Jonathon Larson – Rent lyrics
Mark:
How do you document real life
When real life's getting more like fiction each day?
Headlines, breadlines, blow my mind, and now this deadline...
Eviction or pay.
RENT!
Roger:
How do you write a song
When the chords sound wrong, though they once sounded
Right and rare.
When the notes are sour
Where is the power
You once had to ignite the air?
Mark:
And we're hungry and frozen
Roger:
Some life that we've chosen
Both:
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
Last year's Rent
Mark:
We light candles
Roger:
How do you start a fire
When there's nothing to burn
And if feels like something's
Stuck in your flue
Mark:
How can you generate heat
when you can't feel your feet
Both:
And they're turnin blue!
Mark:
You light up a mean blaze
Roger:
With posters
Mark:
And screen plays
Both:
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
Last year's Rent
Joanne:
Don't screen, Maureen, its me Joanne
Your substitute production manager
Hey hey hey! (did you eat?)
Don't change the subject maureen
But darling...you havn't eaten all day!
You won't throw up
You won't throw up
The digital delay -
Didn't blow up (exactly)
There may have been one teeny tiny spark -
You're not calling Mark!
Collins:
How do you stay on your feet
When on every street
It's trick or treat
And tonight its trick
Welcome back to town
I should lie down
Everything's brown
And uh oh
I feel sick!
Mark:
Where is he?
Collins:
Gettin dizzy.
Mark and Roger:
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
Last year's Rent!
Benny:
Allison baby, you sound sad
I don't believe those two after everything I've done
Ever since our wedding I'm dirt
They'll see, I can help him all out in the long run.
Forces are gathering
Forces are gathering
Can't turn away
Forces are gathering
Collins:
Uhhhhhh
Uhhhhhh
Uhhhhhh - I can't think
Uhhhhhh
Uhhhhhh
Uhhhhhh - I need a drink
Mark:
The music ignites the night with passionate fire
Joanne:
Maureen - I'm not a theatre person
Roger:
The narration crackles and pops with incendiary wit
Joanne:
Could never be a theatre person
Mark:
Zoom in as they burn the past to the ground
Joanne:
Hello?
Mark and Roger:
And feel the heat of the future's glow
Joanne:
Hello?
Mark:
Hello? Maureen?
You're equipment won't work?
Ok all right! I'll go!
Mark and Half of Company:
How do you leave the past behind
When it keeps finding ways
To get to your heart
It reaches way down deep and tears you inside out
Till you're torn apart
RENT!
Roger and the Other Half of Company:
How can you connect in an age
Where stranger's landlords, lovers, your own bloodcells
Betray?
All:
What binds the fabric together
When the raging shifting winds of change
Keep ripping away
Benny:
Draw a line in the sand
And then make a stand
Roger:
Use your camera to spar
Mark:
Use your guitar
All:
When they act tough
You call their bluff
Mark and Roger:
We're not gonna pay
Mark and Roger w/ half the company:
We're not gonna pay
Mark and Roger w/ other half the company:
We're not gonna pay
All:
Last year's Rent
This year's Rent
Next year's Rent
Rent Rent Rent Rent Rent
We're not gonna pay Rent
Mark and Roger:
Cause Everything is RENT!!!