Rent - Rent Lyrics

1996 Broadway
Rent the Musical - Rent Lyrics


MARK
How do you document real life
When real life's getting more
Like fiction each day
Headlines--bread-lines
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

MARK & ROGER
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 it feels like something's stuck in
Your flue

MARK
How can you generate heat
When you can't feel your feet

MARK & ROGER
And they're turning blue!

MARK
You light up a mean blaze

ROGER
With posters--

MARK
And screenplays

MARK & ROGER
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
Last year's rent

JOANNE (on phone)
Don't screen, Maureen
It's me--Joanne
Your substitute production manager
Hey hey hey! Did you eat?
Don't change the subject Maureen
But darling--you haven'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
Getting dizzy

MARK & ROGER
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
Last year's rent

BENNY (on phone)
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 them all out in the long run

Forces are gathering
Forces are gathering
Can't turn away
Forces are gathering

COLLINS
Ughhhh
Ughhhh
Ughhhh - I can't think
Ughhhh
Ughhhh
Ughhhh - 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

MARK & ROGER
And feel the heat of the future's glow

JOANNE (on phone)
Hello?

MARK (on phone)
Hello? Maureen?
Your equipment won't work?
Okay, all right, I'll go!

MARK, 1/2 of COMPANY
How do you leave the past behind
When it keep finding ways to get to your heart
It reaches way down deep and tears you inside out
'Til you're torn apart
Rent

ROGER, 1/2 of COMPANY
How can you connect in an age
Where strangers, landlords, lovers
Your own blood cells betray

COMPANY
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

COMPANY
When they act tough
You call their bluff

MARK & ROGER
We're not gonna pay

MARK & ROGER & 1/2 THE COMPANY
We're not gonna pay

MARK & ROGER & OTHER 1/2
We're not gonna pay

COMPANY
Last year's rent
This year's rent
Next year's rent

Rent rent rent rent rent
We're not gonna pay rent

MARK & ROGER
Cause everything is rent


Other Songs: Rent the Musical Songs Lyrics
Rent lyrics from Rent the Musical


Rent the Musical Lyrics

SYNOPSIS
Tune Up #1
Voice Mail #1
Tune Up #2
Rent
You Okay Honey?
Tune Up #3
One Song Glory
Light My Candle
Voice Mail #2
Today 4 U
You'll See
Tango: Maureen
Life Support
Out Tonight
Another Day
Will I?
On the Street
Santa Fe
I'll Cover You
We're Okay
Christmas Bells
Over the Moon
La Vie Bohème A
I Should Tell You
La Vie Bohème B
Seasons of Love A
Happy New Year A
Voice Mail #3
Happy New Year B
Take Me or Leave Me
Seasons of Love B
Without You
Contact
I'll Cover You (Reprise)
Halloween
Goodbye Love
What You Own
Voice Mail #5
Finale A
Your Eyes
Finale B