His vocals can be found on the original cast recording and the film soundtrack for Rent, the revival CD for You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and his solo album entitled Look Around.
What You Own
Anthony Rapp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't think all day
Dive into work
Drive the other way
That drip of hurt
That pint of shame
Goes away
Just play the game
At the end of the millennium
You're living in America
Leave your conscience at the tone
And when you're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're what you own
The filmmaker cannot see
And the songwriter cannot hear
Yet I see Mimi everywhere
Angel's voice is in my ear
Just tighten those shoulders
Just clench your jaw til you frown
Just don't let go
Or you may drown
You're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're living in America
Where it's like the Twilight Zone
And when you're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're what you own
So I own not a notion
I escape and ape content
I don't own emotion, I rent
What was it about that night (What was it about that night)
Connection, in an isolating age
For once the shadows gave way to light (For once the shadows gave way to light)
For once I didn't disengage
Angel, I hear you, I hear it
I see you, I hear it, I hear it, I hear it (My film)
My song
Alexi, Mark (One song)
Call me a hypocrite
I need to finish my own film (Mimi, your eyes)
I quit
Dying in America
At the end of the millennium
We're dying in America
To come into our own
And when you're dying in America
At the end of the millennium
You're not alone
I'm not alone
I'm not alone
The song “What You Own” by Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal is from the rock musical “Rent.” It is a reflective piece sung by the characters Mark and Roger, who are both struggling artists fighting against the societal norms of capitalism and capitalism that are working against them. The song creates a commentary on life in America at the end of the millennium, as the characters explore the struggle between owning property and the concept of freedom.
The opening lines encourage the listener to avoid thinking too much and simply “play the game” of capitalism. The characters urge the listener to avoid thinking about their problems, to focus solely on work and avoid confronting the “drip of hurt” and “pint of shame” that plagues them. It’s a commentary on the toxic culture of American individualism leading people to suppress their emotions and reality.
The song then turns to focus on the characters living their creative lives, but still struggling to survive in America. The characters emphasize the absurdity of American life at the end of the millennium, where one has to “leave your conscience at the tone” and where living in America is “like the Twilight Zone.” The last section of the song is a realization that society has failed many people- they are dying in America “to come into their own” and turn to the people around them for support, knowing that they’re not alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't breathe too deep
Avoid facing the reality of life, don't think much about it.
Don't think all day
Don't waste time contemplating on life issues.
Dive into work
Find solace in work to escape life's discomforts.
Drive the other way
Avoid any unpleasant encounter or experience of life.
That drip of hurt
Painful experiences gradually accumulate.
That pint of shame
A small amount of shame, small enough to ignore.
Goes away
Forget the pain and shame, just move on.
Just play the game
Just like everyone else trying to survive, ignore the pain and shame, and keep playing the game of life.
You're living in America
You're living in a country that's all about power and material possessions.
At the end of the millennium
At the beginning of a new era.
Leave your conscience at the tone
Don't worry about what's right or wrong.
And when you're living in America
And when you're living in a society where everything is about material possessions.
You're what you own
Your worth as a human being is determined by what you own.
The filmmaker cannot see
The filmmaker could not see the reality of life.
And the songwriter cannot hear
The songwriter could not hear the call for help in the music.
Yet I see Mimi everywhere
Mimi, the character the singer fell in love with, seems to be everywhere, perhaps as a symbol of heartbreak.
Angel's voice is in my ear
The voice of Angel, a character in the play, constantly reminds the singer of the important things he often ignores.
Just tighten those shoulders
Endure the pain, don't give up.
Just clench your jaw til you frown
Endure the pain, don't give up.
Just don't let go
Endure the pain, don't give up.
Or you may drown
Giving up may result in bad outcomes.
Where it's like the Twilight Zone
Where things are surreal, like living in another world.
So I own not a notion
I don't understand anything, I have no idea what's going on.
I escape and ape content
I distract myself with things that seem satisfying, imitating the behaviors of content people.
I don't own emotion, I rent
I'm not in control of my emotions, I borrow them from other sources.
What was it about that night (What was it about that night)
Reflecting on a specific night, looking for meaning, wondering what makes it different.
Connection, in an isolating age
Building relationships in a society that's getting more and more individualistic.
For once the shadows gave way to light (For once the shadows gave way to light)
For once, the darkness cleared, and things became visible, perhaps signifying hope.
For once I didn't disengage
The singer didn't turn his back from the world, he was present, perhaps signifying growth.
Angel, I hear you, I hear it
The singer hears the voice of Angel, and feels the message it carries.
Call me a hypocrite
The singer acknowledges his inconsistencies, he's aware of the difference between what he believes and what he does.
I need to finish my own film (Mimi, your eyes)
The singer needs to complete his own project, but is distracted and haunted by memories of Mimi.
I quit
Giving up, not motivated to pursue own goals.
Dying in America
Metaphor for feeling helpless and hopeless, as if your life doesn't matter.
To come into our own
Finding a way to be comfortable with yourself, accepting who you are.
You're not alone
Everyone is struggling and feeling lost, don't feel alone in your misery.
I'm not alone
Joining others, sharing their struggles and concerns, finding a sense of belonging.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jonathan D. Larson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ladybirdlindley5120
Why the heck did their singing voice did not change at all? I just love them, their voice and their blending.. the best Roger and Mark ❤
@Lance37a
Probably because they're not singing every night, less wear and tear on the vocals and they're not that old
@Petrellibrothersfan
They are the OG ..they were Mark and Roger for over 10 years
@adami6187
@Lance37a they are not that old, but the show opened 26 years ago. Most people's voices would have changed a lot (like idina)
@moonlightfitz
omg yes is the same
@sparkle5055
The voices are the same! They’ve barely changed. Anthony’s voice will still give me chills as well as adam
@user-ro1co4lm4j
the chemistry in their voices never fails to give me chills aaaaaa
@stormbob
It's been 25 years, but listening to these two it might as well have been yesterday. They're a little older and a little greyer, but damn are they incredible.
@thatsalaughandahalf
A little bit older, a little bit greyer, and a still bit gayer, that’s my motto 💪🏻
@Voileen
Their voices are so perfect together. What a gorgeous performance!!