06 July 2008

Song of the day: "96,000" by Lin-Manuel Miranda

The hottest new musical on Broadway is "In the Heights," winner of the 2008 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Score, Best Orchestrations, and Best Choreography. New York native Lin-Manuel Miranda conceived the concept for the musical when he was a sophomore in college eight years ago. He also wrote the music and lyrics for the show, plus he stars as leading character Usnavi! Talk about a Broadway debut!

My favorite song is the big ensemble number "96,000." Usnavi discovers that someone has bought a winning lottery ticket worth $96,000 from his convenience store. Everyone in the neighborhood sings about what he/she would do if they won $96,000. The rapping is incredible.

From In the Heights
USNAVI:
96,000...

SONNY/BENNY:
Damn...

USNAVI:
96,000...

SONNY:
Dollers? Holla.

USNAVI:
96,000...

BENNY:
Yo, somebody won!

USNAVI:
96,000...

BENNY:
Yo...
If I won the lotto tomorrow
well I know
I wouldn't bother going on no spending spree
I'd pick a business school and pay the entrance fee
Then maybe, if you're lucky, you'll stay friends with me.
I'll be a business man,
richer than Nina's daddy,
Donald Trump and I on the links,
and he's my caddy
My money's making money, I'm going from po' to moto
Keep the bling, I want the brass ring like Frodo!

USNAVI:
Oh no, here goes Mr. Braggadocio
Next thing you know, he's lying like Pinocchio

BENNY:
Well if you're scared of the bull, stay out of the rodeo!

GRAFFITI PETE:
Yo, I got more hoes than a phone book in Tokyo!

USNAVI!
Ooh, you'd better stop rappin'
You're not ready
It's gonna get hot and heavy and you're already sweaty-

GRAFFITI PETE:
y-y-yo-yo

USNAVI:
Yo, I'm sorry, was that an answer?
Shut up, go home and pull your damn pants up!
As for you, Mr. Frodo of the shire, 96 gs ain't enough to retire

BENNY:
I'll have enough to knock your ass of its axis!

USNAVI:
You'll have a knapsack full of jack after taxes!

SONNY:
96,000!

ABUELA CLAUDIA:
Ay, alabanza!

SONNY:
96,000!

DANIELA/CARLA:
No me diga!

SONNY:
96,000!

VANESSA:
I never win shit!

SONNY:
96,000!

BENNY:
for real, though,
imagine how it must feel going real slow
down the highway of life
with no regrets
and no breaking your neck for respect or a paycheck
for real, though, I'll take a break from the wheel and we'll throw the biggest block party,
everybody here
a weekend when we can breathe, take it easy

NEIGHBORS:
Yo! ma, it's me, check my tickets!

CARLA:
Check one two three what would you do with 96 gs?

DANIELA:
who, me?

CARLA:
I mean, if it's just between you and me-

DANIELA:
esa pregunta es tricky!

CARLA:
I know!

DANIELA:
with 96 g,
I'd start my life with a brand new lease
atlantic city with a malibu breeze

CARLA:
and a brand new weave-

DANIELA:
or maybe just bleach...

VANESSA:
Y'all are freaks

USNAVI:
Yo, I'm just sayin...
it's silly when we get into
these crazy hypotheticals
you really want some bread
then go ahead and create a list of goals
and cross them off the list as you pursue them
and with those 96 i know precisely what i'm doing

VANESSA:
what you doing?

USNAVI:
What am i doing? what am I doing?
It takes most of that cash just to save my ass from financial ruin
sonny can keep the coffee brewin'
and i'll spend a few on you
cause the only room with a view's a room with you in it
and i could give abuela claudia the rest of it
just fly me down to puerta plata, I'll make the best of it
You really love this business?

SONNY:
no.

USNAVI:
tough, merry christmas.
You're now the youngest tycoon in washington heights.

SONNY:
Yo!
with 96,000, I'd finally fix housing
give the barrio computers and wireless web browsing
Your kids are living without a good education
change the station, teach them about gentrification, the rent is escalating

GRAFFITI PETE:
what?

SONNY:
the rich are penetrating

GRAFFITI PETE:
what?

SONNY:
We pay our corporations
when we should be demonstrating

GRAFFITI PETE:
WHAT?!

SONNY:
What about immigration?

GRAFFITI PETE:
what?

SONNY:
politicians be hating

GRAFFITI PETE:
what?

SONNY:
Racism in this nation's gone from latent to blatant!
I'll cash my ticket and picket, invest in protest,
never lose my focus till the city takes notice.
and you know this man! I'll never sleep
because the ghetto has a million promises for me to keep!

VANESSA:
You are so cute!

SONNY:
I was just thinking off the top of my head.

USNAVI:
96k. go.

VANESSA:
If I won the lottery, you'd never see me again.

USNAVI:
Damn, we're only jokin', stay broke, then...

VANESSA:
I'll be downtown, get a nice studio, get out of the barrio

If i win the lottery, you'll wonder where I've been

BENNY (AT THE SAME TIME):
For real, though, imagine how it would feel going real slow down the highway of life with no regrets
and no breakin' your neck for respect or a paycheck-

ALL TOGETHER:

No me diga!
SONNY
Ninety six thousand!
VANESSA
I never win shit!
SONNY
Ninety six thousand!
BENNY
For real, though, imagine how
it would feel goin’ real slow
Down the highway of life
with no regrets
And no breakin’ your neck for
respect or a paycheck
For real though, I’ll take a
break from the wheel and
we’ll throw
The biggest block party,
everybody here
A weekend when we can
breathe, take it easy. . .
NEIGHBORS
Yo! Ma it’s me, check my
tickets!
CARLA
Check one two three
What would you do with
ninety-six G’s—
DANIELA
Who me?
CARLA
I mean if it’s just between
you and me—
DANIELA
Esa pregunta es tricky!
CARLA
I know
DANIELA
With ninety-six G’s
I’d start my life with a brand
new lease
Atlantic city with a Malibu
breeze
CARLA
And a brand new weave—
DANIELA
Or maybe just bleach.
Y’all are freaks.
USNAVI
Yo, I’m just sayin’
It’s silly when we get into
these crazy hypotheticals
You really want some bread
then go ahead create a set
of goals
And cross them off the list
as you pursue ‘em,
And with those ninety-six I
know precisely what I’m doin’.
VANESSA
What you doin’?
USNAVI
What’m I doin? What’m I doin?
It takes most of that cash
just to save my ass from
financial ruin
Sonny can keep the coffee
brewin’, and I’ll spend a few
on you
‘Cuz the only room with a
view’s a room with you in it.
And I could give Abuela
Claudia the rest of it
Just fly me down to Puerta
Plata, I’ll make the best of it
You really love this business?
SONNY
No.
USNAVI
Tough, merry Christmas.
You’re now the youngest
tycoon in Washington Hiznits.
SONNY
Yo!
With ninety six thousand, I’d
finally fix housin’,
Give the barrio computers
and wireless web browsin’,
Your kids are livin’ without a
good edumacation,
Change the station, teach ‘em
about gentrification.
The rent is escalatin’
GRAFFITI PETE
What?
SONNY
The rich are penetratin’
What?
SONNY
We pay our corporations
when we should be
demonstratin’
GRAFFITI PETE
What?!
SONNY
What about immigration?
GRAFFITI PETE
What?
SONNY
Politicians be hatin’
GRAFFITI PETE
What?
SONNY
Racism in this nation’s gone
from latent to blatant!
community
Oooooh!
SONNY
I’ll cash my ticket and picket,
invest in protest,
Never lose my focus till the
city takes notice
And you know this man! I’ll
never sleep
Because the ghetto has a
million promises for me to
keep!
VANESSA
You are so cute!
SONNY
I was just thinking off the top of
my head.
USNAVI
96k. Go.
VANESSA
If I win the lottery, you’ll
never see me again.
USNAVI
Damn, we’re only jokin’, stay
broke then
I’ll be downtown,
Get a nice studio, get out of
the barrio
VANESSA
If I win the lottery,
You’ll wonder where
I’ve been
BENNY
For real, though,
Imagine how it would feel
Goin’ real slow
Down the highway of life
With no regrets
And no breakin’ your neck for
respect Or a paycheck—

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