(Olim olim Deus accelere
Hoc saeculum splendium
Accelere fiat venire olim)
Morning in Paris
The city awakes
To the bells of notre dame
The fisherman fishes
The baker-man bakes
To the bells of notre dame
To the big bells as loud as the thunder
To the little bells soft as a psalm
And some say the soul
Of the city's the toll
Of the bells
The bells of notre dame
Long years ago did this story begin
In this place of notre dame
Two orphan brothers were both taken in
By the grace of notre dame
Claude, the older who cared for his brother
Young Jehan, full of beauty and charm
And they lived and they grew
And awoke to the music of bells
The bells of notre dame
Oh dear brother
Meet these arches and this sacred dome
We are blessed to find our sanctuary and our home
Righteous Claude Frollo
Was ever more drawn
Like a son to notre dame
Not like his profligate brother Jehan
Who'd have none of notre dame
Though as brothers they loved one another
Frollo watched in despair and alarm
As Jehan grew wild
And defied and defiled
All the laws
The laws of notre dame
You must leave, Jehan
This holy refuge where you've dwelled.
(Leave? But father)
Sorry Claude, but I have no choice
Your brother is expelled
Frollo was sent in
Uncommonly fast throught the ranks
The ranks of notre dame
Till he was named the archdeacon at last
And gave thanks to notre dame
And then one awful day got a message
And the name that it bore was Jehan
And concealing his face
Frollo strolled to a place
Far away
Away from notre dame
Brother dearest, come with me
Where we will find a remedy
And notre dame once more will be
Your sanctuary
Healing you will be my goal
Not just your body, but your soul
We'll be together in our holy sanctuary
(Dies irae
Dies illa
Solvet saeclum
In favilla
Kyrie eleison)
And the saints regarded Frollo
From their stone facade
(Kyrie eleison
And he felt their gaze
As if it were the eyes of God)
See this lonesome creature
From whom lesser men would flee
I will keep and care for him
And teach him at my knee
To think like me
Now here is a riddle to guess if you can
Sing the bells of notre dame
What makes a monster
And what makes a man?
Sing the bells, bells, bells
Bells, bells, bells, bells, bells
The bells of notre dame