Various Artists:

Finale (Winds of Change) Songtext

Various Artists
Rent Soundtrack, Cast Recording
Finale (The Lot And The Loft)
ALL SEVEN HOMELESS
Christmas bells are ringing
Christmas bells are ringing
Christmas bells are ringing
How time flies
When compassion dies
No stockings
No candy canes
No gingerbread
No safety net
No loose change
No change no

ONE HOMELESS MAN
"Santy Claus is coming"

ALL
Cause Santy Claus ain't coming
No room at the Holiday Inn -- again
Well, maybe next year --
Or -- when

(Lights shift back to the loft.
A small projector rests on a milk crate, which is on a dolly.)

MARK
December 24th, ten p.m. Eastern standard time
I can't believe a year went by so fast
Time to see what we have time to see
Turn the projector on
(A rough title credit, "Today 4 U: Proof Positive," appears,
Followed by a shot from last Christmas of ROGER tuning his guitar.)
First shot Roger
With the fender guitar he just got out of hock
When he sold the car
That took him away and back

ROGER
I found my song

MARK
He found his song
If he could just find Mimi

ROGER
I tried -- you know I tried

(MARK's image appears on-screen.)

MARK
Fade in on Mark
Who's still in the dark

ROGER
But he's got great footage

MARK
Which he's cut together

ROGER
To screen tonight

(BENNY's image appears on screen.)

MARK
In honor of Benny's wife

ROGER
Muffy

MARK
Alison
Pulling Benny out of the East Village location

(The projector blows a fuse. Blackout.)

ROGER
Then again, maybe we won't screen it tonight.

MARK
I wonder how Alison found out about Mimi?

ROGER
Maybe a little bird told her.

(COLLINS enters in the dark, with several twenty-dollar bills in each
Hand.)

COLLINS
Or an angel.
(Lights fade up.)
I had a little hunch that you could use a little flow

ROGER
Tutoring again?

COLLINS
Negative

MARK
Back at N.Y.U.?

COLLINS
No, no, no
I rewired the ATM at the food emporium
To provide an honorarium to anyone with the code

ROGER & MARK
The code --
Well...?

COLLINS
A-N-G-E-L
Yet Robin Hooding isn't the solution
The powers that be must be undermined where they dwell
In a small, exclusive gourmet institution
Where we overcharge the wealthy clientele

ALL THREE
Let's open up a restaurant in Santa Fe
With a private corner banquette in the back

COLLINS
We'll make it yet, we'll somehow get to Santa Fe

ROGER
But you'd miss New York before you could unpack

ALL
Ohh--

(MAUREEN and JOANNE enter, carrying MIMI.)

MAUREEN
Mark! Roger! Anyone -- help!

MARK
Maureen?

MAUREEN
It's Mimi -- I can't get her up the stairs

ROGER
No!

(They enter the loft.)

MAUREEN
She was huddled in the park in the dark
And she was freezing
And begged to come here

ROGER
Over here
Oh, God --

(They lay her down carefully on the table.)

MIMI
Got a light -- I know you -- you're shivering...

JOANNE
She's been living on the street

ROGER
We need some heat

MIMI
I'm shivering

MARK
We can buy some wood and something to eat

COLLINS
I'm afraid she needs more than heat

MIMI
I heard that

MAUREEN
Collins will call for a doctor, honey

MIMI
Don't waste your money on Mimi, me, me

COLLINS
Hello -- 911?
I'm on hold!

MIMI
Cold... cold... would you light my candle?

ROGER
Yes -- we'll -- oh God -- find a candle

MIMI
I should tell you
I should tell you

ROGER
I should tell you
I should tell you

MIMI
I should tell you
Benny wasn't any--

ROGER
Shhh--I know
I should tell you why I left
It wasn't cause I didn't --

MIMI
I know
I should tell you

ROGER
I should tell you

MIMI (whispering)
I should tell you
I love you--
(MIMI fades)

ROGER
Who do you think you are?
Leaving me alone with my guitar
Hold on there's something you should hear
It isn't much but it took all year

(MIMI stirs and ROGER begins playing acoustic guitar at her bedside.)