Alexander Hamilton (2014 Workshop)

Lyrics

[BURR] 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? [LAURENS] 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 [JEFFERSON] And every day while slaves were being slaughtered and carted Away across the waves, our Hamilton 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 [MADISON] 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 [BURR] 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?" [HAMILTON] Alexander Hamilton My name is Alexander Hamilton And there's a million things I haven't done But just you wait, just you wait... [ELIZA] When he was ten his father split, full of shit, debt-ridden Two years later, see Alex and his mother bed-ridden Half-dead, sittin' in their own sick, the scent thick [COMPANY] And Alex got better but his mother went quick [WASHINGTON] Moved in with a cousin, the cousin committed suicide Left him with nothing but ruined pride, something new inside A voice saying [COMPANY] "Alex, you gotta fend for yourself." [WASHINGTON] He started retreatin' and readin' every treatise on the shelf [BURR] 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 [BURR] [COMPANY] Scammin' for every book he could get his  Scammin' hands on Plannin' for the future see him now as he  Plannin' stands on Oooh [BURR] The bow of a ship headed for a new land In New York you can be a new man [COMPANY] [HAMILTON] In New York you can Be a new man— Just you wait! In New York you can Be a new man— Just you wait! [COMPANY] In New York you can be a new man— [WOMEN] In New York— [MEN] In New York— [HAMILTON] Just you wait! [ALL WOMEN] [ALL MEN] Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton We are waiting in the wings for you Waiting in the wings for you [COMPANY] You could never back down You never learned to take your Time! [ALL WOMEN] Oh, Alexander Hamilton [ALL MEN] Alexander Hamilton [COMPANY] When America sings for you Will they know what you overcame? Will they know you rewrote the game? The world will never be the same, oh [BURR] The ship is in the harbor now See if you can spot him [MEN] Just you wait! [BURR] Another immigrant Comin' up from the bottom [COMPANY] Just you wait! [BURR] His enemies destroyed his rep America forgot him And me? I'm the damn fool that shot him... [COMPANY] Wait! Gunshot [COMPANY] Alexander Hamilton!