In The Heights

In The Heights is the first song on the soundtrack.

Filming

 * The ladies of the salon were spotted in New York on June 26 filming the opening number

Writing

 * "Benny that's weak, you said that sh!t LAST week/ Ya wack as the plastic backseat of ya taxi."-Cut Usnavi lyric from the opening #
 * "It's OBvious UsNAVi is the SLOPpiest MC."-Cut Benny lyric from the opening #

Original 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 [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-7959570 Pop the grate at the crack of dawn, sing While I wipe down the awning Hey y’all, good morning]

[PIRAGUA GUY, spoken] [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-1696529 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 [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-8957621 Exacerbated by the fact that my syntax Is highly complicated 'cuz 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...

Fo! The milk has gone bad, hold up just a second [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-11160298 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 gives Abuela Claudia her lottery tickets, which she kisses and holds up to the sky.]

[ABUELA CLAUDIA, spoken] Ay! Paciencia y fe…

[USNAVI] [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-8113189 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 shit’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

[ENSEMBLE] In the heights I flip the lights and start my day [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-15495251 There are fights

[WOMEN] And endless debts

[MEN] And bills to pay]

[ENSEMBLE] In the Heights I can’t survive without café

[USNAVI] I serve café

[ENSEMBLE] '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 [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-3195803 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] [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-7996049 Hey! A man’s gotta dream...]

[CAMILA] [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-10803576 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 dona Yesenia walks in the room—

[CARLA, spoken] Aha…

[DANIELA] She smells sex and cheap perfume!

[CARLA, spoken] Uh oh…]

[DANIELA] [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-7996191 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] [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-2604769 And, oh my god, it’s gotten Too darn hot, like my man Cole Porter said] [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-8899848 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

[ENSEMBLE 1] In the heights I buy my coffee and I go

[https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-13404753 Set my sights On only what I need to know]

In the heights Money is tight But even so

[ENSEMBLE 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

[ENSEMBLE] When the lights go down I blast my radio!

[BENNY] You ain’t got no skills!

[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] [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-8606379 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 skills!

[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] [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-12627790 Tell Vanessa how you feel, buy the girl a meal On the real, or you ain’t got no skills]

[VANESSA, speaking on the phone] [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-11016319 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]! [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-8953435 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] [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-9089496 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

[https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-8109234 '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

[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 Ooh Ooh

Ooh

In the Heights I’ve got today!

[ABUELA CLAUDIA] Every day, paciencia y 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!

[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] [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-11086709 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] You’ll see the ​late nights [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-9089539 You’ll taste ​beans and rice] [https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-8026045 The syrups and ​shaved ice] I ain’t gonna ​say it twice

[https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-lyrics#note-10860415 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!

[ENSEMBLE] In the Heights!

In the Heights!

In the Heights! Ah

Ah Ah Ah!

[ALL En Washington Heights!]