All_Lyrics_No_Speakers

How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a
Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a
Forgotten spot in the Caribbean by providence
Impoverished, in squalor
Grow up to be a hero and a scholar?
The ten-dollar founding father without a father
Got a lot farther by working a lot harder
By being a lot smarter
By being a self-starter
By fourteen, they placed him in charge of a
Trading charter
And every day while slaves were being slaughtered and carted
Away across the waves, he struggled and kept his guard up
Inside, he was longing for something to be a part of
The brother was ready to beg, steal, borrow, or barter
Then a hurricane came, and devastation reigned
Our man saw his future drip, dripping down the drain
Put a pencil to his temple, connected it to his brain
And he wrote his first refrain, a testament to his pain
Well, the word got around, they said, “This kid is insane, man”
Took up a collection just to send him to the mainland
“Get your education, don’t forget from whence you came, and
The world is gonna know your name. What’s your name, man?”
Alexander Hamilton
My name is Alexander Hamilton
And there’s a million things I haven’t done
But just you wait, just you wait…
When he was ten his father split, full of it, debt-ridden
Two years later, see Alex and his mother bed-ridden
Half-dead sittin' in their own sick, the scent thick
And Alex got better but his mother went quick
Moved in with a cousin, the cousin committed suicide
Left him with nothin’ but ruined pride, something new inside
A voice saying
“You gotta fend for yourself.”
“Alex, you gotta fend for yourself.”
He started retreatin’ and readin’ every treatise on the shelf
There would have been nothin’ left to do
For someone less astute
He woulda been dead or destitute
Without a cent of restitution
Started workin’, clerkin’ for his late mother’s landlord
Tradin’ sugar cane and rum and all the things he can’t afford
Scammin’ for every book he can get his hands on
Plannin’ for the future see him now as he stands on
The bow of a ship headed for a new land
In New York you can be a new man
Scammin’
Plannin’
Oooh…
In New York you can
Be a new man—
In New York you can
Be a new man—
Just you wait!
Just you wait!
In New York you can be a new man—
In New York—
New York—
Just you wait!
Alexander Hamilton
We are waiting in the wings for you
You could never back down
You never learned to take your time!
Oh, Alexander Hamilton
When America sings for you
Will they know what you overcame?
Will they know you rewrote the game?
The world will never be the same, oh
The ship is in the harbor now
See if you can spot him
Another immigrant
Comin’ up from the bottom
His enemies destroyed his rep
America forgot him
Alexander Hamilton
Waiting in the wings for you
You never learned to take your time!
Oh, Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton…
America sings for you
Will they know what you overcame?
Will they know you rewrote the game?
The world will never be the same, oh
Just you wait
Just you wait
We fought with him
Me? I died for him
Me? I trusted him
Me? I loved him
And me? I’m the damn fool that shot him
There’s a million things I haven’t done
But just you wait!
What’s your name, man?
Alexander Hamilton!
1776. New York City
Pardon me. Are you Aaron Burr, sir?
That depends. Who’s asking?
Oh, well, sure, sir
I’m Alexander Hamilton, I’m at your service, sir
I have been looking for you
I’m getting nervous
Sir…
I heard your name at Princeton. I was seeking an accelerated course of study when I got sort of out of sorts with a buddy of yours. I may have punched him. It’s a blur, sir. He handles the financials?
You punched the bursar
Yes!
I wanted to do what you did. Graduate in two, then join the revolution. He looked at me like I was stupid, I’m not stupid
So how’d you do it? How’d you graduate so fast?
It was my parents’ dying wish before they passed
You’re an orphan. Of course! I’m an orphan
God, I wish there was a war!
Then we could prove that we’re worth more
Than anyone bargained for…
Can I buy you a drink?
That would be nice
While we’re talking, let me offer you some free advice
Talk less
What?
Smile more
Ha
Don’t let them know what you’re against or what you’re for
You can’t be serious
You wanna get ahead?
Yes
Fools who run their mouths off wind up dead
Yo yo yo yo yo!
What time is it?
Show time!
…like I said…
Show time! Show time! Yo!
I’m John Laurens in the place to be!
Two pints o’ Sam Adams, but I’m workin’ on three, uh!
Those redcoats don’t want it with me!
Cuz I will pop chick-a pop these cops till I’m free!
Oui oui, mon ami, je m’appelle Lafayette!
The Lancelot of the revolutionary set!
I came from afar just to say “Bonsoir!”
Tell the King “Casse toi!” Who’s the best?
C’est moi!
Brrrah brraaah! I am Hercules Mulligan
Up in it, lovin’ it, yes I heard ya mother said “Come again?”
Ayyyyy
Lock up ya daughters and horses, of course
It’s hard to have intercourse over four sets of corsets…
Wow
No more sex, pour me another brew, son!
Let’s raise a couple more…
To the revolution!
Well, if it ain’t the prodigy of Princeton college!
Aaron Burr!
Give us a verse, drop some knowledge!
Good luck with that: you’re takin’ a stand
You spit. I’m ‘a sit. We’ll see where we land
Boooo!
Burr, the revolution’s imminent. What do you stall for?
If you stand for nothing, Burr, what’ll you fall for?
Ooh
Who are you?
Ooh
Who are you?
Ooh
Who are you?
Ooh, who is this kid? What’s he gonna do?
College
I prob’ly shouldn’t brag, but dag, I amaze and astonish
The problem is I got a lot of brains but no polish
I gotta holler just to be heard
With every word, I drop knowledge!
I’m a diamond in the rough, a shiny piece of coal
Tryin’ to reach my goal. My power of speech: unimpeachable
Only nineteen but my mind is older
These New York City streets get colder, I shoulder
Ev’ry burden, ev’ry disadvantage
I have learned to manage, I don’t have a gun to brandish
I walk these streets famished
The plan is to fan this spark into a flame
But damn, it’s getting dark, so let me spell out the name
I am the—
A-L-E-X-A-N-D
E-R—we are—meant to be…
A colony that runs independently
Meanwhile, Britain keeps shittin’ on us endlessly
Essentially, they tax us relentlessly
Then King George turns around, runs a spending spree
He ain’t ever gonna set his descendants free
So there will be a revolution in this century
Enter me!
(He says in parentheses)
Don’t be shocked when your hist’ry book mentions me
I will lay down my life if it sets us free
Eventually, you’ll see my ascendancy
And I am not throwing away
My shot
I am not throwing away
My shot
Hey yo, I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwing away my shot
My shot!
My shot!
And I’m not throwing away my shot.
I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwing away my shot
It’s time to take a shot!
I dream of life without a monarchy
The unrest in France will lead to ‘onarchy?
‘Onarchy? How you say, how you say, ‘anarchy?’
When I fight, I make the other side panicky
With my—
Shot!
Yo, I’m a tailor’s apprentice
And I got y’all knuckleheads in loco parentis
I’m joining the rebellion cuz I know it’s my chance
To socially advance, instead of sewin’ some pants!
I’m gonna take a—
Shot!
But we’ll never be truly free
Until those in bondage have the same rights as you and me
You and I. Do or die. Wait till I sally in
On a stallion with the first black battalion
Have another—
Shot!
Geniuses, lower your voices
You keep out of trouble and you double your choices
I’m with you, but the situation is fraught
You’ve got to be carefully taught:
If you talk, you’re gonna get shot!
Burr, check what we got
Mister Lafayette, hard rock like Lancelot
I think your pants look hot
Laurens, I like you a lot
Let’s hatch a plot blacker than the kettle callin’ the pot…
What are the odds the gods would put us all in one spot
Poppin’ a squat on conventional wisdom, like it or not
A bunch of revolutionary manumission abolitionists?
Give me a position, show me where the ammunition is!
Oh, am I talkin’ too loud?
Sometimes I get over excited, shoot off at the mouth
I never had a group of friends before
I promise that I’ll make y’all proud
Let’s get this guy in front of a crowd
I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwing away my shot
Ev’rybody sing:
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Hey!
Whoa!
Wooh!!
Whoa!
Ay, let ‘em hear ya!
Let’s go!
I said shout it to the rooftops!
Said, to the rooftops!
Come on!
Come on, let’s go!
MULLIGAN]
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!
Whoa!
Whoa!
Yea!
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!
Whoa!
Whoa!
Yea!
Rise up!
When you’re living on your knees, you rise up
Tell your brother that he’s gotta rise up
Tell your sister that she's gotta rise up
When are these colonies gonna rise up?
When are these colonies gonna rise up?
When are these colonies gonna rise up?
When are these colonies gonna rise up?
Rise up!
Whoa! Whoa!
Whoa!
Whoa!
Whoa!
Rise up!
I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory
When’s it gonna get me?
In my sleep? Seven feet ahead of me?
If I see it comin’, do I run or do I let it be?
Is it like a beat without a melody?
See, I never thought I’d live past twenty
Where I come from some get half as many
Ask anybody why we livin’ fast and we laugh, reach for a flask
We have to make this moment last, that’s plenty
Scratch that
This is not a moment, it’s the movement
Where all the hungriest brothers with
Something to prove went?
Foes oppose us, we take an honest stand
We roll like Moses, claimin’ our promised land
And? If we win our independence?
Is that a guarantee of freedom for our descendants?
Or will the blood we shed begin an endless
Cycle of vengeance and death with no defendants?
I know the action in the street is excitin’
But Jesus, between all the bleedin’ ‘n fightin’
I’ve been readin’ ‘n writin’
We need to handle our financial situation
Are we a nation of states? What’s the state of our nation?
I’m past patiently waitin’. I’m passionately
Smashin’ every expectation
Every action’s an act of creation!
I’m laughin’ in the face of casualties and sorrow
For the first time, I’m thinkin’ past tomorrow
And I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwing away my shot
LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN]
We’re gonna rise up! Time to take a shot!
We’re gonna rise up! Time to take a shot!
We’re gonna
Time to take a shot!
LAURENS/MULLIGAN]
Time to take a shot!
Time to take a shot!
Take a shot!
Shot!
Shot!
A-yo it’s
Time to take a shot!
Time to take a shot!
And I am—
Not throwing away my shot
Not throwing away my shot
We’re gonna
Rise up!
Rise up!
Rise up!
Rise up!
Rise up!
Rise up!
Ri— ri— ri—
Time to take a shot!
Time to take a shot!
And I am—
Not throwin’ away my—
Not throwin’ away my shot!
I may not live to see our glory!
I may not live to see our glory!
But I will gladly join the fight!
But I will gladly join the fight!
And when our children tell our story…
And when our children tell our story…
They’ll tell the story of tonight
Let’s have another round tonight
Let’s have another round tonight
Let’s have another round tonight
Raise a glass to freedom
Something they can never take away
No matter what they tell you
Raise a glass to the four of us
Tomorrow there’ll be more of us
Telling the story of tonight
They’ll tell the story of tonight
Raise a glass to freedom
Something they can never take away
No matter what they tell you
Let’s have another round tonight
Raise a glass to the four of us
Tomorrow there’ll be more of us
Telling the story of tonight
Let’s have another round tonight
ENSEMBLE]
They’ll tell the story of tonight
They’ll tell the story of tonight
They’ll tell the story of tonight
ENSEMBLE]
Raise a glass to freedom
Raise a glass to freedom
They’ll tell the story of—
Tonight
There’s nothing rich folks love more
Than going downtown and slummin’ it with the poor
They pull up in their carriages and gawk
At the students in the common
Just to watch them talk
Take Philip Schuyler: the man is loaded
Uh-oh, but little does he know that
His daughters, Peggy, Angelica, Eliza
Sneak into the city just to watch all the guys at—
Work, work!
Angelica!
Work, work!
Eliza!
And Peggy!
Work, work!
The Schuyler sisters!
Angelica!
Peggy!
Eliza!
Work!
Daddy said to be home by sundown
Daddy doesn’t need to know
Daddy said not to go downtown
Like I said, you’re free to go
But—look around, look around, the
Revolution’s happening in New York
New York
Angelica
Work!
It’s bad enough daddy wants to go to war
People shouting in the square
It’s bad enough there’ll be violence on our shore
New ideas in the air
Look around, look around—
Angelica, remind me what we’re looking for…
She’s lookin’ for me!
Eliza, I’m lookin’ for a mind at work
I’m lookin’ for a mind at work!
I’m lookin’ for a mind at work!
Whooaaaaa!
Whooaaaaa!
Work!
Work, work!
Work, work!
Work, work!
Work!
Wooh! There’s nothin’ like summer in the city
Someone in a rush next to someone lookin’ pretty
Excuse me, miss, I know it’s not funny
But your perfume smells like your daddy’s got money
Why you slummin’ in the city in your fancy heels
You searchin for an urchin who can give you ideals?
Burr, you disgust me
Ah, so you’ve discussed me
I’m a trust fund, baby, you can trust me!
I’ve been reading Common Sense by Thomas Paine
So men say that I’m intense or I’m insane
You want a revolution? I want a revelation
So listen to my declaration:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident
That all men are created equal”
And when I meet Thomas Jefferson
Unh!
I’m ‘a compel him to include women in the sequel!
Work!
Look around, look around at how
Lucky we are to be alive right now!
Look around, look around at how
Lucky we are to be alive right now!
History is happening in Manhattan and we just happen to be
In the greatest city in the world!
In the greatest city in the world!
Cuz I’ve been reading Common Sense by Thomas Paine
So men say that I’m intense or I’m insane
You want a revolution?
I want a revelation
So listen to my declaration:
We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal
Whoo!
Look around, look around
The revolution’s happening in—
New York!
In New York!
Look around
Look around
At how lucky we are to be alive right now
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Look around, look around the revolution’s happening
Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey!
Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now!
History is happening in Manhattan and we just happen to be
In the greatest city in the world
In the greatest city—
In the greatest city in the world!
Work, work!
Work, work!
Work, work!
Work, work!
Work, work!
Work, work!
Work, work!
Work, work!
Work, work!
Work, work!
Angelica!
Eliza!
And Peggy!
The Schuyler sisters!
We’re looking for a mind at work!
Hey!
Hey!
Whoa!
In the greatest
City in the world
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
In the greatest
City in the world
In the greatest city in the world!
Hear ye, hear ye! My name is Samuel Seabury
And I present “Free Thoughts on the
Proceedings of the Continental Congress!”
Heed not the rabble who scream revolution
They have not your interests at heart
Oh my God. Tear this dude apart
Chaos and bloodshed are not a solution
Don’t let them lead you astray
This Congress does not speak for me
Let him be
They’re playing a dangerous game
I pray the king shows you his mercy
For shame, for shame…
Yo!
He’d have you all unravel at the
Sound of screams but the
Revolution is comin’
The have-nots are gonna
Win this
It’s hard to listen to you with a straight face
Chaos and bloodshed already haunt us, honestly you shouldn’t even talk. And what about Boston? Look at the cost, n’ all that we’ve lost n’ you talk
About Congress?!
My dog speaks more eloquently than thee!
But strangely, your mange is the same
Is he in Jersey?
For the revolution!
Heed not the rabble
Who scream
Revolution, they
Have not your
Interests
At heart
Chaos and bloodshed are
Not a
Solution. Don’t
Let them lead you
Astray
This Congress does not
Speak for me
They’re playing a dangerous game
I pray the king shows you his mercy
For shame
For shame!
For the revolution!
Heed—
If you repeat yourself again I’m gonna—
Scream—
Honestly, look at me, please don’t read!
Not your interests—
Don’t modulate the key then not debate with me!
Why should a tiny island across the sea regulate the price of tea?
Alexander, please!
Burr, I’d rather be divisive than indecisive, drop the niceties
Silence! A message from the King!
A message from the King!
A message from the King!
You say
The price of my love’s not a price that you’re willing to pay
You cry
In your tea which you hurl in the sea when you see me go by
Why so sad?
Remember we made an arrangement when you went away
Now you’re making me mad
Remember, despite our estrangement, I’m your man
You’ll be back, soon you’ll see
You’ll remember you belong to me
You’ll be back, time will tell
You’ll remember that I served you well
Oceans rise, empires fall
We have seen each other through it all
And when push comes to shove
I will send a fully armed battalion to remind you of my love!
Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da
Da da dat dat da ya da!
Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da
Da da dat dat da…
You say our love is draining and you can’t go on
You’ll be the one complaining when I am gone…
And no, don’t change the subject
Cuz you’re my favorite subject
My sweet, submissive subject
My loyal, royal subject
Forever and ever and ever and ever and ever…
You’ll be back like before
I will fight the fight and win the war
For your love, for your praise
And I’ll love you till my dying days
When you’re gone, I’ll go mad
So don’t throw away this thing we had
Cuz when push comes to shove
I will kill your friends and family to remind you of my love
Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da
Da da dat dat da ya da!
Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da
Da da dat—
Everybody!
Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da
Da da dat dat da ya da!
Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da da da da
Dat dat da ya da!
British Admiral Howe’s got troops on the water
Thirty-two thousand troops in New York harbor
Thirty-two thousand troops in New York harbor
When they surround our troops!
They surround our troops!
When they surround our troops!
Thirty-two thousand troops in New York harbor
They surround our troops!
They surround our troops!
As a kid in the Caribbean I wished for a war
I knew that I was poor
I knew it was the only way to—
Rise up!
If they tell my story
I am either gonna die on the battlefield in glory or—
Rise up!
I will fight for this land
But there’s only one man
Who can give us a command so we can—
Rise up!
Understand? It’s the only way to—
Rise up! Rise up!
Here he comes!
Here comes the General!
Ladies and gentlemen!
Here comes the General!
The moment you’ve been waiting for!
Here comes the General!
The pride of Mount Vernon!
Here comes the General!
George Washington!
We are outgunned
Outmanned
Outnumbered
Outplanned
We gotta make an all out stand
Ayo, I’m gonna need a right-hand man.
What?
What?
Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck!
Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck!
Check it—
Can I be real a second?
For just a millisecond?
Let down my guard and tell the people how I feel a second?
Now I’m the model of a modern major general
The venerated Virginian veteran whose men are all
Lining up, to put me up on a pedestal
Writin’ letters to relatives
Embellishin’ my elegance and eloquence
But the elephant is in the room
The truth is in ya face when ya hear the British cannons go…
Boom!
Any hope of success is fleeting
How can I keep leading when the people I’m
Leading keep retreating?
We put a stop to the bleeding as the British take Brooklyn
Knight takes rook, but look
We are outgunned
Outmanned
Outnumbered
Outplanned
We gotta make an all out stand
Ayo, I’m gonna need a right-hand man
Incoming!
What?
What?
Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck!
Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck!
They’re battering down the Battery check the damages
Rah!
We gotta stop ‘em and rob ‘em of their advantages
Rah!
Let’s take a stand with the stamina God has granted us
Hamilton won’t abandon ship
Yo, let’s steal their cannons—
Shh-boom!
Boom!
Goes the cannon, watch the blood and the shit spray and…
Boom!
Goes the cannon, we’re abandonin’ Kips Bay and…
Boom!
There’s another ship and…
Boom!
We just lost the southern tip and…
Boom!
We gotta run to Harlem quick, we can’t afford another slip
Guns and horses giddyup
I decide to divvy up
My forces, they’re skittish as the British cut the city up
This close to giving up, facing mad scrutiny
I scream in the face of this mass mutiny:
Are these the men with which I am to defend America?
We ride at midnight, Manhattan in the distance
I cannot be everywhere at once, people
I’m in dire need of assistance…
Your excellency, sir!
Who are you?
Aaron Burr, Sir?
Permission to state my case?
As you were
Sir
I was a captain under General Montgomery
Until he caught a bullet in the neck in Quebec
And well, in summary
I think that I could be of some assistance
I admire how you keep firing on the British
From a distance
Huh
I have some questions, a couple of suggestions on how to fight instead of fleeing west
Yes?
Well—
Your excellency, you wanted to see me?
Hamilton, come in, have you met Burr?
Yes, sir
We keep meeting
As I was saying, sir, I look forward to seeing your strategy play out
Burr?
Sir?
Close the door on your way out
Have I done something wrong, sir?
On the contrary
I called you here because our odds are beyond scary
Your reputation precedes you, but I have to laugh
Sir?
Hamilton, how come no one can get you on their staff?
Sir!
Don’t get me wrong, you’re a young man of great renown
I know you stole British cannons when we were still downtown
Nathaniel Green and Henry Knox wanted to hire you…
To be their Secretary? I don’t think so
Why’re you upset?
I’m not—
It’s alright, you want to fight, you’ve got a hunger
I was just like you when I was younger
Head full of fantasies of dyin’ like a martyr?
Yes
Dying is easy, young man. Living is harder
Why are you telling me this?
I’m being honest
I’m working with a third of what our Congress has promised
We are a powder keg about to explode
I need someone like you to lighten the load. So?
I am not throwin’ away my shot!
I am not throwin’ away my shot!
Ayo, I’m just like my country, I’m young
Scrappy and hungry!
I am not throwing away my shot!
Son
We are outgunned, outmanned!
You need all the help you can get
I have some friends. Laurens, Mulligan
Marquis de Lafayette, okay, what else?
Outnumbered, outplanned!
We’ll need some spies on the inside
Some King’s men who might let some things slide
I’ll write to Congress and tell ‘em we need supplies, you rally the guys, master the element of surprise
I’ll rise above my station, organize your information, ‘til we rise to the occasion of our new nation. Sir!
Here comes the General!
Rise up!
Rise up!
Here comes the General!
Rise up!
Boom!
Chicka-boom!
Here comes the General!
Rise up!
Rise up!
Whoa, whoa, whoa…
Whoa, whoa, whoa…
Whoa, whoa, whoa…
LAFAYETTE/
MULLIGAN]
What?
LAFAYETTE/
MULLIGAN]
What?
LAFAYETTE/
MULLIGAN]
What?
Here comes the General!
What?
And his right hand man!
Boom!
How does the bastard, orphan, son of a whore
Go on and on
Grow into more of a phenomenon?
Watch this obnoxious, arrogant, loudmouth bother
Be seated at the right hand of the father
Washington hires Hamilton right on sight
But Hamilton still wants to fight, not write
Now Hamilton’s skill with a quill is undeniable
But what do we have in common? We’re
Reliable with the
Ladies!
There are so many to deflower!
Ladies!
Looks! Proximity to power
Ladies!
They delighted and distracted him
Martha Washington named her feral tomcat after him!
That’s true!
1780
A winter’s ball
And the Schuyler sisters are the envy of all
Yo, if you can marry a sister, you’re rich, son
Is it a question of if, Burr, or which one?
Hey
Hey
Hey hey
Hey hey hey hey
Ohh, I do I do I do I
Dooo! Hey!
Ohh, I do I do I do I
Dooo! Boy you got me
Hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
Helpless!
Look into your eyes, and the sky’s the limit I’m helpless!
Down for the count, and I’m drownin’ in ‘em
I have never been the type to try and grab the spotlight
We were at a revel with some rebels on a hot night
Laughin’ at my sister as she’s dazzling the room
Then you walked in and my heart went “Boom!”
Tryin’ to catch your eye from the side of the ballroom
Everybody’s dancin’ and the band’s top volume
Grind to the rhythm as we wine and dine
Grab my sister, and
Whisper, “Yo, this
One’s mine.”
My sister made her way across the room to you
And I got nervous, thinking “What’s she gonna do?”
She grabbed you by the arm, I’m thinkin’ “I’m through”
Then you look back at me and suddenly I’m
Helpless!
Oh, look at those eyes
Oh!
Yeah, I’m
Helpless, I know
I’m so into you
I am so into you
I know I’m down for the count
And I’m drownin’ in ‘em.
Oooh
Oooh
Oooh
Oooh
Helpless!
Look into your eyes
And the sky’s the limit
I’m
Helpless!
Down for the count
And I’m drownin’ in ‘em
I’m helpless!
Look into your eyes
And the sky’s the limit I’m helpless!
Down for the count
And I’m drownin’ in ‘em.
Where are you taking me?
I’m about to change your life
Then by all means, lead the way
Elizabeth Schuyler. It’s a pleasure to meet you
Schuyler?
My sister
Thank you for all your service
If it takes fighting a war for us to meet, it will have been worth it
I’ll leave you to it
One week later
I’m writin’ a letter nightly
Now my life gets better, every letter that you write me
Laughin’ at my sister, cuz she wants to form a harem
I’m just sayin’, if you really loved me, you would share him
Ha!
Two weeks later
In the living room stressin’
My father’s stone-faced
While you’re asking for his blessin’
I’m dying inside, as
You wine
And dine
And I’m tryin’ not to cry
‘cause there’s nothing that your mind can’t do
My father makes his way across the room
To you
I panic for a second, thinking
“we’re through”
But then he shakes your hand and says
“Be true”
And you turn back to me, smiling, and I’m
Helpless!
Helpless!
Hoo!
That boy is mine
That boy is mine!
Helpless! Helpless!
Down for the count
And I’m drownin’ in em
Stressin’
Blessin’
Oooh
Oooh
Oooh
Oooh
Helpless!
Look into your eyes
And the sky’s the
Limit I’m
Helpless!
Down for the count
And I’m drownin’ in
‘em I’m
Helpless!
Look into your eyes
And the sky’s the
Limit I’m
Helpless!
Down for the count
And I’m drownin’ in em
Eliza, I don’t have a dollar to my name
An acre of land, a troop to command, a dollop of fame
All I have’s my honor, a tolerance for pain
A couple of college credits and my top-notch brain
Insane, your family brings out a different side of me
Peggy confides in me, Angelica tried to take a bite of me
No stress, my love for you is never in doubt
We’ll get a little place in Harlem and we’ll figure it out
I’ve been livin’ without a family since I was a child
My father left, my mother died, I grew up buckwild
But I’ll never forget my mother’s face, that was real
And long as I’m alive, Eliza, swear to God
You’ll never feel so…
Eliza…
I’ve never felt so—
My life is gon’ be fine cuz Eliza’s in it.
I do I do I do I do!
I do I do I do I do!
Hey, yeah, yeah!
I’m down for the count
I’m—
I look into your eyes, and the sky’s the limit
I’m
…drownin’ in ‘em.
Helpless!
Helpless!
Helpless!
Down for the count
And I’m drownin’ in ‘em
Helpless!
Helpless!
Helpless!
Down for the count
And I’m drownin’ in ‘em.
Wedding march plays
In New York, you can be a new man…
In New York, you can be a new man…
In New York, you can be a new man…
Helpless
Alright, alright. That’s what I’m talkin’ about!
Now everyone give it up for the maid of honor
Angelica Schuyler!
A toast to the groom!
To the bride!
From your sister
Who is always by your side
To your union
And the hope that you provide
May you always…
Be satisfied
To the groom!
To the groom!
To the groom!
To the bride!
To the bride!
Angelica!
Angelica!
Angelica!
By your side!
To the union!
To the revolution!
You provide!
You provide!
Always—
Rewind—
To the groom!
To the bride!
To the bride!
Angelica!
By your side!
To the union!
To the revolution!
You provide!
Always—
Rewind—
I remember that night, I just might
Regret that night for the rest of my days
I remember those soldier boys
Tripping over themselves to win our praise
I remember that dreamlike candlelight
Like a dream that you can’t quite place
But Alexander, I’ll never forget the first
Time I saw your face
I have never been the same
Intelligent eyes in a hunger-pang frame
And when you said “Hi,” I forgot my dang name
Set my heart aflame, ev’ry part aflame
This is not a game…
You strike me as a woman who has never been satisfied
I’m sure I don’t know what you mean. You forget yourself
You’re like me. I’m never satisfied
Is that right?
I have never been satisfied
My name is Angelica Schuyler
Alexander Hamilton
Where’s your fam’ly from?
Unimportant. There’s a million things I haven’t done but
Just you wait, just you wait…
So so so—
So this is what it feels like to match wits
With someone at your level! What the hell is the catch? It’s
The feeling of freedom, of seein’ the light
It’s Ben Franklin with a key and a kite! You see it, right?
The conversation lasted two minutes, maybe three minutes
Ev’rything we said in total agreement, it’s
A dream and it’s a bit of a dance
A bit of a posture, it’s a bit of a stance. He’s a
Bit of a flirt, but I’m ‘a give it a chance
I asked about his fam’ly, did you see his answer?
His hands started fidgeting, he looked askance?
He’s penniless, he’s flying by the seat of his pants
Handsome, boy, does he know it!
Peach fuzz, and he can’t even grow it!
I wanna take him far away from this place
Then I turn and see my sister’s face and she is…
Helpless…
And I know she is…
Helpless…
And her eyes are just…
Helpless…
And I realize
Three fundamental truths at the exact same time…
Where are you taking me?
I’m about to change your life
Then by all means, lead the way
Number one!
I’m a girl in a world in which
My only job is to marry rich
My father has no sons so I’m the one
Who has to social climb for one
So I’m the oldest and the wittiest and the gossip in
New York City is insidious
And Alexander is penniless
Ha! That doesn’t mean I want him any less
Elizabeth Schuyler. It’s a pleasure to meet you
Schuyler?
My sister
Number two!
He’s after me cuz I’m a Schuyler sister
That elevates his status, I’d
Have to be naïve to set that aside
Maybe that is why I introduce him to Eliza
Now that’s his bride
Nice going, Angelica, he was right
You will never be satisfied
Thank you for all your service
If it takes fighting a war for us to meet, it will have been worth it
I’ll leave you to it
Number three!
I know my sister like I know my own mind
You will never find anyone as trusting or as kind
If I tell her that I love him she’d be silently resigned
He’d be mine
She would say, “I’m fine”
She’d be lying
But when I fantasize at night
It’s Alexander’s eyes
As I romanticize what might
Have been if I hadn’t sized him
Up so quickly
At least my dear Eliza’s his wife;
At least I keep his eyes in my life…
To the groom!
To the bride!
From your sister
Who is always by your side
To your union
And the hope that you provide
May you always
Be satisfied
And I know
She’ll be happy as
His bride
And I know
To the groom!
To the groom!
To the groom!
To the bride!
To the bride!
Angelica!
Angelica!
By your side
To the union!
To the revolution!
You provide!
You provide!
Always—
Be satisfied
Be satisfied
Be satisfied
Be satisfied
Be satisfied
Be satisfied
Be satisfied
Be satisfied
Be satisfied
Be satisfied
Be satisfied
Be satisfied.
To the groom!
To the bride!
To the bride!
Angelica!
By your side
To the union!
To the revolution!
You provide!
Always—
Be satisfied
Be satisfied
Be satisfied
Be satisfied.
He will never be satisfied
I will never be satisfied
I may not live to see our glory!
I may not live to see our glory!
But I’ve seen wonders great and small
I’ve seen wonders great and small
‘Cause if the tomcat can get married
If Alexander can get married—
There’s hope for our ass, after all!
Raise a glass to freedom
Hey!
Something you will never see again!
No matter what she tells you
Let’s have another round tonight!
Raise a glass to the four of us!
Ho!
To the newly not poor of us!
Woo!
We’ll tell the story of tonight
Let’s have another round—
Well, if it isn’t Aaron Burr
Sir!
I didn’t think that you would make it
To be sure
Burr!
I came to say congratulations
Spit a verse, Burr!
I see the whole gang is here
You are the worst, Burr!
Ignore them. Congrats to you, Lieutenant Colonel
I wish I had your command instead of manning George’s journal
No, you don’t
Yes, I do
Now, be sensible
From what I hear, you’ve made yourself indispensable
Well, well, I heard
You’ve got a special someone on the side, Burr
Is that so?
What are you tryin’ to hide, Burr?
I should go
No, these guys should go
What?
No!
Leave us alone
Man…
It’s alright, Burr. I wish you’d brought this girl with you tonight, Burr
You’re very kind, but I’m afraid it’s unlawful, sir
What do you mean?
She’s married
I see
She’s married to a British officer
Oh shit…
Congrats again, Alexander. Smile more
I’ll see you on the other side of the war
I will never understand you
If you love this woman, go get her! What are you waiting for?
I’ll see you on the other side of the war
I’ll see you on the other side of the war
Theodosia writes me a letter every day
I'm keeping the bed warm while her husband is away
He's on the British side in Georgia
He's trying to keep the colonies in line
But he can keep all of Georgia
Theodosia, she's mine
Love doesn't discriminate
Between the sinners
And the saints
It takes and it takes and it takes
And we keep loving anyway
We laugh and we cry
And we break
And we make our mistakes
And if there's a reason I'm by her side
When so many have tried
Then I'm willing to wait for it
I'm willing to wait for it
My grandfather was a fire and brimstone preacher
But there are things that the
Homilies and hymns won't teach ya
My mother was a genius
My father commanded respect
When they died they left no instructions
Just a legacy to protect
Preacher, preacher
Preacher
Teach ya, teach ya, teach ya
Respect, respect
Genius
Death doesn’t discriminate
Between the sinners
And the saints
It takes and it takes and it takes
And we keep living anyway
We rise and we fall
And we break
And we make our mistakes
And if there’s a reason I’m still alive
When everyone who loves me has died
I’m willing to wait for it
I’m willing to wait for it
Wait for it
Wait for it
Wait for it
Wait for it
I am the one thing in life I can control
Wait for it
Wait for it
Wait for it
Wait for it
I am inimitable
I am an original
Wait for it
Wait for it
Wait for it
Wait for it
I’m not falling behind or running late
Wait for it
Wait for it
Wait for it
Wait for it
I’m not standing still
I am lying in wait
Wait
Wait
Wait
Hamilton faces an endless uphill climb
Climb
Climb
Climb
He has something to prove
He has nothing to lose
Lose
Lose
Lose
Lose
Hamilton’s pace is relentless
He wastes no time
Time
Time
Time
What is it like in his shoes?
Hamilton doesn’t hesitate
He exhibits no restraint
He takes and he takes and he takes
And he keeps winning anyway
He changes the game
He plays and he raises the stakes
And if there’s a reason
He seems to thrive when so few survive, then Goddamnit—
I'm willing to wait for it
I'm willing to wait for it…
Life doesn't discriminate
Between the sinners and the saints
It takes and it takes and it takes
We rise
We fall
And if there's a reason I'm still alive
When so many have died
Then I'm willin' to—
I'm willing to wait for it
Wait for it
Wait for…
I'm willing to—
Life doesn't discriminate
Between the sinners and the saints
It takes and it takes and it takes
And we keep living anyway
We rise and we fall and we break
And we make our mistakes
And if there's a reason I'm still alive
When so many have died
Then I'm willin' to—
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
Wait…
Stay alive…
Stay alive…
I have never seen the General so despondent
I have taken over writing all his correspondence
Congress writes, “George, attack the British forces.”
I shoot back, we have resorted to eating our horses
Local merchants deny us equipment, assistance
They only take British money, so sing a song of sixpence
The cavalry’s not coming
But, sir!
Alex, listen. There’s only one way for us to win this
Provoke outrage, outright
That’s right
Don’t engage, strike by night
Remain relentless ‘til their troops take flight
Make it impossible to justify the cost of the fight
Outrun
Outrun
Outlast
Outlast
Hit ‘em quick, get out fast
Chick-a-plao!
Stay alive ‘til this horror show is past
We’re gonna fly a lot of flags half-mast
Raise a glass!
I go back to New York and my apprenticeship
I ask for French aid, I pray that France has sent a ship
I stay at work with Hamilton
We write essays against slavery
And every day’s a test of our camaraderie
And bravery
We cut supply lines, we steal contraband
We pick and choose our battles and places to take a stand
And ev’ry day
“Sir, entrust me with a command,”
And ev’ry day
No
He dismisses me out of hand
Instead of me
He promotes
Charles Lee
Makes him second-in-command:
Charles Lee.
Stay alive…
I’m a General. Whee!!!!
Yeah. He’s not the choice I would have gone with
He shits the bed at the Battle of Monmouth
Ev’ryone attack!
Retreat!
Attack!
Retreat!
What are you doing, Lee? Get back on your feet!
But there’s so many of them!
I’m sorry, is this not your speed?!
Hamilton!
Ready, sir!
Have Lafayette take the lead!
Yes, sir!
A thousand soldiers die in a hundred degree heat
As we snatch a stalemate from the jaws of defeat
Charles Lee was left behind
Without a pot to piss in
He started sayin’ this to anybody who would listen:
Washington cannot be left alone to his devices
Indecisive, from crisis to crisis
The best thing he can do for the revolution
Is turn n’ go back to plantin’ tobacco in Mount Vernon
Oo!!
Don’t do a thing. History will prove him wrong
But, sir!
We have a war to fight, let’s move along
Strong words from Lee, someone oughta hold him to it
I can’t disobey direct orders
Then I’ll do it
Alexander, you’re the closest friend I’ve got
Laurens, do not throw away your shot
One, two, three, four
Five, six, seven, eight, nine…
It’s the Ten Duel Commandments
It’s the Ten Duel Commandments
Number one!
The challenge: demand satisfaction
If they apologize, no need for further action
Number two!
If they don’t, grab a friend, that’s your second
Your lieutenant when there’s reckoning to be reckoned
Number three!
Have your seconds meet face to face
Negotiate a peace…
Or negotiate a time and place
This is commonplace, ‘specially ‘tween recruits
Most disputes die, and no one shoots
Number four!
If they don’t reach a peace, that’s alright
Time to get some pistols and a doctor on site
You pay him in advance, you treat him with civility
You have him turn around so he can have deniability
Five!
Duel before the sun is in the sky
Pick a place to die where it’s high and dry
Number six!
Leave a note for your next of kin
Tell ‘em where you been. Pray that hell or heaven lets you in
Seven!
Confess your sins. Ready for the moment
Of adrenaline when you finally face your opponent
Number eight!
Your last chance to negotiate
Send in your seconds, see if they can set the record straight…
Alexander
Aaron Burr, sir
Can we agree that duels are dumb and immature?
Sure
But your man has to answer for his words, Burr
With his life? We both know that’s absurd, sir
Hang on, how many men died because Lee was inexperienced and ruinous?
Okay, so we’re doin’ this
Number nine!
Look ‘em in the eye, aim no higher
Summon all the courage you require
Then count
One two three four
Five six seven eight nine
Number
Ten paces!
Fire!
Lee, do you yield?
You shot him in the side!
Yes, he yields!
I’m satisfied
Yo, we gotta clear the field!
Go! We won
Here comes the General!
This should be fun
What is the meaning of this? Mr. Burr, get a medic for the General
Yes, sir
Lee, you will never agree with me
But believe me, these young men don’t speak for me
Thank you for your service
Let’s ride!
Hamilton!
Sir!
Meet me inside
Meet him inside! Meet him inside!
Meet him inside, meet him, meet him inside!
Son—
Don’t call me son
This war is hard enough
Without infighting—
Lee called you out. We called his bluff
You solve nothing, you aggravate our allies to the south
You're absolutely right, John should have shot him in the mouth
That would’ve shut him up
Son—
I’m notcha son—
Watch your tone
I am not a maiden in need of defending, I am grown
Charles Lee, Thomas Conway
These men take your name and they rake it
Through the mud
My name’s been through a lot, I can take it
Well, I don’t have your name. I don’t have your titles
I don’t have your land
But, if you—
No—
If you gave me command of a battalion, a group of men to lead, I could fly above my station after the war
Or you could die and we need you alive
I’m more than willing to die—
Your wife needs you alive, son, I need you alive—
Call me son one more time—
Go home, Alexander
That’s an order from your commander
Sir—
Go home
Look around, look around at how lucky we are
To be alive right now
Look around, look around…
How long have you known?
A month or so
Eliza, you should have told me
I wrote to the General a month ago
No
I begged him to send you home
You should have told me
I’m not sorry
I knew you’d fight
Until the war was won
But you deserve a chance to meet your son
Look around, look around at how lucky we are
To be alive right now.
The war’s not
Done.
Will you relish being a poor man’s wife
Unable to provide for your life?
I relish being your wife
Look around, look around…
Look at where you are
Look at where you started
The fact that you’re alive is a miracle
Just stay alive, that would be enough
And if this child
Shares a fraction of your smile
Or a fragment of your mind, look out world!
That would be enough
I don’t pretend to know
The challenges you’re facing
The worlds you keep erasing and creating in your mind
But I’m not afraid
I know who I married
So long as you come home at the end of the day
That would be enough
We don’t need a legacy
We don’t need money
If I could grant you peace of mind
If you could let me inside your heart…
Oh, let me be a part of the narrative
In the story they will write someday
Let this moment be the first chapter:
Where you decide to stay
And I could be enough
And we could be enough
That would be enough
How does a ragtag volunteer army in need of a shower
Somehow defeat a global superpower?
How do we emerge victorious from the quagmire?
Leave the battlefield waving Betsy Ross’ flag higher?
Yo. Turns out we have a secret weapon!
An immigrant you know and love who’s unafraid to step in!
He’s constantly confusin’, confoundin’ the British henchmen
Ev’ryone give it up for America’s favorite fighting Frenchman!
Lafayette!
I’m takin this horse by the reins makin’
Redcoats redder with bloodstains
Lafayette!
And I’m never gonna stop until I make ‘em
Drop and burn ‘em up and scatter their remains, I’m
Lafayette!
Watch me engagin’ em! Escapin’ em!
Enragin’ em! I’m—
Lafayette!
I go to France for more funds
Lafayette!
I come back with more
Guns
And ships
And so the balance shifts
We rendezvous with Rochambeau, consolidate their gifts
We can end this war at Yorktown, cut them off at sea, but
For this to succeed, there is someone else we need:
I know
Hamilton!
Sir, he knows what to do in a trench
Ingenuitive and fluent in French, I mean—
Hamilton!
Sir, you’re gonna have to use him eventually
What’s he gonna do on the bench? I mean—
Hamilton!
No one has more resilience
Or matches my practical tactical brilliance—
Hamilton!
You wanna fight for your land back?
I need my right hand man back!
Ah! Uh, get ya right hand man back
You know you gotta get ya right hand man back
I mean you gotta put some thought into the letter but the sooner the better
To get your right hand man back!
Hamilton!
Hamilton!
Hamilton!
Hamilton, Hamilton!
Ha— ha—!
Get your right hand man back!
Your right hand man back!
Hamilton!
Ha—
Ha—
Hamilton, Hamilton!
Ha— ha—!
Alexander Hamilton
Troops are waiting in the field for you
If you join us right now, together we can turn the tide
Oh, Alexander Hamilton
I have soldiers that will yield for you
If we manage to get this right
They’ll surrender by early light
The world will never be the same, Alexander…
I was younger than you are now
When I was given my first command
I led my men straight into a massacre
I witnessed their deaths firsthand
I made every mistake
And felt the shame rise in me
And even now I lie awake
Knowing history has its eyes on me
History has its eyes on me.
Whoa…
Whoa…
Whoa…
Yeah
Whoa…
Whoa…
Whoa…
Yeah
Let me tell you what I wish I’d known
When I was young and dreamed of glory:
You have no control:
Who lives, who dies, who tells your story
I know that we can win
I know that greatness lies in you
But remember from here on in
History has its
Eyes on you.
Whoa…
Whoa…
Whoa…
History has its eyes on you
The battle of Yorktown. 1781
Monsieur Hamilton
Monsieur Lafayette
In command where you belong
How you say, no sweat
We're finally on the field. We’ve had quite a run
Immigrants:
We get the job done
So what happens if we win?
I go back to France
I bring freedom to my people if I’m given the chance
We’ll be with you when you do
Go lead your men
See you on the other side
‘Til we meet again, let’s go!
I am not throwin’ away my shot!
I am not throwin’ away my shot!
Hey yo, I’m just like my country, I’m young
Scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwin’ away my shot!
I am not throwin’ away my shot!
‘Til the world turns upside down…
‘Til the world turns upside down!
I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory
This is where it gets me: on my feet
The enemy ahead of me
If this is the end of me, at least I have a friend with me
Weapon in my hand, a command, and my men with me
Then I remember my Eliza’s expecting me…
Not only that, my Eliza’s expecting
We gotta go, gotta get the job done
Gotta start a new nation, gotta meet my son!
Take the bullets out your gun!
What?
The bullets out your gun!
What?
We move under cover and we move as one
Through the night, we have one shot to live another day
We cannot let a stray gunshot give us away
We will fight up close, seize the moment and stay in it
It’s either that or meet the business end of a bayonet
The code word is ‘Rochambeau,’ dig me?
Rochambeau!
You have your orders now, go, man, go!
And so the American experiment begins
With my friends all scattered to the winds
Laurens is in South Carolina, redefining brav’ry
We’ll never be free until we end slavery!
When we finally drive the British away
Lafayette is there waiting—
In Chesapeake Bay!
How did we know that this plan would work?
We had a spy on the inside. That’s right
Hercules Mulligan!
A tailor spyin’ on the British government!
I take their measurements, information and then I smuggle it
Up
To my brother's revolutionary covenant
I’m runnin’ with the Sons of Liberty and I am lovin’ it!
See, that’s what happens when you up against the ruffians
We in the shit now, somebody gotta shovel it!
Hercules Mulligan, I need no introduction
When you knock me down I get the fuck back up again!
Left! Right! Hold!
Go!
What! What! What!
After a week of fighting, a young man in a red coat stands on a parapet
We lower our guns as he frantically waves a white handkerchief
And just like that, it’s over. We tend to our wounded, we count our dead
Black and white soldiers wonder alike if this really means freedom
Not. Yet
We negotiate the terms of surrender
I see George Washington smile
We escort their men out of Yorktown
They stagger home single file
Tens of thousands of people flood the streets
There are screams and church bells ringing
And as our fallen foes retreat
I hear the drinking song they’re singing…
The world turned upside down
The world turned upside down
The world turned upside down
The world turned upside down
Down
Down, down, down
Freedom for America, freedom for France!
Down, down, down
Gotta start a new nation
Gotta meet my son
Down, down, down
We won!
We won!
We won!
We won!
The world turned upside down!
They say
The price of my war’s not a price that they’re willing to pay
Insane
You cheat with the French, now I’m fighting with France and with Spain
I’m so blue
I thought that we’d made an arrangement
When you went away
You were mine to subdue
Well, even despite our estrangement, I’ve got
A small query for you:
What comes next?
You’ve been freed
Do you know how hard it is to lead?
You’re on your own
Awesome. Wow
Do you have a clue what happens now?
Oceans rise
Empires fall
It’s much harder when it’s all your call
All alone, across the sea
When your people say they hate you, don’t
Come crawling back to me
Da da da dat da dat da da da
Da ya da
Da da dat
Da da ya da…
You’re on your own…
Dear Theodosia, what to say to you?
You have my eyes. You have your mother’s name
When you came into the world, you cried and it broke my heart
I’m dedicating every day to you
Domestic life was never quite my style
When you smile, you knock me out, I fall apart
And I thought I was so smart
You will come of age with our young nation
We’ll bleed and fight for you, we’ll make it right for you
If we lay a strong enough foundation
We’ll pass it on to you, we’ll give the world to you
And you’ll blow us all away…
Someday, someday
Yeah, you’ll blow us all away
Someday, someday
Oh Philip, when you smile I am undone
My son
Look at my son. Pride is not the word I’m looking for
There is so much more inside me now
Oh Philip, you outshine the morning sun
My son
When you smile, I fall apart
And I thought I was so smart
My father wasn’t around
My father wasn’t around
I swear that
I’ll be around for you.
I’ll be around for you.
I’ll do whatever it takes
I’ll make a million mistakes
I’ll make the world safe and sound for you…
…will come of age with our young nation
We’ll bleed and fight for you, we’ll make it right for you
If we lay a strong enough foundation
We’ll pass it on to you, we’ll give the world to you
And you’ll blow us all away…
Someday, someday
Yeah, you’ll blow us all away
Someday, someday
After the war I went back to New York
A-After the war I went back to New York
I finished up my studies and I practiced law
I practiced law, Burr worked next door
Even though we started at the very same time
Alexander Hamilton began to climb
How to account for his rise to the top?
Maaaaan, the man is
Non-stop!
Gentlemen of the jury, I’m curious, bear with me
Are you aware that we’re making hist’ry?
This is the first murder trial of our brand-new nation
The liberty behind
Deliberation—
Non-stop!
I intend to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt
With my assistant counsel—
Co-counsel
Hamilton, sit down
Our client Levi Weeks is innocent. Call your first witness
That’s all you had to say!
Okay!
One more thing—
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room?
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room?
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room?
Soon that attitude may be your doom!
Awwww!
Why do you write like you’re running out of time?
Write day and night like you’re running out of time?
Ev’ry day you fight, like you’re running out of time
Keep on fighting. In the meantime—
Why do you write like you’re running out of time?
Ev’ry day you fight, like you’re running out of time
Non-stop!
Corruption’s such an old song that we can sing along in harmony
And nowhere is it stronger than in Albany
This colony’s economy’s increasingly stalling and
Honestly, that’s why public service
Seems to be calling me
He’s just
Non-stop!
I practiced the law, I practic’ly perfected it
I’ve seen injustice in the world and I’ve corrected it
Now for a strong central democracy
If not, then I’ll be Socrates
Throwing verbal rocks at these mediocrities
Awww!
Hamilton, at the Constitutional Convention:
I was chosen for the Constitutional Convention!
There as a New York junior delegate:
Now what I’m going to say may sound indelicate…
Goes and proposes his own form of government!
His own plan for a new form of government!
Awwww!
What?
What?
Talks for six hours! The convention is listless!
Bright young man…
Yo, who the f is this?
Why do you always say what you believe?
Why do you always say what you believe?
Ev’ry proclamation guarantees free ammunition for your enemies!
Why do you write like it’s
Going out of style?
Write day and night like it’s
Going out of style?
Why do you always say what you believe?
Awww!
Going out of style, hey!
Going out of style, hey!
Ev’ry day you fight like it’s
Going out of style
Do what you do
Alexander?
Aaron Burr, sir
It’s the middle of the night
Can we confer, sir?
Is this a legal matter?
Yes, and it’s important to me
What do you need?
Burr, you’re a better lawyer than me
Okay
I know I talk too much, I’m abrasive
You’re incredible in court. You’re succinct, persuasive
My client needs a strong defense. You’re the solution
Who’s your client?
The new U.S. Constitution?
No
Hear me out
No way!
A series of essays, anonymously published
Defending the document to the public
No one will read it
I disagree
And if it fails?
Burr, that’s why we need it
The constitution’s a mess
So it needs amendments
It’s full of contradictions
So is independence
We have to start somewhere
No. No way
You’re making a mistake
Good night
Hey
What are you waiting for?
What do you stall for?
What?
We won the war
What was it all for?
Do you support this constitution?
Of course
Then defend it
And what if you’re backing the wrong horse?
Burr, we studied and we fought and we killed
For the notion of a nation we now get to build
For once in your life, take a stand with pride
I don’t understand how you stand to the side
I’ll keep all my plans
Close to my chest
I’ll wait here and see
Which way the wind
Will blow
I’m taking my time
Watching the
Afterbirth of a nation
Watching the tension grow
Wait for it, wait for
It, wait…
Which way the wind
Will blow
I’m taking my time
Watching the
Afterbirth of a nation
Watching the tension grow
I am sailing off to London
I’m accompanied by someone who always pays
I have found a wealthy husband
Who will keep me in comfort for all my days
He is not a lot of fun, but there’s no one
Who can match you for turn of phrase
My Alexander
Angelica
Don’t forget to write
Look at where you are
Look at where you started
The fact that you’re alive is a miracle
Just stay alive, that would be enough
And if your wife could share a fraction of your time
If I could grant you peace of mind
Would that be enough?
Alexander joins forces with James Madison and John Jay to write a series of essays defending the new United States Constitution, entitled The Federalist Papers. The plan was to write a total of twenty-five essays, the work divided evenly among the three men. In the end, they wrote eighty-five essays, in the span of six months. John Jay got sick after writing five. James Madison wrote twenty-nine. Hamilton wrote the other fifty-one!
How do you write like you’re
Running out of time?
Write day and night like you’re
Running out of time?
Ev’ry day you fight like you’re
Running out of time like you’re
Running out of time
Are you running out of time?
Running out of time?
Running out of time?
Running out of time
Running out of time
Awwww!
How do you write like tomorrow won’t arrive?
How do you write like you need it to survive?
How do you write ev’ry second you’re alive?
Ev’ry second you’re alive? Ev’ry second you’re alive?
They are asking me to lead
I am doing the best I can
To get the people that I need
I’m asking you to be my right hand man
Treasury or State?
I know it’s a lot to ask
Treasury or State?
To leave behind the world you know…
Sir, do you want me to run the Treasury or State department?
Treasury
Let’s go
Alexander…
I have to leave
Alexander—
Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now
Helpless…
They are asking me to lead
Look around, isn’t this enough?
He will never be satisfied
He will never be satisfied
Satisfied
Satisfied…
He will never be satisfied
Satisfied…
Satisfied…
Why do you fight like
What would be enough
To
Be satisfied
Satisfied
Satisfied…
Look around
Look around!
Isn’t this enough?
What would be enough?
Why do you fight like
History has its eyes…
On…
You!
History has its eyes…
On…
You…
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room? Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room? Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room?
Soon that attitude’s gonna be your doom!
Why do you fight like you’re running out of time?
Why do you fight like
Non-stop!
Non-stop!
Non-stop!
Non-stop!
History has its eyes on you
I am not throwin’ away my shot!
I am not throwin’ away my shot!
I am
Alexander Hamilton!
I am not throwin’ away my shot!
Seventeen. Se- se- seventeen…
Se- se- seventeen…
1789
How does the bastard orphan
Immigrant decorated war vet
Unite the colonies through more debt?
Fight the other founding fathers til he has to forfeit?
Have it all, lose it all
You ready for more yet?
Treasury Secretary. Washington’s the President
Ev’ry American experiment sets a precedent
Not so fast. Someone came along to resist him
Pissed him off until we had a two-party system
You haven’t met him yet, you haven’t had the chance
‘cause he’s been kickin’ ass as the ambassador to France
But someone’s gotta keep the American promise
You simply must meet Thomas. Thomas!
Thomas Jefferson’s coming home!
Thomas Jefferson’s coming home!
Thomas Jefferson’s coming home!
Thomas Jefferson’s coming home!
Thomas Jefferson’s coming home Lord he’s
Been off in Paris for so long!
Aaa-ooo!
Aaa-ooo!
France is following us to revolution
There is no more status quo
But the sun comes up
And the world still spins
Aaa-ooo!
I helped Lafayette draft a declaration
Then I said, ‘I gotta go
I gotta be in Monticello.’
Now the work at home begins…
Aaa-ooo!
So what’d I miss?
What’d I miss?
Virginia, my home sweet home, I wanna give you a kiss
I’ve been in Paris meeting lots of different ladies…
I guess I basic’lly missed the late eighties…
I traveled the wide, wide world and came back to this…
Aaa-ooo!
There’s a letter on my desk from the President
Haven’t even put my bags down yet
Sally be a lamb, darlin’, won’tcha open it?
It says the President’s assembling a cabinet
And that I am to be the Secretary of State, great!
And that I’m already Senate-approved…
I just got home and now I’m headed up to New York
Headin’ to New York!
Headin’ to New York!
Lookin’ at the rolling fields
I can’t believe that we are free
Ready to face
Whatever’s awaiting
Me in N.Y.C.
Believe that we are free
Me in N.Y.C.
But who’s waitin’ for me when I step in the place?
My friend James Madison, red in the face
He grabs my arm and
I respond
“What’s goin’ on?”
Aaa-ooo!
Thomas, we are engaged in a battle for our nation’s very soul
Can you get us out of the mess we’re in?
Aaa-ooo!
Hamilton’s new financial plan is nothing less
Than government control
I’ve been fighting for the South alone
Where have you been?
Aaa-ooo!
Uh…France.
We have to win
What’d I miss?
What’d I miss?
Headfirst into a political abyss!
I have my first cabinet meeting today
I guess I better think of something to say
I’m already on my way
Let’s get to the bottom of this…
Wha? Wha? What’d I miss?
I’ve come home to this?
Headfirst, into the abyss!
Chik-a-pow!
On my way
What did I miss?
Ahhh ah!
Mr. Jefferson, welcome home
Mr. Jefferson? Alexander Hamilton
Mr. Jefferson, welcome home
Mr. Jefferson, welcome home
Sir, you’ve been off in Paris for so long!
So what did I miss?
Ladies and gentlemen, you coulda been anywhere in the world tonight, but you’re here with us in New York City. Are you ready for a cabinet meeting???
The issue on the table: Secretary Hamilton’s plan to assume state debt and establish a national bank. Secretary Jefferson, you have the floor, sir
‘Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’
We fought for these ideals; we shouldn’t settle for less
These are wise words, enterprising men quote ‘em
Don’t act surprised, you guys, cuz I wrote ‘em
Oww
But Hamilton forgets
His plan would have the government assume state’s debts
Now, place your bets as to who that benefits:
The very seat of government where Hamilton sits
Not true!
Ooh, if the shoe fits, wear it
If New York’s in debt—
Why should Virginia bear it? Uh! Our debts are paid, I’m afraid
Don’t tax the South cuz we got it made in the shade
In Virginia, we plant seeds in the ground
We create. You just wanna move our money around
This financial plan is an outrageous demand
And it’s too many damn pages for any man to understand
Stand with me in the land of the free
And pray to God we never see Hamilton’s candidacy
Look, when Britain taxed our tea, we got frisky
Imagine what gon’ happen when you try to tax our whisky
That's my alcohol!
Thank you, Secretary Jefferson
Secretary Hamilton, your response
Thomas. That was a real nice declaration
Welcome to the present, we’re running a real nation
Would you like to join us, or stay mellow
Doin’ whatever the hell it is you do in Monticello?
If we assume the debts, the union gets
A new line of credit, a financial diuretic
How do you not get it? If we’re aggressive and competitive
The union gets a boost. You’d rather give it a sedative?
A civics lesson from a slaver. Hey neighbor
Your debts are paid cuz you don’t pay for labor
“We plant seeds in the South. We create.”
Yeah, keep ranting
We know who’s really doing the planting
And another thing, Mr. Age of Enlightenment
Don’t lecture me about the war, you didn’t fight in it
You think I’m frightened of you, man?
We almost died in a trench
While you were off getting high with the French
Thomas Jefferson, always hesitant with the President
Reticent—there isn’t a plan he doesn’t jettison
Madison, you’re mad as a hatter, son, take your medicine
Damn, you’re in worse shape than the national debt is in
Sittin’ there useless as two shits
Hey, turn around, bend over, I’ll show you
Where my shoe fits
Excuse me? Madison, Jefferson, take a walk! Hamilton, take a walk! We’ll reconvene after a brief recess. Hamilton!
Sir!
A word
You don’t have the votes
You don’t have the votes
Aha-ha-ha ha!
You’re gonna need congressional approval and you don’t have the votes
Such a blunder sometimes it makes me wonder why I even bring the thunder
Why he even brings the thunder…
You wanna pull yourself together?
I’m sorry, these Virginians are birds of a feather
Young man, I’m from Virginia, so watch your mouth
So we let Congress get held hostage by the South?
You need the votes
No, we need bold strokes. We need this plan
No, you need to convince more folks
James Madison won’t talk to me, that’s a nonstarter
Winning was easy, young man. Governing’s harder
They’re being intransigent
You have to find a compromise
But they don’t have a plan, they just hate mine!
Convince them otherwise
What happens if I don’t get congressional approval?
I imagine they’ll call for your removal
Sir—
Figure it out, Alexander. That’s an order from your commander
Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf
Good! Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf
Sept huit neuf—
Sept huit neuf—
Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf
Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf
Sept huit neuf—
Sept huit neuf—
One two three four five six seven eight nine!
My dearest, Angelica
“Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day”
I trust you’ll understand the reference to
Another Scottish tragedy without my having to name the play
They think me Macbeth, and ambition is my folly
I’m a polymath, a pain in the ass, a massive pain
Madison is Banquo, Jefferson’s Macduff
And Birnam Wood is Congress on its way to Dunsinane
And there you are, an ocean away
Do you have to live an ocean away?
Thoughts of you subside
Then I get another letter
I cannot put the notion away…
Take a break
I am on my way
There’s a little surprise before supper
And it cannot wait
I’ll be there in just a minute, save my plate
Alexander—
Okay, okay—
Your son is nine years old today
And he has something that he’d like to say
He’s been practicing all day
Philip, take it away—
Daddy, daddy, look—
My name is Philip
I am a poet
I wrote this poem just
To show it
And I just turned nine
You can write rhymes
But you can’t write mine
I practice French
And play piano with my mother
I have a sister, but I want a little brother
My daddy’s trying to start America’s bank
Un deux trois quatre cinq!
What!
Uh-huh!
Okay!
Bravo!
Take a break
Hey, our kid is pretty great
Run away with us for the summer
Let’s go upstate
Eliza, I’ve got so much on my plate
We can all go stay with my father
There’s a lake I know…
I know
In a nearby park
I’d love to go
You and I can go when the night gets dark…
I will try to get away
My dearest Alexander
You must get through to Jefferson
Sit down with him and compromise
Don’t stop ‘til you agree
Your fav’rite older sister
Angelica, reminds you
There’s someone in your corner all the way across the sea
In a letter I received from you two weeks ago
I noticed a comma in the middle of a phrase
It changed the meaning. Did you intend this?
One stroke and you’ve consumed my waking days
It says:
“My dearest Angelica”
With a comma after “dearest.” You’ve written
“My dearest, Angelica.”
Anyway, all this to say
I’m coming home this summer
At my sister’s invitation
I’ll be there with your fam’ly
If you make your way upstate
I know you’re very busy
I know your work’s important
But I’m crossing the ocean and I just can’t wait
You won’t be an ocean away
You will only be a moment away…
Alexander, come downstairs. Angelica’s arriving today!
Angelica!
Eliza!
The Schuyler sisters!
Alexander
Hi
It’s good to see your face
Angelica, tell this man John Adams spends the summer with his family
Angelica, tell my wife John Adams doesn’t have a real job anyway
…you’re not joining us? Wait
I’m afraid I cannot join you upstate
Alexander, I came all this way
She came all this way—
All this way—
Take a break
You know I have to get my plan through Congress
Run away with us for the summer
Let’s go upstate
I lose my job if I don’t get my plan through Congress
We can all go stay with our father
There’s a lake I know
In a nearby park
You and I can go
Take a break and get away—
Let’s go upstate
Where we can stay
Look around, look around
At how lucky we are to be alive right now—
We can go—
When the night gets dark
Take a break.
I know I’ll miss your face—
Screw your courage to the sticking place—
Eliza’s right—
Take a break
Run away with us for the summer—
Let’s go upstate
We can all go stay with our father
If you take your time—
You will make your mark
Close your eyes and dream—
When the night gets dark
Take a break.
I have to get my plan through Congress
I can’t stop until I get this plan through Congress
There’s nothing like summer in the city
Someone under stress meets someone looking pretty
There’s trouble in the air, you can smell it
And Alexander’s by himself. I’ll let him tell it
I hadn’t slept in a week
I was weak, I was awake
You never seen a bastard orphan
More in need of a break
Longing for Angelica
Missing my wife
That’s when Miss Maria Reynolds walked into my life, she said:
I know you are a man of honor
I’m so sorry to bother you at home
But I don’t know where to go, and I came here all alone…
She said:
My husband’s doin’ me wrong
Beatin’ me, cheatin’ me, mistreatin’ me…
Suddenly he’s up and gone
I don’t have the means to go on
So I offered her a loan, I offered to walk her home, she said
You’re too kind, sir
I gave her thirty bucks that I had socked away
She lived a block away, she said:
This one’s mine, sir
Then I said, “well, I should head back home,”
She turned red, she led me to her bed
Let her legs spread and said:
Stay?
Hey…
Hey…
That’s when I began to pray:
Lord, show me how to
Say no to this
I don’t know how to
Say no to this
But my God, she looks so helpless
And her body’s saying, “hell, yes”
Whoa…
Nooo, show me how to
Say no to this
I don’t know how to
Say no to this
In my mind, I’m tryin’ to go
Go! Go! Go!
Then her mouth is on mine, and I don’t say…
No! No!
Say no to this!
No! No!
Say no to this!
No! No!
Say no to this!
No! No!
Say no to this!
I wish I could say that was the last time
I said that last time. It became a pastime
A month into this endeavor I received a letter
From a Mr. James Reynolds, even better, it said:
Dear Sir, I hope this letter finds you in good health
And in a prosperous enough position to put wealth
In the pockets of people like me: down on their luck
You see, that was my wife who you decided to
Fuuuu—
Uh-oh! You made the wrong sucker a cuckold
So time to pay the piper for the pants you unbuckled
And hey, you can keep seein’ my whore wife
If the price is right: if not I’m telling your wife
I hid the letter and I raced to her place
Screamed “How could you?!” in her face
She said:
No, sir!
Half dressed, apologetic. A mess, she looked
Pathetic, she cried:
Please don’t go, sir!
So was your whole story a setup?
I don’t know about any letter!
Stop crying
Goddamnit, get up!
I didn’t know any better
I am ruined…
Please don’t leave me with him helpless
Just give him what he wants and you can have me
Whatever you want,
I am helpless—how could I do this?
I don’t want you
I don’t want you
If you pay
You can stay
Tonight
Helpless
Whoa!
How can you
Say no to this?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes.
I don’t…
Lord, show me how to
Say no to this
I don’t know how to
Say no to this
Cuz the situation’s helpless
And her body’s screaming, “Hell, yes”
No, show me how to
Say no to this
How can I
Say no to this?
There is nowhere I can go
When her body’s on mine I do not say…
Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
Say no to this!
Say no to this!
Say no to this!
Say no to this!
Go! Go! Go!
No!
Say no to this!
No!
Say no to this!
No!
Say no to this!
No!
Say no to this!
Say no to this…
I don’t say no to this
There is nowhere I can go.
Don’t say no to this
Go go go…
So?
Nobody needs to know
Ah, Mister Secretary
Mister Burr, sir
Didja hear the news about good old General Mercer?
No
You know Clermont Street?
Yeah
They renamed it after him. The Mercer legacy is secure
Sure
And all he had to do was die
That’s a lot less work
We oughta give it a try
Ha
Now how’re you gonna get your debt plan through?
I guess I’m gonna fin’ly have to listen to you
Really?
“Talk less. Smile more.”
Ha
Do whatever it takes to get my plan on the Congress floor
Now, Madison and Jefferson are merciless.
Well, hate the sin, love the sinner
Hamilton!
I’m sorry Burr, I’ve gotta go
But—
Decisions are happening over dinner
Two Virginians and an immigrant walk into a room
Diametric’ly opposed, foes
They emerge with a compromise, having opened doors that were
Previously closed
Bros
BURR
The immigrant emerges with unprecedented financial power
A system he can shape however he wants
The Virginians emerge with the nation’s capital
And here’s the pièce de résistance:
No one else was in
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
No one else was in
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
No one really knows how the game is played
The art of the trade
How the sausage gets made
We just assume that it happens
But no one else is in
The room where it happens.
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
How the sausage gets made
Assume that it happens
The room where it happens.
Thomas claims—
Alexander was on Washington’s doorstep one day
In distress ‘n disarray
Thomas claims—
Alexander said—
I’ve nowhere else to turn!
And basic’ly begged me to join the fray
Thomas claims—
I approached Madison and said—
“I know you hate ‘im, but let’s hear what he has to say.”
Thomas claims—
Well, I arranged the meeting
I arranged the menu, the venue, the seating
But!
No one else was in—
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
No one else was in—
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
No one really knows how the
Parties get to yesssss
The pieces that are sacrificed in
Ev’ry game of chesssss
We just assume that it happens
But no one else is in
The room where it happens.
Parties get to yesssss
Ev’ry game of chesssss
Assume that it happens
The room where it happens.
Meanwhile—
Madison is grappling with the fact that not ev’ry issue can be settled by committee
Meanwhile—
Congress is fighting over where to put the capital—
Company screams in chaos
It isn’t pretty
Then Jefferson approaches with a dinner and invite
And Madison responds with Virginian insight:
Maybe we can solve one problem with another and win a victory for the Southerners, in other words—
Oh-ho!
A quid pro quo
I suppose
Wouldn’t you like to work a little closer to home?
Actually, I would
Well, I propose the Potomac
And you’ll provide him his votes?
Well, we’ll see how it goes
Let’s go
No!
—one else was in
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
No one else was in
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
My God!
In God we trust
But we’ll never really know what got discussed
Click-boom then it happened
And no one else was in the room where it happened
Alexander Hamilton!
What did they say to you to get you to sell New York City down the river?
Alexander Hamilton!
Did Washington know about the dinner?
Was there Presidential pressure to deliver?
Alexander Hamilton!
Or did you know, even then, it doesn’t matter
Where you put the U.S. Capital?
Cuz we’ll have the banks
We’re in the same spot
You got more than you gave
And I wanted what I got
When you got skin in the game, you stay in the game
But you don’t get a win unless you play in the game
Oh, you get love for it. You get hate for it
You get nothing if you…
Wait for it, wait for it, wait!
God help and forgive me
I wanna build
Something that’s gonna
Outlive me
MADISON/WASHINGTON]
What do you want, Burr?
What do you want, Burr?
If you stand for nothing
Burr, then what do you fall for?
What do you want, Burr?
What do you want, Burr?
What do you want, Burr?
What do you want?
I
Wanna be in
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
I
Wanna be in
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
I
Wanna be
In the room where it happens
I
I wanna be in the room…
Oh
Oh
I wanna be
I wanna be
I’ve got to be
I’ve got to be
In that room
In that big ol’ room
I wanna be in
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
I wanna be in the room
Where it happens
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
I wanna be in
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
I wanna be in
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
The room where it happens.
The art of the compromise—
Hold your nose and close your eyes
We want our leaders to save the day—
But we don’t get a say in what they trade away
We dream of a brand new start—
But we dream in the dark for the most part
Dark as a tomb where it happens
I’ve got to be in
The room…
I’ve got to be…
I’ve got to be…
Oh, I’ve got to be in
The room where it happens…
I’ve got to be, I’ve gotta be, I’ve gotta be…
In the room!
Click-boom!
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
I wanna be in the room
Where it happens!
Click-boom!
Look!
Grandpa’s in the paper!
“War hero Philip Schuyler loses senate seat to young upstart Aaron Burr”
Grandpa just lost his seat in the senate
Sometimes that’s how it goes
Daddy’s gonna find out any minute
I’m sure he already knows
Further down
Further down
Let’s meet the newest senator from New York
New York
Our senator
Burr?
Since when are you a Democratic-Republican?
Since being one put me on the up and up again
No one knows who you are or what you do
They don’t need to know me
They don’t like you
Excuse me?
Oh, Wall Street thinks you’re great
You’ll always be adored by the things you create
But upstate—
Wait
—people think you’re crooked
Schuyler’s seat was up for grabs so I took it
I’ve always considered you a friend
I don’t see why that has to end
You changed parties to run against my father-in-law
I changed parties to seize the opportunity I saw
I swear your pride will be the death of us all
Beware, it goeth before the fall
The issue on the table: France is on the verge of war with England, and do we provide aid and our troops to our French allies or do we stay out of it? Remember, my decision on this matter is not subject to congressional approval. The only person you have to convince is me. Secretary Jefferson, you have the floor, sir
When we were on death’s door, when we were needy
We made a promise, we signed a treaty
We needed money and guns and half a chance
Who provided those funds?
France
In return, they didn’t ask for land
Only a promise that we’d lend a hand
And stand with them if they fought against oppressors
And revolution is messy but now is the time to stand
Stand with our brothers as they fight against tyranny
I know that Alexander Hamilton is here and he
Would rather not have this debate
I’ll remind you that he is not Secretary of State
He knows nothing of loyalty
Smells like new money, dresses like fake royalty
Desperate to rise above his station
Everything he does betrays the ideals of our nation
Ooh!!
Hey, and if ya don’t know, now ya know, Mr. President
Thank you, Secretary Jefferson. Secretary Hamilton, your response
You must be out of your Goddamn mind if you think
The President is gonna bring the nation to the brink
Of meddling in the middle of a military mess
A game of chess, where France is Queen and Kingless
We signed a treaty with a King whose head is now in a basket
Would you like to take it out and ask it?
“Should we honor our treaty, King Louis’ head?”
“Uh… do whatever you want, I’m super dead.”
Enough. Hamilton is right
Mr. President—
We’re too fragile to start another fight
But sir, do we not fight for freedom?
Sure, when the French figure out who’s gonna lead ‘em
The people are leading—
The people are rioting
There’s a difference. Frankly, it’s a little disquieting you would let your ideals blind you to reality
Hamilton
Sir
Draft a statement of neutrality
Did you forget Lafayette?
What?
Have you an ounce of regret?
You accumulate debt, you accumulate power
Yet in their hour of need, you forget
Lafayette’s a smart man, he’ll be fine
And before he was your friend, he was mine
If we try to fight in every revolution in the world, we never stop
Where do we draw the line?
So quick-witted
Alas, I admit it
I bet you were quite a lawyer
My defendants got acquitted
Yeah. Well, someone oughta remind you
What?
You’re nothing without Washington behind you
Hamilton!
Daddy’s calling!
It must be nice, it must be nice to have
Washington on your side
It must be nice, it must be nice to have
Washington on your side
Ev’ry action has its equal, opposite reactions
Thanks to Hamilton, our cab’net’s fractured into factions
Try not to crack under the stress, we’re breaking down like fractions
We smack each other in the press, and we don’t print retractions
I get no satisfaction witnessing his fits of passion
The way he primps and preens and dresses like the pits of fashion
Our poorest citizens, our farmers, live ration to ration
As Wall Street robs ‘em blind in search of chips to cash in
This prick is askin’ for someone to bring him to task
Somebody gimme some dirt on this vacuous mass so we can at last unmask him
I’ll pull the trigger on him, someone load the gun and cock it
While we were all watching, he got Washington in his pocket
It must be nice, it must be nice to have
Washington on your side
It must be nice, it must be nice to have
Washington on your side
Look back at the Bill of Rights
Which I wrote
The ink hasn’t dried
It must be nice, it must be nice to have
Washington on your side
So he’s doubled the size of the government
Wasn’t the trouble with much of our previous government size?
Look in his eyes!
See how he lies
Follow the scent of his enterprise
Centralizing national credit
And making American credit competitive
If we don’t stop it we aid and abet it
I have to resign
Somebody has to stand up for the South!
Somebody has to stand up to his mouth!
If there’s a fire you’re trying to douse
You can’t put it out from inside the house
I’m in the cabinet. I am complicit in
Watching him grabbin’ at power and kiss it
If Washington isn’t gon’ listen
To disciplined dissidents, this is the difference:
This kid is out!
Oh!
This immigrant isn’t somebody we chose
Oh!
This immigrant’s keeping us all on our toes
Oh!
Let’s show these Federalists who they’re up against!
Oh!
Southern motherfuckin’—
Democratic-Republicans!
Oh!
Let’s follow the money and see where it goes
Oh!
Because every second the Treasury grows
Oh!
If we follow the money and see where it leads
Get in the weeds, look for the seeds of
Hamilton’s misdeeds
It must be nice. It must be nice
Follow the money and see where it goes
It must be nice. It must be nice
The emperor has no clothes
We won’t be invisible. We won’t be denied
Still
It must be nice, it must be nice to have
Washington on your side
Mr. President, you asked to see me?
I know you’re busy
What do you need, sir? Sir?
I wanna give you a word of warning
Sir, I don’t know what you heard
But whatever it is, Jefferson started it
Thomas Jefferson resigned this morning
You’re kidding
I need a favor
Whatever you say, sir, Jefferson will pay for his behavior
Shh. Talk less
I’ll use the press
I’ll write under a pseudonym, you’ll see what I can do to him—
I need you to draft an address
Yes! He resigned. You can finally speak your mind—
No, he’s stepping down so he can run for President
Ha. Good luck defeating you, sir
I’m stepping down. I’m not running for President
I’m sorry, what?
One last time
Relax, have a drink with me
One last time
Let’s take a break tonight
And then we’ll teach them how to say goodbye
To say goodbye
You and I
No, sir, why?
I wanna talk about neutrality
Sir, with Britain and France on the verge of war, is this the best time—
I want to warn against partisan fighting
But—
Pick up a pen, start writing
I wanna talk about what I have learned
The hard-won wisdom I have earned
As far as the people are concerned
You have to serve, you could continue to serve—
No! One last time
The people will hear from me
One last time
And if we get this right
We’re gonna teach ‘em how to say
Goodbye
You and I—
Mr. President, they will say you’re weak
No, they will see we’re strong
Your position is so unique
So I’ll use it to move them along
Why do you have to say goodbye?
If I say goodbye, the nation learns to move on
It outlives me when I’m gone
Like the scripture says:
“Everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree
And no one shall make them afraid.”
They’ll be safe in the nation we’ve made
I wanna sit under my own vine and fig tree
A moment alone in the shade
At home in this nation we’ve made
One last time
One last time
Though, in reviewing the incidents of my administration, I am unconscious of intentional error, I am nevertheless too sensible of my defects not to think it probable that I may have committed many errors. I shall also carry with me
The hope
That my country will
View them with indulgence;
And that
After forty-five years of my life dedicated to its service with an upright zeal
The faults of incompetent abilities will be
Consigned to oblivion, as I myself must soon be to the mansions of rest
I anticipate with pleasing expectation that retreat in which I promise myself to realize the sweet enjoyment of partaking, in the midst of my fellow-citizens, the benign influence of good laws
Under a free government, the ever-favorite object of my heart, and the happy reward, as I trust
Of our mutual cares, labors, and dangers.
The hope
View them with indulgence
After forty-five years of my life dedicated to its service with an upright zeal
Consigned to oblivion, as I myself must soon be to the mansions of rest
I anticipate with pleasing expectation that retreat in which I promise myself to realize the sweet enjoyment of partaking, in the midst of my fellow-citizens, the benign influence of good laws
Under a free government, the ever-favorite object of my heart, and the happy reward, as I trust
Of our mutual cares, labors, and dangers.
One last time
George Washington’s going home!
Teach ‘em how to say goodbye
You and I
Going home
History has its eyes on you
We’re gonna teach ‘em how to
Say goodbye!
Teach ‘em how to
Say goodbye!
To say goodbye!
Say goodbye!
One last time!
George Washington’s going home
George Washington’s going home
George Washington’s going home
George Washington’s going home
Teach ‘em how to say goodbye!
Teach ‘em how!
Say goodbye!
Say goodbye!
One last time!
They say
George Washington’s yielding his power and stepping away
‘Zat true?
I wasn’t aware that was something a person could do
I’m perplexed
Are they gonna keep on replacing whoever’s in charge?
If so, who’s next?
There’s nobody else in their country who looms quite as large…
A sentinel whispers in King George’s ear
John Adams?!
I know him
That can’t be
That’s that little guy who spoke to me
All those years ago
What was it, eighty-five?
That poor man, they’re gonna eat him alive!
Oceans rise
Empires fall
Next to Washington, they all look small
All alone
Watch them run
They will tear each other into pieces
Jesus Christ, this will be fun!
Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da
Da da da dat dat da ya daaaaa!
“President John Adams”
Good Luck
How does Hamilton the short-tempered
Protean creator of the Coast Guard
Founder of the New York Post
Ardently abuse his cab’net post
Destroy his reputation?
Welcome, folks, to
The Adams administration!
Jefferson’s the runner-up, which makes him the Vice President
Washington can’t help you now, no more mister nice President
Adams fires Hamilton
Privately calls him “creole bastard” in his taunts
Say what?!
Hamilton publishes his response
Sit down, John, you fat mother—
Hamilton is out of control
This is great! He’s out of power. He holds no office. And he just destroyed President John Adams, the only other significant member of his party
Hamilton’s a host unto himself. As long as he can hold a pen, he’s a threat. Let’s let him know what we know
Mr. Vice President
Mr. Madison
Senator Burr
What is this?
We have the check stubs. From separate accounts…
Almost a thousand dollars, paid in different amounts…
To a Mr. James Reynolds way back in
Seventeen ninety-one
Is that what you have? Are you done?
You are uniquely situated by virtue of your position—
Though ‘virtue’ is not a word I’d apply to this situation—
To seek financial gain, to stray from your sacred mission—
And the evidence suggests you’ve engaged in speculation—
An immigrant embezzling our government funds—
I can almost see the headline, your career is done
I hope you saved some money for your daughter and sons
Ya best g'wan run back where ya come from!
Ha! You don’t even know what you’re asking me to confess
Confess
You have nothing. I don’t have to tell you anything at all
Unless
Unless
If I can prove that I never broke the law
Do you promise not to tell another soul what you saw?
No one else was in the room where it happened
Is that a yes?
Um, yes
“Dear Sir, I hope this letter finds you in good health
And in a prosperous enough position to put wealth
In the pockets of people like me: down on their luck
You see, it was my wife who you decided to—”
Whaaaat—
She courted me
Escorted me to bed and when she had me in a corner
That’s when Reynolds extorted me
For a sordid fee
I paid him quarterly
I may have mortally wounded my prospects
But my papers are orderly!
As you can see I kept a record of every check in my checkered
History. Check it again against your list n’ see consistency
I never spent a cent that wasn’t mine
You sent the dogs after my scent, that’s fine
Yes, I have reasons for shame
But I have not committed treason and sullied my good name
As you can see I have done nothing to provoke legal action
Are my answers to your satisfaction?
My God
Gentlemen, let’s go
So?
The people won't know what we know
Burr!
How do I know you won’t use this against me
The next time we go toe to toe?
Alexander, rumors only grow. And we both
Know what we know
In the eye of a hurricane
There is quiet
For just a moment
A yellow sky
When I was seventeen a hurricane
Destroyed my town
I didn’t drown
I couldn’t seem to die
I wrote my way out
Wrote everything down far as I could see
I wrote my way out
I looked up and the town had its eyes on me
They passed a plate around
Total strangers
Moved to kindness by my story
Raised enough for me to book passage on a
Ship that was New York bound…
I wrote my way out of hell
I wrote my way to revolution
I was louder than the crack in the bell
I wrote Eliza love letters until she fell
I wrote about The Constitution and defended it well
And in the face of ignorance and resistance
I wrote financial systems into existence
And when my prayers to God were met with indifference
I picked up a pen, I wrote my own deliverance
In the eye of a hurricane
There is quiet
For just a moment
A yellow sky
I was twelve when my mother died
She was holding me
We were sick and she was holding me
I couldn’t seem to die
Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it…
Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it…
Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it, wait…
I’ll write my way out…
Write ev’rything down, far as I can see…
I’ll write my way out…
Overwhelm them with honesty.
ELIZA/ANGELICA/
MARIA]
History has its eyes on you
This is the eye of the hurricane, this is the only
Way I can protect my legacy…
Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it, wait…
The Reynolds Pamphlet
The Reynolds Pamphlet
Have you read this?
Alexander Hamilton had a torrid affair
And he wrote it down right there
Highlights!
“The charge against me
Is a connection with one
James Reynolds!
For purposes of
Improper speculation
My real crime is an
Amorous connection with his wife
For a considerable time
With his knowing consent
James Reynolds!
My real crime is an
Amorous connection with his wife
Damn!
“I had frequent meetings with her
Most of them at my own house.”
At his own house!
At his own house!
Damn!
“Mrs. Hamilton with our children being absent
On a visit to her father.”
No…
Boooo!
Have you read this?
Well, he’s never gon’ be President now
Never gon’ be President now
Well, he’s never gon’ be President now
Never gon’ be President now
He’s never gon’ be President now
Never gon’ be President now
That’s one less thing to worry about
That’s one less thing to worry about!
I came as soon as I heard
What?!
Angelica—
All the way from London?!
Damn
Angelica, thank God
Someone who understands what I’m
Struggling here to do
I’m not here for you
Oooooh!
I know my sister like I know my own mind
You will never find anyone as trusting or as kind
I love my sister more than anything in this life
I will choose her happiness over mine every time
Put what we had aside
I’m standing at her side
You could never be satisfied
God, I hope you’re satisfied
Well, he’s never gon’ be President now
Well, he’s never gon’ be President now
Well, he’s never gon’ be President now
That’s one less thing to worry about.
Never gon’ be President now
Never gon’ be President now
Never gon’ be President now
That’s one less thing to worry about.
Hey!
At least he was honest with our money!
Hey!
At least he was honest with our money!
Hey!
At least I was honest with our money!
Hey!
At least he was honest with our money!
Well he’s never gon’ be President now
Well he’s never gon’ be President now
Well he’s never gon’ be President now
That’s one less thing to worry about.
Well he’s never gon’ be President now
Well he’s never gon’ be President now
Well he’s never gon’ be President now.
That’s one less thing to worry about!
The Reynolds Pamphlet
Have you read this?
You ever see somebody ruin their own life?
His poor wife
I saved every letter you wrote me
From the moment I read them
I knew you were mine
You said you were mine
I thought you were mine
Do you know what Angelica said
When we saw your first letter arrive?
She said
“Be careful with that one, love
He will do what it takes to survive.”
You and your words flooded my senses
Your sentences left me defenseless
You built me palaces out of paragraphs
You built cathedrals
I’m re-reading the letters you wrote me
I’m searching and scanning for answers
In every line
For some kind of sign
And when you were mine
The world seemed to
Burn
Burn
You published the letters she wrote you
You told the whole world how you brought
This girl into our bed
In clearing your name, you have ruined our lives
Do you know what Angelica said
When she read what you’d done?
She said
“You have married an Icarus
He has flown too close to the sun.”
You and your words, obsessed with your legacy…
Your sentences border on senseless
And you are paranoid in every paragraph
How they perceive you
You, you, you…
I’m erasing myself from the narrative
Let future historians wonder how Eliza
Reacted when you broke her heart
You have torn it all apart
I am watching it
Burn
Watching it burn
The world has no right to my heart
The world has no place in our bed
They don’t get to know what I said
I’m burning the memories
Burning the letters that might have redeemed you
You forfeit all rights to my heart
You forfeit the place in our bed
You sleep in your office instead
With only the memories
Of when you were mine
I hope that you burn
Meet the latest graduate of King’s College!
I prob’ly shouldn’t brag, but, dag, I amaze and astonish!
The scholars say I got the same virtuosity and brains as my pops!
The ladies say my brain’s not where the resemblance stops!
I’m only nineteen but my mind is older
Gotta be my own man, like my father, but bolder
I shoulder his legacy with pride
I used to hear him say
That someday
I would—
Blow us all away
Ladies, I’m lookin for a Mr. George Eacker
Made a speech last week, our Fourth of July speaker
He disparaged my father’s legacy in front of a crowd
I can’t have that, I’m making my father proud
I saw him just up Broadway a couple of blocks
He was goin’ to see a play
Well, I’ll go visit his box
God, you’re a fox
And y’all look pretty good in ya’ frocks
How ‘bout when I get back, we all strip down to our socks?
Ok!
Blow us all away!
George!
Shh
George!
Shh! I’m tryin’ to watch the show!
Ya’ shoulda watched your mouth before you
Talked about my father though!
I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true
Your father’s a scoundrel, and so, it seems, are you
Ooooooooooh!
It’s like that?
Yeah, I don’t fool around
I’m not your little schoolboy friends
See you on the dueling ground
That is, unless you wanna step outside and go now
I know where to find you, piss off
I’m watchin’ this show now
Pops, if you had only heard the shit he said about you
I doubt you would have let it slide and I was not about to—
Slow down
I came to ask you for advice. This is my very first duel
They don’t exactly cover this subject in boarding school
Did your friends attempt to negotiate a peace?
He refused to apologize, we had to let the peace talks cease
Where is this happening?
Across the river, in Jersey
Everything is legal in New Jersey…
Alright. So this is what you’re gonna do:
Stand there like a man until Eacker is in front of you
When the time comes, fire your weapon in the air
This will put an end to the whole affair
But what if he decides to shoot? Then I’m a goner
No. He’ll follow suit if he’s truly a man of honor
To take someone’s life, that is something you can’t shake
Philip, your mother can’t take another heartbreak
Father—
Promise me. You don’t want this
Young man’s blood on your conscience
Okay, I promise
Come back home when you’re done
Take my guns. Be smart. Make me proud, son
My name is Philip
I am a poet
I’m a little nervous, but I can’t show it
I’m sorry, I’m a Hamilton with pride
You talk about my father, I cannot let it slide
Mister Eacker! How was the rest of your show?
I’d rather skip the pleasantries
Let’s go
Grab your pistol
Confer with your men
The duel will commence after we count to ten
Count to ten!
Look ‘em in the eye, aim no higher
Summon all the courage you require
Then slowly and clearly aim your gun towards the sky—
One two three four
Five six seven—
Stay alive…
Stay alive…
Stay alive…
Where’s my son?
Is he alive?
Mr. Hamilton, come in. They brought him in a half an hour ago. He lost a lot of blood on the way over.
Yes. But you have to understand
The bullet entered just above his hip and
Lodged in his right arm
Can I see him please?
I’m doing ev’rything I can, but the wound was
Already infected when he arrived—
Philip
Pa
I did exactly as you said, Pa
I held my head up high
I know, I know. Shh
I know, I know
Shh. I know you did
Ev’rything just right
Shh
I know, I know
I know, I know
I know
Save your strength and
Stay alive…
High
Even before we got to ten—
I was aiming for the sky
I was aiming for the sky
Stay alive…
No!
Eliza
Is he breathing? Is he going to survive this?
Stay alive…
Who did this, Alexander, did you know?
Mom, I’m so sorry for forgetting what you taught me
My son—
We played piano
I taught you piano
You would put your hands on mine
You changed the melody every time
Ha. I would always change the line
Shh. I know, I know
I would always change the line
I know, I know
Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf
Good
Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept
Huit neuf
Sept huit neuf—
Sept huit…
Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf
Un deux trois…
There are moments that the words don’t reach
There is suffering too terrible to name
You hold your child as tight as you can
And push away the unimaginable
The moments when you’re in so deep
It feels easier to just swim down
The Hamiltons move uptown
And learn to live with the unimaginable
I spend hours in the garden
I walk alone to the store
And it’s quiet uptown
I never liked the quiet before
I take the children to church on Sunday
A sign of the cross at the door
And I pray
That never used to happen before
If you see him in the street, walking by
Himself, talking to himself, have pity
Philip, you would like it uptown
It’s quiet uptown
He is working through the unimaginable
His hair has gone grey. He passes every day
They say he walks the length of the city
You knock me out, I fall apart
Can you imagine?
Look at where we are
Look at where we started
I know I don’t deserve you, Eliza
But hear me out. That would be enough
If I could spare his life
If I could trade his life for mine
He’d be standing here right now
And you would smile, and that would be enough
I don’t pretend to know
The challenges we’re facing
I know there’s no replacing what we’ve lost
And you need time
But I’m not afraid
I know who I married
Just let me stay here by your side
That would be enough
If you see him in the street, walking by her
Side, talking by her side, have pity
Eliza, do you like it uptown? It’s quiet uptown
He is trying to do the unimaginable
See them walking in the park, long after dark
Taking in the sights of the city
Look around, look around, Eliza
They are trying to do the unimaginable
There are moments that the words don’t reach
There is a grace too powerful to name
We push away what we can never understand
We push away the unimaginable
They are standing in the garden
Alexander by Eliza’s side
She takes his hand
It’s quiet uptown
Forgiveness. Can you imagine?
Forgiveness. Can you imagine?
If you see him in the street, walking by her
Side, talking by her side, have pity
They are going through the unimaginable
The election of 1800
Can we get back to politics?
Please?
Yo. Ev’ry action has an equal, opposite reaction
John Adams shat the bed. I love the guy, but he’s in traction
Poor Alexander Hamilton? He is missing in action
So now I’m facing—
Aaron Burr!
With his own faction
He’s very attractive in the North. New Yorkers like his chances
He’s not very forthcoming on any particular stances
Ask him a question: it glances off, he obfuscates, he dances
And they say I’m a Francophile: at least they know I know where France is!
Thomas that’s the problem, see, they see Burr as a less extreme you
Ha!
You need to change course, a key endorsement might redeem you
Who did you have in mind?
Don’t laugh
Who is it?
You used to work on the same staff
Whaaaat
It might be nice, it might be nice
To get Hamilton on your side
It might be nice, it might be nice
To get Hamilton on your side
Talk less!
Smile more!
Don’t let ‘em know what you’re against or what you’re for!
Shake hands with him!
Charm her!
It’s eighteen hundred, ladies, tell your husbands: vote for
Burr!
Burr!
Burr!
Burr!
Burr!
Burr!
Burr!
I don’t like Adams
Well, he’s gonna lose, that’s just defeatist
And Jefferson—
In love with France!
Yeah, he’s so elitist!
I like that Aaron Burr!
I can’t believe we’re here with him!
He seems approachable…?
Like you could grab a beer with him!
Dear Mr. Hamilton: your fellow Fed’ralists would like to know how you’ll be voting
It’s quiet uptown
Dear Mr. Hamilton: John Adams doesn’t stand a chance, so who are you promoting?
It’s quiet uptown
Jefferson or Burr?
We know it’s lose-lose
Jefferson or Burr?
But if you had to choose
Jefferson or Burr?
We know it’s lose-lose
Jefferson or Burr?
But if you had to choose
Dear Mr. Hamilton:
John Adams doesn’t stand a chance so who are you promoting?
But if you had to choose
Jefferson or Burr?
We know it’s lose-lose
Jefferson or Burr?
But if you had to choose
Jefferson or Burr?
We know it’s lose-lose
Jefferson or Burr?
But if you had to choose
Well, if it isn’t Aaron Burr. Sir!
Alexander!
You’ve created quite a stir, sir!
I’m going door to door!
You’re openly campaigning?
Sure!
That’s new
Honestly, it’s kind of draining
Burr—
Sir!
Is there anything you wouldn’t do?
No. I’m chasing what I want
And you know what?
What?
I learned that from you
If you had to choose
If you had to choose
It’s a tie!
If you had to choose
If you had to choose
It’s up to the delegates!
If you had to choose
If you had to choose
It’s up to Hamilton!
If you had to choose
If you had to choose
If you had to
Choose
Choose
Choose!
ENSEMBLE]
Jefferson or Burr?
Choose
Choose
Choose!
Jefferson or Burr?
Choose
Choose
Choose!
Yo
Oh!
The people are asking to hear my voice
Oh!
For the country is facing a difficult choice
Oh!
And if you were to ask me who I’d promote—
Oh!
—Jefferson has my vote
Oh!
I have never agreed with Jefferson once
Oh!
We have fought on like seventy-five diff’rent fronts
Oh!
But when all is said and all is done
Jefferson has beliefs. Burr has none
Oooooooooooooh
Well, I’ll be damned
Well, I’ll be damned
Hamilton’s on your side
Well, I’ll be damned
Well, I’ll be damned
And?
You won in a landslide
Congrats on a race well-run
I did give you a fight
Uh-huh
I look forward to our partnership
Our partnership?
As your vice-President
Ha. Yeah, right
You hear this guy? Man openly campaigns against me, talkin’ bout, “I look forward to our partnership.”
It’s crazy that the guy who comes in second gets to be Vice President
Yeah, you know what? We can change that. You know why?
Why?
‘cuz I’m the President. Hey, Burr, when you see Hamilton, thank him for the endorsement
How does Hamilton
An arrogant
Immigrant, orphan
Bastard, whoreson
Somehow endorse
Thomas Jefferson, his enemy
A man he’s despised since the beginning
Just to keep me from winning?
I wanna be in the room where it happens—
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
You’ve kept me from—
The room where it happens
For the last time
Dear Alexander:
I am slow to anger
But I toe the line
As I reckon with the effects
Of your life on mine
I look back on where I failed
And in every place I checked
The only common thread has been your disrespect
Now you call me “amoral,”
A “dangerous disgrace,”
If you’ve got something to say
Name a time and place
Face to face
I have the honor to be Your Obedient Servant
A dot Burr
Mr. Vice President:
I am not the reason no one trusts you
No one knows what you believe
I will not equivocate on my opinion
I have always worn it on my sleeve
Even if I said what you think I said
You would need to cite a more specific grievance
Here’s an itemized list of thirty years of disagreements
Sweet Jesus
Hey, I have not been shy
I am just a guy in the public eye
Tryin’ to do my best for our republic
I don’t wanna fight
But I won’t apologize for doing what’s right
I have the honor to be Your Obedient Servant
A dot Ham
Careful how you proceed, good man
Intemperate indeed, good man
Answer for the accusations I lay at your feet or
Prepare to bleed, good man
Burr, your grievance is legitimate
I stand by what I said, every bit of it
You stand only for yourself
It’s what you do
I can’t apologize because it’s true
Then stand, Alexander
Weehawken. Dawn
Guns. Drawn
You’re on
I have the honor to be Your Obedient Servant
A dot Ham
A dot Burr
Alexander, come back to sleep
I have an early meeting out of town
It’s still dark outside
I know. I just need to write something down
Why do you write like you’re running out of time?
Shhh
Come back to bed. That would be enough
I’ll be back before you know I’m gone
Come back to sleep
This meeting’s at dawn
Well, I’m going back to sleep
Hey. Best of wives and best of women
One two three four
Five six seven eight nine—
There are ten things you need to know
Number one!
We rowed across the Hudson at dawn
My friend, William P. Van Ness signed on as my—
Number two!
Hamilton arrived with his crew:
Nathaniel Pendleton and a doctor that he knew
Number three!
I watched Hamilton examine the terrain
I wish I could tell you what was happ’ning in his brain
This man has poisoned my political pursuits!
Most disputes die and no one shoots!
Number four!
Hamilton drew first position
Looking, to the world, like a man on a mission
This is a soldier with a marksman’s ability
The doctor turned around so he could have deniability
COMPANY
Five!
BURR
Now I didn’t know this at the time
But we were—
Near the same spot
Your son died, is that
Why—
Near the same spot
My son died, is that
Why—
Six!
He examined his gun with such rigor?
I watched as he methodically fiddled with the trigger
Seven!
Confession time? Here’s what I got:
My fellow soldiers’ll tell you I’m a terrible shot
Number eight!
Your last chance to negotiate
Send in your seconds, see if they can set the record straight
They won’t teach you this in your classes
But look it up, Hamilton was wearing his glasses
Why? If not to take deadly aim?
It’s him or me, the world will never be the same
I had only one thought before the slaughter:
This man will not make an orphan of my daughter
Number nine!
Look him in the eye, aim no higher
Summon all the courage you require
Then count:
One two three four five six seven eight nine
Number ten paces! Fire!—
I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory
Is this where it gets me, on my feet, sev’ral feet ahead of me?
I see it coming, do I run or fire my gun or let it be?
There is no beat, no melody
Burr, my first friend, my enemy
Maybe the last face I ever see
If I throw away my shot, is this how you’ll remember me?
What if this bullet is my legacy?
Legacy. What is a legacy?
It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see
I wrote some notes at the beginning of a song someone will sing for me
America, you great unfinished symphony, you sent for me
You let me make a difference
A place where even orphan immigrants
Can leave their fingerprints and rise up
I’m running out of time. I’m running, and my time’s up
Wise up. Eyes up
I catch a glimpse of the other side
Laurens leads a soldiers’ chorus on the other side
My son is on the other side
He’s with my mother on the other side
Washington is watching from the other side
Teach me how to say goodbye
Rise up, rise up, rise up
Eliza
My love, take your time
I’ll see you on the other side
Raise a glass to freedom…
He aims his pistol at the sky—
Wait!
I strike him right between his ribs
I walk towards him, but I am ushered away
They row him back across the Hudson
I get a drink
Aaaah
Aaaah
Aaaah
I hear wailing in the streets
Aaaah
Aaaah
Aaaah
Somebody tells me, “You’d better hide.”
Aaaah
Aaaah
Aaaah
They say
Angelica and Eliza—
Were both at his side when he died
Death doesn’t discriminate
Between the sinners and the saints
It takes and it takes and it takes
History obliterates
In every picture it paints
It paints me and all my mistakes
When Alexander aimed
At the sky
He may have been the first one to die
But I’m the one who paid for it
I survived, but I paid for it
Now I’m the villain in your history
I was too young and blind to see…
I should’ve known
I should’ve known
The world was wide enough for both Hamilton and me
The world was wide enough for both Hamilton and me
Let me tell you what I wish I’d known
When I was young and dreamed of glory
You have no control:
Who lives
Who dies
Who tells your story?
President Jefferson:
I’ll give him this: his financial system is a
Work of genius. I couldn’t undo it if I tried
And I tried
Who lives
Who dies
Who tells your story?
President Madison:
He took our country from bankruptcy to prosperity
I hate to admit it, but he doesn’t get enough credit
For all the credit he gave us
Who lives
Who dies
Who tells your story?
Every other founding father story gets told
Every other founding father gets to grow old
But when you’re gone, who remembers your name?
Who keeps your flame?
Who tells your story?
Who tells your story?
Who tells your story?
Your story?
Eliza
I put myself back in the narrative
Eliza
I stop wasting time on tears
I live another fifty years
It’s not enough
Eliza
I interview every soldier who fought by your side
She tells our story
I try to make sense of your thousands of pages of writings
You really do write like you’re running out of—
Time
I rely on—
Angelica
While she’s alive—
We tell your story
She is buried in Trinity Church
Near you
When I needed her most, she was right on—
Time
And I’m still not through
I ask myself, “What would you do if you had more—”
Time
The Lord, in his kindness
He gives me what you always wanted
He gives me more—
Time
I raise funds in D.C. for the Washington Monument
She tells my story
I speak out against slavery
You could have done so much more if you only had—
Time
And when my time is up, have I done enough?
Will they tell our story?
Will they tell your story?
Oh. Can I show you what I’m proudest of?
The orphanage
I established the first private orphanage in New York City
The orphanage
I help to raise hundreds of children
I get to see them growing up
The orphanage
In their eyes I see you, Alexander
I see you every—
Time
And when my time is up
Have I done enough?
Will they tell my story?
Will they tell your story?
Oh, I can’t wait to see you again
It’s only a matter of—
Time
Will they tell your story?
Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?
Will they tell your story?
Who lives, who dies—
Time…
Time…
Time…
Who tells your story?