Spoiler: it's me.
Yep, my curiosity finally got the best of me, and I decided to see (or more accurately, hear) what so many online and in my circle of friends have been raving about.
NOW I KNOW.
For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, Hamilton is the newest smash hit on Broadway - though even "smash hit" is an understatement. Why? Because it's the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton, told through hip-hop. Yep, we're talking rap battles, pop ballads, the works.
If you're like me, you'll understand what all the fuss is about on the first listen, be hooked by the second, and completely in love by the third. I've listened to the entire soundtrack once a day for three days now, and I'm hoping to go 4-for-4 later tonight. This thing is clever, catchy, funny, and packs a stronger emotional punch with every listen. (I don't recommend listening to the last 20+ minutes in public. Two words: BAWLY MESS.)
And you can listen to the entire soundtrack for free here on Hamilton's Youtube channel.
The handy-dandy playlist means you only have to hit 'play' once.
Or, if you're not ready to dive in just yet, here's quick clip to (hopefully) pique your interest:
NOW I KNOW.
For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, Hamilton is the newest smash hit on Broadway - though even "smash hit" is an understatement. Why? Because it's the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton, told through hip-hop. Yep, we're talking rap battles, pop ballads, the works.
If you're like me, you'll understand what all the fuss is about on the first listen, be hooked by the second, and completely in love by the third. I've listened to the entire soundtrack once a day for three days now, and I'm hoping to go 4-for-4 later tonight. This thing is clever, catchy, funny, and packs a stronger emotional punch with every listen. (I don't recommend listening to the last 20+ minutes in public. Two words: BAWLY MESS.)
And you can listen to the entire soundtrack for free here on Hamilton's Youtube channel.
The handy-dandy playlist means you only have to hit 'play' once.
Or, if you're not ready to dive in just yet, here's quick clip to (hopefully) pique your interest:
... and a longer segment from CBS Good Morning that I found really interesting:
Parents should note the soundtrack has its share of F bombs and a little inappropriate sexy time action, which you can avoid if you skip the song "Say No To This."
For everyone else, though: GO LISTEN.
And for those already onboard the Hamilton-loving-bandwagon with me, check out this adorable fan art by the amazing Katie Cook:
HEE!
Now to start counting down the days 'til the official tour (which hasn't even started yet) reaches Orlando...
I've also been hearing raves, and discovered the soundtrack is free on Amazon for prime members last weekend. I've already lost count of how many times I've listened to it -- three today, I think!
ReplyDeleteYEEEES! Another Hamilton convert! I have a Hamilton quote for almost any occasion. I have to censor myself constantly because not everyone seems to get or enjoy my frequent ten-dollar Founding Father references. ;)
ReplyDeleteMy son, who is in second grade, came home from school Friday saying he had to do a report on a famous American and then come to school in costume. "OH, YOU CAN BE ALEXANDER HAMILTON!" I may have shouted. He looked at my like I was stupid (I'm not stupid) and said, "Nooooo. He wasn't even on the list."
Delete**Applauds you for the line "He looked at my like I was stupid (I'm not stupid)."** :D
DeleteNot on the list? Sounds like a letter to the teacher is in order.
DeleteI just listened to the soundtrack for the first time this past week, too! (I've been listening on Spotify, but may switch over to the YouTube channel to avoid the commercial interruptions.) I was initially wary because of the language, but overall, I ended up liking it more than expected. There's already been a few times when I saw a Hamilton reference online and I proudly thought "I understood that reference!" Hopefully it will make it to my part of the country for the tour because I'm sure the energy on the stage during performances is off the charts!
ReplyDelete*happy screaming* This is the BEST NEWS.
ReplyDeleteIt's so great! And Lin-Manuel is a gem on Twitter. But I disagree with his Hogwarts sorting of Hamilton. I think he's Slytherin, though he definitely has traits of all the houses.
ReplyDeleteI might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Lin hasn't sorted Hamilton. Lin himself is a Slytherin, and he asked Dan Radcliffe & Emma Watson to sort Ham when they saw the show. Dan said Gryffindor; Emma's response hasn't been made public yet, I think it'll be in an upcoming Ham4Ham video.
DeleteYes, he is a total Slytherin! With some Ravenclaw mixed in, but I think he's a perfect example of a Slytherin.
DeleteActually, there is a kind of awesome video of Emma interviewing Lynn out on YouTube, and I believe she put him in Ravenclaw (AdotHam, I mean), though it's been a couple weeks since I saw that. The whole interview is made of awesome, though, so go look it up if you can!
DeleteYou've seen the Spock/Hamilton parody, right? YOUR TEXT
ReplyDeleteHaha, whoops!
DeleteThat. Was. Awesome.
DeleteI'm currently reading Ron Chernow's book Hamilton, the inspiration for the musical. Try it, you'll like it. Especially since Hamilton will be saying everything in Lin-Manuel's voice as you read.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to read the same book. It's a little longer than most things I read and it's taking me a lot longer to get through. But I entertain myself by highlighting things that are direct quotes from lyrics or concepts that inspire lyrics!!
DeleteRead Gore Vidal's Burr, too. It's fiction, but incorporates primary and secondary sources in the plot. I think it's delightful, and I suspect it also served as a source for Hamilton.
DeleteIt makes me supremely happy that you've discovered Hamilton. My husband has banned my daughters and I from playing the soundtrack in his presence anymore - apparently having it on 24/7 was a little much for him. About the language thing, someone summed it up perfectly when they described it like this:
ReplyDelete1st time: *cringes* I wish they wouldn't say "bastard"
500th time: SOUTHERN MOTHERF*CKING DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICANS!!!
Oh man. This is SO true. I'm convinced that people in traffic are reading my lips and judging me. And I don't care! ;)
DeleteLately with politics the way they are i amend the lyrics to "SHUT UP MOTHERF*CKING DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS!"
DeleteYes! I didn't think I'd like it (hip hop & rapping founding father? Uh, ok.) but gave it a chance since it's free to stream on Amazon Prime. Two days later I bought it and have had it on endless repeat since. You should watch the Ham4Ham shows on the Official Hamilton YouTube, as well as ones taken by fans. The Schulyer Sisters cover by 3 King Georges is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteAlso, on the Official Atlantic records site you can listen to the cast album, read the lyrics and read annotations, some by Miranda himself giving historical context or background info on the show.
Lastly, you should look on LLM's Instagram or on Youtube for clips of him with Jonathan Groff (aka Groffsauce), who plays King George. They have the cutest friendship and there are several very short clips of them being goofy and adorable. Here's a compilation of some of their silliness.
Oh, oh and there's....well, so much more. The cut from the show John Adams rap. LMM's Tumblr. I'm a grown ass woman and this show has me fangirling like a tween. :)
Thanks for the heads up re: Amazon Prime. Going to go stream that now... :)
DeleteYou're welcome! Warning: be prepared to buy it after a few listens. I actually recommend purchasing the CD vs. getting it as an online download, such as iTunes. The CD has two booklets with the full lyrics, which if you're a theater nerd like me, is a treasure.
DeleteOH! I have been trying to figure out how this has gone so viral when it's not even touring yet. I've been feeling like I've been living under a rock for the past few months. THANK YOU.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the obsession! They are currently performing selections from the show at the White House today as part of Michelle Obama's education iniative. You can follow them @HamiltonMusical on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat to see all of the action! #BAM4HAM
ReplyDeleteYou should also check out their #HAM4HAM performances on YouTube if you haven't already!
AHHHHH! YES!! I'm also a relatively new convert! I just discoverd that it turns out I was in NYC last fall just after it opened, and yeah.. I was also there the day Lin and crew did a CD signing at a bookstore, and I was just wandering on the other side of town, completely oblivious!
ReplyDeleteI came about rather randomly, as I started following Lin after and epic live tweet of Grease Live and then loved him so much that I started looking into this Hamilton thing, someone recommended the soundtrack first (I'm normally a purist about these things, see the show first, experience the music, then buy the soundtrack) but I bought it on Feb 5 and BAM! HOOKED! I have *literally* (Yes, literally, not figuratively) listened to the soundtrack EVERY.SINGLE.DAY since! (Except one day that I FORCED myself to not listen) To say it's become an obsession is quite the understatement. To quote this from the NYT about the soundtrack http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/03/10/magazine/25-songs-that-tell-us-where-music-is-going.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=0#/the-hamilton-cast-say-no-to-this "It’s a gateway to obsession. To know someone who has this album is to know someone who needs a restraining order."
So.. I had to interrupt this comment to take a phone call because I'm actually paying to go on a Broadway trip to see other shows including Cats (WHAT?) and some other show I haven't seen, because it also includes tickets to Hamilton... Granted the trip includes airfare and hotels, but it's a little too much to pay for tickets (But there IS a ticket!!), but it's my one (short) vacation this year and damn it! I wanna be in the room where it happens!
You absolutely won't regret going to see this. We'd been saving money for a little while without a purchase in mind, and we blew it all on a 4-day trip to NY to see Hamilton. No regrets. At all.
DeleteI had never heard of it until they performed the opening song on the Grammys. The kids and I were basically glued to the TV, and I immediately had to listen to the whole thing. It was just amazing. I became obsessed after one song. I kept staring at Lin-Manuel, like "I know this guy from somewhere!" Then it hit me, the reboot of the Electric Company. He was on a couple episodes and rapped a couple of my favorite songs. "Silent E is a ninja", is just hysterical. You can find them on YouTube.
ReplyDeleteWay to go, Jen! My family and I have been huge fans since CBS first featured LMM and the musical on 60 Minutes. My son and daughter-in-law are history geeks and they're fanning, too. We can't wait for the touring production to hit Chicago, because WE ARE GOING! Welcome to the fan club!!!
ReplyDeleteOhhhhh, nooooooo. Been wasting time all morning watching Hamilton/Groff/LMM videos. I have stuff to do. Quit showing us everything cool. How will I EVER get anything accomplished?!
ReplyDeleteIn other words, keep it up. I didn't want to go grocery shopping anyway, heh!
KW
Welcome! I saw Hamilton at the Public a year ago...before it blew up. This is the one time in my life I have known about a cool thing before everyone else and I am savoring it. To the revolution!
ReplyDeletePS...it's a cast album...not a soundtrack 😉
I've been obsessed since I saw it in November. I had only vaguely heard about it before my trip but luckily my friend insisted we see it. The cast recording is great but the live performance is electric. I'm so happy I got to see it and I can't wait until the water warms up so I can wear my t-shirt way more often.
ReplyDeleteOne of us! One of us!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the obsession! I look up ticket prices and flights about once a week, dreaming of being able to visit NYC just long enough to see it. Lin-Manuel Miranda is DEFINITELY worth following on Facebook &/or Twitter.
I just got the mailer from "Broadway in Chicago" and "Hamilton" is coming this fall!!! I've been wanting to see this show since the first time I heard about it!
ReplyDeleteI should have known you'd fall hard for this one! My pop-culture tastes always seem to line up with yours, and I've been listening obsessively for months now (since I heard they were coming to L.A. -- IN 2017!). Beware, though, the rabbit hole goes very deep. It starts with a Hamilton obsession but quickly moves on to a Lin-Manuel Miranda obsession. Did you know he's writing songs for Moana? Or that he co-wrote the new cantina song in The Force Awakens? Oh, and be sure to check out the thorough annotations on Genius.com - http://genius.com/albums/Lin-manuel-miranda/Hamilton-original-broadway-cast-recording. Such a wealth of information there!
ReplyDeleteYay! I was waiting for the album Lin Manuel promised would be coming based on Hamilton's life. I totally forgot and then stumbled upon the musical recently and got so excited. My husband is still trying to understand what the appeal is. :)
ReplyDeleteI still can't see or hear him without remembering where I first saw him...Sesame Street. Freddy Flapman, real estate agent to the birds! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B33uEhlt8wA
ReplyDeleteI regularly travel on business to NYC and stay in Times Sq so travel, food and lodging is paid for. One can only get resale tickets and they're easily over $1000 each. I'm going to have to wait for the tour to come to me.
ReplyDeleteOr you could try the ticket lottery, where you can win a front row ticket for ten bucks!
DeleteI can't access the soundtrack videos on Youtube. :( (In the UK here.) Does anybody have other suggestions for free listening? I'll buy the soundtrack eventually if I like it, but I'd like the opportunity to hear it first.
ReplyDeleteYESSSSS!!!!!! I'm loving the recent explosion of Hamilton love. look up ham for ham on you tube and fall s much in love with Lin and the whole cast I suggest starting with him and Lea Salonga singing a whole new world!!!!! he looks so excited and fan girling (Boying????) the whole time.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRikvZDYMec
Thank you for this! I kept hearing about it and thinking about checking it out, but didn't until your post. You always give such excellent advice!
ReplyDeleteI read shot as snot in the first of the two banners
ReplyDeleteOne of us! One of us! :D
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I took a pretty spontaneous trip to NY just to see this! Tickets cost two arms and two legs, but it was totally worth it to us!! I love every single song on the soundtrack, and my husband hates musicals as a general rule, but HE is the one who suggested we go see it! I've been listening to it for weeks and can't seem to stop. IT'S SO GOOOOOOD!!!!
This is awesome! I have been listening all day long. I can't get enough. WOW!! Thank you so much for sharing this!!
ReplyDeleteIf you're waiting for the tour.... Feel my pain in the UK (though there are rumours we might get it in 2017.
ReplyDeleteAnd you should totally check out In The Heights. Same composer, more of a Latin feel but equally as great and also a couple of songs that really hit the feels!
You think you're in pain?;)
DeleteTry living in Norway, where no-one has even heard of it! At least you people in the U.K. and U.S. are lucky enough to have great theatre and musicals (and a few other things too!) incorporated into your culture in a way that the rest of the world envies you. Trust me, I know!;) Enjoy the heck out of it for all of us!
That being said, welcome to the club, Jen and everyone else! We were supposed to have cookies for the new kids, but we all got so lost in the music that we forgot all about them!
Lesson of the day: Stage productions have CAST ALBUMS, not soundtracks!=)
OK, you've hooked me on this too...
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this, Jen. I hadn't heard about it and now want to go. Loved the CBS This Morning clip. Hope it comes to So Cal, or maybe we'll try to see it in NY some day.
ReplyDeleteOn my Disney trip in February with my sister-in-law, some of her friends, and one of my friends... We ended up drinking around the world in Epcot as per her bucket list request. I just MIGHT have incited the Hamilton super-fan in our group to bust out with a song from Hamilton at top volume when we reached America.
ReplyDeleteNo regrets. :-)
"Ohhhh shhiiii" That's the most perfect idea for my trip in 3 weeks.. I hadn't yet figured out how to connect my Disnerd with my Hamilfan. If only I knew more people who'd have a Hamilton-inspired Flash Mob!!
Delete