Going from Lin Manuel Miranda's first major work to the one that put him on the map, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite Hamilton remixes from the Hamildrops collection. "First Burn" is a take on the song "Burn" performed by other actresses who also stepped into Eliza's shoes and had to sing about her grief. The song is about heartbreak, betrayal, and writing oneself from the narrative is remixed beautifully by four others and turned into a song that is simply unforgettable.
Pieces of the original song are stitched throughout this interwoven with new lyrics and powerful ones at that. "Heaven forbid someone whispers 'He's part of some scheme", Your enemy whispers so you have to scream. I know about whispers, I see how you look at my sister". Lyrics such as that pack an emotional punch that carries the same weight as the contemporary it came from that started on the stage. This remix has so much emotion in it, being great in the context of when it was released as well as on its own.
This song stands out as its own song and can be listened to by fans of Hamilton and those who only know of the show through pop culture. This song is a great listen, the instrumentation matches the lyrics in a perfect harmony that makes me want to listen to it again and again.
This song packs so much power into it, the slow and somber nature of it shows someone who is truly heartbroken. The four voices harmonize perfectly and balance so well to make every part of this song linger with the listener even after it has wrapped up. The emotion captured never leaving and growing until the song ends in a frustrated cry for someone not to apologize, but to grow, learn, and change. Begging someone to see what is right in front of them, return home, and be with those who love them, for they matter most. Cutting off any counterargument with countless "Don'ts" in the song, leaving no room for excuses, not dwelling in pity or wanting an apology but rather for the offending party to listen. Using some of the original lyrics mixed in for that extra layer of empowerment and relatability.
Capturing Eliza's heartbreak and rage in a new way, still staying true to where it came from while becoming a new song entirely. I hope more musical-based songs do this, I would love to see new songs, that are inspired, use lyrics and themes, or do both like this. I would love to see songs inspired by the amazing pieces of music from SIX, Come From Away, Waitress, and so many others. Songs that capture the characters feelings and expand them to connect just as much with the listener or even more than the song that came before it on the stage. There are so many outlets to inspire, move, and relate that I do not want it to stop at the Hamildrops from almost ten years back now. Hamilton is still the only show I know of that has released a mixtape and many remixes monthly as a sequel. Meanwhile, plenty of shows come out, and many of them make a solid mark that they are being listened to, covered, and seen by thousands.
Some shows like SIX and Waitress release a second album with cut songs or different performers but I feel like something amazing can come from collaborating with other artists to make new pieces of media to connect with the audience. But until then, I have amazing songs such as this.
No comments:
Post a Comment