These musicals seriously tackle issues such as multiculturalism, addiction, sexual orientation and HIV. Rent was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and won four Tony Awards. The scores of his shows reveal that he was an apt composer and lyricist.
One tick, tick...BOOM! song called "Sunday" is an homage to Stephen Sondheim, who supported Larson. It stays close to the melody and lyrics of Sondheim's own song of the same title but turning it from a manifesto about art into a waiter's lament.
Among the many awards he received during and after his lifetime were: the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (for Rent), the Richard Rodgers Production Award, the Richard Rodgers Development Grant, the Stephen Sondheim Award, the Gilman and Gonzalez-Falla Theatre Foundation's Commendation Award, the Tonys for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Score of a Musical for Rent, the Drama Desks for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Book, and Best Lyrics (also for Rent), the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical (again for Rent), the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical in the Off-Broadway category (another for Rent), and three Obie Awards for Outstanding Book, Outstanding Lyrics and Outstanding Music (yet again for Rent).
Among his many creative works are Rent, tick, tick...BOOM!, Sacrimoralimmorality (1981)with David Armstrong (retitled Saved for the one-week run on 42nd Street), Superbia, the music for J.P. Morgan Saves the Nation, numerous individual numbers, music for Sesame Street, music for the children's book cassettes of An American Tail and Land Before Time, music for Rolling Stone magazine publisher Jann Wenner, and four songs for the children's video Away We Go! (which he also conceived and directed).
Larson died unexpectedly of an undiagnosed aortic dissection (aortic aneurysm), believed to have been caused by Marfan syndrome, on January 25th, 1996. It was ten days before his 36th birthday, and the night before Rent's first preview off-Broadway.
After his death, Larson's family and friends started the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation.
In 2005, a film version of his most popular production Rent was released, directed by Christopher Columbus.
In September of 2008, Rent closed after 12 successful years on broadway. One of the final shows and the finale were filmed for a limited engagement film, "Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway." The DVD and Blu-Ray disc were released was in February 2009.
Currently original cast members Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, and Gwen Stewart are performing on the farewell broadway tour of the show.
I Should Tell You
Jonathan Larson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I forget how to begin it
Let's just make this part go faster
I have yet to be in it
I should tell you, I should tell you
I should tell you, I should tell you
Just to get back in
I'd forgotten how to smile
Until your candle burned my skin
I should tell you, I should tell you
I should tell you, I should tell
Well, here we go, now we, oh no
I know this something is here goes
Here goes, guess so it's starting to
Who knows? Who knows?
Who knows where? Who goes there?
Who knows? Here goes
Trusting desire, starting to learn
Walking through fire without a burn
Clinging a shoulder a leap begins
Stinging and older, asleep on pins
So here we go, now we, oh no
I know, oh no
Who knows where? Who goes there?
Here goes, here goes
Here goes, here goes
Here goes, here goes
"I Should Tell You" is a tender duet from the musical "Rent" by Jonathan Larson. The song brings the two characters, Roger and Mimi, together in a moment of vulnerability as they begin to trust each other and let their guards down.
The lines "I should tell you, I'm disaster" reveal Mimi's insecurities and her struggle with addiction. She is hesitant to reveal her flaws to Roger, but the urge to be honest and open with him is stronger. The repetition of "I should tell you" shows her internal struggle and the importance of this confession.
Similarly, Roger is holding back his own pain and trauma. He has shut himself off emotionally and is reluctant to start a new relationship after the death of his previous girlfriend. The lyrics "I should tell I blew the candle out just to get back in" suggest that he has intentionally self-sabotaged his life and relationships.
As the song progresses, the two characters come together in a beautiful moment of vulnerability and trust. They realize that it's okay to be flawed and imperfect, and that they can find comfort and support in each other. The repetition of "here goes" at the end of the song shows their willingness to take a leap of faith together.
Line by Line Meaning
I should tell you, I'm disaster
I feel like a disaster and I should be honest with you about that
I forget how to begin it
I am having trouble expressing my feelings
Let's just make this part go faster
I want to speed up this conversation
I have yet to be in it
I am not fully invested in this relationship yet
I should tell I blew the candle out
I should admit that I have made mistakes in the past
Just to get back in
I have tried to fix my mistakes in order to be with you again
I'd forgotten how to smile
I was unhappy before I met you
Until your candle burned my skin
You have ignited passion in me and made me feel alive again
Well, here we go, now we, oh no
I am nervous about what is going to happen next
I know this something is here goes
I know that something important is about to happen
Who knows? Who knows?
I'm uncertain about the future
Trusting desire, starting to learn
I am learning to trust my feelings for you
Walking through fire without a burn
I am willing to take risks and face challenges for this relationship
Clinging a shoulder a leap begins
I am leaning on you for support as we take this next step together
Stinging and older, asleep on pins
I am anxious and uncertain about what the future holds
Here goes, here goes
We're taking a leap of faith into the unknown
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jonathan Larson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind