Take Me Or Leave Me
Idina Menzel Lyrics


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Every single day
I walk down the street
I hear people say, "Baby so sweet"
Ever since puberty
Everybody stares at me
Boys, girls, I can't help it, baby
So be kind and don't lose your mind
Just remember that I'm your baby

Take me for what I am
Who I was meant to be
And if you give a damn
Take me baby
Or leave me

Take me or leave me

A tiger in a cage
Can never see the sun
This diva needs her stage, baby
Lets have fun
You are the one I choose
Folks will kill to fill your shoes
You love the lime light to now baby
So be mine but don't waste my time
Cryin', "Oh, honey bear are you still my, my, my baby?"

Take me for what I am
Who I was meant to be
And if you give a damn
Take me baby or leave me

No way, can I be what I'm not
But hey, don't you want your girl hot?
Oh, don't fight, don't loose your head
'Cause every night who's in your bed?
Who?
Who's in your bed?
Kiss pookie

It won't work
I look before I leap
I love margins and discipline
I make list in my sleep, baby
What's my sin? Never quit
I follow through
I hate mess but I love you
What do with my impromptu baby?
So be wise 'cause this girl satisfies
You got a prize but don't compromise
Your one lucky baby

Take me for what I am
A control freak
Who I was meant to be
A snob yet over attentive
And if you give a damn
A lovable droll geek
Take me baby or leave me (A anal retentive)

That's it
The straw that breaks my back
I quit
Unless you take it back
Women, what is it about them?
Can't live with them or without them

Take me for what I am
Who I was meant to be (who I was meant to be)
And if you give a damn (and if you give a damn then)
Take me baby, or leave me
Take me baby, take me or la la la la la leave me




Take me baby or leave me
Guess I'm leaving I'm gone

Overall Meaning

The song "Take Me or Leave Me" from the musical "Rent" is a duet performed by the characters Maureen and Joanne. The song is about accepting one another in a relationship despite their flaws, quirks, and characteristics. In the lyrics of the song, Maureen addresses the fact that everyone stares at her wherever she goes, and she can't help it. She asks Joanne to accept her for who she is and take her or leave her. Joanne, on the other hand, wants Maureen to be a little more disciplined, organized, and not impulsive. However, despite their differences, they both sing about the love they have for each other and that any relationship is hard to maintain.


The song is written in a conversational style, with each character using the song to speak to the other. It's a fun and upbeat song that's full of witty lyrics, quick back-and-forth one-liners, and a catchy melody. It's a celebration of individuality and the belief that true love is about accepting each other for who we are.


Line by Line Meaning

Every single day I walk down the street I hear people say, "Baby so sweet" Ever since puberty Everybody stares at me Boys, girls, I can't help it, baby So be kind and don't lose your mind Just remember that I'm your baby
I get a lot of attention from everyone around me because of my looks, and it's been happening for a long time. Please don't let it bother you, and just remember that I love you.


Take me for what I am Who I was meant to be And if you give a damn Take me baby Or leave me Take me or leave me
I am who I am and I cannot pretend to be something I'm not. If you truly love me, accept me for who I am. If not, then you're free to leave.


A tiger in a cage Can never see the sun This diva needs her stage, baby Lets have fun You are the one I choose Folks will kill to fill your shoes You love the lime light to now baby So be mine but don't waste my time Cryin', "Oh, honey bear are you still my, my, my baby?"
I am a performer and need to be on stage. I choose you to be my partner and you need to be comfortable with my career. Don't question my affection for you, and don't waste my time asking me to choose between you or my career.


No way, can I be what I'm not But hey, don't you want your girl hot? Oh, don't fight, don't loose your head 'Cause every night who's in your bed? Who? Who's in your bed? Kiss pookie
I cannot change who I am. But don't you want a good-looking partner? Let's not argue, and remember that I'm the one who sleeps in your bed.


It won't work I look before I leap I love margins and discipline I make list in my sleep, baby What's my sin? Never quit I follow through I hate mess but I love you What do with my impromptu baby? So be wise 'cause this girl satisfies You got a prize but don't compromise Your one lucky baby
I am organized and disciplined, and I work hard to keep things in order. I'm committed to making things work with you, even when things don't go as planned. Remember that I love you, but don't expect me to be comfortable with disorder or lack of planning.


Take me for what I am A control freak Who I was meant to be A snob yet over attentive And if you give a damn A lovable droll geek Take me baby or leave me (A anal retentive)
I may seem uptight, controlling, and even a snob, but I am also caring, funny, and even a little quirky. If you really care about me, you'll accept all of me, even the parts you may not like.


That's it The straw that breaks my back I quit Unless you take it back Women, what is it about them? Can't live with them or without them
I've had enough of this argument and I'll leave you, unless you change your mind. Women can be difficult, and I can't decide whether I want to be with them or not.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jonathan D. Larson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@mayavichannel

Every single day
I walk down the street
I hear people say
"Baby's so sweet"
Ever since puberty
Everybody stares at me
Boys, girls
I can't help it baby
So be kind
And don't lose your mind
Just remember
That I'm your baby
Take me for what I am
Who I was meant to be
And if you give a damn
Take me baby or leave me
Take me baby or leave me
A tiger in a cage
Can never see the sun
This diva needs her stage
Baby, let's have fun
You are the one I choose
Folks would kill to fill your shoes
You love the limelight too, now baby
So be mine
And don't waste my time
Cryin', "Oh honeybear
Are you still my, my, my baby?"
Take me for what I am
Who I was meant to be
And if you give a damn
Take me baby or leave me
No way, can I be what I'm not
But hey, don't you want your girl hot?
Don't fight, don't lose your head
'Cause every night, who's in your bed?
Who, who's in your bed?
Kiss, pookie
That's it! The straw that breaks my back
I quit, unless you take it back
Women, what is it about them?
Can't live with them or without them
Take me for what I am
Who I was meant to be
(Who I was meant to be)
And if you give a damn
(And if you give a damn ya better)
Take me baby or leave me
(Oh take me baby, take me or leave me)
Take me baby
Or leave me
Guess I'm leaving
I'm gone



@onjimsaladpie7476

For real
Idina is so talented and Tracie definitely deserves more credit
I mean she has an amazing voice too and it blends so well with lots of people I’ve seen her sing with
Also whenever I hear her voice nowadays I always think
DO YOU KNOW HOW GREAT MY LIFE IS
DO YOU KNOW HOW GREAT MY LIFE IS
SAVING LIVES AND LOVING YOOUUU
(and Betsy’s “yOu SaVe LiVeS aNd I sAvE cHiCkEn FaT hOw Am I sUpPoSeD tO dEaL wItH tHaT?” is just... words cannot describe that sequence)











ANYWAY



All comments from YouTube:

@candicecrutchfield6101

We all appreciate Idina but can we also appreciate Tracie in this? Both so talented!

@HappyMagicalMan

Agreed, both have wonderful powerful voices.

@Evabuscus1

Yes Tracie is superb I get chills at her voice, at Idina's voice, but them TOGETHER....I almost die!

@SSathe-dd9lo

I always felt they did an amazing job on this.

@chickrepelant

so so so true

@nicoleeggplants4684

Omg yes I was recently thinking this.. she doesn't get nearly enough credit!

1 More Replies...

@17andujar

i love that they complement each other when they sing together. it gives me the shivers cuz it sounds so good. i also love the fact that everybody doesn't do anything but follow them everywhere

@miaya.micronis

Weren’t both in the original Broadway version or was it just idina?

@JosieSanelly

When I was a little girl I thought the singing in the movies are real life, so when I was arguing with my best friend I started to sing and yell, then I was surprised why the backround music never came. Ah, memories :D

@BestMusicWorldwide

+Petra Gabriella Gazsó what??? you were a very simple little kid you were...... smdh I hope that wore off....

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