Jugglin Lyrics
CompanyJugglin
[ANA]Look how she moves
Not breaking a sweat
Gracefully smooth
Performing her own duet
[FACTORY LADIES]
Jugglin', jugglin’, jugglin', jugglin', jugglin’
Jugglin', jugglin', jugglin', jugglin', jugglin'
[ANA]
Maybe I can catch her rhythm
Gotta learn to syncopate
Could it really be that hard to try and coordinate?
[FACTORY LADIES]
Coordinate, coordinate...
[ITZEL, spoken]
¡Ay! No, no, no! Not like that!
Catalina don't like that...
[ANA]
Sorry... I'll get better!
I gotta run to an interview, but when I get back
It’s you and me, Catalina
[FACTORY LADIES, sung]
Jugglin’, jugglin', jugglin’, jugglin', jugglin'
Jugglin', jugglin’, jugglin', jugglin', jugglin'
[ANA, spoken]
Soledad Velasco is 101 years young today
What's your secret to a long life?
[SOLEDAD]
¿Qué?
[ANA]
¿Cuál es su secreto para una vida larga?
[SOLEDAD]
Ah, ¡sexo cada día!
[ANA]
Sex every—
Eh, let's go with exercise every day
We're a family paper
[SOLEDAD]
How do you think you got a family?!
[FACTORY LADIES, sung]
Ju-ju-jugglin', ju-ju-ju-jugglin'
Ju-ju-jugglin', ju-ju-ju-jugglin'
[CARMEN, spoken]
Sex every day?
With my twins running around? Oh no
How are those boys, Pancha?
[PANCHA]
Doctors say they got the ADD
[ROSALÍ]
¿Qué?
[PANCHA]
Oh, half the school's got it, it's going around
[CARMEN]
Every time you go to the doctor, you leave with bad news!
[FLACA]
And a prescription, do they think we're rich?
[PANCHA]
Oh no, they found my secret: I am rich
I only work three jobs because I like it!
[ROSALÍ, sung]
Four jobs, if you count your kids
[FLACA]
Five, if you count your husband
[FULVIA]
Six, if you count your lover
[PANCHA, spoken]
How you know about Flaca's brother?!
[FACTORY LADIES, sung]
Hustlin', hustlin', hustlin', hustlin', hustlin' (Whatever)
Hustlin', hustlin', hustlin', hustlin', hustlin'
Keeping all the balls in the air
Don't let 'em drop, 'cause, ay, caramba
Everybody's counting on us
Getting it done, making it work
Ju-ju-jugglin', ju-ju-ju-jugglin'
Ju-ju-jugglin', ju-ju-ju-jugglin'
[ANA, spoken]
I've tried every concha on the Eastside to bring you the Beat's ten best
Number one is Delia's Panaderia
What's Delia's secret? Lard!
[NEWSPAPER EDITOR]
People don't wanna read about lard
[ANA]
Right, uh, cut that
But the rest?
[NEWSPAPER EDITOR]
Great, love the list
Lists are great for us
Trust me, the future of journalism is going to be nothing but lists
[ANA]
Wait! Where'd you get that?
[HENRY]
I see you bringing in the pastries to get lead on a story
But I can hustle too, so it's on
Oh, these are so good!
[ANA]
No, those conchas were for—
[FACTORY LADIES]
Strugglin', strugglin', strugglin', strugglin', strugglin'
[CARMEN, spoken]
Y where is the conchas you promised us?
[ANA]
They got jacked
[FACTORY LADIES]
(groan)
Ah, c'mon
[ESTELA]
Could you sew any slower?
[ANA]
I'm sure I could
[CARMEN]
Give me that, I'll work, Catalina, you go iron
[FACTORY LADIES, sung]
The grind don't stop
[ANA, spoken]
Iron, got it
[ESTELA]
Did you call the landlord about the broken fan?
[FACTORY LADIES, sung]
Don't let the ball drop
[ANA, spoken]
He said to write him—
[ESTELA]
So? You wanted to be a writer...
[FACTORY LADIES, sung]
The grind don't stop, don't let the ball drop
[NEWSPAPER EDITOR, spoken]
Ana? I need that story about the lost dog
[FACTORY LADIES, sung, overlapping]
The grind don't stop, don't let the ball drop
[ANA]
On it!
[ANA, FACTORY LADIES]
How the hell do they get through it? (Ah, ah)
I can barely stay awake (Ah, ah)
Feels impossible to do it (Ah, ah)
How will I coordinate? (Coordinate, coordinate...)
[FACTORY LADIES]
The grind don't stop, don't let the ball drop
The grind don't stop, don't let the ball drop
The grind don't stop, don't let the ball drop
The grind don't stop, don't let the ball drop
[NEWSPAPER EDITOR, spoken]
This, interns, is how you write a story!
It's moving, not too cerebral, and delivered on time
Good work, Ana García
I'm making you lead on the Wilson interview
You'll back her up
[ANA]
Wilson, as in running for Congress Wilson? That's a real story!
[NEWSPAPER EDITOR]
I'm trusting you
[FACTORY LADIES, sung]
Jugglin', jugglin', jugglin', jugglin', jugglin'
[ANA]
I think I'm getting the hang of it!
[FACTORY LADIES]
Jugglin', jugglin', jugglin', jugglin', jugglin'
[ANA]
I'm finally feeling the groove...
[FACTORY LADIES, ANA]
Ju-ju-jugglin', ju-ju-ju-jugglin'
Ju-ju-jugglin', ju-ju-ju-jugglin' (I think I'm starting to get it)
Ju-ju-jugglin', ju-ju-ju-jugglin'
Ju-ju-jugglin', ju-ju-ju-jugglin' (I think I'm learning to move)
The grind don't stop, don't let the ball drop
The grind don't stop, don't let the ball drop (Do it, do it, do it, do it)
The grind don't stop, don't let the ball drop
The grind don't stop, don't let the ball drop (Do it, do it, do it, do it)
The grind don't stop, don't let the ball— (Do it...)
[ALL]
Drop!
Song Overview
Song Credits
- Performer: Ana & Factory Ladies
- Producer: Julio Reyes
- Writers: Benjamin Velez & Joy Huerta
- Release Date: June 6, 2025
- Album: Real Women Have Curves (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
- Genre: Pop, Latin Musical Theatre
- Language: English & Spanish
- Label: Broadway Records
- Style: Ensemble rhythmic narrative, interwoven voices
- Copyrights © 2025 Broadway Records / Real Women Have Curves Productions
Song Meaning and Annotations
“Jugglin’” lives up to its title — a high-speed swirl of factory life, family duties, and personal ambition, all balanced like spinning plates.
“Look how she moves / Not breaking a sweat / Gracefully smooth / Performing her own duet”Ana begins with awe, watching Catalina glide through her sewing tasks. The song paints a portrait of calm under pressure — the mastery of daily labor that often goes unnoticed.
“Jugglin’, jugglin’, jugglin’… Keeping all the balls in the air / Don’t let ’em drop, ’cause, ay, caramba / Everybody’s counting on us”As the chorus hits, the metaphor unspools. Life, work, home responsibilities — each ball represents expectation, each musical beat a reminder that nothing can falter. It’s communal pressure turned into musical pulse.
“Sex every day? … How are those boys, Pancha? / Doctors say they got the?ADD.”The banter between factory ladies adds texture — they laugh, tease, but also share deeper anxieties: kids, healthcare costs, domestic strain. The grind pulsates through their casual talk.
“On it! … This, interns, is how you write a story! … I’m trusting you.”Mid-song, Ana’s juggling shifts: from factory floor to newsroom intern. She’s not just balancing machine rhythm — she’s balancing ambition and service. The higher stakes don’t stop the beat.
“How will I coordinate? … I think I’m getting the hang of it!”By the end, there’s a fragile optimism. The chorus becomes affirmation — she *can* manage, even thrive, amidst the chaos. A moment of unity through shared rhythm.
Similar Songs
- “One Day More” – *Les Misérables*: Both features large ensembles counting down to pivotal moments. They layer different rhythms and voices to convey collective anxiety and anticipation — though “Jugglin’” is lighter in tone.
- “9 to 5” – Dolly Parton: The anthem of working women, battling routine with determination. Like Ana, Dolly's narrator juggles multiple roles and refuses to let the system drop her down.
- “Working Mother’s Blues” – Mary Chapin Carpenter: A softer, introspective mirror to “Jugglin’.” Carpenter’s song logs the emotional and logistical juggling of motherhood and work — but with quiet country honesty instead of musical theater swagger.
Questions and Answers
- What is “Jugglin’” about?
- It’s an energetic tribute to the multi-tasking lives of working women and immigrants, blending humor, exhaustion, and empowerment through everyday rhythms.
- Why does the song repeat “jugglin’” so much?
- The repetition mimics the endless cycle of tasks — each “jugglin’” a new plate in the air, a new responsibility demanding attention.
- Who are the factory ladies?
- They represent Ana’s community — seasoned workers who both mentor and challenge her, weaving humor and solidarity into her journey.
- Why is there a newsroom scene in the middle?
- It shows Ana’s dual roles: factory worker and aspiring journalist. It emphasizes her personal ambition amid collective expectation.
- What tone does the song aim for?
- A blend of upbeat and realistic. It’s not a lament — it’s a declaration: chaos is real, but we persist, we perform, we flourish.
Fan and Media Reactions
“This song is my life now—same chaos, same beat, same hustle.”
“I feel seen. The factory ladies are my grandmas.”
“That newsroom twist—Ana isn’t just surviving, she’s *running*.”
“So rare to hear working-class Latinx voices *celebrated* in a Broadway number.”
“By the end, I wanted to juggle everything too. It’s a rallying cry.”“Jugglin’” doesn’t just perform—it empowers. It’s theater as a mirror, reflecting how much women carry, and how boldly they carry it.