Jonathan Larson > Quotes

“The heart may freeze, or it can burn. The pain will ease and I can learn. There is no future, there is no past. I live this moment as, my last.”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Complete Book and Lyrics of the Broadway Musical

“Forget Regret, or life is yours to miss”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“No day but today.”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“Forget regret, or life is yours to miss. No other path, no other way, no day but today.”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“The opposite of war isn't peace, it's creation. ”
― Jonathan Larson

“There is no future, there is no past. I live this moment as my last. There's only us. There's only this. Forget regret, or life is yours to miss. No other road. No other way. No day but today.

I can't control my destiny. I trust my soul, my only goal is just to be.

There's only now, there's only here. Give into love, or live in fear. No other course, no other way.

NO DAY but TODAY”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“VIVA LA VIE BOHEME!”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“I'm more of a man then you'll ever be, I'm more of a woman then you'll ever get.”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“Give in to love or live in fear.”
― Jonathan Larson

“I'd be happy to die for a taste of what Angel had. Someone to live for. Unafraid to say I Love You.”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“No other road, no other way, no day but today. ”
― Jonathan Larson

“When you’re dying in America, at the end of the millennium, you’re not alone”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“but i know blue only blue lonely blue without you”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“In these dangerous times, where it seems that the world is ripping apart at the seams, we all can learn how to survive from those who stare death squarely in the face every day and [we] should reach out to each other and bond as a community, rather than hide from the terrors of life at the end of the millennium.”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“Just don't let go or you may drown.”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“She always said how lucky were to be friends... but it was us baby who were the lucky ones”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“What binds the fabric together when the raging, shifting, winds of change keep ripping away?”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“No Day but today”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“There is no future, there is no past, I live this moment as my last”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“Measure your life in love.”
― Jonathan Larson

“It won't work
I look before I leap
I love margins and discipline
I make lists in my sleep
Baby what's my sin?
Never quit-I follow through
I hate mess-but I love you
What to do with my impromptu baby”
― Jonathan Larson

“The tick-tick-booms are softer now. I can barely hear them, and I think if I play loud enough, I can drown them out completely.”
― Jonathan Larson

“How you do you leave the past behind when it keeps finding ways to get to your heart?
It reaches way down deep and tears you up till you're torn apart.”
― Jonathan Larson

“Give in to love, or live in fear”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“Louder than words

Why do we play with fire?
Why do we run our finger through the flame?
Why do we leave our hand on the stove
Although we know we're in for some pain?
Oh, why do we refuse to hang a light
When the streets are dangerous?
Why does it take an accident
Before the truth gets through to us?
Cages or wings
Which do you prefer?
Ask the birds
Fear or love, baby?
Don't say the answer
Actions speak louder than words
Why should we try to be our best
When we can just get by and still gain?
Why do we nod our heads
Although we know
The boss is wrong as rain?
Why should we blaze a trail
When the well worn path
Seems safe and so inviting?
How as we travel, can we
See the dismay
And keep from fighting?
Cages or wings?
Which do you prefer?
Ask the birds
Fear or love, baby?
Don't say the answer
Actions speak louder than words
What does it take
To wake up a generation?
How can you make someone
Take off and fly?
If we don't wake up
And shake up the nation
We'll eat the dust of the world
Wondering why, why
Why do we stay with lovers
Who we know, down deep
Just aren't right?
Why would we rather
Put ourselves through Hell
Than sleep alone at night?
Why do we follow leaders who never lead?
Why does it take catastrophe to start a revolution?
If we're so free, tell me why?
Someone tell me why
So many people bleed?
Cages or wings?
Which do you prefer?
Ask the birds
Fear or love, baby?
Don't say the answer
Actions speak louder than
Louder than, louder than
Louder than, louder than
Cages or wings?
Which do you prefer?
Ask the birds
Fear or love baby?
Don't say the answer
Actions speak louder
Louder than, louder than, ooh
They speak louder
Louder than, louder than, ooh
Actions speak louder than”
― Jonathan Larson, tick, tick ... BOOM!

“How do you know when it's time to let go?”
― Jonathan Larson

“What does it take
To wake up a generation?”
― Jonathan Larson, tick, tick ... BOOM!

“And when you're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're what you own
So I own not a notion
I escape and ape content
I don't own an emotion -
I rent”
― Jonathan Larson, Rent: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical―Complete Libretto and Oral History

“The opposite of war isn't peace; it's creation.”
― Jonathan Larson

“525,600 minutes, 525,600 moments so dear, 525,600 minutes, how do you measure, measure a year”
― Jonathan Larson