"Right Hand Man" is the eighth song from Act 1 of the musical ''

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: * Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States * ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda ** ''Hamilton'' (al ...

'', based on the life of

Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the first U.S. secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795 dur ...

, 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 George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

to the musical, and culminates with Hamilton becoming his eponymous "right-hand man".

Synopsis

At the very beginning of the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

, Alexander Hamilton reiterates his desire (as laid out in " My Shot") to fight in a war in order to rise up from his poor childhood. Aiming to be promoted to a position of command in the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

, Hamilton hopes to get the attention of General George Washington, who had been appointed commander-in-chief at the

Second Continental Congress The Second Continental Congress (1775–1781) was the meetings of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that united in support of the American Revolution and American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War, which established American independence ...

Aaron Burr Aaron Burr Jr. (February 6, 1756 – September 14, 1836) was an American politician, businessman, lawyer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805 d ...

then introduces Washington, who discusses his frustration with his forces in the

fight Combat (French language, French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent Conflict (process), conflict between multiple combatants with the intent to harm the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed (Hand-to-hand combat, not usin ...

for control of

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Hamilton attempts to reverse the tide of the battle by capturing British cannons that were attacking his unit in the Battery. These actions bring Hamilton to the attention of Washington, who decides to recruit an aide-de-camp after retreating from

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

. Burr applies for this role, but is dismissed in favor of Hamilton, who reluctantly accepts the eponymous role at the song's conclusion. 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 ''The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, W. S. Gilbert. Its official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 3 ...

'' by

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900) and to the works they jointly created. The two men collaborated on fourteen com ...

. The credits of the 2020 film adaptation of Hamilton acknowledge this as the source of the lyric.

Analysis

The song serves to introduce

, a role originated on Broadway by Christopher Jackson. Elizabeth Logan, writing for ''

Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers ...

'', considered the song to incorporate recurring motifs from the musical, such as "throwing away my shot" - a reference to My Shot. It further sows seeds of discord between Hamilton and Burr due to jealousy, and this becomes important in Act 2 of the musical, where the two

duel A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people with matched weapons. During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the rapier and later the small sword), but beginning in ...

Weehawken, New Jersey Weehawken is a township in the northern part of Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located on the Hudson Waterfront and Hudson Palisades overlooking the Hudson River. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's po ...

. The song receives a reprise later in the musical, when Washington asks Hamilton to assume the role of

Secretary of the Treasury The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...

in the

Cabinet of the United States The Cabinet of the United States is the principal official advisory body to the president of the United States. The Cabinet generally meets with the president in Cabinet Room (White House), a room adjacent to the Oval Office in the West Wing of ...

Critical reception

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ranked the song as the 22nd best in the musical, while

The Young Folks "The Young Folks" is a song by Diana Ross and the Supremes, released as the B-side to " No Matter What Sign You Are" in 1969. Written by Allen Story and George Gordy, "The Young Folks" was included on the album '' Cream of the Crop'' (1969). In ...

had it ranked 19th. Vibe.com said that it marked a return to the initial "1990's feel" of the musical.

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 2015 songs Songs from Hamilton (musical)