La Vie Bohème

"La Vie Bohème" (French: The Bohemian Life) is a song from the 1996 musical Rent, broken into two parts: "La Vie Bohème A" and "La Vie Bohème B". It is a celebration of bohemianism, especially the type present in 1980s Alphabet City, Manhattan, which begins with a mocking of the character Benny's statement that "Bohemia is dead".[1] In between the two halves of the song is an interlude ("I Should Tell You") featuring a romantic duet between Roger and Mimi, during which they each learn that the other is HIV+ and tentatively decide to begin a relationship together.

In the stage musical, the second part of this song opens with a brief dialogue between Maureen and Joanne in which Joanne tells of the riot in the lot. The song then continues with the celebration of bohemianism from the first part of the song. Like the first part, "La Vie Bohème B" lists many ideas, people, trends, and other symbols of bohemianism. It is a song featuring the characters of Rent holding a toast to bohemianism and shouting out what and who inspires them, such as jazz poet Langston Hughes and counterculture-era comedian Lenny Bruce.