Non-Stop – Hamilton (An American Musical) – VAGALUME
Non-Stop
[Burr]
After the war I went back to New York
[Hamilton]
A-After the war I went back to New York
[Burr]
I finished up my studies and I practiced law
[Hamilton]
I practiced law, Burr worked next door
[Burr]
Even though we started
at the very same time
Alexander Hamilton began to climb
How to account for his rise to the top?
Maan, the man is
Non-stop!
[Ensemble]
Non-stop!
[Hamilton]
Gentlemen of the jury, I’m curious, bear with me
Are you aware that we’re making hist’ry?
This is the first murder trial
of our brand-new nation
The liberty behind deliberation
I intend to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt
With my assistant counsel
[Burr]
Co-counsel
Hamilton, sit down
Our client Levi Weeks is innocent
Call your first witness
That’s all you had to say!
[Hamilton]
Okay!
One more thing
[Burr]
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room?
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room?
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room?
Soon that attitude may be your doom!
Why do you write
like you’re running out of time?
Write day and night l
ike you’re running out of time?
Ev’ry day you fight, like you’re running out of time
Keep on fighting. In the meantime
[Ensemble]
Non-Stop!
[Hamilton]
Corruption’s such an old song that we can sing along in harmony
And nowhere is it stronger than in Albany
This colony’s economy’s
increasingly stalling and
Honestly, that’s why public service
Seems to be calling me
[Burr And Ensemble]
He’s just
Non-stop!
[Hamilton]
I practiced the law, I practic’ly perfected it
I’ve seen injustice in the world and I’ve corrected it
Now for a strong central democracy
If not, then I’ll be Socrates
Throwing verbal rocks
At these mediocrities
[Burr]
Hamilton, at the Constitutional Convention
[Hamilton]
I was chosen for the Constitutional Convention!
[Burr]
There as a New York junior delegate
[Hamilton]
Now what I’m going to say may sound indelicate
[Burr]
Goes and proposes his own form of government!
[Company]
What?
[Burr]
His own plan for a new form of government!
[Company]
What?
[Burr]
Talks for six hours! The convention is listless!
[Ensemble Man]
Bright young man
[Another Ensemble Man]
Yo, who the f is this?
[Burr]
Why do you always say what you believe?
Why do you always say what you believe?
Ev’ry proclamation guarantees free ammunition
for your enemies!
[Burr And Men]
Why do you write like it’s
Going out of style?
Write day and night like it’s
Going out of style?
Every day you fight like it’s
Going out of style
Do what you do
Percussion: knocking sound
[Burr]
Alexander?
[Hamilton]
Aaron Burr, sir
[Burr]
It’s the middle of the night
[Hamilton]
Can we confer, sir?
[Burr]
Is this a legal matter?
Hamilton
Yes, and it’s important to me
[Burr]
What do you need?
[Hamilton]
Burr, you’re a better lawyer than me
[Burr]
Okay
[Hamilton]
I know I talk too much, I’m abrasive
You’re incredible in court. You’re succinct, persuasive
My client needs a strong defense
You’re the solution
[Burr]
Who’s your client?
[Hamilton]
The new U. S. Constitution?
[Burr]
No
[Hamilton]
Hear me out
[Burr]
No way!
[Hamilton]
A series of essays, anonymously published
Defending the document to the public
[Burr]
No one will read it
[Hamilton]
I disagree
[Burr]
And if it fails?
[Hamilton]
Burr, that’s why we need it
[Burr]
The constitution’s a mess
[Hamilton]
So it needs amendments
[Burr]
It’s full of contradictions
[Hamilton]
So is independence
We have to start somewhere
[Burr]
No. No way
[Hamilton]
You’re making a mistake
[Burr]
Good night
[Hamilton]
Hey
What are you waiting for?
What do you stall for?
[Burr]
What?
[Hamilton]
We won the war
What was it all for?
Do you support this constitution?
[Burr]
Of course
[Hamilton]
Then defend it
[Burr]
And what if you’re backing the wrong horse?
[Hamilton]
Burr, we studied and we fought and we killed
For the notion of a nation we now get to build
For once in your life, take a stand with pride
I don’t understand how you stand to the side
[Burr]
I’ll keep all my plans
Close to my chest
[Ensemble]
Wait for it, wait for
It, wait
[Burr]
I’ll wait here and see
Which way the wind will blow
I’m taking my time
Watching the
Afterbirth of a nation
Watching the tension grow
[Angelica]
I am sailing off to London
I’m accompanied by someone
Who always pays
I have found a wealthy husband who will keep
Me in comfort for all my days
He is not a lot of fun, but there’s no one who
Can match you for turn of phrase
My Alexander
[Hamilton]
Angelica
[Angelica]
Don’t forget to write
[Eliza]
Look at where you are
Look at where you started
The fact that you’re alive is a miracle
Just stay alive, that would be enough
And if your wife could share
a fraction of your time
If I could grant you peace of mind
Would that be enough?
[Burr]
Alexander joins forces with James Madison and John Jay
to write a series of essays
Defending the new United States Constitution
entitled The Federalist Papers
The plan was to write a total of twenty-five essays
the work divided evenly among the three men
In the end, they wrote eighty-five essays
in the span of six months
John Jay got sick after writing five
James Madison wrote twenty-nine
Hamilton wrote the other fifty-one!
How do you write like you’re
Running out of time?
Write day and night like you’re
Running out of time?
[Burr And Men]
Ev’ry day you fight
Like you’re
Running out of time
Like you’re
Running out of time
Are you
Running out of time?
[Full Company (Except Hamilton) ]
How do you write like tomorrow won’t arrive?
How do you write
like you need it to survive?
How do you write ev’ry second you’re alive?
Ev’ry second you’re alive?
Ev’ry second you’re alive?
[Washington]
They are asking me to lead
I am doing the best I can
To get the people that I need
I’m asking you to be my right hand man
[Hamilton]
Treasury or State?
[Washington]
I know it’s a lot to ask
[Hamilton]
Treasury or State?
[Washington]
To leave behind the world you know
[Hamilton]
Sir, do you want me to run
the Treasury or State department?
[Washington]
Treasury
[Hamilton]
Let’s go
[Eliza]
Alexander
[Hamilton]
I have to leave
[Eliza]
Alexander
[Hamilton]
Look around, look around
at how lucky we are to be alive right now
[Eliza]
Helpless
[Hamilton]
They are asking me to lead
[Eliza]
Look around, isn’t this enough?
What would be enough?
[Angelica]
He will never be satisfied
He will never be satisfied
[Eliza]
Look around, look around
[Angelica]
He will never be satisfied
[Washington]
History has its eyes on you
[Burr]
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room?
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room?
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room?
Soon that attitude’s gonna be your doom!
Why do you fight like you’re running out of time?
[Ensemble]
Non-stop!
[Washington Laurens Lafayette Mulligan]
History has its eyes on you!
[Men]
Just you wait!
[Hamilton]
I am not throwin’ away my shot!
I am not throwin’ away my shot!
I am Alexander Hamilton!
[Full Company]
Just you wait!
Alexander Hamilton
Hamilton, just you wait!
[Hamilton]
I am not throwing away my shot!