A Guy Like You facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "A Guy Like You" |
|
|---|---|
| Song by Jason Alexander, Charles Kimbrough, and Mary Wickes | |
| from the album The Hunchback of Notre Dame: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack | |
| Released | 1996 |
| Recorded | 1996 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 2:54 |
| Label | Walt Disney |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) | |
"A Guy Like You" is a song from Disney's 1996 film The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It is performed by the three gargoyles as they try to console Quasimodo. The song was also featured in the German stage musical version, but was replaced with Flight into Egypt for the North American Stage Production.
Production
Stephen Schwartz explained that the songwriters were not sure about the assignment, but agreed to it, noting that it turned into A Guy Like You which made it into the final film.
Mary Wickes, the voice actress for the gargoyle Laverne, was sick during some re-recordings of the song.
Synopsis
According to The Washington Post, "the song encourages Quasi in his wrongheaded pursuit of Gypsy dancer Esmeralda."
Composition
The song has "Broadway pizazz". It has been described as "sprightly" and "this show's answer to 'Be Our Guest'." Indianapolis Star describes it as a "peppy tune of encouragement".
Tone difference with rest of film
The song was added in the film to add some levity after "the intensity of Hellfire" which is followed by Frollo "go[ing] on a tear extorting Gypsies, arresting people, attempting to kill people including Phoebus and burning a good portion of Paris."
Their song was described as a "funny, upbeat song" sung by "comic relief" characters.
Hi-Def Digest said that "at times, the movie is dark, serious and mature, but then it switches into being goofy and comedic", citing scenes with the gargoyles and this song in particular. It added that it's as if the film "didn't trust itself [and] want[ing] to straddle two boats by making a movie that appealed to adult audiences as well as children." It concluded that "unfortunately, most children don't like this movie and it is almost ignored by the Walt Disney Company."
We Debate: The Surprising Bleakness of Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame notes that "Beyond the joking reference to the burning city around them in 'A Guy Like You', the song is mostly bright and cheery, but, again, that is on the surface. The song is ultimately poignant and tragic because the audiences knows Quasimodo's love is unrequited, and are quickly proven correct as Quasimodo has to watch Esmeralda and Phoebus make out like there is no tomorrow."
Home releases
A three-minute multi-language reel of the song "A Guy Like You" is featured on the Blu-ray DVD.
