Another Day
Original Broadway Cast (RENT) Lyrics

Who do you think you are?
Why are you intruding in my personal space?

Barging in on me and my guitar
Interrupting me while I'm playing music

Little girl, hey
Referring to the person as young and naive

The door is that way
Suggesting that the person should leave

You better go you know
Advising the person to leave

The fire's out anyway
The passion and energy has died down

Take your powder, take your candle
Go away with your drugs and prayers

Your sweet whisper, I just can't handle
Your affection and attention is overwhelming

Well, take your hair in the moonlight
Go away with your charming appearance

Your brown eyes, goodbye, goodnight
Wishing farewell to the person's attractive features

I should tell you, I should tell you
Considering whether to reveal something

I should tell you, I should, no
Deciding not to reveal what's on their mind

Another time, another place
If circumstances were different

Out temperature would climb
Their chemistry would intensify

There'd be a long embrace
They would hug for an extended period of time

We'd do another dance
They would dance together again

It'd be another play
Another scenario or situation

Looking for romance
In search of love

Come back another day
Leaving the opportunity for another encounter

The heart may freeze or it can burn
Emotions can be cold or fiery

The pain will ease if I can learn
The person hopes to overcome the pain

There is no future, there is no past
Only the present moment matters

I live this moment as my last
Living fully in the present moment

There's only us, there's only this
Focusing on the present moment with the other person

Forget regret or life is yours to miss
Don't dwell on the past or you'll miss out on life

No other road, no other way
No other path to take

No day but today
This is the only day that matters

Excuse me if I'm off track
Apologizing for losing focus

But if you're so wise
If you consider yourself so knowledgeable

Then tell me
Provide me with answers

Why do you need smack?
Why do you need drugs?

Take your needle
Take your syringe

Take your fancy prayer
Go away with your spiritual practices

And don't forget
Remember to

Get the moonlight out of your hair
Stop being so enchanting

Long ago you might've lit up my heart
In the past, the person may have had an impact

But the fire's dead, ain't never ever gonna start
The attraction has faded and won't start again

The words would only rhyme
In a different scenario, the words spoken would only sound similar

We'd be in outer space
We would be in a surreal or heightened state of being

It'd be another song
Different circumstances would cause a different outcome

We'd sing another way
The tone and lyrics of their conversation or interaction would change

You wanna prove me wrong?
Do you want to disagree or challenge me?

There's only yes
The person agrees to the current situation

Only tonight we must let go
Freeing themselves of current constraints

To know what's right
To gain clarity on what's best

No other course, no other way
No other options to consider

No day but today
The present day is all there is

I can't control (Control your temper)
Unable to manage emotions (being told to manage temper)

My destiny (She doesn’t see)
The future is uncertain and unclear

I trust my soul (Who says that there's a soul)
Trusting one's inner self despite questioning if a soul exists

My only goal
The main focus or aim in life

Is just to be (Just let me be)
Simply living and existing

There's only now (Who do you think you are)
The current moment is all that exists (challenging the other person)

There's only here
Focusing on the present location

Give into love (Barging in on me)
Surrendering to the feeling of love (referring to the person's intrusion)

Or live in fear (And my guitar)
Choose to live in either love or fear (referencing the guitar as a symbol of love)

No other past (Little girl hey)
The past is irrelevant

No other way (The door is that way)
Looking only at the present and the way out

No day but today (The fires out anyway)
Live in the moment, as it's all that exists (again, referencing the dwindled passion)

No day but today (Take your powder)
Live in the present moment, and take your drugs with you (referenced again)

(Take your candle)
Again, go away with your spiritual or religious practices

No day but today
Only focus on this day, this moment

(Take your brown eyes, your pretty smile, your silhouette)
Go away with your attractive qualities

No day but today
Again, focus on the present moment

(Another time, another place, another rhyme, a warm embrace)
In a different scenario, there might be different outcomes

No day but today
Only the present moment is what's important

(Another dance, another way, another chance, another day)
Different situations yield different results, and another day brings another opportunity

No day but today
Only focusing on the presence