : Dance la Esmeralda.......Dance!!
- Clopin : Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for
- Clopin : Here it is, you know exactly what's in store
- Clopin : Now the time we laugh until our sides get sore
- Clopin : Now's the time we crown the King of Fools!!
- Clopin : So make a face that's horrible and frightening
- Clopin : Make a face as gruesome as a gargoyle's wings
- Clopin : For the face that's ugliest will be the King of Fools. Why?
- Chorus : Topsy Turvy
- Clopin : Ugly folk, forget your shyness
- Chorus : Topsy Turvy
- Clopin : You could soon be called "Your Highness"
- Chorus : Put the foulest features on display
- Clopin and Chorus : Be the king of Topsy Turvy Day
- Clopin : Everybody
- Chorus : Once a year we throw a party, here in town
- Clopin : Hail to the king
- Chorus : Once a year we turn all Paris upside down.
- Clopin : Oh, what a king
- Chorus : Once a year the ugliest will wear a crown
- Clopin : Girls, give a kiss
- Chorus : Once a year on Topsy Turvy Day
- Clopin : We've never had a king like this
- Clopin and Chorus : And it's the day we do the things that we deplore on the other three hundred and sixty-four
- Clopin and Chorus : Once a year we love to drop in, where the beer is never stoppin'
- Clopin and Chorus : For the chance to pop some popinjay
- Clopin and Chorus : And pick a king who'll put the top in Topsy Turvy.
- Clopin and Chorus : Topsy Turvy mad and crazy, upsy-daisy, Topsy Turvy Day!
Trivia
- The lyrics "It's the day the devil in us gets released, It's the day we mock the pig and shock the priest" were changed to "Good is bad and best is worst and west is east, On the day we think the most of those with least" in some merchandises due to mature themes.
- The "horse with two rear ends" costume seen in this song. This is a possible reference to an insult Aladdin gave to Prince Achmed and his horse after Achmed humiliated him in front of a crowd.
- The Sing-Along Songs version of the song noticably removed Esmeralda's pole dance due to its mature content.
- The conversation with Quasimodo and Esmeralda is edited out in the soundtrack. Including the conversation between Frollo and Phoebus talking about Esmeralda dancing on stage is also edited out as well. Including the townspeople cheering on Esmeralda pole dance is also edited out in the soundtrack.
- The Sing-Along Songs version of the song noticeably removed Esmeralda's pole dance due to its mature content.
- The Sixth of "Januervy" historically is observed by the Catholic Church as the Feast of the Epiphany or la fête des rois in France. A tradition on that day is to have king's cake or galette des rois, with the person who found the toy king being crowned king for the day. This tradition was later transplanted into Mardi Gras, of which the traditional colors of green, gold, and violet are worn by Quasi and Clopin respectively.
- The historic Feast of Fools occurs on the Monday before Mardi Gras.
Due to his knowledge of Quasimodo's past, Clopin seems to have realized that the hooded figure was Quasimodo and intentionally followed him to pull him out of hiding in order to introduce him to the public to get rid of his shyness and make sure that Quasimodo enjoys himself. This is evidenced as seen by the following;
- When Quasimodo hides his face behind some balloons, Clopin cuts the strings with a large pair of scissors.
- When Quasimodo hides in a closed puppet show, Clopin pulled open the curtains to reveal Quasi to the children.
- Before Esmeralda's dance, Clopin pushes Quasimodo to the front of the stage.
- During the crowning of the "King of Fools" Clopin encourages Quasimodo with the lyrics "ugly folks, forget your shyness" and "you could soon be called Your Highness".
- And finally, when Esmeralda attempts to unmask Quasimodo, prompting reactions of fear and disgust from the crowd, Clopin justified Quasi's appearance by crowning him the King of Fools.
all information on Topsy Turvy came from http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Topsy_Turvy