Rent
Tracie Thoms / Jesse L. Martin / Cast of Rent Lyrics

How do you document real life
How do you capture the essence of real life?

When real life's getting more
When reality becomes increasingly surreal?

Like fiction each day
Like something from a novel?

Headlines, bread lines
News of hardship and hunger?

Blow my mind
Overwhelm my thoughts?

And now this deadline
And now this imminent deadline?

"Eviction or pay"
"Pay or be evicted"?

How do you write a song
How do you create a melody?

When the chords sound wrong
When the harmony doesn't quite fit?

Though they once sounded right and rare
Despite how perfect they once seemed?

When the notes are sour
When the melody jars?

Where is the power
Where is the strength or vitality?

You once had to ignite the air
You once had to inspire your audience?

We're hungry and frozen
We're both starving and chilled?

Some life that we've chosen
The life we've selected?

How we gonna pay
How are we going to settle our debts?

Last year's rent
The rent we owed from the previous year?

How do you start a fire
How do you ignite a flame?

When there's nothing to burn
When there's no fuel to burn?

And it feels like something's stuck in your flue
And it feels like something is obstructing the flow?

How can you generate heat
How can you create warmth?

When you can't feel your feet
When your extremities are numb?

And they're turning blue
And they're becoming discolored?

You light up a mean blaze
You create a magnificent fire?

With posters
With posters promoting your art?

And screenplays
And with your screenplays?

How do you stay on your feet
How do you maintain your balance?

When on every street
When every block is filled?

It's 'trick or treat'
With Halloween revelers?

And tonight its 'trick'
And tonight, it's just tricks?

'Welcome back to town'
A greeting from the city's lights?

I should lie down
I need to rest?

Everything's brown
Everything is dull?

And uh oh
And, oh no,

I feel sick
I am feeling unwell?

Where is he?
Where is he located?

Getting dizzy
Experiencing disorientation?

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

The narration crackles and pops with incendiary wit
The narration is lively and witty

Zoom in as they burn the past to the ground
Watch closely as they destroy their memories

And feel the heat of the future's glow
Experience the warmth of what's to come

How do you leave the past behind
How do you set aside your previous experiences?

When it keep finding ways to get to your heart
When it incessantly troubles you?

It reaches way down deep and tears you inside out
It deeply wounds you

'Til you're torn apart
Until you're destroyed or broken

How can you connect in an age
How can one form relationships in today's world?

Where strangers, landlords, lovers
Where strangers, landlords, lovers, all alike?

Your own blood cells betray
Even your own body may harm you?

What binds the fabric together
What keeps society intact?

When the raging, shifting winds of change
When change is constant and erratic?

Keep ripping away
Keep tearing society apart?

Draw a line in the sand
Decide your principles?

And then make a stand
And then take a stance?

Use your camera to spar
Use your camera as a weapon of debate?

Use your guitar
Use your music to inspire?

When they act tough
When they appear aggressive?

You call their bluff
You stand up to their intimidation?

We're not gonna pay
We refuse to pay?

Last year's rent
The rent from last year?

This year's rent
The rent from this year?

Next year's rent
The rent from next year?

We're not gonna pay rent
We will not pay our rent?

'Cause everything is rent
Because all we have is rent to pay.