Right Hand Man (Hamilton song)
| "Right Hand Man" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Christoper Jackson, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr. and the original Broadway cast of Hamilton | |
| from the album Hamilton | |
| Released | 2015 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 5:21 |
YouTube | |
"Right Hand Man" is the eighth song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. The song introduces then-General George Washington to the musical, and culminates with Hamilton becoming his eponymous "right-hand man".
Synopsis
At the very beginning of the
The song contains the lyric, "Now I'm the model of a modern major general", which is adapted from the Major-General's Song from The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan. The credits of the 2020 film adaptation of Hamilton acknowledge this as the source of the lyric.
Analysis
The song serves to introduce George Washington, a role originated on Broadway by Christopher Jackson.[4]
Elizabeth Logan, writing for
The song receives a reprise later in the musical, when Washington asks Hamilton to assume the role of
Critical reception
BuzzFeed ranked the song as the 22nd best in the musical,[6] while The Young Folks had it ranked 19th.[7]
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[9] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[10] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ "George Washington's Commission as Commander in Chief: Primary Documents of American History (Virtual Programs & Services, Library of Congress)". www.loc.gov.
- ^ "Battle of Long Island". www.britishbattles.com.
- ^ "Alexander Hamilton". George Washington's Mount Vernon.
- ^ Ryan, Maureen (October 18, 2016). "Christopher Jackson Talks 'Bull,' 'Hamilton' and What's Next".
- ^ Logan, Elizabeth (October 1, 2015). "I Have an Opinion on Every Song in "Hamilton"". huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
- ^ None. "A Ranking Of Every Song In Hamilton". BuzzFeed Community. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
- ^ "Every Song from 'Hamilton,' Ranked - The Young Folks". www.theyoungfolks.com. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
- ^ "Going H.A.M.: A Track-By-Track Review Of The 'Hamilton' Soundtrack". vibe.com. October 20, 2015. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
- ^ "British single certifications – Jackson/Miranda/Odom Jr – Right Hand Man". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
- ^ "American single certifications – ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST OF HAMILTON – Right Hand Man". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
