Hellfire

"Hellfire" is a song from Disney's 1996 animated feature The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The song is sung by the film's main antagonist, Judge Claude Frollo. The song "Hellfire" was intended to contrast with the song "Heaven's Light", which was a song that was sung by Quasimodo moments earlier, expressing his feelings of love for Esmeralda, while Frollo sings of his lust for Esmeralda.

This song is considered to be one of the darkest songs in any Disney film, depicting Hell, damnation, the Catholic religion, and lust, examples of subject matter that would generally be considered inappropriate for younger children. This song and sequence alone prompted the ratings board of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) to consider a PG rating for the film. The sequence contains also heavy visuals to match the lyrics, including provocative dancing from images of Esmeralda in the fire.

Synopsis
The song opens as Frollo overlooks the balcony and sings that he is better than the other people in Paris. As he heads inside, he admits he is disturbed about his lustful feelings for Esmeralda, and prays to Mary for help. Finally, he threatens to burn her if she will not be his mistress. Eventually, he passes out as night dawns upon him.

Lyrics
Archdeacon & Priests: Confiteor Deo Omnipotenti (I confess to God almighty) Beatae Mariae semper Virgini (To blessed Mary ever Virgin) Beato Michaeli archangelo (To the blessed archangel Michael) Sanctis apostolis omnibus sanctis (To the holy apostles, to all the saints)

Frollo: Beata Maria You know I am a righteous man Of my virtue I am justly proud Priests: (Et tibi Pater (And to you, Father)) Frollo: Beata Maria You know I'm so much purer than The common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd Priests: (Quia peccavi nimis (That I have sinned)) Frollo: Then tell me, Maria Why I see her dancing there Why her smold'ring eyes still scorch my soul Priests: (Cogitatione (In thought)) Frollo: I feel her, I see her The sun caught in her raven hair Is blazing in me out of all control Priests: (Verbo et opere (In word and deed))

Frollo: Like fire Hellfire This fire in my skin This burning Desire Is turning me to sin

It's not my fault (Mea culpa (Through my fault)) I'm not to blame (Mea culpa (Through my fault)) It is the gypsy girl The witch who sent this flame (Mea maxima culpa (Through my most griveous fault)) It's not my fault (Mea culpa (Through my fault)) If in God's plan (Mea culpa (Through my fault)) He made the devil so much Stronger than a man (Mea maxima culpa (Through my most grievious fault)) Protect me, Maria Don't let the siren cast her spell Don't let her fire sear my flesh and bone Destroy Esmeralda And let her taste the fires of Hell! Or else let her be mine and mine alone

(song pauses, guard knocks on the door) Guard: Minister Frollo, the gypsy has escaped. Frollo: (speaking) What? Guard: She's nowhere in the cathedral. She's gone. Frollo: But how? I... Never mind. Get out, you idiot! I'll find her! I'll find her if I have to burn down all of Paris!

(song resumes) Hellfire Dark fire Now gypsy, it's your turn Choose me or Your pyre Be mine or you will burn (Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)) God have mercy on her (Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)) God have mercy on me (Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)) But she will be mine Or she will burn!

Detail of the French version
The possible translation is in Italics.

Beata Maria, je clame que mon âme est pure…

Beata Maria, I claim that my soul is pure…

De ma vertu, j'ai droit d'être fier.

Of my virtue, I am in right to be proud.

Beata Maria, mon cœur a bien plus de droiture

Beata Maria, my heart contains much more righteousness

Qu'une commune vulgaire foule de traine-misères !

Than a common vulgar crowd of paupers !

Mais pourquoi, Maria, quand elle dance, l'insolente,

But why, Maria, when she dances, this impertinent girl,

Ses yeux de feu m'embrasent et me hantent ?

Do her fire-eyes scorch me and haunt me ?

Quelle brûlure ! Quelle torture !

''What a burning ! What a torture !''

Les flammes de sa chevelure

The flames of her hair

Dévorent mon corps d'obscènes flétrissures !

Devour my body with obscene stains !

Infernalle bacchanale !

Infernal bacchanalia !

L'Enfer noircit ma chair…

Hell is darkening my flesh…

Du pêché de désir ,

Of the sin of desire,

Le Ciel doit me punir !

Heaven must punish me !

Est-ce ma faute ? Pourquoi ce blâme ?

''Is it my fault ? Why this blame ? ''

C'est cette sorcière gitane

It is this gypsy witch 

Pour qui mon cœur s'enflamme !

For whom my heart ignite !

Est-ce ma faute

Is it my fault

Si notre Père

If our Father

A fait les hommes moint puissants que Lucifer ?

Has made men less powerful than Lucifer ?

Par pitié, Maria !

Have mercy, Maria !

Protèges-moi du mauvais sort,

Protect me from the evil spell, 

De cette fleur du mal et de son corps !

From this flower of evil and from her body !

Détruis Esméralda,

Destroy Esmeralda,

Qu'un rideau de feu soit son linceul !

And may a sheet of flames be her shroud !

Ou faites qu'elle soit à moi et à moi seul…

Or make her mine and mine alone…

[spoken]Je la trouverai, je l'aurai, même si je dois brûler tout Paris !

[spoken] I'll find her, I'll get her, even if I have to burn all of Paris !

Infernale bacchanale ! Diabolique sorcière !

''Infernal bacchanalia ! Demonical witch !''

Sois mienne ou

Be mine or 

Ma passion

My passion

Te mènera en Enfer !

Will lead you to Hell !

Seigneur, pitié pour elle…

My Lord, have mercy on her…

Seigneur, pitié pour… moi…

My Lord, have mercy on… me…

Fais qu'elle s'offre à moi,

Make that she offers herself to me,

Ou elle mourra !

Or she will die !

Disney Parks
Hellfire has become a track commonly associated with Disney Villains as an instrumental in various Disney park shows, such as in World of Color, the Tokyo DisneySea version of Fantasmic!, and in fireworks shows such as Wishes: A Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams, and HalloWishes.

Reception
"Hellfire" was received quite well, and had few haters. It is still considered to be one of the darkest songs in any Disney film, depicting Hell, damnation, the Catholic religion, and lust, examples of subject matter that would generally be considered inappropriate for younger children. This song and sequence alone prompted the ratings board of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) to consider a PG rating for the film.

Trivia

 * The hooded priests sing 'mea culpa' meaning 'that's my fault', to answer to Frollo's "That's not my fault".
 * Some of the Songs were part of a Roman Catholic Prayer.
 * In the start of the song, Frollo claims himself to be righteous. Ironically, he sets fire to Paris the very next day.
 * Despite Frollo claiming to be a righteous man, he displays some form of all Seven Deadly Sins in the lyrics of the song. This was likely done intentionally to show his hypocritical way of thinking.
 * The lines Of my virtue I am justly proud and You know I'm so much purer than the common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd show him displaying Pride, considered one of the most dangerous of the seven, as it is often used to justify the other 6 deadly sins, or even deny committing them in the first place. This is displayed frequently in the song, and the film as a whole, and could be considered the first he has commited.
 * Frollo's intense desire for Esmeralda to be his and his alone show Lust, Envy and Greed.
 * Lust as the intense sexual desire for Esmeralda, especially her body alone.
 * Envy towards anyone else who may gain her affections.
 * Greed for seeing her merely as an item to be gained, and wanting her intensely even though he doesn't actually need her.
 * His intent to destroy her if she does not comply is an example of Anger/Wrath.
 * Frollo claiming it is not his fault he is sinning, and blaming Esmeralda for tempting him can be seen as an act of Sloth, as he is not taking the initiative to better himself, nor taking responsibility for his own sins.
 * Gluttony is sometimes interpreted as Selfishness, displayed when Frollo says he will burn down all of Paris (despite what it would do to the innocents of the city) to get to Esmeralda.