Seasons of Love was the first song of Act II in Jonathan Larson's hit musical RENT. When RENT was brought to the silver screen, the song was performed in much the same way as on Broadway: the eight main characters (not the entire cast, as was the case in the musical) are lined up on a filmed stage, each with a spotlight trained on them. It is admirably moving (especially the second time through the movie) and travels well from the stage to the movie theater.
"Seasons of Love" is one of the most popular songs from RENT, mainly due to its soaring harmonies and creative lyrics. The song is written and performed in true Broadway fashion.
While the message of the song falls short of profound, it still speaks eloquently about humanity and our insatiable need for meaning. It expresses our longing to find quantitative measurements of our lives, from kisses and laughter to bridges burned.
"How do you measure a year?" it asks us all, answering its own question gracefully:
love is the
undefinable and inevitably, exasperatingly
qualitative answer. When the song ends, we are left already itching to hear it again.
"Seasons of Love" is often mistakenly called by the name "525600 Minutes," as well as "A Year in the Life."
Thanks to Jack, shaogo and Two Sheds for their helpful corrections & advice.