Different This Year is a song performed by Jane Facciano in the Paramount+ original series, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.
Overview[]
Jane woke up the morning of her junior year and began the song, which commemorated her hopes that things would be different this year. That she wouldn't be an outcast or a loser, and could enjoy her time at Rydell High.
After Jane announced her candidacy for student council president, she and the girls who endorsed her, Olivia Valdovinos, Nancy Nakagawa, and Cynthia Zdunowski, mooned the audience. The girls sang a new version of the song as they drove away from the school, arrived at a house, and celebrated their new friendship. They acknowledged the hardships ahead of them[1]
Lyrics[]
Original version[]
Spent my best years in the hallways hoping
The world would see my and my telescopic truth
Whoo, ooh, ooh
(Whoo, ooh, ooh)
Whoo, ooh, ooh
Today, I'm gonna burst their eyes wide open
First day of school, and I'm flying in brand new
Whoo, ooh, ooh
(Whoo, ooh, ooh)
New and improved
No more teenage fears
It's gonna be different this year
Tired of living life invisible
I'm gonna jump in with my summer soul
Ba-boom
Whoo, ooh, ooh
(Whoo, ooh, ooh)
Whoo, ooh, ooh
I was on the outside looking in
But now I'm breaking through with my letterman
Bo-boom
Whoo, ooh, ooh
(Whoo, ooh, ooh)
New and improved
Look out, I am here
It's gonna be different this year
Reprise[]
Jane: Holy smokes, what did we just do?
Olivia: That was crazy, baby, breaking news
Cynthia: I got chills running right, right through me
Nancy: What is this feeling? Is this the new me?
Olivia & Jane: Oh, my god, there's no going back
Jane: I'm on the verge of a heart attack
How could we have been so stupid?
Cynthia: I don't know, it's kinda fun being ruthless
Oliva: Go ahead, lock me up I'm done
All: I'd rather that than hold my tongue
Jane: Who am I to think I could run?
What would my campaign be?
Cynthia, Nancy, & Olivia: Presidential slut
Jane: Two days ago, I was in his jacket
Now I've burned my whole life with matches
Jane & Olivia: Why couldn't I just keep my mouth shut?
Jane: I threw away every ounce of the love
Nancy: What the hell are you talking about?
You're acting like we're six feet down
Cynthia: Who said boys are the king of jackets?
Nancy: Those tasteless dogs don't dictate fashion
Nancy & Olivia: No more teenage tears
Over ugly outerwear
All: It's gonna be different this year
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Jane: There's no going back, but who would wanna?
Sure, we're outcast
But that's the new kind of cool
Whoo, ooh, ooh
All: Whoo, ooh ooh
Jane: New and improved
Cynthia: We don't a letterman or a leather
All: Powerless apart but strong together, ooh
Whoo, ooh, ooh
Whoo, ooh, ooh
Jane: Yeah, and that's the truth
All: No more teenager fears
It's gonna be different this year
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Jane: Four of us together
We should start a new gang
We'll rule the school
Doing like a big bang, boom
Whoo, ooh, ooh
Whoo, ooh, ooh
New and improved
Oliva: Back each other up
Cynthia: Build a little clout
Nancy & Olivia: Show them the new fitting in is standing out, vavoom
All: Whoo, ooh, ooh
Whoo, ooh, ooh
Yeah, and that's the truth
No more teenage fears
Ahh, ahh, ahh
We're the new top tier
Ahh, ahh, ahh
Look out, we are here
It's gonna be different, this year
Performers[]
- Jane Facciano (Marisa Davila)
- Olivia Valdovinos (Cheyenne Isabel Wells; reprise only)
- Cynthia Zdunowski (Ari Notartomaso; reprise only)
- Nancy Nakagawa (Tricia Fukuhara; reprise only)
Appearances[]
Notes and Trivia[]
- In the reprise, Jane indirectly referenced "New Cool" in her line, "that's the new kind of cool", which she sang to Cynthia.
- In the reprise, Cynthia used the word "clout", which wouldn't come into popularity until the 2010s.
Behind the Scenes[]
When asked about the original version of the song, lead songwriter Justin Tranton told Consequence:
“I think the difference here is Jane doesn’t even want it. She’s pretty sure that everything’s going to be different this year, that she has a boyfriend and everything is perfect. She’s gonna win student council president and life is good. So it’s sort of a fake out ‘I Want’ song. It’s like an ‘I Know’ song. I know this is my life now How exciting. Everything’s going to be different this year."[2]
Gallery[]
