Rest And Recreation

"Rest and Recreation" is a song featured in Disney's 2019 Broadway movie version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. In this song, it introduces Phoebus. Like the movie, Phoebus has been relieved of military duty and has been promoted to Captain of the Guard. Unlike the Disney movie, Phoebus here acts more like he does in the book (though still a more sympathetic character here than in the book).

He wants to indulge in vices and have lots of “wine, women and song” and a bit of joy. He also flirts with a random girl during the course of the song.

Notably, unlike in the Disney film proper, some of the gory details of Phoebus' time off in the war are described at one point in the song, and it is made apparent that Phoebus is privately haunted by the scenes of carnage and senseless violence that he saw, noting during the song that he will never go back no matter what (in modern terminology, he is suffering from "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder").

Musically the song uses "Phoebus’ Leitmotif" from Disney (the march music heard when Phoebus is first introduced).

Lyrics
Phoebus: Four years at the front Give a man a zest For a little rest And recreation For the chance to hunt For the spiciest In the way of rest And recreation

Give me your girls of pleasure Your grapes of merlot Show me your wares and measure One large sample Sample 'em at my leisure This three-day furlough Should be ample

I have borne the brunt Of a soldier's test Now I've made my way Where I get to play At rest and recrea-

Four years at the front Four years at the front

Soldiers' Voices: Cannon fodder lying in the field below the castle Is this the third week or the fourth week of the siege? The air filled with the stench Of bodies in a trench Whoever pays the most I call "my liege" Summoned here to Paris now, I'm far away from battle From clotting blood and rotting wounds of dead and dying men

Phoebus & Soldiers' Voices: And whatever I do I'll make sure this is true

Phoebus: I will never go back again!

Darling, to be blunt You are with the best That's why I've been blessed With this promotion I've been working hard Now I'm gonna be Captain of the Guard Ain't that a notion?

Like other true knights I've got ambition But for a few nights Fun is my mission So what do you say? Care to share a day Of rest and recreation!

Frollo: ''Captain! Welcome to the Cathedral Guard!''

Phoebus: I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve you, my lord.

Frollo: ''Your early arrival is most auspicious. The pestilence of these gypsies grows more dangerous every day.''

Captain you and I Have a task we share Stopping them and their proliferation Paris looks to us

Phoebus: To us!

Frollo: To rid her streets of crime

Phoebus: To rid her streets of crime!

Frollo: This is war and thus

Frollo & Phoebus: There is no time For rest and recreation!