Ladies and gentlemen, this is your king, George III.
Welcome to Hamilton.
At this time, please silence all cell phones
and other electronic devices.
All photography and video recording is strictly prohibited.
Thank you, and enjoy my show.
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 14, 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's 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 bedridden
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 nothing but ruined pride Something new inside
A voice saying
"Alex, you gotta fend for yourself"
He started retreatin' and readin' Every treatise on the shelf
There would've been nothing left to do For someone less astute
He would've been dead or destitute Without a cent of restitution
Started working Clerking for his late mother's landlord
Tradin' sugarcane and rum And all the things he can't afford
- Scammin' - Scammin' for every book
He can get his hands on
- Plannin' - 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
Just you wait
- In New York you can be a new man - 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 - Waiting in the wings for you
You could never back down
You never learned to take your
Time
- Oh, Alexander Hamilton - 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 - Just you wait
Another immigrant Comin' up from the bottom
Just you wait
His enemies destroyed his rep America forgot him
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
Oh, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo! What time is it?
Showtime!
Like I said
Showtime! Showtime! Yo!
I'm John Laurens in the place to be
Had two pints of Sam Adams But I'm workin' on three
Those redcoats don't want it with me
'Cause I will
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 is the best? C'est moi
I am Hercules Mulligan Up in it, lovin' it
Yes, I heard your mother say "Come again?"
Lock up your daughters and horses
Of course, it's hard to have intercourse Over four sets of corsets
Whoa! 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'mma sit
- We'll see where we land - Boo!
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? - Who are you?
Who are you?
Ooh, who is this kid? What's he gonna do?
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'mma get a scholarship To King's College
I probably 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 19, but my mind is older
These New York City streets get colder
I shoulder every burden
Every 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
And don't be shocked When your history 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 - My shot
- I am not throwing away my shot - 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
It's time to take a shot
I dream of life without a monarchy
The unrest in France Will lead to "on-archy"
"On-archy?" 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
'Cause I know it's my chance To socially advance
Instead of sewin' some pants
- I'm gonna take a shot - 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
Mr. 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 overexcited 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
Everybody sing!
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Hey!
- Whoa - Whoo!
Whoa
- Said let 'em hear ya! Let's go! - Yeah
Whoa, whoa, whoa
I said shout it to the rooftops!
- Whoa - Said to the rooftops!
Whoa
- Come on! - Yeah
Come on, let's go! 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!
I imagine death so much It feels more like a memory
When is 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 20
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' and fightin'
I've been readin' and 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
We gonna rise up! Time to take a shot
- We gonna... - We're gonna rise up, rise up
- It's time to take a shot! - Rise up, rise up
- It's time to take a shot! - Rise up
Take a shot! Shot! Shot!
- Ay-yo, it's time to take a shot! - Whoa, whoa, whoa
And I am not throwin' away my
Not throwin' away my shot!
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Hey!
- Whoa - Whoo!
Whoa
- Let 'em hear ya! Come on. - Yeah
Whoa, whoa, whoa
One last round, gents.
I may not live to see our glory
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
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
They'll tell the story of tonight
Raise a glass to freedom
They'll tell the story of tonight
Raise a glass to freedom
They'll tell the story of tonight
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
Work, work
- I'm lookin' for a mind at work - Work, work
Whoa, whoa
- Work - Whoo.
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 wanna 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 - Ah
I'mma 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
'Cause 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 wanna revelation
So listen to my declaration
"We hold these truths To be self-evident
That all men are created equal"
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 - Angelica
- Work, work - Eliza
- And Peggy - Work, work
- The Schuyler sisters - Work, work
- We're looking for a mind at work - Work, work
- Hey - Work, work
- Whoa - Work, work, work, work
In the greatest city
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
- Yo, he'd have you all unravel - Heed not the rabble
- At the sound of screams - Who scream revolution
But the revolution is comin'
- The have-nots are gonna win this - They have not your interests at heart
It's hard to listen to you With a straight face
- Chaos and bloodshed - Chaos and bloodshed
- Already haunt us - Are not a solution
Honestly you shouldn't even talk
- Don't let them lead you astray - And what about Boston?
Look at the cost And all that we've lost
And you talk about Congress
This congress does not speak for me
My dog speaks More eloquently than thee
They're playing a dangerous game
But, strangely Your mange is the same
I pray the king shows you his mercy
- Is he in Jersey? - Oh!
- 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 at...
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!
You say
The price of my love's Not a price that you're willing to pay
You cry
In your tea which you hurled 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-da-da Dat-da-da-da-dai-ah-da
Da-da-dat-dat-dai-ah-da
Da-da-da-da-da Dat-da-da-da-dai-ah-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
'Cause 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
'Cause when push comes to shove
I will kill your friends and family
To remind you of my love
Da-da-da-da-da Dat-da-da-da-dai-ah-da
Da-da-dat-dat-dai-ah-da
Da-da-da-da-da Dat-da-da-da-dai-ah-da
Da-da... Everybody!
Da-da-da-da-da Dat-da-da-da-dai-ah-da
Da-da-dat-dat-dai-ah-da
Da-da-da-da-da
Ah-da Da-da-da-dat-da-dai-ah
Da
British Admiral Howe's Got troops on the water
32,000 troops in New York Harbor
- 32,000 troops in New York Harbor - In New York Harbor
When they surround our troops
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 - Rise up
We will fight for this land But there's only one man
Who can give us a command
- So we can rise up - 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 - What?
- Outmanned - What?
Outnumbered, out-planned
We gotta make an all-out stand
Hey, yo I'm gonna need a right-hand man
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
Writing letters to relatives Embellishing my elegance and eloquence
But the elephant is in the room The truth is in your face
When you 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 - What?
- Outmanned - What?
Outnumbered, out-planned
We gotta make an all-out stand
Hey, yo I'm gonna need a right-hand man
Incoming!
They're battering down the Battery Check the damages
We gotta stop 'em and rob 'em Of their advantages
Let's take a stand with the stamina God has granted us
Hamilton won't abandon ship Yo, let's steal their cannons
Boom!
Goes the cannon Watch the blood and the shit spray
And boom
Goes the cannon We're abandoning Kip's Bay
- Boom! - And 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, giddyap 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
Well, in summary, I think That I could be of some assistance
I admire how you keep firing On the British from a distance
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. - 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
Nathanael Greene and Henry Knox Wanted to hire you
Yeah, to be their secretary. I don't think so.
- Now, why are you upset? - I'm not.
It's all right, you wanna fight You've got a hunger
I was just like you when I was younger
Head full of fantasies Of dying 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 throwing away my shot
Hey, yo, 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, out-planned - We'll need some spies on the inside
Some king's men Who might let some things slide
Boom!
I'll write to Congress And tell 'em we need supplies
You rally the guys Master the element of surprise
Boom!
I'll rise above my station Organize your information
Till we rise to the occasion Of our new nation, sir!
Here comes the general
- Rise up - What?
- Here comes the general - Rise up
- What? - Here comes the general
- Rise up - What?
Here comes the general
- What? - And his right-hand man!
Boom!
How does a 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
Oh, 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 could 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
- Ooh, I do, I do, I do, I do - Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey
- Ooh, I do, I do, I do, I do - Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
- Boy, you got me helpless - 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"
Ooh
My sister made her way Across the room to you
Ooh
And I got nervous, thinking "What's she gonna do?"
She grabs 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 - Look into your eyes
- And the sky's the limit, I'm helpless - I'm helpless
I know
Down for the count And I'm drownin' in 'em
- Helpless - I'm so into you
- Look into your eyes - I am so into you
Helpless
I know I'm 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 'Cause 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, 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
Ooh
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 - Ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Look into your eyes And the sky's the limit
- I'm helpless - Helpless
Down for the count
- And I'm drownin' in 'em - Whoo!
- Helpless - He's mine
- That boy is mine - Look into your eyes
And the sky's the limit
- I'm helpless - Helpless
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 buck-wild
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 that
- Helpless - I do, I do, I do, I do
- Eliza - Helpless
- I do, I do, I do, I do - I've never felt so...
- Hey, yeah, yeah - Helpless
Down for the count And I'm drownin' in 'em
I'm down for the count, I'm...
Yo, my life is gonna be fine 'Cause Eliza's in it
I look into your eyes And the sky's the limit
- I'm - Helpless
Down for the count And I'm drownin' in 'em
In New York, you can be a new man
Helpless
All right, all right. That's what I'm talking about!
Now, everyone, give it up for the maid of honor,
Angelica Schuyler!
A toast to the groom
To the groom, to the groom To the groom
- To the bride - To the bride!
To the bride
- From your sister - Angelica
- Give it up - Angelica
- Who's always by your side - By your side
By your side
- To your union - To the Union, to the revolution
- And the hope that you provide - You provide
You provide
- And may you always - Always
Be satisfied
Rewind
Rewind, rewind
Helpless
- Skies, skies - Helpless
- Drowning, drowning - Rewind
- I remember that night, I just might - Rewind
I remember that night... I remember that...
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, every 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 family 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 seeing the light
It's Ben Franklin with a key and a kite You see it, right?
The conversation lasted two minutes Maybe three minutes
Everything 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'mma give it a chance
I asked about his family 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
'Cause 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 'Cause I'm a Schuyler sister
That elevates his status
I'd have to be naive to set that aside Maybe that is why
I introduced 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 - 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 groom, to the groom
To the groom
- To the bride - To the bride, to the bride
- From your sister - Angelica, Angelica, Angelica
- Who's always by your side - By your side
- To your union - To the Union, to the revolution
- And the hope that you provide - You provide, you provide
- May you always... - Always
- Be satisfied - Be satisfied
Satisfied, satisfied
- And I know... - Be satisfied
Be satisfied, be satisfied
- She'll be happy as his bride - Be satisfied, be satisfied
Be satisfied, be satisfied
- And I know - Be satisfied, be satisfied
Be satisfied
He will never be satisfied
I will never be satisfied
Whoo-hoo!
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 - Oh!
- To the newly not-poor of us - Whoo.
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.
- Leave us alone. - Man.
It's all right, 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
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?
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
Day, day, day
I'm keeping her bed warm While her husband is away
Away, away
He's on the British side in Georgia He's trying to keep the colonies in line
Well, 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
Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it
My grandfather was A fire and brimstone preacher
Preacher, preacher, preacher
But there are things that the homilies And hymns won't teach ya
Teach ya, teach ya, teach ya
- My mother was a genius - Genius
My father commanded respect
Respect, respect
When they died They left no instructions
Just a legacy to protect
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 - 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
Changes the game Plays and he raises the stakes
And if there's a reason He seems to thrive
When so few survive
Then, goddamn it I'm willing to wait for it
Wait for it, 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 And we keep living anyway
- We rise - We rise and we fall and we break
- And we make our mistakes - We fall
And if there's a reason I'm still alive When so many have died
Then I'm willing 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 for it
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
- 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 Till their troops take flight
Make it impossible To justify the cost of the fight
- Outrun - Outrun
- Outlast - Outlast
Hit 'em quick, get out fast
Stay alive Until 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
So we cut supply lines We steal contraband
We pick and choose our battles And places to take a stand
And every day "Sir, entrust me with a command"
- And every day - No.
- He dismisses me out of hand - Stay alive
Instead of me he promotes
- Charles Lee! - Charles Lee
Makes him second-in-command
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
- Everyone, attack - Retreat
- Attack - Retreat
What are you doing, Lee? Get back on your feet
- 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 100-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 saying this To anybody who would listen
Washington cannot be left alone To his devices
Indecisive, from crisis to crisis
The best thing he could do For the revolution
Is turn and go back to planting tobacco In Mount Vernon
Ooh
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 ought to 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
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 Especially between recruits
Most disputes die, and no one shoots
Number four
If they don't reach a peace That's all right
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 doing 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 not your 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 am 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
The war's not done
But you deserve a chance To meet your son
Look around, look around
At how lucky we are To be alive right now
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's 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 confusing Confounding the British henchmen
Everyone 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 or 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
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 want to fight for your land back? - Hamilton
- I need my right-hand man back - Hamilton
- Get your right-hand man back - Hamilton
- Gotta get your right-hand man back - Hamilton
Gotta put some thought into the letter But the sooner the better
To get your right-hand man back
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
- Whoa, whoa, whoa - On me
Whoa, whoa, whoa
History has its eyes
On me
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 am given the chance
We'll be with you when you do
Go, lead your men
- See you on the other side - Till we meet again
- Let's go! - 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
Till the world turns upside down
I've imagined 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 undercover
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, men, go
And so the American experiment begins
With my friends All scattered to the winds
Laurens is in South Carolina Redefining bravery
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 spying On the British government
I take their measurements, information
- And then I smuggle it - Up
To my brother's revolutionary covenant
I'm running with the Sons of Liberty And I am loving it!
See, that's what happens When you up against the ruffians
We in the shit now Somebody's gotta shovel it
Hercules Mulligan I need no introduction
When you knock me down I get the **** back up again!
Whoo!
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
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 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-da-da
Dat-da-da-da-dai-ah-da
Da-da-dat-dat-dai-ah-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
- 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
You'll 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
I may not live to see our glory
Alexander, there's a letter for you.
It's from John Laurens. I'll read it later.
But I will gladly join the fight
- No. It's from his father. - His father?
And when our children tell our story
Will you read it for me?
They'll tell the story of tonight
"On Tuesday the 27th,
my son was killed in a gunfight
against British troops retreating from South Carolina.
The war was already over.
As you know, John dreamed of emancipating and recruiting 3,000 men
for the first all-black military regiment.
His dream of freedom for these men dies with him."
Tomorrow there'll be more of us
Alexander, are you all right?
I have so much work to do.
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?
- Man, the man is nonstop - Nonstop
Gentlemen of the jury I'm curious, bear with me
Are you aware That we're making history?
This is the first murder trial Of our brand-new nation
- The liberty behind deliberation - Nonstop
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 was all you had to say - Okay, one more thing...
Why do you assume You're the smartest in the room?
- Soon that attitude may be your doom - Aw
Why do you write Like you're running out of time?
Write day and night Like you're running out of time
Every day you fight Like you're running out of time
Keep on fighting in the meantime...
Nonstop
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 nonstop
I practiced the law I practically 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
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...
Aw
Goes and proposes His own form of government
What?
His own plan For a new form of government
What?
Talks for six hours The convention is listless
- Bright young man - Yo, who the eff is this?
Why do you always Say what you believe?
Every proclamation guarantees Free ammunition for your enemies
Aw
Why do you write Like it's going out of style?
Write day and night Like it's going out of style
Every day you fight Like it's going out of style
Do what you do
- Alexander? - Aaron Burr, sir.
- Well, 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
- Uh, who's your client? - The new US Constitution.
- No. - Hear me out.
No way.
A series of essays Anonymously published
Defending the document to the public
- No one'll 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. - 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 will keep all my plans Close to my chest
Wait for it, wait for it, wait...
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
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 25 essays,
the work divided evenly among the three men.
In the end, they wrote 85 essays in the span of six months.
John Jay got sick after writing five.
James Madison wrote 29.
Hamilton wrote the other 51!
How do you write Like you're running out of time?
Write day and night Like you're running out of time
Every day you fight Like you're running out of time
Running out of time Are you running out of time?
Aw
How do you write Like tomorrow won't arrive?
How do you write Like you need it to survive?
How do you write Every second you're alive?
Every second you're alive Every second you're alive
They're asking me to lead
I'm 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
- What would be enough to be satisfied? - He will never be satisfied
- Satisfied, satisfied - History has its eyes on you
Satisfied, satisfied
Why do you assume You're the smartest in the room?
- Isn't this enough? - He will never be satisfied
History has its eyes on you
Why do you write like...
History has its eyes on you
- I am not throwing away my shot. - Just you wait
- I am Alexander Hamilton - Hamilton
Just you wait
I am not throwing away my shot!
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 Till he has to forfeit
Have it all, lose it all You ready for more yet?
Treasury secretary Washington's the president
Every 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
Lord, he's been off in Paris For so long
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
Gotta be in Monticello"
Now the work at home begins
Aaa-ooo!
So what did I miss?
What did 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 basically missed the late '80s
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 bag 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 NYC
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?"
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?
France. What?
- Aaa-ooo! - We have to win.
- What did I miss? - Wha... Wha... What did I miss?
- What did I miss? - I've come home to this?
Headfirst into a political abyss
Headfirst into the 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
What did I miss? 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 could've 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 'Cause I wrote 'em
Ow, but Hamilton forgets
His plan would have the government Assume states' 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 'Cause 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
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 whiskey
Thank you, Secretary Jefferson. Oh.
- Secretary Hamilton, your response. - All right now.
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 'Cause 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 hasn't jettisoned
Madison, you 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're gonna reconvene after a brief recess.
- Hamilton. - Sir.
A word.
You don't have the votes
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.
Well, James Madison won't talk to me. That's a nonstarter.
Ah. Winning was easy, young man. Governing's harder.
- They're being intransigent. - You have to find a compromise.
They don't have a plan. They just hate mine!
Convince them otherwise.
And 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 - Un, deux, trois, quatre
- Cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf - Good!
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 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
And 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
He has something 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
What!
I practice French And play piano with my mother
Uh-huh!
I have a sister But I want a little brother
Okay.
My daddy's trying To start America's bank
Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq!
- 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 till you agree
Your favorite 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 said:
"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 family 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'll 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 we don't Get this plan through Congress
We can all go stay with our father
- There's a lake I know - I know I'll miss your face
In a nearby park
Screw your courage To the sticking place
- You and I can go - Eliza's right
Take a break and get away
Run away with us for the summer
Let's go upstate
Where we can stay
- We can all go stay with our father - Oh
- If you take your time - Look around, look around
- You will make your mark - At how lucky we are
To be alive right now
Close your eyes and dream
We can go when the night gets dark
Take a break
I have to get my plan through Congress.
I can't stop till 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've 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 30 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
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 - No, 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
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 they luck
You see, that was my wife Who you decided to...
- Fu... - 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 Goddamn it, get up
I didn't know any better!
- I am ruined - Please don't leave me with him
- I am - Helpless
How could I do this?
Just give him what he wants And you can have me
- I don't want you - Whatever you want
I don't want you
If you pay, you can stay
Lord, show me how to say no to this
- I don't know how to say no to this - Tonight
- But the situation's helpless - Helpless
And her body's screaming, "Hell yes"
- Whoa - No, show me how to say no to this
- How can I say no to this? - How can you say no to this?
- There is nowhere I can go - Go, go, go
When her body's on mine I do not say
- No! Say no to this - Yes
- No! - Yes
- Say no to this - Yes, yes, yes
- No! - Yes
Yeah
Say no to this
- I don't say no to this - Don't say no to this
There is nowhere I can go
Go, go, go
So?
Nobody needs to know
Ah, Mr. Secretary
Mr. Burr, sir
Hey, did you 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 - Yeah, that's a lot less work
We ought to give it a try
Now how you gonna Get your debt plan through?
I guess I'm gonna finally Have to listen to you
Really?
Talk less
Smile more
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 gotta go
Oh, but, uh...
Decisions are happening over dinner
Two Virginians and an immigrant Walk into a room
Diametrically opposed, foes
They emerge with a compromise
Having opened doors that were
- Previously closed - Bros
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
Thomas claims:
Alexander was on Washington's doorstep One day, in distress and disarray
Thomas claims:
- Alexander said: - I have nowhere else to turn
And basically begged me To join the fray
Thomas claims:
I approached Madison and said:
"I know you hate him 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 yes
The pieces that are sacrificed In every game of chess
We just assume that it happens
But no one else is in the room Where it happens
- Meanwhile - Meanwhile Madison is grappling
With the fact that not every issue Can be settled by committee
- Meanwhile - Congress is fighting
Over where to put the capital
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
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
Ha!
Click, boom, then it happened
And no one else is 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 US capital?
'Cause 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
What do you want, Burr? What do you want, Burr?
If you stand for nothing, Burr What do you fall for?
I...
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 where it happens
- I... - I wanna be in the room
- Where it happens
Where it happens The room where it happens
- Oh, yeah, oh - I wanna be
- In the room where it happens - I wanna be
- The room where it happens - I wanna be
- I've got to be - I wanna be
- I've got to be - In the room where it happens
- In the room - The room where it happens
That big old room
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 - Where it happens
- I've got to be - In the room where it happens
- I've got to be in the room - In the room where it happens
I got to be, I got to be
- I wanna be - I wanna be
- In the room - 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
Well, Daddy's gonna find out Any minute
I'm sure he already knows
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
Hey, 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
And 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.
Now, do we commit money and aid 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 one 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
Uh, 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
Uh-huh.
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
- Oh! - 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
Ay, and if you don't know Now you know, Mr. President
Thank you, Secretary Jefferson.
Secretary Hamilton, your response.
Get him, boy!
Let him know right now.
You must be outta 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 king-less
We signed a treaty with a king Whose head is now in a basket
Would you like to take it out And ask it?
"Oh, should we honor our treaty King Louis's head?"
"Ah, do whatever you want I'm super dead"
Enough, enough
- Hamilton is right - Mr. President...
We're too fragile To start another fight
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 - Yes, sir
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 ought to remind you - What?
You're nothing Without Washington behind you
- Hamilton. - Daddy's calling.
It must be nice
To have Washington on your side
It must be nice
To have Washington on your side
Every action Has its equal opposite reaction
Thanks to Hamilton Our cabinet'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 asking For someone to bring him to task
Somebody give me 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
To have Washington on your side
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
Or 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 mother ♪ Democratic-Republicans
Oh, now 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
We 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 'em How to say goodbye
To say goodbye
You and I
No, sir. Why?
I want to 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
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 want to 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 45 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
One last time
George Washington's going home
Teach 'em how to say goodbye
George Washington's going home
You and I
George Washington's going home
- Going home - George Washington's going home
History has its eyes on you
- George Washington's going home - Yeah
Yeah, we're gonna teach 'em How to say goodbye
Teach 'em how to say goodbye
Teach them how to say goodbye To say goodbye
Say goodbye one last time
One last time
Time
They say
George Washington's yielding his power
And stepping away
Is that true?
I wasn't aware that was something A person could do
I'm perplexed
Are they going to keep on Replacing whoever's in charge?
If so, who's next?
There's nobody else in their "country"
Who looms quite as large
What?
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? '85
That poor man They're going to 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-dai-ah-da
Da-da-da-da-dai-ah-d...
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 cabinet 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 Mr. 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's 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 is 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 1791
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
You best g'wan run back Where you 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, that was my wife Who you decided to..."
What?
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 And 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
Know, know
In the eye of a hurricane There is quiet
For just a moment
A yellow sky
When I was 17 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
And 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 12 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
- I'll write my way out - Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it
Write everything down far as I can see
Wait for it, wait for it Wait for it, wait for it
I'll write my way out
Overwhelm them with honesty
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"
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
Have you read this?
- He's never gon' be president now - Never gon' be president now
- Well, 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 - Ooh.
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
- 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
- Well - He's never gon' be president now
- At least he was honest with our money - He's never gon' be president now
He's never gon' be president now
- Hey - He's never gon' be president now
At least he was honest with our money
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 rereading 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've married an Icarus
He's 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'm 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'll 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 probably 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 19, 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 looking 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 going to see a play - Well, I'll go visit his box
- God, you're a fox - Y'all look pretty good in your frocks
How 'bout when I get back We all strip down to our socks?
Okay!
Blow us all away
George!
- George. - I'm trying to watch the show.
You should've 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
Ooh.
- It's like that? - Yeah, I don't fool around
- I'm not your little schoolboy friends - Well, 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 watching the 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
All right
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
And 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
Mr. 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 - Where's my son?
Mr. Hamilton, come in.
They brought him in a half an hour ago. He lost a lot of blood on the way over.
- Is he alive? - 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 everything 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
- High - I know, I know, shh
I know you did everything just right
Even before we got to ten
I was aiming for the sky
I know, I know, shh
- I was aiming for the s... - I know, I know, shh
I know Save your strength and 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
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
Un, deux, trois...
Sept, huit, neuf.
Sept, huit...
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's 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? - Uh, please.
Yo, every action has Its 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 - 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 - Huh?
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.
- What? - It might be nice
It might be nice
To get Hamilton on your side
It might be nice
To get Hamilton on your side
- Talk less - Burr!
- Smile more! - Burr!
Don't let them know What you're against or what you're for
Burr!
- Shake hands with him - Burr!
- Charm her - Burr!
It's 1800. Ladies, tell your husbands, "Vote for 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 Federalists
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? - Jefferson or Burr?
We know it's lose-lose
- Jefferson or Burr? - Jefferson or Burr?
But if you had to choose
- Dear Mr. Hamilton - Jefferson or Burr?
John Adams doesn't stand a chance
- So who are you promoting? - 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 - Jefferson or Burr?
Choose, choose, choose
Yo!
Oh!
The people are asking to hear my voice
Oh!
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, 75 different fronts
Oh!
But when all is said and all is done
Jefferson has beliefs
- Burr has none - Ooh!
Well, I'll be damned
Hamilton's on your side
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 is crazy that the guy who comes in second
gets to be vice president.
Ooh. You know what? We can change that.
- You know why? - Why?
'Cause I'm the president.
Burr, uh, 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 30 years of disagreements
Sweet Jesus.
Hey, I have not been shy
I am just a guy in the public eye
Trying 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?
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 rode across the Hudson At dawn
My friend, William P. Van Ness Signed on
- As my number two - 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 happening 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
Five
Now, I didn't know this at the time But we were
- Near the same spot your son died - 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 eyes 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, several 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 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
I hear wailing in the streets
Somebody tells me, "You'd better hide"
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 in 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 that he gave us.
Who lives? Who dies? Who tells your story?
Every other founding father's story Gets told
Every other founding father Gets to grow old
And when you're gone Who remembers your name?
Who keeps your flame? Who tells your story?
Who tells your story?
Eliza
I put myself back in the narrative
Eliza
I stop wasting time on tears
I live another 50 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 - Angelica
While she's alive
- We tell your story - We tell your story
She is buried in Trinity Church
- Near you - 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 DC 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?
Oh.
Can I show you what I'm proudest of?
The orphanage
I establish 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 - 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
Time
- Will they tell your story? - Time
Who lives? Who dies? Who tells your story?
Time
- Will they tell your story? - Time
Who lives? Who dies?
Who tells your story?