Hamilton (The Musical)

Lynn LeFey · **on:** December 25, 2015, 05:30:50 AM

First, you have to understand something. I'm not a fan of musicals.

There are only a handful that I think are worth anything.

Second, you have to understand that an incredibly clever use of language in a song scores HUGE points from me, since most lyrics suck. I mean, suck bigtime. There are some stunningly awesome lyrics in the music for this play.

Third, you have to understand that I have no problem with hiphop style, even if used to voice the thoughts of the U.S. founding fathers.

Understanding this, the musical 'Hamilton' is SMURFING AMAZING!!!!

This is a link to the broadway cast's performance of the first song, and should be linked to all of them. All of the original broadway cast recordings are (currently) available free on Youtube.

While the number linked below is the opening number, the numbers I like most from it are 'Wait For It', 'Satisfied', and 'Right Hand Man'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7rcAVy6sh8&list=RDP7rcAVy6sh8#t=0

Lynn LeFey · **Reply #1 on:** December 25, 2015, 04:54:08 PM

Okay, well... since no one else has said anything...

Here's an example of what I like, lyrically, about this play. The first line is a callback to 'I am the very model of a modern major general' from Pirates of Penzance.

This is a bit from 'Right Hand Man', where Washington enlists Hamilton as his aid.

"Now I'm the model of a modern major general.
The venerated Virginian veteran whose men are all
lining up, to put me 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."

Gareth · **Reply #2 on:** December 25, 2015, 08:10:50 PM

I have to admit I had to look up who the heck Alexander Hamilton was.

Lynn LeFey · **Reply #3 on:** December 25, 2015, 09:08:14 PM

Don't feel bad. He's widely considered 'the forgotten founding father'. Most Americans don't know who he is.

If you care, the play was largely inspired by the biography 'Alexander Hamilton' by Ron Chernow.

My personal opinion is that his greatest contribution was his work on the Federalist Papers, which are pretty much the most important work on the interpretation of the Constitution. They're referenced in many Supreme Court rulings.

Here's a link to the gutenberg page with links to the docs.
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1404