Merely Players

Merely Players is a song performed by Cynthia Zdunowski and Lydia in the Paramount+ original series, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.

Overview

Cynthia worried over her onstage kiss so Lydia practiced with her in the kitchen and kissed her after their scene. They realized their feelings for one another, how the things they felt weren't new, but also hadn't been explored before. Their feelings were good, but they believed it shouldn't feel that way. They related to the truth in the lie of acting.^[1]

Lyrics

[Cynthia]:
I heard about this feeling I'd never felt before
Spotlights reflecting on my eyes
Something's overflowing it shouldn't feel this right
Imagining's way better than life
All this time, had no idea
I'd lose myself inside the words
And myself in a new world
There's nothing that I can't feel
How can these emotions be way more real than anything?

Up here, we're merely players
But playing's real when you commit to danger
The love, the fear, the anger
Feels somehow real though we are merely players

[Lydia]:
I know just what you're feeling I've had that dream before
Had it every night of my life
Underneath the lights, you can find your truest form
There's so much honesty in the lie

[Both]:
Hollywood has no idea
That everything they're looking for is right here, we'll make it real
There's nothing that we can't feel
We just got to move on in, give everything without fear

Up here, we're merely players
But playing's real when you commit to danger
The love, the fear, the anger
Feels somehow real though we are merely players

[Cynthia]:
You're the new Greta Garbo
[Lydia]:
And you're Marlon Brando
[Cynthia]:
Hollywood has no idea

[Both]:
Up here, we're merely players
But playing's real when you commit to danger
The love, the fear, the anger
Feels somehow real though we are merely players
([Cynthia]: Greta Garbo)
Up here, we're merely players
([Cynthia]: Marlon Brando)
But playing's real when you commit to danger
(Greta Garbo)
The love, the fear, the anger
(Marlon Brando)
Feels somehow real though we are merely players

Hollywood has no idea