Hamming it up: Analyzing the Lyrics of "Hamilton" Main Menu Welcome History Is Happening Welcome One! Welcome All! "Aaron Burr, Sir" Let's meet the gang! "My Shot" Don't Throw it Away "The Story of Tonight" The Calm Before the Storm "The Schuyler Sisters" Here come the Ladies! "Farmer Refuted" Tension Builds with England "You'll Be Back" The King has Arrived "Right Hand Man" General George Washington enters "A Winter's Ball" A Night Out on the Town "Helpless" Love has Something To Do With It "Satisfied" Angelica's Mind "The Story of Tonight (reprise)" A Moment Between Friends "Wait For It" Keep Moving Forward "Stay Alive" Loved One's Prayer "Ten Duel Commandments" Gentlemen's Fight "Meet Me Inside" A Change "That Would Be Enough" Reassurance "Guns and Ships" France's Assist "History Has Its Eyes On You" A Warning To Alexander "Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)" Battle Begins and Ends "What Comes Next?" Peace Out from the King "Dear Theodosia" The New Generation "Non-Stop" And We're Back! "What'd I Miss" Welcome Jefferson "Cabinet Battle #1" Hamilton VS Jefferson: Round 1 "Take a Break" A Wife's Request To Relax "Say No To This" Another Women "The Room Where It Happens" Conversation Between Delagates "Schuyler Defeated" Tides Start To Turn "Cabinet Battle #2" Hamilton VS Jefferson: Round 2 "Washington On Your Side" Toe to Toe "One Last Time" Going Out With A Bang "I Know Him" A Final Message from the King "The Adams Administration" Change in Rulings "We Know" Secrets are Told "Hurricane" A Choice Is Made "The Reynolds Pamphlet" Knowledge For All "Burn" Eliza's Moment Alone "Blow Us All Away" Philip's Challenge "Stay Alive (reprise)" A Family Pulled Apart "It's Quiet Uptown" Taking In The Night "The Election of 1800" The Government Changes "Your Obedient Servant" Alexander and Aaron Talk "Best of Wives and Best of Women" The Girls "The World Was Wide Enough" Who Shot First? "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story" The End Works Cited Thanks for the Help!

"Alexander Hamilton"

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Cast: Aaron Burr, John Laurns, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Eliza Hamilton, George Washington, Full Company

The first song of the musical tells the audience about the early life of Alexander Hamilton until around age 19. It acts as exposition to the play as it informs the audience about Alexander's life growing up without a father and, eventually, without his mother, so he moved the the pre-revolutionary war United States in an attempt to make a greater legacy for himself. Various lead and supporting actors contribute to telling the story and bringing the audience up to date about what happened with a few references to what will happen in the story of Alexander Hamilton. 

According to Voyant this song with the names of the characters singing their respective parts, has 656 total words with 281 words when each word is counted once. The most common words are "Hamilton" (used 13 times), "new" (used 12 times), and "company" (used 10 times).  While in the version without the names of the characters and just the words there 605 total words with 209 words counted once while the most common words are still "New" (used 12 times) "just" (used 8 times) and "Alexander" (used 8 times). 

Although the word counts are still mostly similar, the most used words only have the word "new" in common. By repeating the word "new" often it reminds the listeners that not only is the country very fresh but Alexander himself is unfamiliar and new to the place. When something is new it can be associated with the idea of a blank canvas to create anything, this supports Alexander's desires to get out of his old life and start a new one that makes him proud. The fact that "Hamilton" and "Alexander are top words in both categories is a friendly reminder that this tale is about his adventures. The word "company" also tells the listeners that this show involves a group to tell his story and that there are many involved because he changed many people's lives. It makes sense because everyone is involved in this song. With such a powerful start, where the whole company is involved in the opening number, creates a sense of community storytelling that pulls the audience in right away with the desire to learn more about how "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?"