Rent
Idina Menzel / Tracie Thoms Lyrics

How do you document real life
How can one accurately capture the essence of reality

When real life's getting more
As real life becomes increasingly complicated

Like fiction each day
It becomes more and more difficult to distinguish between reality and fiction

Headlines, bread lines
The news and poverty

Blow my mind
Are overwhelming and unimaginable

And now this deadline
And now there is a deadline

"Eviction or pay"
Threatening eviction if rent is not paid

How do you write a song
How can one create music

When the chords sound wrong
When the music sounds off

Though they once sounded right and rare
Even though they used to sound unique

When the notes are sour
When the music becomes unpleasant

Where is the power
Where has the ability to inspire gone

You once had to ignite the air
That used to be present

We're hungry and frozen
We are experiencing poverty and the cold

Some life that we've chosen
This is the life we have found ourselves living

How we gonna pay
How are we going to afford

Last year's rent
The rent we owed from last year

How do you start a fire
How can one create passion

When there's nothing to burn
When there is nothing to fuel it

And it feels like something's stuck in your flue
When inspiration is blocked

How can you generate heat
How can one create energy

When you can't feel your feet
When one is numb

And they're turning blue
And are becoming discolored and lifeless

You light up a mean blaze
By using whatever you can - like posters or screenplays

With posters
Using posters as fuel for the fire

And screenplays
Using screenplays as fuel for the fire

How do you stay on your feet
How can one stay strong

When on every street
With every challenge

It's 'trick or treat'
It's a game of chance

And tonight its 'trick'
And tonight it's a gamble

'Welcome back to town'
Upon returning to town

I should lie down
I feel exhausted

Everything's brown
Everything is dreary and dull

And uh oh
And that's not all

I feel sick
I feel nauseous

Where is he?
Where is the person I'm waiting for?

Getting dizzy
Feeling lightheaded

The music ignites the night with passionate fire
The music sparks passion

The narration crackles and pops with incendiary wit
The storytelling is sharp and full of energy

Zoom in as they burn the past to the ground
Depicting the act of leaving the past behind

And feel the heat of the future's glow
Sensing the excitement of the future

How do you leave the past behind
How can one move on from the past

When it keep finding ways to get to your heart
When it keeps affecting you emotionally

It reaches way down deep and tears you inside out
It affects you to the core

'Til you're torn apart
Until you feel completely broken

How can you connect in an age
How can one make meaningful connections in today's world

Where strangers, landlords, lovers
Where people you barely know, people you owe money to, people you love

Your own blood cells betray
Even your own body can work against you

What binds the fabric together
What holds it all together

When the raging, shifting winds of change
When change is constant

Keep ripping away
Keep breaking things apart

Draw a line in the sand
Take a stand

And then make a stand
Stand up for yourself

Use your camera to spar
Speak out through photography

Use your guitar
Speak out through music

When they act tough
When they put up a front

You call their bluff
You challenge them to back up their words

We're not gonna pay
We refuse to pay

Last year's rent
The rent we owed from last year

This year's rent
The current year's rent

Next year's rent
The rent for the upcoming year

Rent rent rent rent rent
Rent is always present and never-ending

We're not gonna pay rent
We refuse to pay rent

'Cause everything is rent
Because everything requires payment like rent