Rent - Rent lyrics

rate me

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

TOGETHER

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

BOTH

and they're turning blue!

MARK

you light up a mean blaze

ROGER

with posters-

MARK

and screenplays

ROGER & MARK

how we gonna pay

how we gonna pay

how we gonna pay

last year's rent

JOANNE (on the 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 cell 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

JOANNE

hello?

MARK & ROGER

and feel the heat of the future's

glow

JOANNE

hello?

MARK (on the phone)

hello? maureen?

-you're equipment won't work?

okay, all right, i'll go!

MARK & 1/2 THE 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 THE COMPANY

how can you connect in an age

where strangers, landlords, lovers

your own blood cells 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 & 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

ALL

last year's rent

this year's rent

next year's rent

rent rent rent rent rent

we're not gonna pay rent

ROGER & MARK

'cause everything is rent