Robin de Jesús - In the Heights lyrics
[USNAVI] Lights up on Washington Heights, up at the break of day I wake up and I got this little punk I gotta chase away Pop the grate at the crack of dawn, sing While I wipe down the awning Hey y'all, good morning [PIRAGUA GUY, spoken] Ice cold piragua! Parcha. China. Cherry. Strawberry. And just for today, I got mamey! [USNAVI, spoken] Oye, piragüero, como estas? [PIRAGUA GUY, spoken] Como siempre, Señor Usnavi. [USNAVI] I am Usnavi and you prob'ly never heard my name Reports of my fame are greatly exaggerated Exacerbated by the fact that my syntax Is highly complicated 'cuz I emigrated From the single greatest little place in the Caribbean: Dominican Republic! I love it! Jesus, I'm jealous of it And beyond that Ever since my folks pa**ed on I haven't gone back Goddamn, I gotta get on that... Fo! The milk has gone bad, hold up just a second Why is everything in this fridge warm and tepid? I better step it up and fight the heat 'Cuz I'm not makin' any profit if the coffee isn't light and sweet! [ABUELA CLAUDIA, spoken] Ooo-oo! [USNAVI, spoken] Abuela, my fridge broke. I got café but no "con leche." [ABUELA CLAUDIA, spoken] Try my mother's old recipe: one can of condensed milk. [USNAVI, spoken] Nice. [Usnavi give Abuela Claudia her lottery tickets, which she kisses and holds up to the sky.] [ABUELA CLAUDIA, spoken] Ay! Paciencia y fe… [USNAVI] That was Abuela, she's not really my “abuela,” But she practically raised me, this corner is her escuela Now, you're prob'ly thinkin: "I'm up sh**'s creek! I've never been north of Ninety-Sixth Street!” Well, you must take the A Train Even farther than Harlem to northern Manhattan and maintain Get off at 181st, and take the escalator I hope you're writing this down, I'm gonna test ya later I'm getting tested; times are tough on this bodega Two months ago somebody bought Ortega's Our neighbors started packin' up and pickin' up And ever since the rents went up It's gotten mad expensive But we live with just enough [COMMUNITY] In the heights I flip the lights and start my day There are fights [WOMEN] And endless debts [MEN] And bills to pay [COMMUNITY] In the Heights I can't survive without café [USNAVI] I serve café [COMMUNITY] 'Cuz tonight seems like a million years away! En Washington— [USNAVI] Next up to bat, the Rosarios They run the cab company, They struggle in the barrio See, their daughter Nina's off at college, tuition is mad steep So they can't sleep Everything they get is mad cheap! [KEVIN] Good morning, Usnavi! [USNAVI] Pan caliente, café con leche! [KEVIN] Put twenty dollars on today's lottery [CAMILA] One ticket, that's it! [KEVIN] Hey! A man's gotta dream... [CAMILA] Don't mind him, he's all excited ‘Cuz Nina flew in at 3 A.M. last night! [KEVIN] Don't look at me, this one's been cooking all week! [CAMILA] Usnavi, come over for dinner [KEVIN/CAMILA] There's plenty to eat! [DANIELA] So then Yesenia walks in the room— [CARLA, spoken] Aha… [DANIELA] She smells s** and cheap perfume! [CARLA, spoken] Uh oh… [DANIELA] It smells like one of those trees That you hang from the rear view! [CARLA, spoken] Ah, no! [DANIELA] It's true! She screams, “Who's in there with you, Julio?” Grabs a bat and kicks in the door He's in bed with José from the liquor store! [CARLA/USNAVI] No me diga! [USNAVI, spoken] Daniela and Carla, from the salon. [DANIELA/CARLA] Thanks, Usnavi! [USNAVI, spoken] Sonny, you're late. [SONNY, spoken] Chillax, you know you love me. [USNAVI] Me and my cousin runnin' just another dime-a-dozen Mom-and-pop stop-and-shop And, oh my god, it's gotten Too darn hot, like my man Cole Porter said People come through for a few cold waters and A lottery ticket, just a part of the routine Everybody's got a job, everybody's got a dream They gossip, as I sip my coffee and smirk The first stop as people hop to work Bust it— I'm like: "One dollar, two dollars, one fifty, one sixty-nine. I got it. You want a box of condoms? What kind? That's two quarters. Two quarter waters. The New York Times. You need a bag for that? The tax is added." Once you get some practice at it You do rapid mathematics automatically Sellin' maxipads, fuzzy dice for taxicabs and practically Everybody's stressed, yes! But they press through the mess, Bounce checks and wonder what's next [COMMUNITY 1] In the heights I buy my coffee and I go Set my sights On only what I need to know In the heights Money is tight But even so [COMMUNITY 2] In the heights I buy my coffee and— Set my sights What I need to know In the heights Money is tight Even so [COMMUNITY] When the lights go down I blast my radio! [BENNY] You ain't got no sk**s! [USNAVI] Benny! [BENNY] Yo, lemme get a— [USNAVI] Milky Way [BENNY] Yeah, lemme also get a— [USNAVI] Daily News— [BENNY] And a— [USNAVI] Post— [BENNY] And most important, my— [USNAVI] Boss' second coffee, one cream— [BOTH] Five sugars [BENNY] I'm the number one earner— [USNAVI/SONNY] What?! [BENNY] The fastest learner— [USNAVI/SONNY] What?! [BENNY] My boss can't keep me on the damn back burner! [USNAVI] Yes, he can [BENNY] I'm makin' moves, I'm makin' deals, but guess what? [USNAVI] What? [BENNY/SONNY] You still ain't got no sk**s! [USNAVI] Hardee-har [BENNY] Yo, Vanessa show up yet? [USNAVI] Shut up! [BENNY] Hey little homie, don't get so upset [USNAVI, spoken] Man... [BENNY] Tell Vanessa how you feel, buy the girl a meal On the real, or you ain't got no sk**s [VANESSA, speaking on the phone] Nooo! No no nooo! No no nooo, no-no-no! Nooo, no-no-no! No-no-no-no-no-no-no-no, no-no-no-no-no! Mr. Johnson, I got the security deposit It's locked in a box in the bottom of my closet It's not reflected in my bank statement But I've been savin' to make a down payment and pay rent No, no, I won't let you down— [BENNY] Yo, here's your chance; ask her out right now! [VANESSA] I'll see you later, we can look at that lease! [BENNY] Do somethin', make your move, don't freeze! [USNAVI] Hey! [VANESSA] You owe me a bottle of cold champagne! [USNAVI] Are you moving? [VANESSA] Just a little credit check and I'm on that downtown train! [USNAVI] Well, your coffee's on the house [VANESSA] Okay! [BENNY] Usnavi, ask her out [SONNY] No way! [VANESSA] I'll see you later, so… [BENNY] Oooh... Smooth operator, aw, damn, there she goes! Yo, bro, take five, take a walk outside! You look exhausted, lost, don't let life slide! The whole hood is struggling, times are tight And you're stuck to this corner like a streetlight! [USNAVI] Yeah, I'm a streetlight, chokin' on the heat The world spins around while I'm frozen to my seat The people that I know all keep on rollin' down the street But every day is different so I'm switchin' up the beat 'Cuz my parents came with nothing, they got a little more And sure, we're poor, but yo, at least we got the store And it's all about the legacy they left with me, it's destiny And one day I'll be on a beach with Sonny writing checks to me [COMMUNITY] In the Heights, I hang my flag up on display [USNAVI] We came to work and to live and we got a lot in common [COMMUNITY] It reminds me that I came from miles away [USNAVI] D.R., P.R., we are not stoppin' [COMMUNITY] In the Heights Ooh Ooh Ooh In the Heights I've got today! [ABUELA CLAUDIA] Every day, paciencia ye fe [USNAVI] Until the day we go from poverty to stock options. [USNAVI] And today's all we got, so we cannot stop This is our block! [COMMUNITY] In the Heights I hang my flag up on display [PIRAGUA GUY] Lo le lo le lo lai lai lo le! [COMMUNITY] It reminds me that I came from miles away [USNAVI/PIRAGUA GUY/NEIGHBORS] My family came from miles away— [COMMUNITY] In the Heights It gets more expensive every day [USNAVI/PIRAGUA GUY/WOMEN/MEN] Every day [COMMUNITY] And tonight is so far away— [USNAVI] But as for mañana, mi pana Ya gotta just keep watchin' [USNAVI] You'll see the late nights You'll taste beans and rice The syrups and shaved ice I ain't gonna say it twice So turn up the stage lights We're takin' a flight To a couple of days in the life of what it's like [BENNY/GRAFFITI PETE/MEN] Late nights! Beans and rice! Shaved ice! Say it twice! [COMMUNITY] In the Heights! In the Heights! In the Heights! Ah Ah Ah Ah! [ALL] En Washington Heights!