Right Hand Man
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21 days ago
Lyrics of Right Hand Man by Christopher Jackson, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom
intro
British Admiral Howe′s got troops on the water
32,000 troops in New York Harbor
32,000 troops in New York Harbor (32,000 troops in New York Harbor)
When they surround our troops
They surround our troops
When they surround our troops
verse
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 rise up
If they tell my story
I am either gonna die on the battlefield in glory or rise up
I will fight for this land, but there's only one man
Who can give us a command, so we can rise up
Understand, it′s the only way to rise up, rise up
Here he comes
Here comes the general!
Ladies and gentlemen!
Here comes the general!
The moment you've been waiting for!
Here comes the general!
The pride of Mount Vernon!
Here comes the general!
George Washington!
chorus
We are out-gunned (what!)
Out-manned (what!)
Outnumbered, out-planned
(Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!)
We gotta make an all-out stand
Hey, yo, I'm gonna need a right-hand man
(Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!) Check it
verse
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, writing letters to relatives
Embellishing my elegance and eloquence
But the elephant is in the room
The truth is in your face
When you hear the British cannons go boom!
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
chorus
We are out-gunned (what!)
Out-manned (what!)
Outnumbered, out-planned!
(Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom)
We gotta make an all-out stand
Hey, yo, I'm gonna need a right-hand man
(Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom)
Incoming!
verse
They′re battering down the battery, check the damages (brah!)
We gotta stop 'em and rob ′em of their advantages (brah!)
Let's take a stand with the stamina God has granted us
Hamilton won′t abandon ship, yo, let's steal their cannons!
(Sh-boom!) Goes the cannon, watch the blood and the shit spray
And (boom!) Goes the cannon, we're abandoning Kips Bay
And (boom!) There′s another ship
And (boom!) We just lost the southern tip
And (boom!) We gotta run to Harlem quick
We can′t afford another slip
Guns and horses giddy up
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
Your Excellency, sir (who are you?)
Aaron Burr, sir
Permission to state my case? (As you were)
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 (huh?)
I have some questions, a couple of suggestions
On how to fight instead of fleeing west (yes?) Well
Your Excellency? You wanted to see me?
Hamilton, come in, have you met Burr?
Yes, sir! We keep meeting
As I was saying, sir
I look forward to seeing your strategy play out
Burr? (Sir?)
Close the door on your way out
(Have I done something wrong, sir?)
On the contrary
I called you here because our odds are beyond scary
Your reputation precedes you, but I have to laugh (sir?)
Hamilton, how come no one can get you on their staff? (Sir!)
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
(To be their secretary! I don't think so)
Now why are you upset? (I′m not?)
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 dying like a martyr (yes)
Dying is easy, young man, living is harder
(Why are you telling me this?)
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?
I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey, yo, I'm just like my country
I′m young, scrappy, and hungry
I am not throwing away my shot
Son, we are out-gunned, out-manned!
You need all the help you can get, I have some friends
Laurens, Mulligan, Marquis de Lafayette! Okay, what else?
Outnumbered, out-planned!
We'll need some spies on the inside
Some king′s men who might let some things slide (boom!)
I'll write to Congress and tell ′em we need supplies
You rally the guys, master the element of surprise (chick-a-boom!)
I'll rise above my station, organize your information
'Til we rise to the occasion of our new nation, sir! (Oh)
outro
Here comes the general!
Rise up! (What!)
Here comes the general!
Rise up! (What!)
Here comes the general!
Rise up! (What!)
Here comes the general!
What! And his right-hand man!
Boom!
Writer(s): Lin-manuel Miranda
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Meaning
The song 'Right Hand Man' from the musical 'Hamilton' portrays the struggles and determination of George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. It highlights the challenges faced by Washington and his need for support to fight against the British forces, emphasizing the importance of unity, strategy, and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.
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Themes
Leadership and responsibility
• I need someone like you to lighten the load
• I will fight for this land, but there's only one man
Struggle and perseverance
• We are out-gunned, out-manned, out-numbered, out-planned
• I am not throwing away my shot
Camaraderie and teamwork
• You rally the guys, master the element of surprise
• I have some friends: Laurens, Mulligan, Marquis de Lafayette!
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Moods
Empowerment, inspiration, freedom, adventure, angst
Rating: PG-13
Lyrics may be unsuitable for younger ears
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Credits
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Contributions
Last edit 21 days ago
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Hamilton: An American Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
Album • 2015 • 46 tracks
8
Right Hand Man
Christopher Jackson, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom
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