What's This? (The Nightmare Before Christmas)

"What's This?" is a song from The Nightmare Before Christmas. It is sung by Jack Skellington after he arrives in Christmas Town.

The song was dubbed in the majority of the film's dubs, though the Catalan, Czech, Hungarian and Turkish dubs all left it in English.

This song is also notable for being dubbed into Norwegian and Swedish for incusion on sing-a-long specials, despite the fact that the film itself has not yet been dubbed into either of these languages.

English
Performed by Danny Elfman

What's this? There's white things in the air. What's this? I can't believe my eyes. I must be dreaming! Wake up, Jack! This isn't fair! What's this?
 * -|Lyrics=What's this? What's this? There's color everywhere.

What's this? What's this? There's something very wrong. What's this? There's people singing songs. What's this? The streets are lined with little creatures laughing. Everybody seems so happy. Have I possibly gone daffy? What is this? What's this?

There's children throwing snowballs instead of throwing heads. They're busy building toys, and absolutely no one's dead. There's frost on every window. Oh, I can't believe my eyes. And in my bones, I feel the warmth that's coming from inside.

Oh look, what's this? They're haning mistletoe. They kiss? Why, that looks so unique. Inspired! They're gathering around To hear a story, roasting chestnuts on a fire What's this?

What's this? In here, they've got a little tree. How queer! And who would ever think And why? They're covering it with tiny little things They've got electric lights on strings, and there's a smile on everyone So now, correct me if I'm wrong. This looks like fun! This looks like fun! Oh, could it be? I got my wish? What's this?

Oh my, what now? The children are asleep. But look, there's nothing underneath. No ghouls, no witches here to scream and scare them or ensnare them, Only little cozy things secure inside their dreamland. What's this?

The monsters are all missing, and the nightmares can't be found. And in their place, there seems to be good feeling all around. Instead of screams, I swear I can hear music in the air. The smell of cakes and pies are absolutely everywhere.

The sights, the sounds, they're everywhere and all around! I've never felt so good before! This empty place inside me is filling up. I simply cannot get enough! I want it! Oh, I want it! Oh, I want it for my own! I've got to know! I've got to know! What is this place that I have found? What is this?

(spoken) Christmas Town?

Arabic
Performed by Amr Yehia

Cantonese
Performed by Leung Ho Cheung

Sing-a-long version
Title: Kijk nou

This version was produced before the film itself received a full Dutch dub. It was included in a sing-a-long released on a special VHS edition of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

En dit! Dit voelt zo lekker zacht! Kijk nou! 'k Geloof mijn ogen niet. Is dit en droom? Kom op, zeg! Wie heeft dit berdacht? Kijk nou!
 * -|Lyrics=Kijk nou, kijk nou! Oh, wat een kleurenpracht!

Kijk nou, kijk nou! Dat kan toch zeker niet? Kijk nou! Dat zingen ze een lied! Kijk nou! Ze lachen en ze dansen en ze zingen. Echt alleen maar leuke dingen. Oh, mijn hoofd staat haast op springen! Wat is dit? Kijk nou!

Ze gooien met en sneeuwbal in plaats van met en hoofd. Ze spelen hier met speelgoed en er is ook niemand dood. 'n Ijsbloem op het venster, oh, ik weet niet waar ik ben. En in mijn botten gloeit een warm gevoel dat ik niet ken

Oh kijk, wat is dat? Ze staan onder een tak. Een kus! Wat lijkt me dat uniek! Zo trouw! Ze roosteren kastanjes Allemaal genietend van een mooi verhaal. Kijk nou!

Kijk nou! En daar, daar staat zowaar een boom! Dat is raar! Wie had dat ooi gedacht? Waaroom? Ze hangen er van alles in en op 'n Piek en lampjes in de top. De mensen lachen en zijn blij. Als ik het mis heb zeg 't mij. Maar dit is leuk, ja, dit is leuk! Is dit wat ik al jaren wou? Kijk nou!

Oh jee, wat nu? De kinderen slapen net. Maar kijk, geen spook onder het bed. Geen geest! Geen heksen die je angst aan jagen of je plagen. Echt alleen maar leuke dingen in hun zoete droomland. Kijk nou!

De monsters zijn afwezig en je vind hier ook geen kwaad. Er komt een soort van blij en warm gevoel voor in de plats. Ik hoor hier geen gegil maar wel muziek en hoorgenschal. De lucht van taart en koekjes ruik je werk'lijk overal.

Gezang, gelach, je hoort het hier de hele dag. Ik heb me nooit zo goed - gevoeld. De leegte in mij vult zich voor de eerste keer. Ik wil nog meer. Ik wil nog meer. Ik wil dit! Oh, ik wil dit! Oh, ik wil dit voor mezelf! Ik moet het weten, moet het weten! Waar ben ik naar toegebracht? Wat is dit? Translation=Look, look! Oh, what a colorsplendor! And this! This feels so nicely soft! Look! I don't believe my eyes. Is it a dream? Come on! Who's thought of this? Look!

Look, look! Can that not be? Look! They're singing a song! Look! They laugh and dance and sing. Really, only nice things. Oh, my head is about to explode! What is this? Look!

They throw with a snowball instead of with a head. They're playing with toys here, and also, nobody's dead. An ice flower on the window, oh, I don't know where I am. And in my bones, a warm feeling is glowing that I don't know.

Oh, look, what is that? They stand beneath a branch. A kiss! That seems unique to me! So faithful! They're roasting chestnuts All enjoying a beautiful story. Look!

Look! And there, there stands, sure enough, a tree! That's weird! Who'd ever thought of that? Why? They're hanging all kinds of things on it A point and lamps in the top. The people laugh and they are happy. If I'm wrong, tell me. But this is fun, yes, this is fun! Is this what I wanted all those years? Look!

Oh, what now? The children are just asleep. But look, no spook beneath the bed. Not a ghost! Not any witches to scare you or tease you. Really only nice things in their sweet dreamworld. Look!

The monsters are absent, and you don't find any bad here. There comes a kind of happy and warm feeling in its place. I don't hear screaming, but I do hear music and horn sounds. The smell of cakes and cookies you smell literally everywhere.

Singing, laughter, you hear it here all day long. I've never felt so good. The emptiness inside me is filling up for the first time. I want more. I want more. I want this! Oh, I want this! Oh, I want this for myself! I have to know it, I have to know it! Where have I been brought to? What is this?

Film version
Title: Kijk nou

Performed by Florus van Rooijen

This version is from the Dutch dub of the film itself. The lyrics are loosely based on the prior sing-a-long version.

En dit, zo wit 't is net kristal. Kijk nou! 'k Geloof mijn ogen niet. Zit je dromen, Jack? Word wakker! 't Is hier bal! Kijk nou!
 * -|Lyrics=Kijk nou, kijk nou! Die kleuren overal!

Kijk daar, wat raar! Ik weet niet wat ik hoor. Kijk nou! Ze zingen hier in koor. Kijk nou! Die wezentjes, ze lachen allemaal Echt iedereen loopt hierte stralen, of ben ik nu aan het malen van de kou? Kijk nou!

Ze gooien hier met sneeuw en niet met schedels naar elkaar. Geen dood, verderf, maar speelgoed en niemand doet 'r naar. En kijk die mooie lichtjes, het is een dolle boel En in mijn botten voel ik langzaamaan een warm gevoel.

Kijk nou! Wat knus! Daar hangt een maretak. Een kus? Was dat mijn hart 'ie brak? Oh, wauw! Ze zitten bij het haardvuur En ze luisteren verhalen en ze stralen. Kijk nou!

Kijk nou! Kijk daar! Ik zie en kleine spar. Nee maar, nu raak ik in de war. Wat raar! Waarom zetten ze alles onder stroom? Oh, voor de lampjes in de boom. Oh, kijk hoe mooi, 't is net een droom, Ik kom nu eindelijk op stoom. Oh, deze plek is echt te gek, Misschien is dit wel wat ik wou. Kijk nou!

Kijk nou, wat zoet! Vermoeid van alle pret Maar kijk, geen beest onder een bed. Geen lijk, geen heks of geest of boeman die ze op komt halen of vermalen. Nee, ze dwalen vredig af naar droomland. Kijk nou!

Hier is geen plaats voor griezelig, geen plek voor chagrijn. En ja, het kan en plaats daarvan voelt iedereen zich fijn. Het is volstrekt uniek wat je hier allemaal ervaart, De prachtige muziek en geur van versgebakken taart.

De pracht, de praal, ze hebeen het hier allemaal. Ik voelde mij nog nooit zo goed. Die lege plek hier diep in mij die vult zich op met varmte en geluk. Ik wil het ook, ik wil het ook. Nee echt, zoiets dat wil ik ook! Ik heb mezelf nie in de hand, dus zeg me waar ik ben beland! Wat is dit? Translation=Oh, look! Oh, look! It's colored all around! And this, white like a crystal! Oh, look! I can't believe my eyes. Are you dreaming, Jack? Wake up! There's a party here! Oh, look!

Look here, how strange! I don't know what I'm listening to. Oh, look! They're singing here in choir! Oh, look! These little creatures are laughing together, here literally everybody is running around to shine. Or is it the cold that's driving me insane? Oh, look!

Here, they snow at each other instead of skulls. No death and bane, but toys, and no one is being mean. And would you look at these pretty lights, there's so many. And in my bones, I slowly feel a warm feeling.

Oh, look! How cozy! A mistletoe's hanging there! A kiss? Was that my heart I felt breaking? Oh, wow! They sit by the hearth And listen to stories, and they shine. Oh, look!

Oh, look! Look there! I can see a little spruce. Wait, what? Now I'm legit confused. How weird! Why are they powering it all up? Oh, it's for the lights on the tree. Oh, look how beautiful, looks like a dream. I'm finally getting my head around it. Oh, this place is just too crazy. Maybe this is what I really wanted. Oh, look!

Oh, look, so sweet. Tired from all the fun. But look, there's no beasts under the bed. No corpses, no witches or ghosts or boogeymen coming to take or crunch them. No, they wander untroubled to their dreamland. Oh, look!

This is no place for the spooky, there's no room for chagrin. And yes, everyone can feel just fine instead. What everyone experiences here is absolutely unique, The splendid music and the smell of freshly baked cake.

The pomp and splendor they've all got here I had never felt so good. The empty place inside of me is filling up with warmth and joy. I want it, too. I want it, too. No, really, I want something like this, too. I'm losing all control, so just tell me where I ended up! What is this?

French (France)
Performed by Olivier Constantin

German
Performed by Alexander Goebel

Greek
Performed by Konstantínos Staurídis

Italian
Performed by Renato Zero

Japanese
Performed by Masachika Ichimura

Korean
Performed by Nam Gyeong-ju

Mandarin
Performed by Wang Han

Norwegian
The film itself currently does not have an official Norwegian dub. The Norwegian-dubbed version of this song was produced for inclusion in a sing-a-long released on a special VHS edition of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Avazheh
Performed by Ashkan Sadeqi

Polish
Performed by Wojciech Paszkowski

1993
Performed by Nelson Machado

2003
Performed by Marcelo Coutinho

2012
Performed by Marcelo Coutinho

Portuguese (Portugal)
Performed by Pedro Bargado

Russian
Performed by Aleksey Kortnev

Slovak
Performed by Ján Gallovič

Spanish (Latin America)
Performed by Sergio Saldívar

Spanish (Spain)
Perfomed by Tony Cruz

Swedish
The film itself currently does not have an official Swedish dub. The Swedish-dubbed version of this song was produced for inclusion in a sing-a-long released on a special VHS edition of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.