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?
How does the bastard, orphan, son of a whore
Go on and on grow into more of a phenomenon?
Watch this obnoxious, arrogant, loudmouth bother
Be seated at the right hand of the father
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?
How does the bastard, orphan, immigrant, decorated war vet
Unite the colonies through more debt
Fight the other founding fathers til he has to forfeit
Have it all, lose it all, you ready for more yet?
You’ve never seen a bastard orphan
More in need of a break
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?
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?
1776 – New York City
1780 – A Winter’s Ball
The Battle of Yorktown – 1781
Seventeen… se-, se-, seventeen,
Se-, se-, seventeen,
1789
The Election of 1800
i v VI iv VII
Natural 7
Swing
Alexander Hamilton.
My name is Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Spoken
I’m Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Hamilton!
Alexander Hamilton,
Troops are waiting in the field for you
Alexander Hamilton,
I have soldiers that will yield for you
Spoken; same rhythm
Even though we started at the very same time
Alexander Hamilton began to climb
I am Alexander Hamilton,
Hamilton
Mister Jefferson! Alexander Hamilton
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!
Alexander Hamilton had a torrid affair
And he wrote it down right there
Dear Mr. Hamilton
Your fellow Federalists would like to know how you’ll be voting
Dear Mr. Hamilton
John Adams doesn’t stand a chance so who are you promoting?
The world was wide enough for both Hamilton and me
The world was wide enough for both Hamilton and me
But Alexander,
I’ll never forget the first time I saw your face
The world will never be the same
Alexander
My Alexander
Angelica
Don’t forget to write
Alexander!
Okay, okay
Alexander,
Hi.
It’s good to see your face
Who did this? Alexander did you know?
When Alexander aimed at the sky
He may have been the first one to die
No leap up, dotted whole-step retained
In their eyes I see you, Alexander
And there’s a million things I haven’t done
There’s a million things I haven’t done
Simplified melody, same rhythm
Unimportant, there’s a million things I haven’t done
And there’s a million things I haven’t done,
But just you wait, just you wait
Just you wait
And there’s a million things I haven’t done,
But just you wait
Just you wait
Unimportant, there’s a million things I haven’t done,
But just you wait, just you wait
Just you wait
The world will never be the same
The world will never be the same
Spoken
The world will never be the same
Look into your eyes and the sky’s the limit
Oh look at those eyes
Intelligent eyes in a hunger-pang frame
But when I fantasize at night it’s Alexander’s eyes
As I romanticize what might have been
At least I keep his eyes in my life
Eyes up.
In their eyes I see you, Alexander
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
Rise up,
When are these colonies gonna rise up?
We gonna rise up
Rise up
Here comes the General!
Rise up
Spoken
Even orphan immigrants can leave their fingerprints and rise up
Spoken
Rise up, rise up, rise up
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room?
Soon that attitude may be your doom
Why do you write like you’re running out of time?
Writing at 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
Why do you always say what you believe?
Every proclamation guarantees free ammunition for your enemies
Why do you write like it’s going out of style?
Write day and night like it’s going out of style?
Every day you fight like it’s going out of style
Do what you do
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
Like you’re running out of time
Are you running out of time?
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?
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room?
Soon that attitude’s gonna be your doom
Why do you write like you’re running out of time?
Why do you write like you’re running out of time?
Spoken
I’m running out of time
I’m running and my time’s up
You really do write like you’re running out of time
Woah woah woah-oh-oh
Woah woah woah-oh-oh
Woah woah woah-oh-oh
Angelica
Angelica
From your sister
Angelica, Angelica, Angelica,
Who is always by your side
My Alexander
Angelica
Don’t forget to write
It says “my dearest, Angelica”
With a comma after “dearest”
You’ve written “my dearest, Angelica”
Alexander come downstairs,
Angelica’s arriving today
Angelica!
I came as soon as I heard
Angelica–
All the way from London? Damn
Angelica, thank God someone who understands what I’m struggling here to do
They say Angelica and Eliza
Were both at his side when he died
I rely on Angelica
While she’s alive we tell your story
Different melody
May you always be satisfied
You strike me as a woman who has never been satisfied
You’re like me, I’m never satisfied
I have never been satisfied
He will never be satisfied
He will never be satisfied,
I will never be satisfied
Spoken
The challenge demands satisfaction
Spoken
I’m satisfied
He will never be satisfied
Spoken
I get no satisfaction witnessing his fits of passion
Spoken
As you can see I have done nothing to provoke legal action
Are my answers to your satisfaction?
Put what we had aside
I’m standing at her side
You could never be satisfied
God, I hope you’re satisfied
I know my sister like I know my own mind
You will never find anyone as trusting or as kind
I know my sister like I know my own mind
You will never find anyone as trusting or as kind
Reversed
Augmented
Eliza
I introduce him to Eliza, now that’s his bride
How long have you known?
A month or so
Eliza you should have told me
Eliza
Eliza
Is he breathing? Is he going to survive this?
Look around, look around Eliza
Half sung
Eliza
My love take your time
They say Angelica, and Eliza
Were both at his side when he died
Eliza
Helpless!
Look into your eyes, and the sky’s the limit I’m helpless!
Down for the count, and I’m drownin in em
And long as I’m alive, Eliza,
Swear to God you’ll never feel so
Helpless
Helpless
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
Helpless!
Different melody
But my god she looks so helpless
And her body’s saying hell yes
Different melody
I am helpless
Different melody
But the situation’s helpless
And her body’s screamin hell yes
Look around, look around
The revolution’s happening in New York
Look around, look around
Angelica remind me what we’re looking for?
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
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
Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now
Look around, look around
Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now
Look around
Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now
Look around, look around
Look at where you are
Look at where you started
The fact that you’re alive is a miracle
But I’m not afraid
I know who I married
So long as you come home at the end of the day
Look at where you are
Look at where you started
The fact that you’re alive is a miracle
Look at where we are
Look at where we started
I know I don’t deserve you Eliza
But I’m not afraid
I know who I married
Just let me stay here by your side
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
So long as you come home at the end of the day
That would be enough
And I could be enough, and we could be enough, that would be enough
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?
Isn’t this enough?
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
That would be enough
Come back to bed, that would be enough
Another fifty years, it’s not enough
I don’t pretend to know the challenges you’re facing
The world you keep erasing and creating in your mind
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
Pardon me, are you Aaron Burr, sir?
Your Excellency, sir
Who are you?
Aaron Burr, sir.
Well, if it isn’t Aaron Burr
Sir!
Alexander.
Aaron Burr, sir.
Can we agree that duels are dumb and immature?
Sure.
Alexander?
Aaron Burr, sir
Well it’s the middle of the night
Can we confer, sir?
Ah, Mister Secretary
Mister Burr, sir
Well, if it isn’t Aaron Burr, sir
Alexander!
You’ve created quite a stir, sir
Let me offer you some free advice:
Talk less, smile more
Don’t let them know what you’re against or what you’re for
Congrats again Alexander, smile more
I guess I’m gonna finally have to listen to you:
Talk less, smile more, do whatever it takes to get my plan on the congress floor
Shh. Talk less.
Talk less, smile more
Don’t let them know what you’re against or what you’re for
Burr, the revolution’s imminent,
What do you stall for?
If you stand for nothing, Burr, what’ll you fall for?
What are you waiting for?
What do you stall for?
We won the war, what was it all for?
What do you want Burr? If you stand for nothing, Burr, what’ll you fall for?
Love doesn’t discriminate
Between the sinners and the saints,
It takes and it takes and it takes
Death doesn’t discriminate
Between the sinners and the saints,
It takes and it takes and it takes
Hamilton doesn’t hesitate,
He exhibits no restraint,
He takes and he takes and he takes
Life doesn’t discriminate
Between the sinners and the saints,
It takes and it takes and it takes
Death doesn’t discriminate
Between the sinners and the saints,
It takes and it takes and it takes
And if there’s a reason I’m by her side
When so many have tried
Then I’m willing to wait for it
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
And if there’s a reason he seems to thrive
When so few survive
Then goddamnit I’m willing to wait for it
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
You get nothin if you wait for it
Wait for it
w variation
Outgunned, outmanned,
Outnumbered, outplanned
We’ve gotta make an all-out stand
Provoke outrage, outright
Outrun, outlast
Hit em quick, get out fast
Dying is easy, son, living is harder
Winning was easy, governing’s harder
Go home, Alexander
That’s an order from your commander
Figure it out, Alexander
That’s an order from your commander
Let’s take a break tonight,
And then we’ll teach em how to say goodbye,
To say goodbye, you and I
We’re gonna teach em how to say goodbye, you and I
Why do you have to say goodbye?
If I say goodbye, the nation learns to move on
We’ll teach em how to say goodbye, you and I
We’re gonna teach em how to say goodbye,
Teach em how to say goodbye
To say goodbye
Half-sung
Teach me how to say goodbye
just 5 & b6
5 b6 VII, VI V
just 5 & b6
5, b6, then bVII
I’ll see you on the other side of the war
I’ll see you on the other side of the war
I’ll see you on the other side
Til we meet again
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
My love take your time.
I’ll see you on the other side.
Stay alive
The fact that you’re alive is a miracle
Just stay alive
That would be enough
The fact that you’re alive is a miracle
Just stay alive
That would be enough
I know,
Save your strength and stay alive
Stay alive
I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory
When’s it gonna get me, in my sleep, seven feet ahead of me?
If I see it coming do I run or do I let it be?
Is it like a beat without a melody?
I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory
This is where it gets me: on my feet
The enemy ahead of me
If this is the end of me, at least I have a friend with me
Weapon in my hand, a command, and my men with me
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
Look em in the eye, aim no higher
Summon all the courage you require
Then count!
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, eight, nine
Decorated
Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf
Good. Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf
One two three four
Five six seven eight nine!
One, two, three, four,
Five, six, seven—
Heartbeat kick drum pattern ceases
Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf
Good. Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf
One, two, three, four,
Five, six, seven, eight, nine
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
We just assume that it happens
And no one else is in the room where it happens
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
Click-boom and it happened
And no one else was in the room where it happened
I
Wanna be in the room where it happens
No one else was in the room where it happened
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
Every action has an equal, opposite reaction
Thanks to Hamilton our cabinet’s fractured into factions
Yo every action has an equal, opposite reaction
John Adams shat the bed. I love the guy, but he’s in traction
It must be nice, it must be nice
To have Washington on your side
It might be nice, it might be nice
To get Hamilton on your side
Well I’ll be damned, well I’ll be damned
Hamilton’s on your side
I am not throwin away my shot
Hey yo I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwin away my shot
It’s time to take a shot
When I fight I make the other side panicky with my shot
To socially advance instead of sewin some pants
I’m gonna take a shot
Wait till I sally in on a stallion with the first black battalion
Have another shot
If you talk, you’re gonna get shot
I am not throwin away my shot
Spoken
Laurens, do not throw away your shot
I am not throwin away my shot
I am not throwin away my shot
If I throw away my shot
i III, VI VII
i/5 not iv
i III VImaj7 (vii°7) V
And when our children tell our story
They’ll tell the story of tonight
If they tell my story
I am either gonna die on the battlefield in glory
And total strangers, moved to kindness
By my story
Every other founding father’s story gets told
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
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
Who tells your story?
And when you’re gone,
Who remembers your name?
Who keeps your flame?
Who tells your story?
She tells our story
We tell your story
Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?
Oh, let me be a part of the narrative
In the story they will write someday
I’m erasing myself from the narrative
I put myself back in the narrative
She tells my story
And when my time is up
Have I done enough?
Will they tell your story?
Will they tell your story?
I’ma get a scholarship to King’s College,
I prob’ly shouldn’t brag but dag I amaze and astonish
Meet the newest graduate of King’s College,
I prob’ly shouldn’t brag but dag I amaze and astonish
I knew you’d fight until the war was done
But you deserve a chance to meet your son
Spoken; unrelated rhythm
Gotta start a new nation, gotta meet my son!
Oh Philip when you smile I am undone
My son
Look at my son
Oh Philip you outshine the morning sun
My son
My son
When you smile
You knock me out, I fall apart
And I thought I was so smart
When you smile I fall apart
And I thought I was so smart
You knock me out, I fall apart
My name is Philip
I am a poet
I wrote this poem just to show it
My name is Philip
I am a poet
And I’m a little nervous but I can’t show it
We’ll give the world to you,
And you’ll blow us all away
Someday, someday
Yeah you’ll blow us all away
I used to hear him say that someday I would
Blow us all away
Blow us all away
I iii/1 vi/1
Spoken
Headed for a new land,
In New York you can be a new man
In New York you can be a new man
In New York you can be a new man
You never learned to take your time
Hamilton’s pace is relentless, he wastes no time
Could share a fraction of your time
If you take your time
You will make your mark
Eliza, my love take your time
Needed her most she was right on time
What would you do if you had more time
Modulation
He gives me more time
So much more if you only had time
When my time is up have I done enough?
It’s only a matter of time
Time
Raise a glass to freedom
Something they can never take away
Raise a glass to freedom
Raise a glass to the four of us
Tomorrow there’ll be more of us
Raise a glass to freedom,
Something you will never see again
Raise a glass to the four of us
To the newly not-poor of us
Spoken
We’re gonna fly a lot of flags half-mast
Raise a glass!
Half-sung
Raise a glass to freedom
The truth is in your face
When you hear the British cannons go boom
Hamilton won’t abandon ship
Yo, let’s steal their cannons
Sh-boom! goes the cannon,
Watch the blood and the shit spray and
Boom! goes the cannon,
We’re abandoning Kips Bay and
Boom! There’s another ship and
Boom! we just lost the southern tip and
Boom! we gotta run to Harlem quick
Boom! I’ll write to Congress
And tell em we need supplies,
You rally the guys,
Master the element of surprise
Chicka-boom! I’ll rise above my station,
Organize your information,
Til we rise to the occasion of our new nation
And his right-hand man… boom!
You walked in and my heart went boom
Click-boom then it happened
Click-boom!
When they died they left no instructions
Just a legacy to protect
We don’t need a legacy
We don’t need money
They renamed it after him,
The Mercer legacy is secure
This is only way I can protect my legacy
You and your words, obsessed with your legacy
I shoulder his legacy with pride
What if this bullet is my legacy?
Legacy. What is a legacy?
It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see
There’s nothing like summer in the city
Someone in a rush, next to someone lookin pretty
There’s nothing like summer in the city
Someone under stress meets someone lookin pretty
And even now I lie awake
Knowing history has its eyes on me
History has its eyes on
But remember from here on in
History has its eyes on you
History has its eyes on you
History has its eyes on you
History has its eyes on you you you yeah
Similiar contour and rhythm
I looked up and
The town had its eyes on me
History has its eyes on you
Thomas Jefferson’s coming home
Mister Jefferson welcome home
George Washington’s going home
And it’s quiet uptown
I never liked the quiet before
Philip you would like it uptown,
It’s quiet uptown
Eliza do you like it uptown?
It’s quiet uptown
It’s quiet uptown
It’s quiet uptown
Take a break
You’ve never seen a bastard orphan
More in need of a break
One last time
Let’s take a break tonight
Knight takes rook, but look
As we snatch a stalemate from the jaws of defeat
No one really knows how the parties get to yes
The pieces that are sacrificed in
Every game of chess
A game of chess where France is Queen- and Kingless
Peggy
Hamilton is a deeply interconnected work of art. The more I obsessed over the soundtrack the more I had to see how it would all look plotted on some sort of map. Months later I now present Map4Ham, a thematic atlas of Hamilton – a visual map of all the little callbacks and relationships that make the thing so dang brilliant. I haven’t seen the show 😥 [2017 update: saw it!] or even the score 😧, so this is all just transcribed from the recording and checked against lyrics online. Enjoy!
– Noah
I’ve organized connections into seven types:
I’m using a weird combination of roman numeral notation and slash chord notation, instead of figured bass. The idea is to notate chords in a “pop” style appropriate to the music, but independent of key. The basic rules are:
These are my own transcriptions, stripped down to just the core motivic material. The most salient part of a phrase is sometimes indicated with a bracket. Multiple versions of a melody are separated with double barlines. In some cases (“Angelica”, “Rise Up”) the intervals may vary but the indicated rhythm and contour are preserved.