| The multiple award-winning musical Rent is | | | | |
| based on opera of Puccini, La Boheme. It has | | | | Seasons of Love is perhaps the best known of |
| been playing on Broadway since 1996 and is | | | | all of the songs. Unlike in the musical, this |
| one of the longest running shows. In 2005, | | | | song opens the movie. A re-mixed version, |
| the movie based on Rent was released and, | | | | featuring the legendary Stevie Wonder, was |
| like the musical itself, has gained a cult | | | | also released. The entire cast sings and the |
| following. The soundtrack album became | | | | song revolves around them trying to decide |
| available on CD soon after. | | | | how you measure a year apart from in minutes. |
| | | | They calculate that there are five hundred |
| The story follows a group of eight Bohemian | | | | twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes in a |
| friends living in modern New York over the | | | | year and each suggests other methods of |
| course of a year, specifically 1989-1990. It | | | | quantifying a year but reach the conclusion |
| is a heartfelt look at ups and downs of life | | | | that love is the one correct gauge of a year |
| and how the various characters deal with | | | | in a life of a human. Seasons of Love is the |
| addiction, loss, relationships, housing, AIDS | | | | perfect opening and acts as a teaser to the |
| and the meaning of life itself. | | | | rest of the tracks on this compilation . |
| | | | |
| A number of the original songs were deleted | | | | The original theme song of the musical, Rent, |
| during the movie adaptation and do not appear | | | | follows as the film opens in the East Village |
| on the movie soundtrack in order to create | | | | of New York on Christmas Eve, 1989. Roger and |
| more space for dialogue and produce a more | | | | Mark are trying to avoid being evicted from |
| free-flowing plot. Some purists or Rentheads | | | | their previously rent-free apartment. Another |
| feel that the soundtrack is not complete | | | | outstanding song on the Rent movie soundtrack |
| because of the removal of these songs. For | | | | is the duet Take Me or Leave Me where Maureen |
| everyone else, especially those who have not | | | | and her lesbian lover Joanne are having a |
| seen the Broadway version, the movie is a | | | | quarrel at an engagement announcement party |
| brutally honest look at life with aspects | | | | hosted by the parents of Joanne. The local |
| that most can relate to. The Rent movie | | | | bar is the perfect setting for the energetic |
| soundtrack has the same rock opera feel to it | | | | rendition of La Vie Boheme. It captures the |
| as the original musical score and is filled | | | | nonconformity of the main characters, which |
| with 28 moving, uplifting and ultimately, | | | | is further emphasized by everyone dancing on |
| inspiring songs. | | | | the tables. |