Hamilton: Songs 34-38

(Couldn't find a picture from this part of the show, so have a little random Hamilton.)

The start of the second-act downturn – not in quality, but in Hamilton’s in-story situation.  Our boy has a hard time of it for quite a while, and these songs are where it starts.

“The Adams Administration” – After Washington’s departure, Hamilton doesn’t exactly remain the president’s right-hand man.  This short expository number runs through Hamilton’s sorry change of luck under John Adams.

Best lyric:  “Washington can’t help you now, no more mister nice President.”

“We Know” – In which Jefferson, Madison, and Burr confront Hamilton with the dirt they’ve found on him.  They think it’s treasonous – proof that he’s been speculating with Treasury money – when in truth, the sin is personal, not professional.  They’ve found the paper trail for the extortion money paid to the man Hamilton cuckolded.  But, as Hamilton realizes, a rumor is more than enough to ruin a man.

Best lyric:  “An immigrant embezzling our government funds–” – “I can’t almost see the headline, your career is done.” – “I hoped you saved some money for your daughter and sons.” – “Ya best g’wan run back where ya come from!”

“Hurricane” – What a lovely number.  Here, as Hamilton struggles to find his way out of the corner the Democratic-Republicans have backed him into, he looks back on his past hardships and finds the common thread that’s always been his salvation:  his writing.  Less hip hop, more melody as Hamilton plans to write “[his] own deliverance.”

Best lyric:  “I wrote my way out of hell. / I wrote my way to revolution. / I was louder than the crack in the bell.”

“The Reynolds Pamphlet” – Hamilton’s solution?  Not a great one.  Basically, he decides to air all his dirty laundry before his opponents have a chance to do it for him, so his publishes a paper about his affair and subsequent blackmailing.  A song about someone torpedoing their reputation has no right to be this catchy – the recurring “Well, he’s never gon’ be president now” line is a definite earworm, and I’m pretty sure the sight of Jefferson making it rain with copies of The Reynolds Pamphlet is single best visual in the entire show.

Best lyric:  “I love my sister more than anything in this life, / I will choose her happiness over mine every time.”

“Burn” – In this gorgeous song, Eliza reflects on her years with and letters from Hamilton, wondering how he could have exposed their family to such shame.  It’s another number that plays with the unknown nature of history – the title comes from the fact that Eliza burned her letters from his time, so no record of her reactions exist, and she defends that decision here.

Best lyric:  “The world has no right to my heart. / The world has no place in our bed. / They don’t get to know what I said. / I’m burning the memories.”