Intro: -nc- 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 ya'll good morning -nc- Ice cold piragua! Parcha. China. Cherry. Strawberry. Just for today, I got mamey Oye, piraguero, como estas? Como siempre, Senor Usnavi. Verse 1: Bb I am Usnavi and you prob'ly never heard my name D7 Reports of my fame are greatly exaggerated Gm Exacerbated by the fact that my syntax is Eb highly complicated cuz I emigrated from the single Bb greatest little place in the Caribbean D7 Dominican Republic I love it, D7 JEsus4, I'm jealous of it Gm And beyond that, Ever since my folks passed on, Eb I haven't gone back Goddamn, I gotta get on that Bb Foh! The milk has gone bad, hold up just a second D7 Why is everything in this fridge warm and tepid? Gm I better step it up and fight the heat Eb Cuz I'm not making any profit if the coffee isn't light and sweet! -nc- Ooo-ooo! G#uela, my fridge broke. I've got cafe, but no con leche. Try my mother's old recipe: one can of condensed milk. Nice. Ay! Paciencia y fe! Verse 2: Bb D7 That was G#uela, she's not really my abuela Gm7 But she practically raised me Eb Eb This corner is her escuela Bb Now you're prob'ly thinkin D7 "I'm up on xxxx's creek Gm7 I never been north of 96th street" Well you must take the A train Gm7 Even farther than Harlem Eb Eb To norther Manhattan and maintain Bb D7 Get off at 181st and take the escalator I hope your writing this down I'm gonna test you later Bb D7 I'm getting tested times are tough on this bodega Gm7 Eb Two months ago somebody bought Ortega's Eb Bb Our neighbors started packin up and pickin up D7 And ever since the rents went up Ebmaj7 It's gotten mad expensive D7sus44 Am7 But we live with just enough Chorus: D7 Gm In the heights I flip my lights and start my day There are fights And endless debts D7 And bills to pay Gm In the heights F I can't survive without cafe Eb D7 I serve cafe Gm F Ebmaj7 Cuz tonight seems like a million years away! D En Washington- Verse 3: -nc- 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 C E7 Am Good morning, Usnavi. F F Pan caliente, cafe con leche C E7 Put twenty dollars on today's lottery Am One ticket, that's it F F Hey, a man's gotta dream C E7 Don't mind him, he's all excited Am F F Cuz Nina just flew in at 3 AM last night C E7 Am Don't look at me, this one's been cooking all week. Usnavi, come over for dinner D G There's plenty to eat Verse 4: A G D G So then Yesenia walks in the room A G Bm She smells xxx and cheap perfume Gm D Gm It smells like one of those trees that you hang from the rear view D It's true G A G D G She screams, "Who's in there with you, Julio?" A G Bm Grabs a bat and kicks in the door Gm6 D G A He's in bed with Jose from the liquor store No me diga D G A Daniela and Carla from the salon. A7 D G A Thanks, Usnavi! -nc- Sonny, you're late. Chillax, you know you love me. Verse 5: C E7 Me and my cousin runnin just another dime a dozen Am7 Mom-and-pop stop-and-shop F F C E7 And, oh my God, it's gotten too darn hot like my man Cole Porter said Am7 F F C E7 People come through for a few cold waters and a lottery ticket, just a part of the routine Am7 Everybody's got a job F F Everybody's got a dream C E7 They gossip as I sip my coffee and smirk The first stop as people hop to work Bust it-I'm like- C E7 Am 1 dollar, 2 dollar, 1.50, 1.69 I got it F You want a box of condoms what kind? C That's two quarters E7 Two quarter waters. The New York Times Am You need a bag for that? The tax is added F Once you get some practice at it C You do rapid mathematics E7 Automatically Am F Sellin maxipads and fuzzy dice for taxicabs and practically C E7 Everybody's stressed, yes, but they press through the mess Bounce checks and wonder what's next Chorus: Am In the heights G F E7 I buy my coffee and I go Am Set my sights G F E7 On only what I need to know Am In the heights G F E7 Money is tight, but even so Am G F E When the lights go down I blast my radio Verse 6: -nc- Am You ain't got no skills Benny! Lemme get a- F Milky Way Yeah, lemme also get a- C Daily News And a- Post And most important my- E7sus4 Boss' second coffee, one cream 5 sugars Am I'm the #1 earner The fastest learner F Eb7 F7 My boss can't keep me on the damn back burner C Yes he can E7sus4 I'm makin moves, I'm makin deals, but guess what? What? Am You still ain't got no skills Hardee-har Vanessa show up yet? F Shut up! Hey little homie don't get so upset C Tell Vanessa how you feel E Buy the girl a meal On the real Or you ain't got no skills Dm F NO! NO NO NO! Gm NO NO NO, NO NO NO Gm Bb Bbm NO NO NO NO, NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! Dm Mr. Johnson, I got the security deposit F It's locked in a box in the bottom of my closet Gm It's not reflected in my bank statement Bb Bbm But I've been savin to make a down payment and pay rent Dm No, no, I won't let you down F Yo, here's your chance ask her out right now. Gm I'll see you later we can look at that lease. Bb A7 Do somethin, make your move, don't freeze- Hey D G Bm A You owe me a bottle of cold champagne Are you moving? D G Bm xAsusx Just a little credit check and I'm on that downtown train A D Well, your coffee's on the house G Okay Bm Usnavi, ask her out A No way -nc- I'll see you later, so.. Ebmaj7 Gb7 Ooh, smooth operator, aw damn there she go! Gm Yo, bro, take 5, take a walk outside Eb You look exhausted, lost, don't let life slide! Bb The whole hood is struggling, times are tight, Cm9 D7sus4 And you're stuck to this corner like a streetlight Bridge: Yeah, I'm a streetlight Choking on the heat The world spins around While I'm frozen to my seat The people that I know All keep rolling down the street But every day is different So I'm switchin up the beat Gm Cuz my parents came with nothing They got a little more F And sure, we're poor, but yo, At least we got the store Eb And it's all about the legacy They left with me, it's destiny D7sus4 And one day I'll be on a beach D7 With Sonny writing checks to me Gm In the heights F Eb I hang my flag up on display D We came to work and to live and we got a lot in common Gm F It reminds me that I came from miles away Gm Cm DR, PR, we are not stoppin Gm In the heights F Every day, paciencia y fe D E Until the day we go from poverty to stock options F In the heights G I've got today F G F And today's all we got so we cannot stop G This is our block G#+ Am In the heights G F E7 I hang my flag up on display Lo le lo le lo lai lai lo le Am G F It reminds that I came from miles away E My family came from miles away Am In the heights G F E7 It gets more expensive every day Am G And tonight is so far away- Outro: F But as for manana, mi pana Dm Ya gotta keep watchin Esus4 You'll see the late night E You'll taste beans and rice Am The syrups and shaved ice, E I ain't gotta say it twice F So turn up the stage lights We're takin a flight E7sus4 To a couple days In the life of what it's like Am En Washington Heights!
