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Johnny Can’t Decide Lyrics by Jonathan Larson

tick, tick...BOOM! (Original Cast Recording)

2001

[JON]
Break of day, the dawn is here
Johnny's up and pacing
Compromise or persevere?
His mind is racing

Johnny has no guide
Johnny wants to hide
Can he make his mark, if he gives up his spark?
Johnny can't decide

[SUSAN]
Susan longs to live by the sea
She's through with competition
Susan wants a family
Johnny's got a tough decision

Johnny has no guide

[JON & SUSAN]
Johnny wants to hide
Can he settle down

[SUSAN]
[JON]

And still not drown?
And still not
Drown...
[JON & SUSAN]
Johnny can't decide

[MICHAEL]
Michael's gonna have it all
His luck will never end
Johnny's backed against the wall
Can he bend his dreams, just like his friend?

[JON]



Johnny sees that
[SUSAN]

Susan's right
Susan's right
[MICHAEL]

Ambition eats right
Ambition eats right
Johnny sees right

Through you
Through you
Through you

Michael doesn't see

Michael doesn't see

I
Johnny
Why Johnny

Hold on tight
Hold on tight
Holds so tight

To the things that

To the things that

Johnny feels are true
Johnny feels are true
Johnny feels are true

[SUSAN & MICHAEL]


Johnny has no guide
[JON]


Johnny has no guide...

Johnny wants to hide



Johnny wants to hide...
[ALL]
How can you soar
If you're nailed to the floor?

Johnny can't decide

[JON (SPEAKING)]
I want to write music. I want to sit down, right now, at my piano, and write a song that people will listen to and remember, and do the same thing every morning, for the rest of my life

[SUSAN & MICHAEL]


Johnny has no guide
[JON]


Johnny has no guide...

Johnny wants to hide



Johnny wants to hide...
[ALL]
How do you know when it's time to let go?

[JON]
[SUSAN & MICHAEL]

Johnny can't decide

Johnny can't decide

Johnny can't decide

Johnny can't decide


Decide
Decide

Decide
Decide
Johnny can't decide...

Decide...

Johnny can't decide...

Decide...



Decide...


Decide...
[ALL]
Decide...

[JON]
Johnny can't decide...

About “Johnny Can’t Decide” by Jonathan Larson

Read the complete lyrics to "Johnny Can’t Decide" by Jonathan Larson from the album "tick, tick...BOOM! (Original Cast Recording)" in 2001. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Rock.

"Johnny Can’t Decide" is performed by Jonathan Larson. from the album "tick, tick...BOOM! (Original Cast Recording)" in 2001 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Johnny Can’t Decide", explore more songs by Jonathan Larson using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Jonathan Larson · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Johnny Can’t Decide" is credited to Jonathan Larson. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Johnny Can’t Decide" appears on "tick, tick...BOOM! (Original Cast Recording)" in 2001.

Visit the Jonathan Larson artist page at /artist/jonathan-larson for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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