Top 10 Songs in Hamilton!

That's right - another Top 10 list. But, they're fairly easy to write and are fun to come up with, so here we go. Hamilton, the decade defining musical, is coming to Disney+ on Friday, so let's rank the Top 10 Songs in Hamilton.

Also, I don't know many music words or words that describe how music operates, or technical words, so if I seem to be rambling, it's just that I don't know the word. Or what I'm talking about.

Also, if you're not a fan of Hamilton, don't read this. Listen to the soundtrack and the read it. I'm about to get into some serious fangirling territory.

10. The World Was Wide Enough

Coming in at number 10 is the World Was Wide Enough, the second to last song in the soundtrack. It starts off with a fun little reprise of the Ten Duel Commandments, which is a catchy little devil. The World Was Wide Enough is able to take the entire conflict of the musical, two hours and 15 minutes of drama, and resolve it in such a powerful and impactful way - the references to previous songs, such as My Shot, One Last Time," and The Story of Tonight, as well as the heartbreaking reprise near the end, which features the same notes of Aaron Burr, Sir (C, A, E) is just gut wrenching, as that's when Hamilton and Aaron Burr first met. And then the sad reprise of Wait For It at the end, it's just the cherry de la creme.

And, fun fact, Hamilton threw away his shot and Burr did not wait for it. That's just a funny dichotomy of their previous mantras.

9. My Shot

My Shot coasts easily off of the dark and epic tone set by Aaron Burr, Sir and transforms it into the standard "I want" song that all musicals have in the beginning - Santa Fe in Newsies, Into the Woods in Into the Woods, Two By Two in the Book of Mormon, and so on and so forth. And My Shot is no different.


It's a good, catchy exposition song, sets up a lot of musical motifs that are later repeated, and is ultimately just a fun song. It's fun to listen to, sing along to, and really sets the musical tone of the musical.


My personal favorite moment in the song is when John Laurens starts yelling "Shout it from the rooftops!" in front of the backup chorus. Just a musical theatre moment that really butters my croissant.

8. You'll Be Back

You'll Be Back is one of the best villain songs, ever. I mean, with Be Prepared, Hellfire, and Last Midnight, it's up there. Like, I'm not going to say it's the best villain song ever, but... it's the best villain song ever.


 It's funny, it's catchy, and it's a huge scene stealer. And I haven't even seen the play. But the song is just a soundtrack stealer. The impressive vocal performance of Jonathan Groff combined with the love song from the 60s sounds just make for all the more impressive soundtrack.

7. Aaron Burr, Sir

One of my favorite things about Aaron Burr, Sir is the opening. The da-da-da-da-da bum-bum bum sounding is just one of the coolest I have ever heard. The moody introduction to Aaron Burr is also very well done, and here is where it gets interesting. The man who plays Burr, Leslie Odom Jr., has perhaps the smoothest voice I have ever heard.


But, the songs also introduces the characters Marquis de Lafayette, Hercules Mulligan, and John Laurens. Their introductions are fun and short, and while Hercules Mulligan's verse doesn't exactly make me want to blare the song, the sounds of the rap and intricacy of the rhyming is spectacular.

6. Dear Theodosia

Dear Theodosia is one of the sweetest songs I have ever heard. Like, crouch down, try not to cry, cry a lot, type of sweet. The love song of Aaron Burr and Hamilton to their newly borne children, Theodosia and Phillip, respectively, is just lovely.


I mean, I feel like the song is overshadowed by Burr's other excellent songs (Wait For It, Room Where It Happens), as well as being stuck between the victorious Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down) and Non-Stop, the Act I finale. But this song pops rocks!

5. History Has Its Eyes on You

This one is often overlooked, sadly. Running in at 1 minute and 38 seconds, History Has Its Eyes on You is one of the shortest songs in the soundtrack. And I would venture that this song really captures the essence of George Washington - by the way, Hamilton has the best portrayal of George Washington ever - all the pressure of knowing that history is watching your every movie. This song really drives in that point in a meaningful and impactful way, as well as a mantra that appears later in the soundtrack.

4. Non-Stop

Non-Stop is easily one of the best songs in Hamilton. Running in at six minutes long, the song includes memorable lyrics such as:


Corruption's such an old song that we can sing along in harmony/And nowhere is it stronger than in Albany
John Jay got sick after writing five/James Madison wrote twenty-nine/Hamilton wrote the other fifty-one!
Sir, do you want me to run the Treasury or State department?/Treasury/Let's go

And the way that this song, which is the finale of Act I, by the way, brings together all the previous harmonies in such a... harmonious way... is so cool to listen to. Makes you feel smarter just for remembering all of the different mantras.


The song's also a good recap of all the characters; Hamilton, cheerfully perky as ever, Aaron Burr, cool and reserved, George Washington, reluctant hero, and Eliza and Angelica Schuyler - wishing and wishing, respectively.

3. The Story of Tonight/ the Story of Tonight (Reprise)

The Story of Tonight is one of the greatest songs in the soundtrack for it's "Young go-getter" quality. It actually feels like a song that some of these great historical figures might sing, or resonate with. And, the amount of times that the musical later references this song - The John Laurens Interlude and The World Was Wide Enough - really make it feel like this is the make or break moment in Hamilton's life.


This is him in his prime. He just got  is swept up in a revolutionary cause, and is just out chilling in a bar with his new best friends. It's exactly what the song should be. And, my gosh, the harmonies that they do - it sounds like they're one voice. It's really good.

And then the reprise. The reprise has got to be one of the funniest songs to ever be in a musical - Just the way that the characters slur their speech, the slightly drunk quality that even is present in the beat - it all amounts to some great song. And then the back and forth between Burr and Hamilton in the musical is great. And the subtle foreshadowing to Wait For It is inspired.

2. Right Hand Man

I really dig Right Hand Man. Really, I love anything involving George Washington in this musical. They just nailed the character so well! When I think of George Washington, you bet that I'm thinking of this.

Once again, George Washington, the reluctant leader. He knows what's going on, how much is resting on him. The toll of everyone trusting him with their lives is showing. So he is in dire need of assistance. Enter Hamilton.

Here we have the classic, "Just got started, now I'm the most important person in everyone's lives! Everyone loves me and I have a bunch of new friends!" like Harry Potter. Born from nothing, life changing opportunity, and boom. Everyone loves them, they rise in popularity, and meet some cool people. Amazing how Hamilton was able to replicate that feeling just through music. I feel like I know these characters.

But for the song... the song has a very slow set up, with some very cool backup chorus dudes, a nervous plight, some throwback mantras, and the ever lovable way Lin-Manuel Miranda's lyrics go so well with his voice. That sounded weird, but it's true.

This has also got to be one of the coolest introductions of a character ever. Like, in school, we all look up to Washington. He's always in the top three presidents, and he's undeniably cool. So this introduction goes to great lengths to make him not only capable but also relatable, and that's something that should never be underrated. It's a very good way to emphasize with Washington, what he was working with, the impossible odds. It's honestly awe inspiring to think that we even won that war.

And the slow build up. Dudes, it's dope. By the time the song is done, you wanna go yell "RISE UP!" at some people.

1. Wait For It

Out of all the songs in Hamilton, this one is undoubtedly going down as the one to be remembered. Quiet, impactful, emotional, and catchy, Wait For It is the best song in the soundtrack.


Because, at their core, Burr and Hamilton, despite their conflicting idealogies, are still very much sappy patriots (At least in this). And the very cool lines in the song;

Death doesn't discriminate between the sinners and the saints.
I am the one thing in life I can control!/I am inimitable I am an original!

The chilling backup chorus, combined with Leslie Odom Jr.'s powerhouse vocals, just make this one the best. It's not often we get well developed villains. Burr and Hamilton started out together. This is where they are more fleshed out. Burr is the complex antagonist who's not really an antagonist. He's just trying to live up to a great legacy, and find his place in all of it.

And you know something? I'm not a huge fan of profanity. It's relatable in circumstances, even a character trait. But often times movies can completely over do it. While I don't necessarily agree with Hamilton's two F-Bombs (Why not "Hercules Mulligan, I need no introduction, when you knock me down I get right back up again!"), but in Wait For It, the lyrics

And if there's a reason
He seems to thrive when so few survive
Then Goddammit I'm willing to wait for it.

I mean, the way it's said, the build up, it just feels... right. You completely get where he's coming from. It seems justified and natural in a way most profanity doesn't.

But aside from my personal opinions on cursing in films, the film succeeds in making the villain basically as cool, if not cooler than the hero. You can see how the mantra that he decides on, I'm not standing still / I am lying in wait, comes back to bite him.

All in all, Hamilton is one of the few musicals I actually like. Even though I'm in my high school musicals (Oscar Delancey, Newsies, and the Narrator in Into the Woods), I don't like most musicals. They're slow. Songs get repetitive. There's normally a huge shift from Act I to Act II, mostly because the ensemble drops off and it settles on the main characters. But not Hamilton.

Hamilton remains throughout entertaining through both Acts. Can't wait to see if it feels that way when watching it.