With Every Heartbeat [Dennis DeYoung]

With Every Heartbeat
Written by Dennis DeYoung
Lead Vocals by Dennis DeYoung and Dawn Marie

Quasimodo
Since Heaven sent you here to me
I have only loved you silently
So afraid to show you how I feel
Can this love be real

And after all that I've been through
Understand that I would die for you
No chains no shackles could restrain my heart
We would never part

(Chorus)

With every heartbeat I'll dream of you
With every breath every sigh
Hoping someday you'll look at me
And see the man inside
With every heartbeat I'll wait for you
Anticipating the time
We'll be together hand to heart
And true love will then be mine
Be mine

Esmerelda
If you could only understand
The pain I feel when I see any man
Who's been condemned to live a world apart
Not for who but what they are

And on the night you came to me
Risked your life for the whole world to see
How could I dare begin to let you know
How I loved you so

With every heartbeat I'll dream of you
With every breath every sigh
Hoping someday you'll look at me
And see the girl inside
With every heartbeat I'll wait for you
Anticipating the time
We'll be together hand to heart
And true love will then be mine
Be mine

(Repeat chorus in duet)

Interpretation

In the Hunchback of Notre Dame, the hunchback bell-ringer Quasimodo sings of his love for beautiful gypsy dancer Esmerelda. He longs for her to love him as a man worthy of her affections, not a deformed misanthrope. At the same time, Esmerelda sings of her love for Captain Phoebus de Chateaupers is the Captain of the King's Archers, who saved her from abduction. She longs for him to love her as a girl worthy of his affections, not a poor gypsy girl. A beautifully sad duet between two people with kindred hearts unaware of the other's similar feelings, and especially sad for Quasimodo, who loves a girl who loves another man already.