Leslie Odom Jr.
Ten Things One World
(MALE COMPANY):
One, two, three, four

(ALL EXCEPT HAMILTON AND BURR):
Five, six, seven, eight, nine

(BURR):
There are ten things you need to know

(COMPANY):
Number one!

(BURR):
We rowed across the Hudson at dawn
My friend, William P. Vaness signed on as my

(COMPANY):
Number two!

(BURR):
Hamilton arrived with his crew
Nathaniel Pendleton and a doctor that he knew

(COMPANY):
Number three!
(BURR):
I watched Hamilton examine the terain
I wish I could tell you what was happening in his brain
This man has poisoned my political pursuits

(COMPANY):
Most disputes die and no one shoots!
Number four!

(BURR):
Hamilton drew first position
Looking, to the world, like a man on a mission
This is a soldier with a marksman's ability
The doctor turned around so he could have deniability

(COMPANY):
Five!

(BURR):
Now, I didn't know this at the time but we were

(BURR): (HAMILTON/PHILIP):
Near the same spot your Near the same spot my
Son died, is that why son died, is that why

(COMPANY):
Six!
(BURR):
He examined his gun with such rigior
I watched as he methodically fiddled with the trigger

(COMPANY):
Seven!

(BURR):
Confession time? Here's what I've got
My fellow soldiers'll tell you I'm a terrible shot

(COMPANY):
Number eight!

(BURR/HAMILTON/ENSEMBLE MEN):
Your last chance to negotiate
Send in your seconds, see if they can set the record straight

(BURR):
They won't teach you this in your classes
But look it up
Hamilton was wearing his glasses
Why?!
If not to take deadly aim!
It's him or me, the world will never be the same
I had only one thought before the slaughter
"This man will not make an orphan of my daughter"
(COMPANY):
Number nine!

(BURR):
Look him in the eye, aim no higher!
Summon all the courage you require!
THEN COUNT!

(COMPANY):
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine

(BURR/COMPANY):
He aims his pistol at the sky--

(BURR):
Wait!

(COMPANY):
Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two

(HAMILTON):
One last thought

(COMPANY):
Number one!

(HAMILTON):
Before we got in the boat to cross the Hudson
I stopped to write a note
Actually I wrote--

(HAMILTON/COMPANY):
Two!

(HAMILTON):
Just in case I didn't make it through
I want the world to know what I intended to do

(COMPANY):
Number three!

(HAMILTON):
If I shoot first, and throw it away
He has to yield, we both get to live another day
I know this puts me in a difficult spot
But I've got to throw away my shot

(COMPANY):
Number four!

(HAMILTON):
I get lucky, I draw first position
I stand east as I load my amunition
The sun is in my eyes, I'm almost giddy
As I watch it slowly rise over my New York City

(COMPANY):
Five!

(HAMILTON):
I start to shake when I realize
That we are--

(HAMILTON): (BURR):
In the same spot where In the same spot where
My son died, is that why your son died, is that why

(COMPANY):
Six!

(HAMILTON):
I examine the gun that we shared
Philip never hurt a soul, he must have been so scared

(COMPANY):
Seven!

(HAMILTON):
My Eliza is still asleep
I left her a letter, I could have written it better

(COMPANY):
Number eight!

(HAMILTON/BURR/ENSEMBLE MEN):
Your last chance to negotiate
Send in your seconds, see if they can set the record straight

(HAMILTON):
I put on my glasses, so I can see if Burr is softening
I see him glaring back at me
He's always hated dueling, hated confrontation
I never had his instinct for self-preservation
I feel a sense of calm fill me
It's not in his political interest to kill me

(COMPANY):
Nine!

(HAMILTON):
My last thought is of Eliza
Maybe I can get home before she opens her eyes
They put us in our paces, we count to ten
God, I can't wait to see her again

(BURR/COMPANY):
He aims his pistol at the sky--

(BURR):
Wait!