Alexander Hamilton
Leslie Odom Jr. Lyrics

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.