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Alexander Hamilton
Leslie Odom Jr. Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

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 fourteen, 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 is 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 bed-ridden
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 nothin' 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 have been nothin' left to do for someone less astute
He woulda been dead or destitute without a cent of restitution
Started workin', clerkin' for his late mother's landlord
Tradin' sugar cane and rum and all the things he can't afford
Scammin' for every book he can get his hands on
Plannin' for the future see him now as he stands on
The bow of a ship headed for the new land
In New York you can be a new man

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

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 your 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 (shot him, shot him)

There's a million things I haven't done
But just you wait

What's your name, man?

Alexander Hamilton

Overall Meaning

Leslie Odom Jr.'s 'Alexander Hamilton' is a song that tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. The first verse of the song is a rhetorical question asking how Alexander Hamilton, who began as a "bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman," could become a hero and a scholar. The song goes on to detail Hamilton's early life, including his father's abandonment when he was a child, his mother's death from illness when he was a teenager, and his self-taught education and work as a clerk for a merchant company in St. Croix, where he earned notice for his writing skills.


The second verse of the song covers Hamilton's move to New York City, where he continued to work as a clerk and eventually became involved in the American Revolution, serving as an aide-de-camp to General George Washington. The song also alludes to the infamous duel in which Hamilton was shot by Aaron Burr and died the next day. The final verse of the song is an introspective one, as Hamilton reflects on the legacy he is leaving and whether he will be remembered for his contributions to the United States.


Line by Line Meaning

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?
Alexander Hamilton was born in a difficult and impoverished situation to unknown fatherage. He was determined to overcome his difficult upbringing by pursuing an education and achieving greatness.


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 fourteen, they placed him in charge of a trading charter
Alexander's resourcefulness, intelligence, and hard work helped him achieve impressive success at a young age.


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
Alexander faced many hardships during his young life, but he continued to persevere and desire greater success.


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
Despite experiencing significant devastation, Alexander used his pain as inspiration for creativity, which led to the beginning of his success.


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 is gonna know your name What's your name, man? Alexander Hamilton
Due to his impressive achievements in spite of great adversity, Alexander became widely known and respected. He continued to pursue education and hard work, with the hopes of making an even greater name for himself.


When he was ten his father split, full of it, debt-ridden Two years later, see Alex and his mother bed-ridden Half-dead sittin' in their own sick, the scent thick And Alex got better but his mother went quick
Alexander's father left the family when he was young, causing significant financial difficulty. When his mother fell ill, Alexander was in a very difficult place, but he continued to fight for survival and eventually recovered.


Moved in with a cousin, the cousin committed suicide Left him with nothin' 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
After his mother passed away, Alexander moved in with a cousin, who committed suicide. However, Alexander did not give up hope and continued to educate himself and work hard for a better future.


There would have been nothin' left to do for someone less astute He woulda been dead or destitute without a cent of restitution Started workin', clerkin' for his late mother's landlord Tradin' sugar cane and rum and all the things he can't afford Scammin' for every book he can get his hands on Plannin' for the future see him now as he stands on The bow of a ship headed for the new land In New York you can be a new man
Alexander's perseverance and resourcefulness helped him survive and achieve success, even in a difficult and impoverished situation. He continued to work hard and plan for his future, eventually moving to New York with the hope of creating a new life for himself.


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 was widely recognized and respected for his impressive accomplishments and leadership abilities.


When America sings for you Will they know what you overcame? Will they know you rewrote your game? The world will never be the same, oh
Alexander's success and achievements inspired many, and he became a symbol of overcoming adversity and creating a new future.


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 (shot him, shot him)
Alexander continued to face challenges and enemies even after achieving success. However, his contributions and impact are still widely recognized and respected today.


There's a million things I haven't done But just you wait What's your name, man? Alexander Hamilton
Alexander was a man with many achievements, and he continued to strive for greatness until the end of his life.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lin-Manuel Miranda

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@m.otoole7501

Lin-Manuel of "Hamilton"
A Tribute to the Genius of Lin Manuel Miranda
(Covers are welcome!!!!!!!)

How does the genius, well-read, son of two brilliant
Puerto Ricans, dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot in
the Heights of New York, a man patiently waitin'
Go on to charm entire generations?

This bright scholar, a playwright, actor, and father
Got a lot farther by workin' a lot harder
By bein' a lot smarter
By bein' a self-starter
When in the Heights, he wrote and rapped his way to stardom

And everyday while plays
were bein' run through and displayed
On stage along Broadway, Lin-Manuel he kept his guard up
Inside he was longin' for something to be a part of
the brother was ready to compose, free-style, and start-up

Then 2009 came, to the White House he was bade
our Lin stood proud and stoic, asked to perform on the stage
Put the mic against his chin, and let the words flow from his brain
and he sang that bold refrain, a testament to his fame

Well the word got around they said "this kid is insane, man!"
Singin' 'bout the foundin' fathers, what’s he tryin' to claim man!
Get this show on Broadway, don't forget from whence you came!
And the world's gonna know your name!
What's your name, man?

Lin-Manuel Miranda!
My name is Lin-Manuel Miranda!
Yes this style of show’s never been done!
But just you wait...
Just you wait...

It was a struggle at first, 'twas the worst, kept hidden,
Two years later, see Lin and his plan bed-ridden
Half-dead, exhausted and sick, his doubts thick

But Lin he got better (And his dream it grew quick!)

Started with his first draft, that draft left him unsatisfied
Left him with nothin' but ruined pride, something new inside,
His wife sayin’
"Please, Lin, don’t throw away your shot"

He started writin' and fightin' just to give “Hamilton” its start

There would have been nothin' left to do for someone less astute
They wouldn't have chosen to recruit, without Manuel and his solution
Started Actin’ Castin’ the Groff, Pippa and Oak,
Prepping them for Hamilton, Preparing them for his new show

Jammin’ out every rhyme he could get his hands on
Plannin' for the future see him now as he stands on
The bright Rodgers stage, workin' his greatest plan:
On Broadway you can be a new man!

On Broadway you can be a new man (Just you wait)
On Broadway you can be a new man (Just you wait)
On Broadway you can be a new man
On Broadway!
Just you wait!

Oh Lin-Manuel of Hamilton (Lin-Manuel of Hamilton)
We are waiting in the wings for you
You could never back down
You always say what’s on your
Mind!

Oh, Lin-Manuel of Hamilton!
When your HamFam sings for you
Will they know what you overcame?
Will they know you rewrote your game?
The world will never be the same, oh

The show has won some Tony’s now
See if you can spot him
A brilliant Broadway man comin' up from the bottom
The haters want to bring him down, his fans haven't forgot him

Pippa/Leslie/Daveed/Oak/Groffsauce/Jasmine/Renee
We, act with him!


In the Heights cast
Me, I worked with him

Ron Chernow
Me, I trusted him!

Vanessa
Me, I love him!

HamFam:
And us… we’re the HamFam that praise him!

There’s a million things I haven’t done
But just you wait

What’s your name, man?

Lin-Manuel Miranda!



@TheKewlPerson

Lyrics:

Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Got yourself a problem
He can Alexander handle it

Lost 150 pounds
Alexander damn he thin
Never lost a single fight
Alexander champion
Has a love for weird guitars
Alexander mandolin
Wishin' he could go to sleep
Alexander Ambien
Lives in a department store
Alexander mannequin
Breath is smellin' kinda' whack
Alexander hand ya mints
Sees something he doesn't like?
He Alexander banning it
Loves The Office way too much
Alexander Pam and Jim

Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Recently became a saint
Alexander hasn't sinned

Favorite Sith Lord in the world
Alexander Anakin
Has a very lovely smile
Alexander handsome grin
Transitioned to a woman, now he
Alexander man again
Knows two songs by Eminem
Alexander Stan and Kim
Totally skipped lunch, I want an
Alexander sandwich
What you want on your footlong?
Alexander ham and swiss
Yo, he'd make a good president
Alexander candidate
Really need some liquor now
Alexander hand me gin
Doesn't get enough sunlight
Alexander tanning bed
This costume cost a jillion dollars
Alexander damn he rich
Used to watch the old school Jack
Alexander Handypen
Elton John's his favorite artist
Alexander Candle Wind

Yo, I dedicate this song to Alexander Hamilton, the greatest president in the wooorrld


Lyrics by Jacksfilms



@jonathandahlberg437

Alex and I love christmas
My name is Alex and I love christmas
And there's a million gifts I haven't wrapped
Just give me time, please give me time

When he was ten,
found out santa wasn't real
he couldn't deal
bo bo bada bapa boo



All comments from YouTube:

@noah60065

If people question the accuracy of the musical, Burr literally wrote a one paragraph letter asking Hamilton if he was talking shit. In which he replied with a six paragraph response that boiled down to 'not only am i talking shit, but I'm talking so much shit, you need to specify which time you're talking about'

@thatreallylongusernameonyo3904

Rebecca Cartwright dyING

@kaleywillis657

ewwwwwie

@WhiteWolf-lm7gj

Rebecca Cartwright lolol 😂😂😂❤❤❤❤❤❤

@dannyvo7334

Fucking destroyed him

@shockdartbique8991

also the time where he casually told Washington "yea I know Thomas is talking shit but I'm not gonna do shit because I don't wanna get involved."
in which- I THINK THIS THE QUOTE FROM THOMAS

"I wILL NOT LET MY RETIREMENT BE RUINED BY THE LIKES OF THIS MAN!!"

58 More Replies...

@mindofamango3903

Listening to Hamilton is like joining the mafia. Once you’re in you’re not leaving alive

@mayanocks6181

tottaly agrreed we die when we stop loviving him. then we meet him and join the dead hamfam

@endlesshalcyon

@@zzsanrio, did you become addicted to this wonderful fandom? If you did, if you don't know this already, beware of the ships. There are some insane ones out there.

moron

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