Johnny Can't Decide - Jonathan Larson [tick tick boom]

The monologue Jonathan Larson wrote about his life

[@claricesilva2700]

It's terrible that i just found out about this genius this year. He was amazing, so talented. I know he had a very short life but he probably lived a very good one because of his love for music and he lives in the hearts of everyone who still tries to make their mark in this life.

[@ariellovesbroadway]

This is the best song from tick tick boom he’s an actual genius

[@bethaniie_]

Finally someone who agrees!!! This song is the most beautiful song I've ever listened to :)

[@declanrhodes538]

what’s particularly tragic about Jonathan’s story is the fact that he A. changed the world of musical theatre forever simply because he wanted to and B. that he did not live long enough to see the legacy he left on modern musical theatre. he wanted something so badly that he set out to do it TWICE with Rent and Tick Tick Boom (I realize the latter was released posthumously, but he still set out to do it nonetheless)

[@Otto500206]

Tick, Tick... Boom! is not posthumous: The monologue version was made by Jonathan Larson and was complete, the video is from a recording of Larson playing it. Then it was remade as a play which uses 3 actors.

[@dancegirlva93]

He reinvented musical theatre.

[@lillygrace8852]

He plays with such passion :’)

[@birdyman4956]

I don't know why, but this song makes me so emotional. Maybe it's the life experience or something else but i feel just like jonathan describes.

[@abelhart5510]

For real! I just learned about John Larson and all the work he's done recently and I am completely obsessed. A lot of his songs have very relatable themes and I love them

[@deejaypile]

I can relate alot to Jonathan Larson. The Life of being a creative is sooo hard

[@birdyman4956]

@@deejaypile yeah maybe the problem is simply creativity

[@deejaypile]

@@birdyman4956 it's not that simple though

[@andieshea104]

this song is so relatable for those in a creative field!! and awfully catchy

[@essasto]

People talk about Stephen Sondheim, Rogers and Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber, etc. They all deserve to be talked about with such greatness, Jon should be up there too. I love literature, and Jon's perspective is so incredible it shows a different thought process than the rest when he writes!

[@erickp119]

Sucks that it took tik tik boom movie for me to learn about this man

[@sharkprofessor3010]

Happy Birthday Johnny Larson! You're 62 today. We miss you so so much 😭

[@harleyjacob5696]

I have loved Johnathan Larsons work since I was a kid he helped me discover theatre I wish he got to see his own success you are missed Johnathan

[@Koiryu]

Honestly one of my favorite songs from this musical besides 30/90

[@officialoaksey]

Im so sad Jonathan Larson is no longer with us, I genuinely mourn the loss. What a beautiful soul

[@elainesteele3580]

I liked the movie version too, but this one is peppier (and that guitar solo! Perfection!) and the ending is better. He was a musical genius.

[@lio48]

You are not forgotten❤️ your name will live in forever and what you blessed the world and todays broadway with.

[@jerm8123]

most tragic story ever :( if i had one wish it would be to let jonathan know that he made it in the end

[@adriannawelch7670]

I want to be a playwrite and actress, more than anything I hope to write music people remember, Johnathan did it, I hope I can too

[@Alex-lq1hq]

With willpower we can do everything. Never give up ! 💪🏻❤

[@lucyedwards2752]

That's my dream too

[@abelhart5510]

Glad I saw this, now in the future I can say I knew of u before you got famous

[@mostlyanimation]

subtly leaving this comment here, you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it, never give up

[@GabrielSilva-li9cw]

You can for sure do it, Jonathan Larson clearly struggled to do it for years but he still managed to do it and did a great job at it

[@patrickmgaddis]

The backup singer is Roger Bart. They were good friends.

[@ElizaHamilton1780]

Now that's interesting--especially the ending. So Jonathan's original lyrics for the very end were, "Johnny MUST decide." But in the three-person musical we have now, Jonathan sings, "Johnny can't decide" one more time. I wonder what the creative team behind the musical was thinking of when they changed that line at the end. I'm also wondering about why the musical changed the rhythm somewhat. And I feel sad that they got rid of that guitar solo. It would've been nice to find a way to keep it in. I understand that with the arrangement that made it into the musical, the guitar solo wouldn't work. But it was still an awesome solo--it would've been nice to find a way to keep it.

[@curbsideaudio]

I don't think it's fair to say they changed the line based on this one recording. There were at least 5 drafts of Tick, Tick...BOOM! for the producers of the 2001 Off-Broadway show to work with, plus a number of recordings-including the 1989 demo which *doesn't* say "Johnny must decide" either. To boot, this video recording (~124bpm) is faster than the demo (~112bpm). All this to say, the musical changed a lot over time while Jonathan was working on it. Songs added and removed, the title changed, themes changed, etc.. David Auburn and Scott Schwartz cobbled his unproduced work into a cohesive play. I think you're right in that the guitar solo just wouldn't fit with the transition from one singing part to three.

[@bookbutterfly6613]

Goddamn I get the other guy’s point but I also love “Johnny must decide”

[@TigerPrawn_]

Yeah, it's like the one in the off-broadway production is more mournful. The film version seems to replicate this arrangement more. Which is interesting because I like the stage one better actually!

[@joecopi2458]

From 2024 thank you for posting this video of the amazing Jon Larson. Somehow I found a playbill from 2000 when my late wife and I saw this. Thanks to Linn-Manuel for giving this genius back to us during the pandemic. Also found our 1995 playbill from our wall street attendance at JP Morgan Saves the Nation music by Jon Ahhhhhh musical theatre so sublime.

[@cheeks6310]

Wow. So this is a whole world of musicals. How did I get here 🤯😂

[@thechoripankiller]

just look at him

[@claricesilva2700]

How can we not? The way he played was with so much emotion. We can see he did what he loved. So beautiful❤

[@eduardoparedes1095]

Me hubiera encantado que el siguiera vivo y aún siguiera haciendo grandes musicales

[@Analblockage]

Really cool that Roger Bart sang backup vocals and went on to make a cameo in the movie.

[@declanalexander2100]

What was his Cameo?? I never saw him

[@Analblockage]

@@declanalexander2100 He was in the diner scene.

[@Slice2099]

He’s in the movie is Roger they made him black

[@declanalexander2100]

@@Slice2099 I knew that the character is based on Rodger Bart but not sure what the colour of his skin has to do with it

[@Slice2099]

@@declanalexander2100 because that Roger in the movie is basically playing the real Roger Bert I just noticed they change the skin color and there’s nothing wrong with that I wasn’t trying to make it sound like that

[@K4nma]

Tick tick boom! is a masterpiece

[@314708576]

Thanks for uploading this. Miss Jonathan...

[@akashnegi8536]

God bless this guy who uploaded this long back ❤️

[@Slice2099]

It’s just like the movie Jonathan singing Roger in the back supporting him

[@moonandstar68]

Is there a full recording of Jonathan doing all of "Tick tick tick BOOM" by any chance?

[@JHParee]

I’m sure there is, but his friend Victoria Leacock recorded it all. I don’t know if she’ll release it all to the public. It’d be nice if it was included in a Blu-Ray release of the film adaptation of “tick, tick... BOOM!” Provided, of course, it’s properly restored. The audio here is pretty distorted. EDIT: Goddamned autocorrect. Had to go back in here and correct some words.

[@curbsideaudio]

@@JHParee Not much to be done about the audio at this point. Can't restore what isn't there and the mic used didn't do a great job of handling the volume in the room. I do hope the full tape is released anyway. As an extra if Netflix decides to release it physically, or as an upload here on KZbin. It's worth searching the Internet Archive for the 1989 demo tape. The energy isn't the same, but it's the only source I know of with clear, listenable takes from Jonathan.

[@riveroneill8793]

@@curbsideaudio hey!! Did you have the link to the demo tapes?

[@ennaira14]

@@riveroneill8793 kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIaTmYeMibmIbLc

[@riveroneill8793]

@@ennaira14 thankyou!!!

[@Shae29]

he's so into it

[@eb2464]

Wish he was here

[@agustiniannone7142]

Roger Bart I fucking love you.

[@Unheardquotes123]

I don't know why but every time I listen to this song, i feel that i am the Johnny and Larson is singing it for me only ❤️😍😘

[@riley-dd9pm]

i love this

[@mickeyaltieri-]

how beautifulll I lovee this

[@gerardyatcilla4839]

Inspiring!!!

[@alibhg3063]

Is that Roger Bart on backup vocals? I think I read that they were friends. Funny, Andrew Garfield kind of looks like him in the trailer for Tick Tick Boom at the beginning.

[@55MikeMusic]

Yep!!! Roger Bart is backing him up in this show!

[@brianjamesbondoc4467]

Pls netflix make more of this based on true story oscar films i would love to seek the old days where im not born i was born 2005

[@Slice2099]

Jonathan still has the best Michael’s gotta have it all part of the song Andrew is very close

[@soup6376]

amazing

[@SiddharthNarsipur-DasaMusic]

This is much better than the movie's version imo...the drums just hit different

[@cooljen94]

I hate to say it, but while people are raving about the movie version, I thought the movie version was meh and am loving hearing Jonathan Larson's own versions for the first time...it has more heart, just seeing him and a piano. Maybe "Tick Tick Boom" was never meant to be a movie...sorry Lin (although admittedly you can credit the movie with drawing people like me into Jonathan Larson's world. The songs in the movie didn't seem amazing to me, but inspired me to check out the originals which are powerful.)

[@colddaysnowdays]

@@cooljen94 I feel like the movie versions are better atleast in the technical aspect If jonathan recorded this Ina higher qaulity format it'd be the better version but unfortunately the mics back then weren't very good so thats the only real reason I prefer the movie versions of the songs

[@cooljen94]

@@colddaysnowdays I guess I just like the vulnerability of the "low quality." Kind of the idea of Jonathan Larson just being one simple man with a dream, if that makes sense.

[@celinakay4367]

I think it might be cuz there was so many different drafts for songs in tick tick boom. And they just went with one. Idk what version of this song is used in the actual tick tick boom Broadway performance, but they also probably just went with one of the many versions of the song they had. The movie ones are good, very good. But these performances by Jonathan and the Broadway recordings are always there if you want those ones instead.

[@celinakay4367]

@@colddaysnowdays I agree plus the movie was able to include some songs that didn't work in a stage aspect. I'm grateful for this movie cuz I didn't know about Jonathan. He died before I was even born so I'm happy to have discovered him through the film

[@kevzykevinjohnfrio1804]

Im tearing... i dont know why..

[@gerardyatcilla3597]

Love

[@gerardyatcilla4839]

4ever!!!

[@MarcusVinicius-jp6ij]

Essa música é muito linda

[@XxPunkBOYxX]

this shit is pure gold man!!!

[@Mojoblitz]

Andrew Garfield is so talented

[@sydneyjohnson3904]

r u serious rn

[@me-zl5tb]

mate what

[@Rafashaaman]

eu to amando descobrir videos desse cara

[@horrordancer541]

I wanna want to watch rent so bad

[@tinytallashton5451]

parts of the piano sound similar to Valentine's Day, which I'm pretty sure was a cut song from Rent

[@cambryn]

Is that Roger Bart in the background??

[@lfstudiomusic]

1991

[@fakebwoii2644]

Compromise or persevere??? His mind is racing

[@franiel1278]

Cuantos johnny's aquí por Andrew? Gracias Larson's

[@TigerPrawn_]

Link to better quality: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r16caJivq9V5hc0&ab_channel=OliverMetcalfe

[@sh3ll285]

Jonathan Larson would have so money if he didn't die😢

[@rosanelveras5255]

with your melody i appreciated being able to listen and i wished the deaf were no longer😢

[@reggiechakiris2197]

no ones talking about the adio quality lmao

[@Slice2099]

It’s old

[@reggiechakiris2197]

40s tv shows have better audio

[@heyo2320]

@@reggiechakiris2197 I mean duh. This was recorded with a PHONE. It ain't a whole production. 🧍🏾‍♀️

[@ecko2750]

Only 5.9k views and 5 comments lol

[@guitarratriste2030]

Now is more :D

[@alfredoa.2413]

Creo que ahora se dará a conocer aún más su historia!

[@ardraagatama2858]

Hi i am coming from your future

[@tones8675]

does anyone know if susan and michael actually exist

[@Slice2099]

Yes his real life girlfriend and his best friend that was gay and had AIDS

[@bigmonkeyshaha]

Susan does not, but Michael does

[@tones8675]

@@bigmonkeyshaha did he survive having HIV?

[@bigmonkeyshaha]

@@tones8675 yes, he did. He’s still alive today

[@tones8675]

@@bigmonkeyshaha oh my god that’s amazing i haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since i watched the movie

[@lenalennon8746]

A CHAT WITH JONATHAN, SONDHEIM, FOSSE & GWEN VERDON: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKanf42hrrtqfrs

[@wantedhacker2437]

ᴊᴏɴᴀᴛʜᴀɴ'ꜱ ᴍᴜꜱɪᴄ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴍy ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ