"Right Hand Man" from the musical HAMILTON Performed by Alex Lacamoire, Christopher Jackson, Leslie Odom Jr., Lin-Manuel Miranda, Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda www.HamiltonMusical.com [COMPANY] British Admiral Howe’s got troops on the water Thirty-two thousand troops in New York harbor [ENSEMBLE 1 & ENSEMBLE 2] Thirty-two thousand troops in New York harbor Thirty-two thousand troops in New York harbor When they surround our troops! They surround our troops! They surround our troops! They surround our troops! When they surround our troops! [HAMILTON] As a kid in the Caribbean I wished for a war I knew that I was poor I knew it was the only way to— [HAMILTON/BURR/MULLIGAN/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE] Rise up! [HAMILTON] If they tell my story I am either gonna die on the battlefield in glory or— [HAMILTON/BURR/MULLIGAN/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE] Rise up! [HAMILTON] I will fight for this land But there’s only one man Who can give us a command so we can— [HAMILTON/BURR/MULLIGAN/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE] Rise up! [HAMILTON] Understand? It’s the only way to— [HAMILTON/BURR/MULLIGAN/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE] Rise up! Rise up! [HAMILTON] Here he comes! [ENSEMBLE] Here comes the General! [BURR] Ladies and gentlemen! [ENSEMBLE] Here comes the General! [BURR] The moment you’ve been waiting for! [ENSEMBLE] Here comes the General! [BURR] The pride of Mount Vernon! [ENSEMBLE] Here comes the General! [BURR] George Washington! [WASHINGTON & ENSEMBLE] We are outgunned (What?) Outmanned (What?) Outnumbered Outplanned (Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck!) We gotta make an all out stand Ayo, I’m gonna need a right-hand man (Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck!) [WASHINGTON] Check it— Can I be real a second? For just a millisecond? Let down my guard and tell the people how I feel a second? Now I’m the model of a modern major general The venerated Virginian veteran whose men are all Lining up, to put me up on a pedestal Writin’ letters to relatives Embellishin’ my elegance and eloquence But the elephant is in the room The truth is in ya face when ya hear the British cannons go… [ENSEMBLE] Boom! [WASHINGTON] Any hope of success is fleeting How can I keep leading when the people I’m Leading keep retreating? We put a stop to the bleeding as the British take Brooklyn Knight takes rook, but look [WASHINGTON & ENSEMBLE] We are outgunned (What?) Outmanned (What?) Outnumbered Outplanned (Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck!) We gotta make an all out stand Ayo, I’m gonna need a right-hand man (Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck!) Incoming! [HAMILTON] They’re battering down the Battery check the damages [MULLIGAN] Rah! [HAMILTON] We gotta stop ‘em and rob ‘em of their advantages [MULLIGAN] Rah! [HAMILTON] Let’s take a stand with the stamina God has granted us Hamilton won’t abandon ship Yo, let’s steal their cannons— [MULLIGAN & COMPANY] Shh-boom! (Boom!) [WASHINGTON] Goes the cannon, watch the blood and the shit spray and… [COMPANY] Boom! [WASHINGTON] Goes the cannon, we’re abandonin’ Kips Bay and… [COMPANY] Boom! [WASHINGTON] There’s another ship and… [COMPANY] Boom! [WASHINGTON] We just lost the southern tip and… [COMPANY] Boom! [WASHINGTON] We gotta run to Harlem quick, we can’t afford another slip Guns and horses giddyup I decide to divvy up My forces, they’re skittish as the British cut the city up This close to giving up, facing mad scrutiny I scream in the face of this mass mutiny: Are these the men with which I am to defend America? We ride at midnight, Manhattan in the distance I cannot be everywhere at once, people I’m in dire need of assistance… [BURR] Your excellency, sir! [WASHINGTON] Who are you? [BURR] Aaron Burr, Sir? Permission to state my case? [WASHINGTON] As you were [BURR] Sir I was a captain under General Montgomery Until he caught a bullet in the neck in Quebec And well, in summary I think that I could be of some assistance I admire how you keep firing on the British From a distance [WASHINGTON] Huh [BURR] I have some questions, a couple of suggestions on how to fight instead of fleeing west [WASHINGTON] Yes? [BURR] Well— [HAMILTON] Your excellency, you wanted to see me? [WASHINGTON] Hamilton, come in, have you met Burr? [HAMILTON] Yes, sir [HAMILTON & BURR] We keep meeting [BURR] As I was saying, sir, I look forward to seeing your strategy play out [WASHINGTON] Burr? [BURR] Sir? [WASHINGTON] Close the door on your way out (Burr exits.) [HAMILTON] Have I done something wrong, sir? [WASHINGTON] On the contrary I called you here because our odds are beyond scary Your reputation precedes you, but I have to laugh [HAMILTON] Sir? [WASHINGTON] Hamilton, how come no one can get you on their staff? [HAMILTON] Sir! -- Sing along to the rest of the lyrics: https://genius.com/Original-broadway-cast-of-hamilton-right-hand-man-lyrics