Written by Zach Perilstein, Elizabeth Pfeiffer, Sara Edwards, and Iris Nijholt
46. Farmer Refuted
While this song shapes Hamilton’s character into the fast-talking, the quick-acting person that he is and adds a great transition to “You’ll Be Back”, that’s all we see it as. The great back and forth between Hamilton and Seabury is entertaining. — Elizabeth Pfeiffer
45. The Story of Tonight (Reprise)
Raise a glass to the hard tension between Burr and Hamilton that can be cut with a knife. Not the most exciting song out of the whole musical but it does a smooth transition into “Wait For It.” — Sara Edwards
44. Schuyler Defeated
It’s a nice transitional song that showcases the talent of both Anthony Ramos and Philippa Soo. — Zach Perilstein
43. I Know Him
I don’t have much else to say about this song other than it’s probably my least favorite of King George III’s songs. It does make me chuckle a little that he’s so very surprised that somebody is stepping down from leading the country and that they’re picking someone else — something that doesn’t happen in England, where you’re a monarch for life. ‘President John Adams… Good luck!’ also gets me, mostly because King George is definitely rubbing it in, knowing he won’t be able to even come close to the standards Washington had set as president. — Iris Nijholt
42. Your Obedient Servant
This song is where the tension between Hamilton and Burr boils over the pot and ultimately leads to the duel. The intense music and lyrics with the contrast of the refined and polite “I have the honor to be your obedient servant…” is enjoyable. — Elizabeth Pfeiffer
41. Hurricane
Hamilton’s soliloquy, basically. Here, he reflects on his life. I have to be real, I used to always skip this song because it’s such a different song from the ones we’re listening to at this point, and it always made more sense to me to immediately move on to the Reynolds Pamphlet, but the more I listen to it, the more appreciation I get for his song. The Hamilfilm really helped with that — the ensemble moving in slow motion around him, giving us the impression time is moving slower as Hamilton reflects on his life and what he’s done… And of course, Maria Reynolds handing him the quill from behind to write the Reynolds Pamphlet is an incredibly powerful image. — Iris Nijholt
40. We Know
Other than Jefferson happily prancing into Hamilton’s office ready to start some chisme and the revelation of Hamilton’s impeccable organization skills, there really isn’t a lot that makes this song exciting. — Sara Edwards
39. A Winter’s Ball
LAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEESSSSSS — Zach Perilstein
38. Meet Me Inside
If you listen to Hamilton on shuffle, the shot at the beginning of this song will definitely be one of those ‘oh crap’ moments, but it’s a perfect transition from the previous song (“Ten Duel Commandments”). Washington keeps calling Hamilton ‘son’, something Hamilton obviously doesn’t like this as you can hear, something that probably stems from his father being absent in his early life. Hamilton gets sent home at the end as an order, something he cannot disobey. — Iris Nijholt
37. Best of Wives and Best of Women
“Best of Wives and Best of Women” is a shorter song but the lyrics and melody just work so well. I think why it works so well is because we all know that Hamilton’s duel is coming next. Poor Eliza .— Zach Perilstein
36. The Adams Administration
Sit down, John. — Sara Edwards
35. Say No To This
This is a crucial moment in the show: Hamilton doesn’t decide to throw away his shot for the future, but these are the actions that lead to the Reynolds Pamphlet. And let’s not forget Jasmine Cephas Jones ROCKS IT as Maria Reynolds in the Hamilfilm. — Elizabeth Pfeiffer
34. That Would Be Enough
It’s another beautiful yet heartbreaking song as Eliza desperately wants to be with Hamilton but he just doesn’t stop (or we could say he’s Non-Stop). All she wants is to be together and that would be enough! The best line in this song although it is a recurring line throughout the musical, “look at where we are, look at where we started.” — Zach Perilstein
33. Blow Us All Away
Oh, Philip. Sweet, sweet Philip. As Hamilton’s song, he ‘shoulders his father’s legacy’ and just wants to make him proud, so when somebody talks smack about him, Philip just ‘cannot let it slide’, so he goes and finds the man who did it: George Eacker. He talks to two ladies to find him, though, one of them being The Bullet; in some way, you can see this as some sort of death omen. Foreshadowing of what’s about to happen, if you will. The two men agree to duel it out later, Philip asks for his father’s advice and Hamilton gives him just this and some more; his guns, telling him to ‘make me proud, son’, laying some more pressure on Philip. All of this without Eliza knowing. In the music, you can hear the melody of counting to nine make a comeback, as this is something we heard when we were first introduced to Philip in “Take a Break.” It also reminds us of the “Ten Duel Commandments” which are very important, obviously. Hamilton also tells him ‘your mother can’t take another heartbreak’, basically telling Philip to please not die. But we all know how this story ends, sadly, with Eacker most dishonorably shooting the gun at seven instead of ten, mortally wounding Philip. — Iris Nijholt
32. Stay Alive
The plan is now in action. The war is ongoing, exhausting and Charles Lee is causing more problems than solving them. “Stay Alive” with its gritty sounds and harsh annunciated lyrics help envision the harsh conditions this war was fought under. Also, the bullet at the beginning of this song? Full body chills. — Sara Edwards
31. The Reynolds Pamphlet
When Thomas Jefferson (Daveed Diggs) raps:
He’s never gon’ be President now
Never gon’ be President nowThat’s one less thing to worry about
That’s one less thing to worry about
Just an all-time entertaining sequence. Diggs as Jefferson really hammers home that fact and he does it with such charisma. On top of that great sequence is when Angelica (Renee Elise Goldsberry) returns home from London (yes, all the way from London) to basically tell Hamilton off. — Zach Perilstein
30. Stay Alive (Reprise)
Ugly tears. That’s it. That’s the tweet. — Sara Edwards
29. History Has Its Eyes on You
This song shows the wisdom that is George Washington and sets up a recurring idea for that Hamilton bases his actions off of the rest of the show. — Elizabeth Pfeiffer
28. Washington on Your Side
“It must be nice it must be nice to have Washington on your side.” It’s as simple as that. Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, and James Madison all wallow at the fact how nice it is to have the President on your side. The song is sandwiched between “Cabinet Battle #2" and right before “One Last Time.” All three of them whine about Hamilton throughout the song and it’s entertaining as all get out. — Zach Perilstein
27. What Comes Next
Out of all of King George’s performances, this one is the least exciting. Our boy is still dramatic in trying to present challenges to growing America and his dramatic movements still pack a punch, but they aren’t as intriguing as his other solo performances. — Sara Edwards
26.Cabinet Battle #2
Cabinet Battle #2 is a crucial point in the story where Hamilton has to do what’s best for his country at the expense of a previous ally. While the whole show references many hip-hop legends throughout time, but my favorite is in this song. At the end of Jefferson’s case before the president, he ends with the same line that Biggie ends every verse in “Juicy,” “And if you don’t know, now you know.” — Elizabeth Pfeiffer
25. Dear Theodosia
In this very sweet song, Burr and Hamilton both sing to their newborn children. It always pulls at my heartstrings, as it’s a moment for them to just fawn over their newborns and tell them about their plans for both them and this country. They’re just two proud dads — this song also shows us again that even though they seem to be on opposite ends most of the time, Hamilton and Burr definitely have a lot of things in common. — Iris Nijholt
24. Aaron Burr, Sir
This song is probably one of the few times we see Alexander Hamilton actually nervous and stumbling over his own words. Or even try to kiss up to anyone for that matter. Also, the introduction to Laurens, Lafayette, and Mulligan is truly iconic. — Sara Edwards
23. The Election of 1800
I love just the chaos of this song. Hamilton is mourning the loss of his son Philip (singing “It’s Quiet Uptown”) and now he’s thrust into a potentially life-changing decision between voting for Jefferson or Burr. The song also plays on the whole “it must be nice to have Washington on your side” but this time instead of George Washington it is trying to get on the side of Alexander Hamilton. Despite charming literally everyone else, Aaron Burr can’t get endorsed by Hamilton making “The Election of 1800” a chaotic but clear turning-point song in the show. — Zach Perilstein
22. Right Hand Man
This is one of the best character introduction songs in the show. It’s also a crucial part of the story not only for Hamilton, but the true start of the bad blood that Burr feels for Hamilton. Burr tries to get the position of Washington’s Right Hand Man, but the general dismisses him and wants Hamilton. — Elizabeth Pfeiffer
21. Ten Duel Commandments
I actually learned a lot from this song when I first listened to it! I had no idea about the rules of Duelling, and this song does an awesome job of telling us about those. It’s also the first song where the ‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9’ comes into play, something that keeps coming back throughout the show. The song also, again, does a good job of showing how Hamilton and Burr are in disagreement, putting them on opposite sides of this duel as seconds to both Laurens and Lee respectively. — Iris Nijholt
20. The Story of Tonight
“Raise a glass to freedom!” will always remain one of my personal favorite lines from Hamilton. “The Story of Tonight” slows down the tempo of Hamilton but it is also a very inspiring tune that has some neat lyrics throughout like “tomorrow there will be more of us.” It’s just another display of the talent of Miranda, Diggs, Ramos, Onaodowan, and Odom Jr. — Zach Perilstein
19. One Last Time
If you weren’t crying when Christopher Jackson as George Washington cried as he finished this song with his Godlike voice, you aren’t human and need to rewatch it again. — Sara Edwards
18. Cabinet Battle #1
Cabinet battles are an homage to 8 Mile’s rap battles. Jefferson also makes a pop culture reference to Grandmaster Flash’s “The Message,” singing, “Such a blunder/ Sometimes it makes me wonder/ why I even bring the thunder.” Not to mention, it’s a great introduction to Jefferson and Hamilton’s relationship as political opponents. — Elizabeth Pfeiffer
17. The Room Where It Happens
This song has so many amazing aspects to it! On top of the food puns and baseball metaphors (thanks to this song being about the Compromise of 1790, also known as the Dinner Table Bargain), it has MANY influences from different music styles. In my opinion, this song also does a great job of illustrating how Burr felt like he was ‘in the dark’ about all of this — as he was, obviously, not in the room where it happens. — Iris Nijholt
16. Take a Break
Our first look into life at the Hamilton home. We get a tearful reunion of sisters, a free rap show from nine-year-old Phillip, and another excuse from Hamilton as to why he can’t stop. It’s really one of the few songs aside from “It’s Quiet Uptown” where we see Alexander Hamilton’s lacking skills of separating his personal and work lives. — Sara Edwards
15. It’s Quiet Uptown
Devastating. Heartbreaking. Powerful. These are three words on how I would describe “It’s Quiet Uptown.” Hamilton and Eliza are struck by grief after the death of Phillip and this song encapsulates it perfectly. Hamilton using Eliza’s line on her, “look at where we are, look at where we started” in an effort to win her back is poetic in itself. — Zach Perilstein
14. You’ll Be Back
In a musical about a founding father, who knew we’d fall in love with the character of King George III! His stern stature combined with the hilarious lyrics is a great glance at England and prepares us for more hilarity from the King throughout the show. — Elizabeth Pfeiffer
13. The World Was Wide Enough
In this song, we hear about the duel that eventually ended in Hamilton dying from Burr’s point of view. It starts off as a sort of reprise to “Ten Duel Commandments”, only now, it’s much more personal. As the song progresses, you can really hear Burr becoming more and more desperate and spiteful. Listening to him say how Hamilton will not ‘make an orphan of my daughter’ still gives me chills. Then in the middle of the song, we quickly switch to Hamilton’s point of view as he basically… well… sees his life flash before his eyes. Then we spin back around to Burr, and the duel ends. He’s the one who gets to live, but also the one who has to deal with the consequences of his actions. In his last little bit, he basically tells us that he now realizes that the world could have been big enough for both of them to co-exist. — Iris Nijholt
12. What’d I Miss?
“What’d I Miss” shows a very cool observation about Jefferson. Since he missed “basically the late 80’s” he has no idea what’s in fashion in America, which is why his song is very jazzy compared to the rest of the album! Obviously, he quickly figures out that hip hop is the way of life when he battles it out with Hamilton in Cabinet Battle #1. Because of this small but significant detail about Jefferson, it’s #12 on the list! — Elizabeth Pfeiffer
11. Alexander Hamilton
The song that essentially started all of it comes in on our list at 11. Shocking, I know but I think this just proves how deep the musical is when the key song is 11th! “Alexander Hamilton” is the tone-setting, cultural-redefining song that kickstarts the musical into high gear. — Zach Perilstein
10. Helpless
This song is where we really get to see how Eliza Hamilton fell head over heels for our musical protagonist and the first song where the focus is on her and what she wants. Other than the fact that Miranda uses dramatic license in this song (Angelica was already married by the time Eliza met Hamilton) it helps set the scene in a bouncy, poppy way for the following song “Satisfied”, where we hear from Angelica’s point of view. — Sara Edwards
9. My Shot
“My Shot” is one of the more popular songs from Hamilton, and you could even argue it’s one of the most quotable. The song and rap itself are very reminiscent of Eminem’s iconic “Lose Yourself.” Hamilton declares he’s not throwing away his shot, and the song also exhibits the talent of John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, Aaron Burr, and Hercules Mulligan. Both “My Shot” and “Lose Yourself” are rising up anthems for young, scrappy, and hungry underdogs just like Hamilton and Eminem. — Zach Perilstein
8. Guns and Ships
Lafayette’s rap. Enough said. — Elizabeth Pfeiffer
7. Burn
This song is not only a moment to appreciate Phillipa Soo’s amazing vocals and emotional acting, but also establishes the problem with women’s history: There really was not enough of it preserved. We really don’t know what Eliza Hamilton thought about her husband’s affair, so the song is Lin-Manuel Miranda’s interpretation that she most likely destroyed anything related to him. — Sara Edwards
“Burn” is an amazing song that tells a story of what Eliza could have been thinking when she found out about her husband’s infidelity. Like the song says, ‘let future historians wonder how Eliza reacted…’, we really don’t know much about Eliza’s reaction. We also have to give the props department some props (ha) here; the letter Eliza burns in the song is made of paper that burns in 2 minutes and 9 seconds; exactly the amount of time needed for the song to end and for Eliza to walk off in a black out. — Iris Nijholt
6. Schuyler Sisters
Our first introduction to the leading ladies of the show (and Peggy…)! It really puts Angelica on the map as a strong woman and as the sisters quote the declaration of independence, they also manage to challenge Thomas Jefferson while doing so — showing us that they’re educated, involved in the world around them and telling us they’re feminists! If that’s not girl power, I don’t know what it. Also, you know. That endnote. Work. — Iris Nijholt
5. Wait for It
This is the first song where we get to learn more about Aaron Burr on a deeper level. We learn that his aspirations are much like Hamiltons, but his strategy to get there is the exact opposite. It’s a powerful and thought-provoking ballad that shows off Burr’s (or whoever is playing him at the time. In the film, it’s Leslie Odom Jr.) strong and emotional voice. — Elizabeth Pfeiffer
4. Who Lives? Who Dies? Who Tells Your Story?
The conclusion of the musical is powerful and it is hands down one of the best finales in a musical ever. Everything from Hamilton (or Lin’s) “she tells my story” all the way to Eliza’s gasp. All of the characters once again break the fourth wall as they did in “Alexander Hamilton” and directly address the audience about history, Hamilton’s legacy, and wrap up Eliza’s story by explaining her work after her husband’s death and reunion with him after her own death 50 years later. It’s such a deep and intricate final song and it ends the musical on a more than satisfying high note. — Zach Perilstein and Elizabeth Pfeiffer
3. Non-Stop
“Non-Stop” is one of the most genius songs written in the entire musical. It’s not only a song that propels the plot into the second act, but it culminates various songs throughout Act I like “Helpless”, “Satisfied”, “History Has It’s Eyes On You”, and “That Would Be Enough.” This song also has some of the best usage of the set in the show. There’s lots of great movement throughout. — Elizabeth Pfeiffer
2. Battle of Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)
Also known as “The World Turned Upside Down”, this song is one of our absolute favorites. It’s the song where Hamilton finally gets to be in command, it depicts the last big battle of the American Revolution, and most of all… THOSE. HARMONIES. And also. You know. HERCULES MULLIGAN! The man who went undercover and we find out where he’s been all this time! There’s a lot of good moments in this song, the vocals are amazing and in the Hamilfilm we see that the choreography absolutely kills it; the furniture being lifted in slow motion really gives us the idea that the world is truly turned upside down. — Iris Nijholt
1. Satisfied
“Satisfied” earns its number one ranking due to the fact each line is so brilliantly crafted. Renee Elise Goldsberry goes hard and the song signifies Angelica’s mourning of a relationship she can’t have with Hamilton while also pointing out the fact that Hamilton, himself, will never be satisfied. The strong vocals, genius lyrics, and smooth choreography make it the best song in the show. — Zach Perilstein
Hamilton is now streaming on Disney+.
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