If you have known me for at least 5 minutes, it's likely that you know that I am obsessed with the play Hamilton. The writer, Lin-Manuel Miranda, created a phenomenon, and the play deserves all the hype it gets.
The lyrics are beautiful, inspirational, sad and funny. It was hard to narrow my favorite lyrics down. These are in no particular order but here are some of the lyrics that make Hamilton so great:
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1. "Alexander Hamilton. My name is Alexander Hamilton."
The iconic name! Lin-Manuel Miranda even said in an interview that Hamilton's name works really well with music.
2. "I'm just like my country, I'm young, scrappy and hungry."
These lyrics highlight the idea of the massive amount of opportunity we face in life, and I find them oddly inspiring.
3. "When you're living on your knees you rise up."
This call to action always motivates me to go and make a difference.
4. "Immigrants, we get the job done."
Hamilton immigrated to New York to get an education and accomplished a lot in his life.
5. "I am the one thing in life I can control. I am inimitable, I am an original."
A good reminder of how we should view our place in life.
6. "We put a stop to the bleeding as the British take Brooklyn."
This one is mostly for the massive history nerds like myself and is on this list to show some of the history that is included in the musical. The song "Right Hand Man" is full of historical references.
7. "History has its eyes on you."
If I had to choose, this would be one of the lyrics that tops my list. I find it both intimidating and inspiring that I might one day be remembered by history.
8. "I'll write under a pseudonym, you'll see what I can do to him."
I get really excited about how well some of the phrases in this musical rhyme.
9. "Death (love/ life) doesn't discriminate between the sinners and the saints, It takes and it takes and it takes."
This whole song is way too quotable and shows up a few times on this list.
10. "Everyone give it up for America's favorite fighting Frenchman!"
Lafayette! Best. Intro. Ever.
11. "Are you Aaron Burr, sir? (Blur, sir/ bursar)"
If it rhymes with Burr, it will probably be associated with his name.
12. "What is a legacy? It's planting scenes in a garden you never get to see."
There are so many lyrics that are poetic and beautiful. This one sticks out as one of the greatest lyrics. Hillary Clinton even quoted it in one of her campaign speeches.
13. "You built me palaces out of paragraphs, you built cathedrals."
Another instance of beautiful lyricism.
14. "Why do you write like it's going out of style (like you like you need it to survive / every second you're alive)."
"Non-Stop" seriously inspires me to get to work. Hamilton wrote 51 essays, you can write one.
15. "Look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now."
This is another song that you can just dance to.
16. "When I meet Thomas Jefferson, I'm'a compel him to include women in the sequel!"
This iconic Angelica line is just so good!
17. "Dying is easy, young man, living is harder."
George Washington is a source of wisdom throughout the whole play.
18. "I'm willing to wait for it."
Burr's patience in this song is beautiful.
19. "I'm past patiently waiting"
But then again, Hamilton's decision to make the most of his life is important too.
20. "There's nobody else in their 'country'..."
His Royal Sassiness, King George III, is in denial.
21. "Welcome to the present, we're running a real nation."
There are so many sassy lines in this play.
22. "Have I done enough, will they tell your story?"
Eliza Hamilton made so many sacrifices to make sure that her husband's story was told. Lin-Manuel Miranda said in one interview that his lyrics leave the audience wondering whether the name of the play, Hamilton, refers, not only to Alexander, but also to Eliza.
23. "I will send a fully-armed battalion to remind you of my love."
I couldn't resist ending on another King George quote because they are all too good.
