Stay Alive
Original Broadway Cast Of Hamilton Lyrics
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Stay alive
I have never seen the general so despondent
I have taken over writing all his correspondence
Congress writes, "George, attack the British forces."
I shoot back: "We have resorted to eating our horses."
Local merchants deny us equipment, assistance
They only take British money, so sing a song of sixpence!
But, sir!
Alex, listen: there's only one way for us to win this
Provoke outrage
Outright
That's right.
Don't engage; strike by night.
Remain relentless 'til their troops take flight
Make it impossible to justify the cost of the fight
Outrun
Outrun
Outlast
Outlast
Hit 'em quick, get out fast
Chick-a-plao!
Stay alive 'til this horror show is past
We're gonna fly a lot of flags half-mast.
Raise a glass!
I go back to New York and my apprenticeship
I ask for French aid; I pray that France has sent a ship!
I stay at work with Hamilton; we write essays against slavery
And every day's a test of our camaraderie and bravery
We cut supply lines; we steal contraband
We pick and choose our battles and places to take a stand
And every day, "Sir, entrust me with a command!"
And every day
"No."
He dismisses me out of hand.
Instead of me, he promotes Charles Lee
Makes him second-in-command:
I'm a general. Whaa!
Yeah, he's not the choice I woulda gone with
He shits the bed at the Battle of Monmouth
Everyone attack!
Retreat!
Attack!
Retreat!
What are you doing, Lee? Get back on your feet!
But there's so many of them!
I'm sorry, is this not your speed?!
Hamilton!
Ready, sir!
Have Lafayette take the lead!
Yes, sir!
A thousand soldiers die in a hundred-degree heat
As we snatch a stalemate from the jaws of defeat
Charles Lee was left behind without a pot to piss in
He started saying this to anybody who would listen:
"Washington cannot be left alone to his devices
Indecisive from crisis to crisis
The best thing he can do for the revolution is turn 'n
Go back to planting tobacco in Mount Vernon!"
Ooh!
Don't do a thing; history will prove him wrong.
But, sir!
We have a war to fight; let's move along.
Strong words from Lee; someone oughta hold him to it
I can't disobey direct orders.
Then I'll do it.
Alexander, you're the closest friend I've got.
Laurens, do not throw away your shot.
The song "Stay Alive" is a pivotal moment in Act 1 of Hamilton, as it shows the Continental Army at a major low point in the Revolutionary War. George Washington is "despondent" as they are struggling to find the funding and supplies necessary to continue fighting against the British forces. In desperation, Congress suggests attacking the British, but Alexander Hamilton comes up with a different plan: to provoke outrage and strike at night. He insists that they must remain relentless until the British troops take flight, making it impossible for them to justify the cost of the fight. The song also explores the strained relationship between Hamilton and Washington, as the general promotes Charles Lee to second-in-command despite Hamilton's objections.
The first verse sets the stage for the dire situation facing the Continental Army. The merchants won't provide supplies without being paid in British money, which they don't have. The cavalry won't be coming to help them, and they've resorted to eating their horses. Hamilton's plan of attacking at night, avoiding engagement, and striking relentlessly until the British troops retreat shows his tactical brilliance in the war.
The second verse delves more into the personal relationships among the leaders of the Continental Army. Hamilton and his close friend, John Laurens, work tirelessly on their own initiative to cut off supply lines and steal contraband. Meanwhile, Hamilton's relationship with Washington is strained as he dismisses Hamilton's ideas and promotes Charles Lee, who proves to be a poor choice for second-in-command. Despite the setbacks and losses faced by the Continental Army, Hamilton and Laurens remain optimistic and dedicated to winning the war.
Line by Line Meaning
Stay alive
Do not die
Stay alive
Continue to live
I have never seen the general so despondent
I have never seen the general so hopeless and discouraged
I have taken over writing all his correspondence
I have taken over writing all his letters and messages
Congress writes, 'George, attack the British forces.'
Congress tells George Washington to attack British forces
I shoot back: 'We have resorted to eating our horses.'
I reply with the fact that we have no resources left and have even resorted to eating our own horses
Local merchants deny us equipment, assistance
Local merchants refuse to sell or provide us with equipment or aid
They only take British money, so sing a song of sixpence!
They only take British currency, so we are left with nothing
The cavalry's not coming.
Help is not coming
But, sir!
But, sir!
Alex, listen: there's only one way for us to win this
Alexander, listen: there is only one way for us to achieve victory
Provoke outrage
Make the enemy angry
Outright
Completely
That's right.
That is correct
Don't engage; strike by night.
Do not start a direct fight; attack during the night
Remain relentless 'til their troops take flight
Continue to fight until the enemy is forced to retreat
Make it impossible to justify the cost of the fight
Make it so costly for the enemy that they cannot justify continuing the fight
Outrun
Run faster than the enemy
Outrun
Run faster than the enemy
Outlast
Endure longer than the enemy
Outlast
Endure longer than the enemy
Hit 'em quick, get out fast
Attack them quickly, then retreat fast
Chick-a-plao!
Onomatopoeic sound of gunfire
Stay alive 'til this horror show is past
Survive until this terrible event is over
We're gonna fly a lot of flags half-mast.
We will lower many flags in honor of the fallen soldiers
Raise a glass!
Let's make a toast!
I go back to New York and my apprenticeship
I return to New York and continue learning
I ask for French aid; I pray that France has sent a ship!
I request help from France and hope they have sent a ship
I stay at work with Hamilton; we write essays against slavery
I stay busy with Hamilton and write anti-slavery essays
And every day's a test of our camaraderie and bravery
Every day is a challenge for our teamwork and courage
We cut supply lines; we steal contraband
We destroy supply lines and take goods illegally
We pick and choose our battles and places to take a stand
We carefully decide which battles to fight and where to defend
And every day, 'Sir, entrust me with a command!'
And every day, I ask to be given a leadership position
And every day
And every day
'No.'
No.
He dismisses me out of hand.
He quickly rejects my request
Instead of me, he promotes Charles Lee
Instead of me, he chooses to promote Charles Lee
Makes him second-in-command:
Makes him the second highest ranking officer
I'm a general. Whaa!
I am a general, how could he choose someone like Charles Lee over me
Yeah, he's not the choice I woulda gone with
Yes, he is not the person I would have chosen
He shits the bed at the Battle of Monmouth
He performs poorly in the Battle of Monmouth
Everyone attack!
Everyone, attack!
Retreat!
Withdraw!
Attack!
Attack!
Retreat!
Withdraw!
What are you doing, Lee? Get back on your feet!
What are you doing, Charles Lee? Get back up and fight!
But there's so many of them!
But there are too many enemy soldiers!
I'm sorry, is this not your speed?!
I'm sorry, is this too fast-paced for you?!
Hamilton!
Hamilton!
Ready, sir!
I am ready, sir!
Have Lafayette take the lead!
Give Lafayette the leadership position!
Yes, sir!
Yes, sir!
A thousand soldiers die in a hundred-degree heat
Many soldiers die in the hot weather
As we snatch a stalemate from the jaws of defeat
As we turn a possible loss into a tie
Charles Lee was left behind without a pot to piss in
Charles Lee was left with nothing
He started saying this to anybody who would listen:
He started saying this to anyone who would listen:
'Washington cannot be left alone to his devices
'Washington cannot be left to make his own decisions
Indecisive from crisis to crisis
Unable to make decisions during crises
The best thing he can do for the revolution is turn 'n
The best thing he can do for the revolution is leave
Go back to planting tobacco in Mount Vernon!'
Go back to his former life of planting tobacco in Mount Vernon
Ooh!
Interjection expressing excitement or emotion
Don't do a thing; history will prove him wrong.
Do not act; history will show that he is wrong
But, sir!
But, sir!
We have a war to fight; let's move along.
We are in the middle of a war; let's focus on that
Strong words from Lee; someone oughta hold him to it
Charles Lee's words are strong; someone should make sure he keeps his promises
I can't disobey direct orders.
I cannot go against my orders
Then I'll do it.
Then I will do it
Alexander, you're the closest friend I've got.
Alexander, you are my closest friend
Laurens, do not throw away your shot.
Laurens, do not waste your opportunity
Contributed by London F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mos8048
The "british" were doing a volley,none of them were chilling,they split into 4 so the volleys would inflict damage.
Example:
Line 1: shoots then retreats to reload
Line 2: moves forward to shoot then retreats to reload
Line 1: same thing
Line 2: same thing
@giovannamello6226
[Eliza]
Stay alive
[Eliza Angelica Ensemble Women]
Stay alive
[Hamilton]
I have never seen the General so despondent
I have taken over writing all his correspondence
Congress writes
George, attack the British forces
I shoot back
We have resorted to eating our horses
Local merchants deny us equipment, assistance
They only take British money
So sing a song of sixpence
[Washington]
The cavalry's not coming
[Hamilton]
But, sir!
[Washington]
Alex, listen. There's only one way for us to win this
Provoke outrage, outright
[Hamilton]
That's right
[Washington]
Don't engage, strike by night
Remain relentless 'til their troops take flight
[Hamilton]
Make it impossible to justify the cost of the fight
[Washington]
Outrun
[Hamilton]
Outrun
[Washington]
Outlast
[Hamilton]
Outlast
[Washington]
Hit 'em quick, get out fast
[Hamilton]
Chick-a-plao!
[Washington]
Stay alive 'til this horror show is past
We're gonna fly a lot of flags half-mast
[Hamilton Laurens Lafayette]
Raise a glass!
[Mulligan]
I go back to New York and my apprenticeship
[Lafayette]
I ask for French aid
I pray that France has sent a ship
[Laurens]
I stay at work with Hamilton
We write essays against slavery
And every day's a test of our camaraderie
And bravery
[Hamilton]
We cut supply lines, we steal contraband
We pick and choose our battles and places
to take a stand
And ev'ry day
Sir, entrust me with a command
And ev'ry day
[Washington]
No
[Hamilton]
He dismisses me out of hand
[Eliza Angelica]
Stay alive
[Hamilton]
Instead of me
He promotes Charles Lee
Makes him second-in-command
[Lee]
I'm a General. Whee!
[Hamilton]
Yeah. He's not the choice I would have gone with
[Hamilton Laurens Lafayette]
He shits the bed at the Battle of Monmouth
[Washington]
Ev'ryone attack!
[Lee]
Retreat!
[Washington]
Attack!
[Lee]
Retreat!
[Washington]
What are you doing, Lee?
Get back on your feet!
[Lee]
But there's so many of them!
[Washington]
I'm sorry, is this not your speed?
Hamilton!
[Hamilton]
Ready, sir!
[Washington]
Have Lafayette take the lead!
[Hamilton]
Yes, sir!
[Laurens]
A thousand soldiers die in a hundred degree heat
[Lafayette]
As we snatch a stalemate
from the jaws of defeat
[Hamilton]
Charles Lee was left behind
Without a pot to piss in
He started sayin' this to anybody who would listen
[Lee]
Washington cannot be left alone to his devices
Indecisive, from crisis to crisis
The best thing he can do for the revolution
Is turn n' go back to plantin' tobacco in Mount Vernon
[Company]
Oo!
[Washington]
Don't do a thing. History will prove him wrong
[Hamilton]
But, sir!
[Washington]
We have a war to fight, let's move along
[Laurens]
Strong words from Lee
someone oughta hold him to it
[Hamilton]
I can't disobey direct orders
[Laurens]
Then I'll do it
Alexander, you're the closest friend I've got
[Hamilton]
Laurens, do not throw away your shot
@ymer9576
ELIZA]
Stay alive…
[ELIZA/ANGELICA/ENSEMBLE WOMEN]
Stay alive…
[HAMILTON]
I have never seen the General so despondent
I have taken over writing all his correspondence
Congress writes, “George, attack the British forces.”
I shoot back, we have resorted to eating our horses
Local merchants deny us equipment, assistance
They only take British money, so sing a song of sixpence

Bella Poarch “Living Hell' Official Lyrics & Meaning | Verified
[WASHINGTON]
The cavalry’s not coming
[HAMILTON]
But, sir!
[WASHINGTON]
Alex, listen. There’s only one way for us to win this
Provoke outrage, outright
[HAMILTON]
That’s right
[WASHINGTON]
Don’t engage, strike by night
Remain relentless ‘til their troops take flight
[HAMILTON]
Make it impossible to justify the cost of the fight
[WASHINGTON]
Outrun
[HAMILTON]
Outrun
[WASHINGTON]
Outlast
[HAMILTON]
Outlast
[WASHINGTON]
Hit ‘em quick, get out fast
[HAMILTON]
Chick-a-plao!
[WASHINGTON]
Stay alive ‘til this horror show is past
We’re gonna fly a lot of flags half-mast
[HAMILTON/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE]
Raise a glass!
[MULLIGAN]
I go back to New York and my apprenticeship
[LAFAYETTE]
I ask for French aid, I pray that France has sent a ship
[LAURENS]
I stay at work with Hamilton
We write essays against slavery
And every day’s a test of our camaraderie
And bravery
[HAMILTON]
We cut supply lines, we steal contraband
We pick and choose our battles and places to take a stand
And ev’ry day
“Sir, entrust me with a command,”
And ev’ry day
[WASHINGTON]
No
[HAMILTON]
He dismisses me out of hand
[HAMILTON, LEE, ELIZA/ANGELICA]
Stay alive...
Instead of me, he promotes Charles Lee (Charles Lee)
Makes him second-in-command:
[LEE]
I’m a General. Whee!!!!
[HAMILTON]
Yeah. He’s not the choice I would have gone with
[HAMILTON/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE]
He shits the bed at the Battle of Monmouth
[WASHINGTON]
Ev’ryone attack!
[LEE]
Retreat!
[WASHINGTON]
Attack!
[LEE]
Retreat!
[WASHINGTON]
What are you doing, Lee? Get back on your feet!
[LEE]
But there’s so many of them!
[WASHINGTON]
I’m sorry, is this not your speed?!
Hamilton!
[HAMILTON]
Ready, sir!
[WASHINGTON]
Have Lafayette take the lead!
[HAMILTON]
Yes, sir!
[LAURENS]
A thousand soldiers die in a hundred degree heat
[LAFAYETTE]
As we snatch a stalemate from the jaws of defeat
[HAMILTON]
Charles Lee was left behind
Without a pot to piss in
He started sayin’ this to anybody who would listen:
[LEE]
Washington cannot be left alone to his devices
Indecisive, from crisis to crisis
The best thing he can do for the revolution
Is turn n’ go back to plantin’ tobacco in Mount Vernon
[COMPANY]
Oo!!
[WASHINGTON]
Don’t do a thing. History will prove him wrong
[HAMILTON]
But, sir!
[WASHINGTON]
We have a war to fight, let’s move along
[LAURENS]
Strong words from Lee, someone oughta hold him to it
[HAMILTON]
I can’t disobey direct orders
[LAURENS]
Then I’ll do it
Alexander, you’re the closest friend I’ve got
[HAMILTON]
Laurens, do not throw away your shot
@HxneyBuns
Why does nobody talk about the choreography in this song? It’s amazing!
@vanish2884
Because everyone is too distracted by “I’m a general, WEEEEEEE”
@sadiesstuff4270
@Vanish WEeEeEeE
@Talon.77
Choreography entire performance. Look at helpless the satisfied. Basically helpless choreography is difficult, then, reverses for satisfied
@tingletipson
@vanish2884 I'm A gEnErAl, ĤẂƏĘƏĘƏĘƏĘƏĘƏ
@Vst_13
Yeah, it's amazing!
@nickieBurke
That's how history remembers him. Mr I'M A GENERAL, WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
@glitchherobrine3773
Haha
@nickieBurke
@Morgan Jepps I choose the former rather then the ladder >:)
@Soph-TV
My fad texted me at 12:30 AM today to ask who Charles Lee was. I replied with, “A GENERAL, WHEEEEE,” and proceeded to send him this video and the studio recording from Spotify. Then, I sent him gifs of every character in the song. I need help.