So it took me a long time to listen to the entirety of the show…and I’ve been listening to it for weeks now because clearly I am an addict. I want to see it, I really do, but I feel like I’ve ‘seen’ it…so fucking awesome. Below the cut are my favorite songs, why, and with their lines. I’m not saying I don’t like them all, but these are my personal favorites…like half the show haha.
In show order:
Aaron Burr, Sir. Favorite lyric: He looked at me like I’m stupid, I’m not stupid. Rationale: This son and the Burr and Sir are, of course, so addictive, but adding in Lafayette, Laurens, and Mulligan make it so flipping fun to listen to.
Farmer Refuted. Favorite lyric: Is he in Jersey? (the fucking SASS) Rationale: When two sets of lyrics are being sung and it sounds like a goddamn quilt of singing, I am done. Also: the sass and the shit-talking of this song. Yasss.
Right Hand Man. Favorite lyrics: Literally the whole damn thing. Rationale: This song was the first one that made me stop and listen to it again the first time I was listening to the show. It builds and builds like the battles and war it is meant to talk about and I cannot ever shake it. I get it stuck in my head alllll the time.
Satisfied. Favorite lyrics: The very end. He will never be satisfied. I will never be satisfied. Rationale: I feel parts of this song in every part of me because of the idea of having someone in your life you love but cannot be with. At least I have his eyes in my life is just about the truest statement I can understand in this life now.
Wait For It. Favorite Lyrics:
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 Rationale: Firstly, it is beautiful. I read a great article about the stark difference between Burr’s song - this one - and Alexander Hamilton. Two totally different feelings and I just…it’s soft and then builds to this fantastic crescendo but at the end it is soft again instead of a mighty crash…and if that’s not Burr…?
Guns and Ships. Favorite Lyrics: ALL OF LAFAYETTE. Rationale: I mean, Lafayette. LA. FAY. ETTE. Sassmaster mc sassy pants mc SASSY.
Non-Stop. Favorite Lyrics: Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room? Rationale: It’s such a great way to get into the meat of who Hamilton was after the war and it’s BEAT is so fucking RAD. ASHFASKDASNDSAHD
Cabinet Battle 1 and Cabinet Battle 2. Favorite Lyrics:
A civics lesson from a slaver. Hey neighbor Your debts are paid cuz you don’t pay for labor “We plant seeds in the South. We create.” Yeah, keep ranting We know who’s really doing the planting
and
We signed a treaty with a King whose head is now in a basket Would you like to take it out and ask it? “Should we honor our treaty, King Louis’ head?” “Uh… do whatever you want, I’m super dead.” Rationale: Literally the sass. I cannot with the fucking SASS. I just…GUYS.
Burn Favorite Lyrics: I have two.
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 and I hope that you burn. Rationale: This song broke me. At least he came back ot her. The first set of lyrics I highlighted…and when she says she scanned all of the letters for what she missed. I did that. I did it.
The Election of 1800. Favorite Lyrics: BURR! Rationale: Honestly I really just love how this song pulls in SO many pieces of the show…because it’s gearing up for the end and that feels pretty rad.
Your Obedient Servant. Favorite Lyrics:
You would need to cite a more specific grievance Here’s an itemized list of thirty years of disagreements [BURR]: Sweet Jesus Rationale: Sass. SASS. AND A BITCH FIGHT. YES.
The World Was Wide Enough. Favorite Lyrics:
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 Rationale: The return to the Ten Duel Commandments (which has a runner-up space for me) is amazing, and the idea that he is “throwing away his [literal] shot” is so interesting to me…and Burr telling it and…gah, man. This is the penultimate song and it highlights everything about the show that is so genius.
Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story Honestly, just a satisfying way to end the show. I like knowing what happened next…
The journey of this song is just crazy awesome. Miranda should be proud as fuck.