Castle on a Cloud

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"Castle on a Cloud"

Information
Composer	Claude-Michel Schönberg
Lyricist	Herbert Kretzmer
Performers	Little Cosette Madame Thénardier Young Éponine
Song Order
Previous	"The Confrontation"
Next	"Master of the House"

"Castle on a Cloud" takes part in 1823, Montfermeil. The song is sung by Little Cosette while dreaming of a better life instead of the life with the Thénardiers. She dreams of a "castle on a cloud", a realm of her own imagination where all children are free to play and she is loved. The third verse speaks of a lady all in white who loves her and it is implied that this is her vision of her mother, Fantine. Madame Thénardier intervenes during the song and verbally abuses Cosette, ordering to "draw some water from the well in the wood", despite the fact that it is cold outside and Cosette is afraid. Meanwhile, Madame Thénardier dotes on her own young daughter Éponine.

The lyrics were written by Herbert Kretzmer.

Lyrics[]

[Little Cosette is sweeping the floors of the inn.]

Little Cosette: There is a castle on a cloud
I like to go there in my sleep
Aren't any floors for me to sweep
Not in my castle on a cloud.

There is a room that's full of toys
There are a hundred boys and girls
Nobody shouts or talks too loud
Not in my castle on a cloud.

There is a lady all in white
Holds me and sings a lullaby
She's nice to see
And she's soft to touch
She says: "Cosette I love you very much."

I know a place where no one's lost
I know a place where no one cries
Crying at all is not allowed
Not in my castle on a cloud.

Oh, help! I think I hear them now,
And I'm nowhere near finished sweeping
And scrubbing and polishing the floors.
Oh, it's her! It's Madame!

[Madame Thénardier rushes in, slamming a bucket onto a table.]

Madame Thénardier: Now look who's here
The little madam herself!
Pretending once again she's been so awfully good
Better not let me catch you slacking!
Better not catch my eye!
Ten rotten francs your mother sends me
What is that going to buy?
Now, take that pail
My little "Mademoiselle"
And go and draw some water from the well!
We should never had taken you in, in the first place
How stupid the things that we do!
Like mother, like daughter, the scum of the street.

[Young Éponine skips on. She is carrying a doll and wearing a blue bonnet.]

Young Eponine:Ma, ma

Éponine, come my dear Éponine, let me see you;
You look very well in that little blue hat.
There's some little girls who know how to behave
And they know what to wear
And I'm saying thank heavens for that.

[Young Éponine points to Little Cosette.]

Still there, Cosette?
Your tears will do you no good!
I told you fetch some water from the well in the wood.

Little Cosette: Please do not send me out alone.
Not in the darkness on my own.

Madame Thénardier: Enough of that
Or I'll forget to be nice!
You heard me ask for something and I never ask twice...

[Young Éponine pushes Little Cosette out the door. Thénardier appears and bids goodnight to his daughter as the inn fills up for the evening.]

Lyrics [10th Anniversary Concert][]

[Little Cosette is sweeping the floors of the inn.]

Little Cosette: There is a castle on a cloud
I like to go there in my sleep
Aren't any floors for me to sweep
Not in my castle on a cloud.

There is a room that's full of toys
There are a hundred boys and girls
Nobody shouts or talks too loud
Not in my castle on a cloud.

There is a lady all in white
Holds me and sings a lullaby
She's nice to see
And she's soft to touch
She says: "Cosette I love you very much."

I know a place where no one's lost
I know a place where no one cries
Crying at all is not allowed
Not in my castle on a cloud.

Oh, help! I think I hear them now,
And I'm nowhere near finished sweeping
And scrubbing and polishing the floors.
Oh, it's her! It's Madame!

[Madame Thénardier rushes in, slamming a bucket onto a table.]

Madame Thénardier: Now look who's here
The little madam herself!
Pretending once again she's been so awfully good
Better not let me catch you slacking!
Better not catch my eye!
Ten rotten francs your mother sends me
What is that going to buy?

Now, take that pail
My little "Mademoiselle"
And go and draw some water from the well!
We should never had taken you in, in the first place
How stupid the things that we do!
Like mother, like daughter, the scum of the street.

Still there, Cosette?
Your tears will do you no good!
I told you fetch some water from the well in the wood.

Little Cosette: Please do not send me out alone.
Not in the darkness on my own.

Madame Thénardier: Now shut your face
Or I'll forget to be nice!
You heard me ask for something and I never ask twice...

Trivia[]

The song is split in two and known as "Mon Prince est en Chemin" & "Mamzelle Crapaud"(My Prince Is On His Way and Miss Toad) in the original French concept album, with Miss Toad beginning when Mme. Thénardier is introduced. The song is also known as "Une poupée dans la vitrine" (A Doll In The Window) in the 1991 Paris revival, "Castillo de Cristal" (Castle of Crystal), and is sometimes called "Castillo Celestial" (Heavenly Castle) in the Spanish production, "In meinem Schloss" (In My Castle) in the German production and "Mijn Luchtkasteel" in the Dutch production. (also In My Castle.)
Most editions (including the School Edition and the 2012 film) cut the second verse of the song. The 2010 cast recording also cuts the second verse. This is due to the rearrangement of the music in 2006, though editions in other languages still keep the verse.
In the 2012 film, Mme. Thénardier's line "Enough of that!" is changed to "Now shut your face!"
Most stage productions since late 2000 cut out Little Cosette's lines "Oh help! I think I see them now!" up until "Oh it's her! It's Madame!"
Before the musical was rearranged in 1987, another verse was included before the main theme that went as follows: "They'll come back any minute/And I'm nowhere near finished sweeping and scrubbing and polishing the floors/Oh please! Don't let them come hit me again/I know a place where nobody has to work/And where I won't be lonely again ... " This verse was cut later on.
The part “There is a lady all in white” is heavily implied to be a faint memory of her mother Fantine.

Castle on a Cloud

Contents

Lyrics[]

Lyrics [10th Anniversary Concert][]

Trivia[]

Images[]

Videos[]

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