Non-Stop Songtext
von Lin‐Manuel Miranda

After the war I went back to New York

A-After the war I went back to New York

I finished up my studies and I practiced law

I practiced law, Burr worked next door

Even though we started at the very same time
Alexander Hamilton began to climb
How to account for his rise to the top?
Man, the man is
Non-stop!

Gentlemen of the jury, I′m curious, bear with me
Are you aware that we're making history?
This is the first murder trial of our brand-new nation
The liberty behind deliberation
Non-stop!

I am meant to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt
With my assistant counsel—

Co-counsel. Hamilton, sit down
Our client Levi Weeks is innocent, call your first witness
That′s all you had to say


Okay, one more thing—

Why do you assume you're the smartest in the room?
Why do you assume you're the smartest in the room?
Why do you assume you′re the smartest in the room?
Soon that attitude may be your doom

Aww!

Why do you write like you′re running out of time?
Write day and night like you're running out of time
Every day you fight like you′re running out of time

Keep on fighting, in the meantime
Non-stop!

Corruption's such an old song that we can sing along in harmony
And nowhere is it stronger than in Albany
This colony′s economy's increasingly stalling
And honestly, that′s why (He's just)
Public service seems to be (non-stop!) calling me


I practiced the law, practic'ly perfected it
I′ve seen injustice in the world and I′ve corrected it
Now for a strong central democracy
If not, then I'll be Socrates
Throwing verbal rocks at these mediocrities (Awww!)

Hamilton at the Constitutional Convention

I was chosen for the Constitutional Convention!

There as a New York junior delegate

Now what I′m gonna say may sound indelicate... (Awww!)

Goes and proposes his own form of government
What?

His own plan for a new form of government
What?

Talks for six hours, the convention is listless

Bright young man!
Yo, who the eff is this?

Why do you always say what you believe?
Why do you always say what you believe?

Every proclamation guarantees
Free ammunition for your enemies (Awww!)

Why do you write like it's going out of style (goin out of style, hey)
Write day and night like it′s going out of style (goin out of style, hey)
Every day you fight like it's going out of style
Do you what you do

Alexander?

Aaron Burr, sir

Well, it′s the middle of the night

Can we confer, sir?

Is this a legal matter?

Yes, and it's important to me

What do you need?

Burr, you're a better lawyer than me

Okay?

I know I talk too much, I′m abrasive
You′re incredible in court, you're succinct, persuasive
My client needs a strong defence, you′re the solution

Who's your client?

The new U.S. Constitution?

No

Hear me out—

No way!

A series of essays anonymously published
Defending the document to the public

No one′ll read it

I disagree!

And if it fails?

Burr, that's why we need it

The constitution′s a mess!

So it needs amendments

It's full of contradictions!

So is independence
We have to start somewhere

No, no, no, no, no, no way

You're making a mistake

Good night!

Hey! What are you waiting for?
What do you stall for?

What?

We won the war, what was it all for?
Do you support this constitution?

Of course

Then defend it!

And what if you′re backing the wrong horse?

Burr, we studied and we fought and we killed
For the notion of a nation we now get to build
For once in your life take a stand with pride
I don′t understand how you stand to the side

I don't keep all my plans close to my chest

Wait for it, wait for it, wait

I won′t wait here and see which

Way the wind will blow
I'm taking my time watching the afterbirth of a nation
Watching the tension grow

I am sailing off to London
I am accompanied by someone who always pays
I have found a wealthy husband
Who will keep me in comfort for all my days
He is not a lot of fun but
There′s no one who can match you for turn of phrase
My Alexander—

Angelica

Don't forget to write

Look at where you are
Look at where you started
The fact that you′re alive is a miracle
Just stay alive, that would be enough
And if your wife could share a fraction of your time
If I could grant you peace of mind
Would that be enough?

Alexander joins forces with James Madison and John Jay to write a series of essays Defending the new United States Constitution, entitled The Federalist Papers
The plan was to write a total of twenty-five essays
The work divided evenly among the three men
In the end, they wrote eighty-five essays in the span of six months
John Jay got sick after writing five
James Madison wrote twenty-nine
Hamilton wrote the other FIFTY-ONE!

How do you write like you're

Running out time
Write day and night like you're

Running out time

Every day you fight like you′re

Running out time

Like you′re

Running out time

Are you running out time?

How do you write like tomorrow won't arrive?
How do you write like you need it to survive?
How do you write every second you′re alive
Every second you're alive
Every second you′re alive

They're asking me to lead
I′m doing the best I can
To get the people that I need
I'm asking you to be my right hand man

Treasury or State?

I know it's a lot to ask—

Treasury or State?

To leave behind the world you know—

Sir, do you want me to run the Treasury or State Department?

Treasury

Let′s go

Alexander!

I have to leave

Alexander!

Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now

Helpless

They are asking me to lead

Look around, isn′t this enough?

He will never be satisfied

Would it be enough?

He will never be satisfied

Satisfied, satisfied, satisfied

History has it's eyes on you

Why do you assume you′re the smartest in the room?
Why do you assume you're the smartest in the room?

Look around, look around

Non-stop!

He will never be satisfied, satisfied, satisfied

Why do you assume you′re the smartest in the room?
Soon that attitude may be your doom

Isn't this enough? Would it be enough?

History has it′s eyes on you

Why do you write like you're running out of time?

Non-stop!

Why do you write like—

History has it's eyes on you!

I am not throwing away my shot!

Just you wait

I am not throwing away my shot!

Just you wait

I am Alexander Hamilton

Hamilton
Just you wait

I am not throwing away my shot!