In the Heights/Tear Jerker

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • Tear Jerker: "Alabanza."
    • Especially Usnavi's speech at the start of the song. "They said a combination of the stress and the heat, why she never took her medicine, I'll never understand. I like to think she went out in peace, with pieces of bread crumbs in her hand."
    • And the song that follows -- "Everything I Know".
    • "Inutil". It's a bit harder to understand if your one or both of your parents isn't like Kevin...from a different country...working their ass off...just so their kid can have a good future....'scuse me.
      • Heck, from a different country nothin'. This troper was near in tears because her father (American born and raised) pretty much exists based on the one line "I will not be the reason that my family can't succeed."
    • Believe it or not, the end of "Carnaval de Barrio". It's a very happy, celebratory song...but it ends with the Piraguero and Daniela singing "Esa bonita bandera! Contiene mi alma entera!" ("This beautiful flag, it holds the whole of my soul"). It may not seem like much, but in a country that's currently having a lot of problems with immigration and racism, a stage full of characters taking pride in their heritage moves this child-of-immigrants troper to tears.
    • And "Paciencia y Fe"