Topsy Turvy

Topsy Turvy is a song featured in Disney's 1996 film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The choral introduction of "Come one, come all" is reminiscent of the Main 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 that disfigured, the theme from the introduction of "Out There" is developed upon as Frollo sees him and becomes livid at his insubordination.

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.

Musical Version
Drunter drüber (Topsy Turvy) is similar to the Disney version but there are a lot of big little differences. A quick staccato introduces the song and seems like people running to get there in time for the start. Then it follows the songs with the crowds and Clopin. Quasimodo get some lines here to the tune of Out There (Draußen {His Leitmotif}). Also the music of Esmerlada’s dance is different. It’s slower and sounds more like what is typically considered “Gyspy Music.” So you can imagine her dance is not the pole dance of the Disney movie, but you couldn’t really have a stage actress performing the moves Esmeralda did in the movie plus in the book, I don’t think Esmeralda would have done the those moves either. So the slow tempo dance music is a nice mitigation

Drunter Drüber is akin to the Disney version but the difference makes it interesting and fun in its own right.

Lyrics
Chorus: Come one, come all

Leave your looms and milking stools, coop the hens and pen the mules

Come one, come all

Close the churches and the schools it's the day for breaking rules

Come and join the Feast of... Clopin: ...Fools!

Once a year, we throw a party here in town

Once a year, we turn all Paris upside down

Every man's a king and every king's a clown

once again it's Topsy Turvy Day

It's the day the devil in us gets released

It's the day we mock the pig and shock the priest

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

Dross is gold and weeds are a bouquet

That's the way on Topsy Turvy Day

(instrumental break)

Chorus:Topsy Turvy

Clopin: Beat the drums and blow the trumpets

Chorus:Topsy Turvy

Clopin and Chorus:Join the bums and thieves and strumpets Streaming in from Chartres to Calais

Clopin: Scurvy knaves are extra scurvy On the sixth of "Januervy" Clopin and Chorus: All because it's Topsy Turvy Day

Clopin: Come one, come all

Hurry, hurry; here's your chance

See the mystery and romance

Come one, come all

See the finest girl in France Make an entrance to entrance

Dance la Esmeralda... Dance!

(instrumental)

Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for

Here it is, you know exactly what's in store

Now's the time we laugh until our sides get sore

Now's the time we crown the King of Fools!

So make a face that's horrible and frightening

Make a face as gruesome as a gargoyle's wing

For the face that's ugliest will be the King Of Fools. Why?

Chorus: Topsy Turvy

Clopin: Ugly folks, forget your shyness

Chorus: Topsy Turvy

Clopin: You could soon be called "Your Highness"

Chorus: Put the foulest features on display

Be the king of Topsy Turvy Day

(instrumental)

Clopin: Ev-er-y-bo-dy!

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: Ha ha!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 364

Once a year We love to drop in, Where the cheer Is never stoppin'

For the chance to pop some popinjay

And pick a king who'll put the top in Top...sy... Tur...vy... Topsy Turvy Mad and crazy Upsy-daisy Topsy Turvy Day!

Musical Lyrics
MAN Hurry, hurry Spill the fish on to the dock

WOMEN Raise the maypole Up at the chapel of Braque

OTHERS Hurry, hurry Gather the choirs and Light the bonfires and Sit on the roofs

ALL Hurry, hurry It's nearly twelve of the clock Come one, come all Leave your looms and milking stools Coop the hens and pen the mules Come one, come all Close the churches and the schools It's the day for breaking rules Come and join the feast of...

CLOPIN Fools! Once a year, we throw a party here in town Once a year, we turn all Paris upside-down Ev'ry man's a king and ev'ry king's a clown Once again it's topsy turvy day It's the day the devil in us gets released It's the day we mock the prig and shock the priest Ev'rything is topsy turvy at the feast of fools

CROWD Topsy turvy!

CLOPIN Beat the drums and blow the trumpets!

CROWD Topsy turvy!

CLOPIN / CROWD Join the bums and thieves and strumpets streaming in from Chartres to Calais

CLOPIN Scurvy knaves are extra scurvy On the sixth on Janu-urvy

CLOPIN / PEOPLE All because it's topsy turvy day!

QUASIMODO Out there with all the colors And the noises and the smells, Brighter, louder than my dreams provide me And tomorrow, when I’m back there Watching from the bells I will always have this day inside me

CROWD Topsy turvy!

CLOPIN / PEOPLE Come one, come all

CLOPIN Hurry, hurry, here's your chance See the mystery and romance

CLOPIN / PEOPLE Come one, come all

CLOPIN See the finest girl in France Make an entrance to entrance Dance la Esmeralda... Dance!

FROLLO Look at that disgusting display.

PHOEBUS Yes, sir!

ESMERALDA Sorry. Wonderful mask!

CLOPIN And now, ladies and gentlemen, the piece de resistance! Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for Here is is, you know exactly what's in store Now's the time we laugh until our sides get sore Now's the time we crown the king of fools! You all remember last year's king... So make a face that's horrible and frightening Make a face that's gruesome as a gargoyle's wing For the face that's ugliest will be the king of fools Why?

CROWD Topsy turvy!

CLOPIN Ugly folks, forget your shyness

CROWD Topsy turvy!

CLOPIN You could soon be called "your highness"

CROWD Put your foulest features on display Be the king of topsy turvy day

ESMERALDA Hey, you're going to join in the competition, right? Come on, you didn't go to all the trouble of making that great mask for nothing! You get 5 sous if you win!

CROWD Topsy turvy! Topsy turvy! Topsy turvy!

CLOPIN Ladies and gentlemen, we asked for the ugliest face in Paris, and here he is! Ev'rybody!

CROWD Once a year we throw a party here in town

CLOPIN Hail to the king!

CROWD Once a year we turn all Paris upside-down

CLOPIN Oh what a king!

CROWD Once a year the ugliest will wear the crown

CLOPIN Girls, give a kiss!

CROWD Once a year on topsy turvy day

CLOPIN We've never had a king like this!

CLOPIN / CROWD It's the day we do the things that we deplore On the other three hundred and sixty-four Once a year we love to drop in Where the beer is never stoppin' For the chance to pop some popinjay And pick a king who'll put the "top" in Topsy turvy day! Topsy turvy! Mad and crazy, upsy-daisy Topsy turvy day Hey!

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.
 * Clopin may have realized that the hooded figure was Quasimodo and intentionally followed him to introduce him to the public in order to get rid of his shyness and possibly to even become friends.
 * At one point, a "horse with two rear ends" costume can be seen during the song. This is a possible reference to an insult Aladdin gave Prince Achmed and his horse after Achmed humiliated him in front of a crowd.
 * The Sing-Along Songs version of the song noticeably removed Esmeralda's pole dance due to its mature content.