Hear ye! Hear ye! Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, please gather around, for there has been an announcement by order of…. Well, me. After careful consideration and much thought, I have come to the conclusion that Hamilton perhaps has the best soundtrack ever composed for a musical. No scratch that; it is the best soundtrack for a musical!
I mean, where do I even begin to express my praise? The melodies? The ensemble? The lyrics? There are many things and components I could discuss that truly make the musical pure magic to experience, but today, I will highlight select songs that truly stand out on the soundtrack of Hamilton.
First, we cannot talk about the musical without discussing the man himself: Alexander Hamilton. Opening the beginning of the musical with a gentle and slow tempo that gradually climbs into a lively and energetic rhythm, the song, “Alexander Hamilton,” presents a fast-paced, energetic beat that leaves its audience with similar feelings of excitement and joy. Introducing the audience to the title character, the song “Alexander Hamilton” quickly grabs the attention of the audience as they accompany the cast of characters during the duration of the play.
Following shortly after, the next song that is sure to be on everyone’s mind long after the musical has concluded is “My Shot”. If you want to be on your feet and jump onto the stage along with the characters, “My Shot” brings a whole new type of sound and energy that radiates from the vocals alone! Combining rapping that is more recognized and seen in our modern-day music, while additionally incorporating more traditional vocals, “My Shot” is a perfect blend of different genres and styles that come perfectly together in this musical!
Of course, none of these beautiful songs could have ever been possible if not for the man behind the musical: Lin-Manuel Miranda. Accredited with writing a total of 46 songs, Miranda and his co-writers created a new generational love of theater that lives through fellow lovers of theater. In simple terms, “the rent was due.”
