It Won't Be Long Now
Karen Olivo Lin-Manuel Miranda & Robin de Jesús Lyrics
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Doesn't faze me anymore
The rattling screams don't disrupt my dreams
It's a lullaby, in its way
The elevated train drives everyone insane
But I don't mind, oh no
When I bring back boys they can't tolerate the noise
And that's okay, 'cause I never let them stay
It won't be long now!
The boys around the way holler at me when I'm walking down the street
Their machismo pride doesn't break my stride
It's a compliment, so they say
The boys around the way holler at me every day but I don't mind, oh no
If I'm in the mood, it will not be with some dude
Who is whistling 'cause he has nothing to say
Or who's honking at me from his Chevrolet!
And one day, I'm hoppin' in a limousine and I'm driving away!
It won't be long now!
Ay, Usnavi, help! SOS!
Good morning, Vanessa!
If it isn't the loveliest girl in the place
You've got some schmutz on your face
Good morning!
Good morning!
Vanessa!
Vanessa!
Vanessa!
Vanessa! I'm thirsty, coño!
Can I get a Pepsi and some packing tape?
Uh, my cousin over there with his tongue hanging out, has been meaning to ask you
Yes?
What a lady such as yourself might be doing tonight?
Does your cousin dance?
Like a drunk Chita Rivera
Okay, after Nina's dinner, we can hit a few clubs and check out the fireworks
Oh snap! Who's that?
Don't touch me, I'm too hot! Yes!
Qué pasó? Here I go!
So dope! Y tu lo sabes!
No pare
Sigue sigue!
Did you see me?
Freaky freakit!
What a way to begin the weekend
Sonny, anything you want is free, man!
And my dearly beloved Dominican Republic
I haven't forgotten
You!
Gonna see this honey, make a little money
And one day I'll hop Jet
Blue!
But until that fateful day, I'm grateful
I got a destination
I'm runnin' to make it home
And home's what Vanessa's runnin' away from!
I'm runnin' to make it home
And home's what Vanessa's runnin' away from
The neighborhood salon is the place I am working for the moment
As I cut their hair, ladies talk and share
Every day, who's doin' who and why
The neighborhood salon doesn't pay me what I wanna be making but I don't mind
As I sweep the curb I can hear those turbo engines blazing a trail through the sky
I look up and think about the years gone by
But one day, I'm walkin' to JFK and I'm gonna fly!
It won't be long now!
Any day
These lyrics are from the song "It Won't Be Long Now" performed by Karen Olivo, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Robin De Jesus in the musical "In the Heights." The song explores the dreams, aspirations, and frustrations of the characters as they long for a better future and strive to escape their current circumstances.
In the first verse, the singer describes how the noise of the elevated train has become a familiar and comforting sound to her. While it drives other people insane, she has grown used to it and even considers it a lullaby. She mentions that when she brings boys back to her place, they can't tolerate the noise and leave, but she doesn't mind because she never lets them stay. She expresses her desire to one day hop on the elevated train and ride away, indicating her longing for a new beginning or escape from her current situation.
In the second verse, the singer talks about how the boys in her neighborhood catcall and holler at her as she walks down the street. She acknowledges that some might see it as a compliment, but she doesn't let it affect her. She mentions that if she's in the mood, she won't be with a guy who whistles and has nothing to say or honks at her from his car. She then imagines herself in a limousine, driving away from the neighborhood. The repetition of "it won't be long now" emphasizes the characters' optimism and belief that their dreams will soon come true.
Overall, the song captures the longing for change, the pursuit of dreams, and the resilience of the characters in the face of their challenging circumstances. It reflects their hope for a better future and their determination to create a new path for themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
The elevated train by my window
I am accustomed to the noise of the elevated train outside my window
Doesn't faze me anymore
It no longer bothers or disturbs me
The rattling screams don't disrupt my dreams
The loud and noisy train sounds do not disturb my sleep or aspirations
It's a lullaby, in its way
The train's sounds have become a comforting lullaby to me
The elevated train drives everyone insane
The constant noise of the train irritates and annoys most people
But I don't mind, oh no
However, I am not bothered by it
When I bring back boys they can't tolerate the noise
When I have guests over, they find it difficult to tolerate the train noise
And that's okay, 'cause I never let them stay
But it's fine since I never allow them to stay for long
And one day, I'm hoppin' that elevated train and I'm riding away!
Eventually, I will leave this place by boarding the elevated train and traveling somewhere else
It won't be long now!
That day will come soon!
The boys around the way holler at me when I'm walking down the street
The boys in the neighborhood often shout at me when I walk by
Their machismo pride doesn't break my stride
Their male pride does not affect or deter me
It's a compliment, so they say
They consider their shouting as a compliment
The boys around the way holler at me every day but I don't mind, oh no
Even though they do it every day, I am not bothered by it
If I'm in the mood, it will not be with some dude
If I am interested in someone, it won't be just any guy
Who is whistling 'cause he has nothing to say
I am not interested in someone who only whistles at me without any meaningful communication
Or who's honking at me from his Chevrolet!
Nor am I interested in someone who honks at me from his car
And one day, I'm hoppin' in a limousine and I'm driving away!
Someday, I'll leave this place by riding in a luxurious limousine
It won't be long now!
That day will come soon!
Ay, Usnavi, help! SOS!
Hey, Usnavi, I need your help! It's an emergency!
Good morning, Vanessa!
Good morning, Vanessa!
If it isn't the loveliest girl in the place
You are the most beautiful girl here
You've got some schmutz on your face
There's something dirty on your face
Good morning!
Good morning!
Good morning!
Good morning!
Vanessa!
Vanessa!
Vanessa!
Vanessa!
Vanessa! I'm thirsty, coño!
Vanessa! I'm thirsty, man!
Can I get a Pepsi and some packing tape?
Can I have a Pepsi and some packing tape?
Uh, my cousin over there with his tongue hanging out, has been meaning to ask you
Uh, my cousin over there, who's clearly attracted to you, has been wanting to ask you something
Yes?
Yes?
What a lady such as yourself might be doing tonight?
What might a sophisticated lady like you be doing tonight?
Does your cousin dance?
Can your cousin dance?
Like a drunk Chita Rivera
He dances as if he's drunk, just like Chita Rivera
Okay, after Nina's dinner, we can hit a few clubs and check out the fireworks
Alright, after Nina's dinner, we can go to a few clubs and watch the fireworks
Oh snap! Who's that?
Oh wow! Who is that?
Don't touch me, I'm too hot! Yes!
Don't touch me, I'm attractive and confident! Yes!
Qué pasó? Here I go!
What happened? Here I go!
So dope! Y tu lo sabes!
So great! And you know it!
No pare
Don't stop
Sigue sigue!
Keep going!
Did you see me?
Did you see me?
Freaky freakit!
Freaky freak it!
What a way to begin the weekend
What a great way to start the weekend
Sonny, anything you want is free, man!
Sonny, you can have anything you want for free, man!
And my dearly beloved Dominican Republic
And my beloved home country, the Dominican Republic
I haven't forgotten
I haven't forgotten
You!
You!
Gonna see this honey, make a little money
I'm going to achieve success and make some money
And one day I'll hop Jet
And one day, I will fly in a Jet
Blue!
Blue!
But until that fateful day, I'm grateful
But until that day arrives, I am grateful
I got a destination
I have a goal or purpose
I'm runnin' to make it home
I'm striving to achieve my dreams and return to my true home
And home's what Vanessa's runnin' away from!
Vanessa is running away from the concept of home
I'm runnin' to make it home
I'm working hard to achieve my dreams and find a sense of belonging
And home's what Vanessa's runnin' away from
But Vanessa is running away from the idea of home
The neighborhood salon is the place I am working for the moment
I am currently employed at the local salon
As I cut their hair, ladies talk and share
While I cut their hair, the ladies talk and share their stories
Every day, who's doin' who and why
Every day, they discuss gossip and personal relationships
The neighborhood salon doesn't pay me what I wanna be making but I don't mind
The salon does not pay me as much as I desire, but I am not bothered by it
As I sweep the curb I can hear those turbo engines blazing a trail through the sky
While I clean the street, I can hear the planes' powerful engines flying across the sky
I look up and think about the years gone by
I gaze up and reflect on the past years
But one day, I'm walkin' to JFK and I'm gonna fly!
But one day, I will walk to JFK Airport and board a flight
It won't be long now!
That day will come soon!
Any day
Any day now
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind