Jonathan 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!
-acapo