Rent soundtrack – Tune Up #1 lyrics

[MARK]
Tell the folks at home what you're doing Roger
[ROGER]
I'm writing one great song --
[MARK]
The phone rings.
[ROGER]
Yesss!
[MARK]
We screen.
[ROGER AND MARK'S ANSWERING MACHINE]
"Speak" ... ("Beeeep!")
[Lights fade up on the street: the front-door area of]
[MARK and ROGER's building. Nearby is a battered public pay phone.]
[TOM COLLINS stands at the phone.]
[COLLINS]
"Chestnuts roasting ---"
[ROGER AND MARK]
[as MARK picks up the phone]
Collins!
[COLLINS]
I'm downstairs
[MARK]
Hey!
[COLLINS]
Roger picked up the phone??
[MARK]
No, it's me.
[COLLINS]
Throw down the key.
[MARK pulls out a small leather pouch and drops it off]
[the apron downstage center as if from a window; a weighted leather]
[pouch plops down from "upstairs." COLLINS catches it.]
[MARK]
A wild night is now pre-ordained
[Two THUGS appear from above, with clubs. They are obviously close]
[to attacking COLLINS, who says back into the phone...]
[COLLINS]
I may be detained.
[THUGS mime beating and kicking COLLINS,]
[who falls to the ground as lights on him fade.]
[MARK]
What does he mean...?
[Phone rings again]
What do you mean "detained"?
[Lights come up on BENNY, who's on a cellular phone.]
[BENNY]
Ho ho ho.
[MARK AND ROGER]
Benny! Shit.
[BENNY]
Dudes, I'm on my way
[MARK AND ROGER]
Great! Fuck.
[BENNY]
I need the rent
[MARK]
What rent?
[BENNY]
This past year's rent which I let slide
[MARK]
Let slide? You said we were 'golden'
[ROGER]
When you bought the building
[MARK]
When we were roommates
[ROGER]
Remember -- you lived here!?
[BENNY]
How could I forget?
You, me, Collins and Maureen
How is the drama queen?
[MARK]
She's performing tonight
[BENNY]
I know.
Still her production manager?
[MARK]
Two days ago I was bumped
[BENNY]
You still dating her?
[MARK]
Last month I was dumped
[ROGER]
She's in love
[BENNY]
She's got a new man?
[MARK]
Well -- no
[BENNY]
What's his name?
[BOTH]
Joanne
[BENNY]
Rent, my amigos, is due
Or I will have to evict you
Be there in a few
[ROGER defiantly picks out Musetta's theme from]
[Puccini's La Boheme on the electric guitar. The fuse blows on the amp.]
[MARK]
The power blows ...