In the Heights (Radio Edit)

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 [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 'cause I immigrated 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 passed on, I haven't gone back Goddamn, I gotta get on that [USNAVI] 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 [ENSEMBLE] In the Heights, I flip the lights and start my day There are fights [WOMEN] Endless debts [MEN] And bills to pay [ENSEMBLE] In the Heights, I can't survive without café [USNAVI] I serve café [ENSEMBLE] 'Cause tonight seems like a million years away En Washington— [USNAVI] Me and my cousin run it 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' maxi-pads, fuzzy dice for taxicabs Practically everybody's stressed, yes But they press through the mess Bounce checks and wonder what's next [ENSEMBLE] In the Heights I buy my coffee and I go (I buy my coffee and—) Set my sights On only what I need to know (What I need to know) In the Heights Money is tight, but even so (Even so) When the lights go down, I blast my radio En Washington— [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 'Cause 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 writin' checks to me [ENSEMBLE] 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 [ENSEMBLE] It reminds me that I came from miles away [USNAVI] D.R., P.R., we are not stoppin' [ENSEMBLE] In the Heights [ABUELA CLAUDIA] Every day, paciencia y fe [USNAVI] Until the day we go from poverty to stock options [ENSEMBLE] In the Heights, I've got today [USNAVI] And today's all we got, so we cannot stop This is our block [ENSEMBLE] In the Heights, I hang my flag up on display [PIRAGUA GUY] ¡Lo le lo le lo lai lai lo le! [ENSEMBLE] It reminds me that I came from miles away [USNAVI/PIRAGUA GUY/NEIGHBORS] My family came from miles away [ENSEMBLE] In the Heights It gets more expensive every day [USNAVI/PIRAGUA GUY/WOMEN/MEN] Every day [ENSEMBLE] And tonight is so far away [USNAVI] But as for mañana, mi pana Ya gotta just keep watchin' [USNAVI (ENSEMBLE)] You'll see the late nights (In the Heights) You'll taste ​beans and rice (In the Heights) The syrups and ​shaved ice I ain't gonna say it twice (In the Heights) So turn up the stage lights (Ah) We're takin' a flight To a couple of days ​In the life of what it's like [ALL] ¡En Washington Heights!