"Aaron Burr, Sir" lyrics
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anthony Ramos, Daveed Diggs, Leslie Odom Jr. & Okieriete Onaodowan Lyrics
"Aaron Burr, Sir"
(from "Hamilton: An American Musical" soundtrack)
[Company:]
1776. New York City.
[Hamilton:]
Pardon me. Are you Aaron Burr, sir?
[Burr:]
That depends. Who's asking?
[Hamilton:]
Oh, well, sure, sir
I'm Alexander Hamilton, I'm at your service, sir
I have been looking for you
[Burr:]
I'm getting nervous
[Hamilton:]
Sir…
I heard your name at Princeton. I was seeking an accelerated course of study when I got sort of out of sorts with a buddy of yours. I may have punched him. It's a blur, sir. He handles the financials?
[Burr:]
You punched the bursar
[Hamilton:]
Yes!
I wanted to do what you did. Graduate in two, then join the revolution. He looked at me like I was stupid, I'm not stupid.
So how'd you do it? How'd you graduate so fast?
[Burr:]
It was my parents' dying wish before they passed
[Hamilton:]
You're an orphan. Of course! I'm an orphan
God, I wish there was a war!
Then we could prove that we're worth more
Than anyone bargained for…
[Burr:]
Can I buy you a drink?
[Hamilton:]
That would be nice
[Burr:]
While we're talking, let me offer you some free advice
Talk less
[Hamilton:]
What?
[Burr:]
Smile more
[Hamilton:]
Ha
[Burr:]
Don't let them know what you're against or what you're for
[Hamilton:]
You can't be serious
[Burr:]
You wanna get ahead?
[Hamilton:]
Yes
[Burr:]
Fools who run their mouths off wind up dead
[Laurens:]
Yo yo yo yo yo!
What time is it?
[Laurens/Lafayette/Mulligan:]
Show time!
[Burr:]
Like I said…
[Laurens:]
Show time! Show time! Yo!
I'm John Laurens in the place to be!
A two pints o' Sam Adams, but I'm workin' on three, uh!
Those redcoats don't want it with me!
'Cause I will pop chick-a pop these cops 'til I'm free!
[Lafayette:]
Oui oui, mon ami, je m'appelle Lafayette!
The Lancelot of the revolutionary set!
I came from afar just to say "Bonsoir!"
Tell the King "Casse toi!" Who's the best?
C'est moi!
[Mulligan:]
Brrrah brraaah! I am Hercules Mulligan
Up in it, lovin' it, yes I heard ya mother said, "Come again?"
[Lafayette and Laurens:]
Ayyyyy
[Mulligan:]
Lock up ya daughters and horses, of course
It's hard to have intercourse over four sets of corsets…
[Lafayette:]
Wow
[Laurens:]
No more sex, pour me another brew, son!
Let's raise a couple more…
[Laurens/Lafayette/Mulligan:]
To the revolution!
[Laurens:]
Well, if it ain't the prodigy of Princeton college!
[Mulligan:]
Aaron Burr!
[Laurens:]
Give us a verse, drop some knowledge!
[Burr:]
Good luck with that: you're takin' a stand
You spit. I'mma sit. We'll see where we land
[Lafayette/Mulligan:]
Boooo!
[Laurens:]
Burr, the revolution's imminent. What do you stall for?
[Hamilton:]
If you stand for nothing, Burr, what'll you fall for?
[Mulligan/Lafayette/Laurens:]
Ooh
[Laurens:]
Who are you?
[Mulligan:]
Who are you?
[Lafayette:]
Who are you?
[Mulligan/Lafayette/Laurens:]
Ooh, who is this kid? What's he gonna do?
Thanks to Ani Crossley for correcting these lyrics.
Writer(s): Lin-manuel Miranda
The first meeting of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr is described in this song. They both are orphans, but from different backgrounds and with different philosophies.
Lin-Manuel Miranda explained the song, "It starts with the friends, Laurens, Lafayette, Mulligan, and they're doing, like, 80s raps. Great raps, but super beginner raps. [...] Then here comes Hamilton and it's rhyming six lines on a line. It's insane, polysyllabic, internal assonance… He needed to be from the future, just this world beating intellect, so every couplet needed to be unimpeachable."
Although these lyrics start with "1776", Alexander Hamilton actually met Laurens only in 1777.
These lyrics contain a reference to how Aaraon Burr finished his study in Princeton in just three years. Alexander Hamilton says he'd like to do the same.
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- Lin-Manuel Miranda Lyrics
soundtrack:
"Hamilton: An American Musical" (2015)