Mark:
How do you document real life
When real life's getting more like fiction each day?
Headlines, breadlines blow my mind
And now this deadline, eviction or pay
Rent!
Roger:
How do you wirte a song when the chords sound wrong?
Though they weren't sounding right and rare
When the notes are sour
Where is the power you once had to ignite the air?
Mark:
We're hungry and frozen
Roger:
Some life that we've chosen
Both:
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay last year's rent?
Roger:
How do you start a fire
When there's nothing to burn
And it feels like something's stuck in your flue?
Mark:
How can you generate heat
When you can't feel your feet?
Both:
And they're turning blue?
Mark:
You light up a mean blaze
Roger:
With posters
Mark:
And screenplays
Both:
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay last year's rent?
Collins:
How do you stay on your feet
When on every street it's trick or treat?
And tonight, it's trick!
Welcome back to town, oh I should lie down
Everything's brownin' out, I feel sick
Mark:
Where is he?
Collins:
Gettin' dizzy..
All:
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay
How we gonna pay last year's rent?
Mark:
The music ignites tonight with passionate fire
Roger:
The narration crackles and pops with incendiary wit
Mark:
Zoom in as they burn the past to the ground
Both:
And feel the heat of the future's glow
How do you leave the past behind
When it keeps finding ways to get to your heart?
It reaches way down deep and tears you inside out
'Till you're torn apart
Rent!
How can you connect in an age where
Strangers, landlords, lovers, your own blood cells betray?
What binds the fabric together
When the raging, shifting winds of change keep ripping away?
Benny:
Draw a line in the sand and then make a stand
Roger:
Use your camera to spar!
Mark:
Use your guitar!
All:
When they act tough you call their bluff
We're not gonna pay
We're not gonna pay
We're not gonna pay last year's rent!
This year's rent! Next year's rent! Rent rent rent rent rent!
We're not gonna pay rent! 'Cause everything is rent!