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BAD BITCH

@probitch / probitch.tumblr.com

professional dream crusher and full time bitch
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toomucherin

It’s Quiet Uptown

So I want to talk about my favorite moment in Hamilton because I never have, and with the mixtape early singles, I’m now listening to the Kelly Clarkson version of this song and thinking about it again.

This is my favorite song for a lot of reasons, mainly because it has my favorite two lines in the entire show in it… “There’s a grace too powerful to name” and “Forgiveness, can you imagine?”

But here’s the deal. This entire show has been building to Alexander’s greatest foil- his ego and pride while he fights to advance and stay ahead… to the point that at his worst moment, he publishes a long essay detailing his affair to defend rumors that his mismanaged money… and is so fixated on protecting his name, that he literally doesn’t even stop to think about how this will effect Eliza, and his family. Angelica shows up and he actually thinks she’s there to defend him. 

And then you have his son, who loves his dad, idealizes his dad, wants to be just like his dad, and he goes out into the world, and defends his dad against people who are insulting him, to the point that he ends up in a duel to defend his dad’s name/honor. And Alexander LOANS HIM THE GUNS for the duel. He’s not like “you know what son, I don’t really deserve to have you defend me like this, they’re right, I screwed over your mom and my actions are not defendable.” He’s like, yeah, okay son, let me show you how to duel, here, take my guns, have fun!

And then Philip dies. And I don’t think it’s until that moment Alexander truly realizes what his selfish pride has done to his family. And you hear it in the lyrics, they retreat from public life, he starts going back to church and praying, he’s actually for the first time repentant. 

And then there’s this lovely song, where he finally apologizes to Eliza, admits that this is his fault, admits he doesn’t deserve her, states he’s willing to die if it could bring their son back. 

And since Burn, Alexander and Eliza haven’t touched, there is a clear coldness between the two, when she’s sobbing over Philip she won’t let him touch her to comfort her. 

And then on the line “They are standing in the garden, Alexander by Eliza’s side, she takes his hand.” And they’re center stage, and when Eliza takes hold of his hand, Alexander breaks down, he loses it, he is literally standing their sobbing on stage, head bowed, overcome with emotion, while my favorite line covers them “Forgiveness, can you imagine.”

And for the first time I think Alexander finally realizes how much he doesn’t deserve this forgiveness. His pride literally killed his son, his son died defending his honor when it didn’t deserve to be defended, and here is his gracious and loving wife, who still forgives him, even though he doesn’t deserve it, they both know he doesn’t deserve it. 

That simple moment, Eliza reaching out and taking hold of his hand, Alexander sobbing when she does… that to me is the most beautiful, powerful, poignant moments of the entire show. It’s the moment that I’m going to remember 50 years from now as one of the most moving moments I’ve ever seen on stage. 

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Hamilton: Every Song Summarized

Alexander Hamilton: It's ye home boi Alex
Aaron Burr, Sir: Two college men walk into a bar with three drunkards, and-
My Shot: Do you ever just want to overthrow a government (Featuring Alexander having an existential crisis)
The Story Of Tonight: Painful foreshadowing coming from Laurens
The Schuyler Sisters: its ye home gals angellica eliza AND PEGGY
Farmers Refuted: It's Time For Alexander's Opinion
You'll Be Back: I cannot fucking believe King George III is a yandere
Right Hand Man: Burr needs to call the rejection hotline
A Winters Ball: RELIABLE WITH THE *LADIES*
Helpless: Ye gal Eliza falls for ye boi Alex
Satisfied: Angelica has emotional issues and I want to help her
The Story Of Tonight Reprise: SPIT A VERSE, BURR
Wait For It: Burr spits a verse (Sort of)
Stay Alive: Charles Lee shows up and Laurens is like "We should shoot that guy"
Ten Duel Commandments: Laurens shoots that guy
Meet Me Inside: Alexander gets grounded
That Would Be Enough: HEARTBREAK.
Guns and Ships: L A F A Y E T T E
History Has It's Eyes On You: Don't fuck up because history is always watching
Yorktown: Alexander and Lafayette overthrow a government
What Comes Next?: King George is still a yandere but now he's a Bitter Yandere
Dear Theodosia: THE DAD SONG
Non-Stop: Burr wonders why and how Alexander does things
What'd I Miss: Jeffy boi is done getting high in France and now he's back to get high in America
Cabinet Battle #1: Political debate turns into a rap battle
Take A Break: Alexander says "No" 500000 times
Say No To This: Alexander forgets how to say "No" 500000 times
The Room Where It Happens: Burr needs to call the rejection hotline again
Schuyler Defeated: Alexander throws away Burr's friendship bracelet
Cabinet Battle #2: you must be out oF YOUR GODDAMN MIND-
Washington On Your Side: MOTHERFUCKING SOUTHERN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICANS
One Last Time: Washington is resigning and Alexander has abandonment issues
I Know Him: JESUS CHRIST THIS WILL BE FUN!!!~
The Adams Administration: Hamilton fucking obliterates John Adams
We Know: Jefferson, Burr, and Madison become the TMZ of the 1700-1800s
Hurricane: Alexander decides to #expose himself
The Reynolds Pamphlet: Alexander probably regrets deciding to #expose himself
Burn: ELIZA DESERVES BETTER THAN THIS
Blow Us All Away: Alexander encourages his son to get in a gun fight and is shocked when he gets shot
Stay Alive Reprise: CRUSHING DEPRESSION
It's Quiet Uptown: EVEN MORE CRUSHING DEPRESSION
The Election of 1800: Jefferson is tired of drama and he just wants politics
Your Obedient Servant: "Fucking fight me, Alex." ~Burr
Best of Wives and Best of Women: WOW EVEN MORE CRUSHING DEPRESSION
The World Was Wide Enough: "Talk shit get hit." ~Burr
Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story: I'M CRYING OVER A FOUNDING FATHER.
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