Broadway musical (2015) Hamilton the Musical - Right Hand Man Lyrics
"Right Hand Man" is a song from the Broadway musical Hamilton performed by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton), Christopher Jackson (Washington) and Leslie Odom Jr. (Burr).
[COMPANY] British Admiral Howe’s got troops on the water Thirty-two thousand troops in New York harbor
[ENSEMBLE 1] Thirty-two thousand troops in [ENSEMBLE 2] New York harbor Thirty-two thousand troops in . New York harbor
When they surround our troops! They surround our troops! When they surround our troops! They surround our troops! . They surround our troops!
[HAMILTON] As a kid in the Caribbean I wished for a war I knew that I was poor I knew it was the only way to—
[HAMILTON/BURR/MULLIGAN/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE] Rise up!
[HAMILTON] If they tell my story I am either gonna die on the battlefield in glory or—
[HAMILTON/BURR/MULLIGAN/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE] Rise up!
[HAMILTON] We will fight for this land But there’s only one man Who can give us a command so we can—
[HAMILTON/BURR/MULLIGAN/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE] Rise up!
[HAMILTON] Understand? It’s the only way to—
[HAMILTON/BURR/MULLIGAN/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE] Rise up! Rise up!
[HAMILTON] Here he comes!
[ENSEMBLE] Here comes the General!
[BURR] Ladies and gentlemen!
[ENSEMBLE] Here comes the General!
[BURR] The moment you’ve been waiting for!
[ENSEMBLE] Here comes the General!
[BURR] The pride of Mount Vernon!
[ENSEMBLE] Here comes the General!
[BURR] George Washington!
[WASHINGTON] We are outgunned ENSEMBLE: Outmanned What? Outnumbered Outplanned What? . Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck!
We gotta make an all out stand Ayo, I’m gonna need a right-hand man. . Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck!
[WASHINGTON] Check it— Can I be real a second? For just a millisecond? Let down my guard and tell the people how I feel a second? Now I’m the model of a modern major general The venerated Virginian veteran whose men are all Lining up, to put me up on a pedestal Writin’ letters to relatives Embellishin’ my elegance and eloquence But the elephant is in the room The truth is in ya face when ya hear the British cannons go…
[ENSEMBLE] Boom!
[WASHINGTON] Any hope of success is fleeting How can I keep leading when the people I’m Leading keep retreating? We put a stop to the bleeding as the British take Brooklyn Knight takes rook, but look
[WASHINGTON] We are outgunned [ENSEMBLE] Outmanned What? Outnumbered Outplanned What? . Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck! We gotta make an all out stand Ayo, I’m gonna need a right-hand man . Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck! Incoming!
[HAMILTON] They’re battering down the Battery check the damages
[MULLIGAN] Rah!
[HAMILTON] We gotta stop ‘em and rob ‘em of their advantages
[MULLIGAN] Rah!
[HAMILTON] Let’s take a stand with the stamina God has granted us Hamilton won’t abandon ship Yo, let’s steal their cannons—
[MULLIGAN] [COMPANY] Shh-boom! Boom! [WASHINGTON] Goes the cannon, watch the blood and the shit spray and…
[COMPANY] Boom!
[WASHINGTON] Goes the cannon, we’re abandonin’ Kips Bay and…
[COMPANY] Boom!
[WASHINGTON] There’s another ship and…
[COMPANY] Boom!
[WASHINGTON] We just lost the southern tip and…
[COMPANY] Boom!
[WASHINGTON] We gotta run to Harlem quick, we can’t afford another slip Guns and horses giddyup I decide to divvy up My forces, they’re skittish as the British cut the city up This close to giving up, facing mad scrutiny I scream in the face of this mass mutiny: Are these the men with which I am to defend America? We ride at midnight, Manhattan in the distance I cannot be everywhere at once, people I’m in dire need of assistance…
[BURR] Your excellency, sir!
[WASHINGTON] Who are you?
[BURR] Aaron Burr, Sir? Permission to state my case?
[WASHINGTON] As you were
[BURR] Sir I was a captain under General Montgomery Until he caught a bullet in the neck in Quebec And well, in summary I think that I could be of some assistance I admire how you keep firing on the British From a distance
[WASHINGTON] Huh
[BURR] I have some questions, a couple of suggestions on how to fight instead of fleeing west
[WASHINGTON] Yes?
[BURR] Well—
[HAMILTON] Your excellency, you wanted to see me?
[WASHINGTON] Hamilton, come in, have you met Burr?
[HAMILTON] Yes, sir
[HAMILTON AND BURR] We keep meeting
[BURR] As I was saying, sir, I look forward to seeing your strategy play out
[WASHINGTON] Burr?
[BURR] Sir?
[WASHINGTON] Close the door on your way out
[HAMILTON] Have I done something wrong, sir?
[WASHINGTON] On the contrary I called you here because our odds are beyond scary Your reputation precedes you, but I have to laugh
[HAMILTON] Sir?
[WASHINGTON] Hamilton, how come no one can get you on their staff?
[HAMILTON] Sir!
[WASHINGTON] Don’t get me wrong, you’re a young man, of great renown I know you stole British cannons when we were still downtown Nathanael Greene and Henry Knox wanted to hire you...
[HAMILTON] To be their Secretary? I don’t think so
[WASHINGTON] Why’re you upset?
[HAMILTON] I’m not—
[WASHINGTON] It’s alright, you want to fight, you’ve got a hunger I was just like you when I was younger Head full of fantasies of dyin’ like a martyr?
[HAMILTON] Yes
[WASHINGTON] Dying is easy, young man. Living is harder
[HAMILTON] Why are you telling me this?
[WASHINGTON] I’m being honest I’m working with a third of what our Congress has promised We are a powder keg about to explode I need someone like you to lighten the load. So?
[COMPANY (EXCEPT HAMILTON)] I am not throwin’ away my shot! I am not throwin’ away my shot! Ayo, I’m just like my country, I’m young Scrappy and hungry!
[HAMILTON] I am not throwing away my shot!
[WASHINGTON] Son
[WASHINGON AND COMPANY] We are outgunned, outmanned!
[HAMILTON] You need all the help you can get I have some friends. Laurens, Mulligan Marquis de Lafayette, okay, what else?
[WASHINGTON AND COMPANY] Outnumbered, outplanned!
[HAMILTON] We’ll need some spies on the inside Some King’s men who might let some things slide
[HAMILTON] [COMPANY] [ELIZA/ANGELICA/PEGGY] I’ll write to Congress Boom! and tell ‘em we need Whoa, whoa, whoa... supplies, you rally the guys, master the element of surprise Whoa, whoa, whoa...
Chicka-boom! I’ll rise above my station, organize your information, ‘til we rise to the occasion Whoa, whoa, whoa... of our new nation. Sir!
. [ENSEMBLE] [LAURENS/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN] . Here comes the General! What?
[HAMILTON] Rise up!
[ENSEMBLE] [LAURENS/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN] Here comes What? the General!
[HAMILTON] [SCHUYLER SISTERS] Rise up! Rise up!
[ENSEMBLE] Here comes the General!
[HAMILTON] Rise up! [FULL COMPANY] Here comes the General!
[HAMILTON] What?
[WASHINGTON] And his right hand man!
[FULL COMPANY] Boom!
[Thanks to Juan Hernandez for corrections these lyrics]
Read more: Hamilton the Musical
Right Hand Man lyrics from Hamilton musical
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