More Hamilton
Oct. 4th, 2015 11:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
schneefinkI figured out how to turn on the heating in my apartment! It's getting colder outside so this is excellent. (Another chapter of "HY lacks practical life skills": her room was too warm, so instead of trying to figure out how to turn down the heating she opened the window directly above the radiator. *sigh*)
I need a new radio, my current one isn't working and that makes it even harder than it already is to get out of bed in the morning.
I just listened to Hamilton for the second time. Well, it's the second time I listened to the whole album, I've listened to the first act probably five times and to some songs probably over twenty times (Wait for It, Who Lives Who Dies Who Tells Your Story, Guns and Ships, …) I can't get it out of my head, though tbf most of the time I'm not trying all that hard.
Some of my favorite lines: "I am the one thing in life I can control" from "Wait for It", surprisingly motivating. And "Alexander wrote the other fifty-one", I get goose bumps every time.
The lyrics were very helpful, not only for some of the text but also for attribution (from the album alone I didn't realize King George sang "I Know Him", that's hilarious.) Now there are crowd-sourced annotated lyrics, I'm very much looking forward to going through them. I've even thought about reading Chernow's biography of Hamilton, despite its length, the musical made these characters so interesting. Maybe one day; I just finished "Rosemary and Rue" and I know what I need the next months' book budgets for.
I've also enjoyed going through the supplementary materials, like articles and Miranda's Twitter etc. I was delighted to discover that Hamilton being bisexual & in love with Laurens is as close as it gets to canon. I found the scene where Hamilton learns of Laurens' death, and when I realized that it goes between "Dear Theodosia" and "Non-Stop" that made it even more heartbreaking. "I have so much work to do", right after "we'll make it right for you"; the death of his closest friend who he hoped to have by his side to build the nation right before the constitutional convention, after the war had already ended. Ouch.
There is some American Revolution RPF on AO3, even some Hamilton/Laurens. I haven't read all of it, but two recent ones I really liked:
Disgrace to Danger by indigostohelit
Alexander Hamilton/John Laurens, Alexander Hamilton&(/)George Washington, 3.8k
Summary: "A livid sky on New Jersey, and I knew the end was near."
Or: Charles Lee has never had a real job in his liiiiiiiiiife.
Why I like it: Canon-compliant (takes place shortly before the battle of Monmouth, during "Stay Alive"), great look at a few hours in a quiet evening during the war. I really like the characters here.
every day is a gift that's why they call it the present by screamlet
A.Ham/Eliza, A.Ham/Angelica, A.Ham/Laurens, A.Ham&Washington, 4.9k
Summary by me: An "Everybody Lives" modern (kinda) politics AU.
Why I like it: This is absolutely hilarious. They are all such sarcastic shits, it's great. Perfect adaption.
I need a new radio, my current one isn't working and that makes it even harder than it already is to get out of bed in the morning.
I just listened to Hamilton for the second time. Well, it's the second time I listened to the whole album, I've listened to the first act probably five times and to some songs probably over twenty times (Wait for It, Who Lives Who Dies Who Tells Your Story, Guns and Ships, …) I can't get it out of my head, though tbf most of the time I'm not trying all that hard.
Some of my favorite lines: "I am the one thing in life I can control" from "Wait for It", surprisingly motivating. And "Alexander wrote the other fifty-one", I get goose bumps every time.
The lyrics were very helpful, not only for some of the text but also for attribution (from the album alone I didn't realize King George sang "I Know Him", that's hilarious.) Now there are crowd-sourced annotated lyrics, I'm very much looking forward to going through them. I've even thought about reading Chernow's biography of Hamilton, despite its length, the musical made these characters so interesting. Maybe one day; I just finished "Rosemary and Rue" and I know what I need the next months' book budgets for.
I've also enjoyed going through the supplementary materials, like articles and Miranda's Twitter etc. I was delighted to discover that Hamilton being bisexual & in love with Laurens is as close as it gets to canon. I found the scene where Hamilton learns of Laurens' death, and when I realized that it goes between "Dear Theodosia" and "Non-Stop" that made it even more heartbreaking. "I have so much work to do", right after "we'll make it right for you"; the death of his closest friend who he hoped to have by his side to build the nation right before the constitutional convention, after the war had already ended. Ouch.
There is some American Revolution RPF on AO3, even some Hamilton/Laurens. I haven't read all of it, but two recent ones I really liked:
Disgrace to Danger by indigostohelit
Alexander Hamilton/John Laurens, Alexander Hamilton&(/)George Washington, 3.8k
Summary: "A livid sky on New Jersey, and I knew the end was near."
Or: Charles Lee has never had a real job in his liiiiiiiiiife.
Why I like it: Canon-compliant (takes place shortly before the battle of Monmouth, during "Stay Alive"), great look at a few hours in a quiet evening during the war. I really like the characters here.
every day is a gift that's why they call it the present by screamlet
A.Ham/Eliza, A.Ham/Angelica, A.Ham/Laurens, A.Ham&Washington, 4.9k
Summary by me: An "Everybody Lives" modern (kinda) politics AU.
Why I like it: This is absolutely hilarious. They are all such sarcastic shits, it's great. Perfect adaption.
no subject
Date: 2015-10-04 10:41 pm (UTC)It's hard to say which songs I enjoy the most, but from minor side chars I love how Lafayette and Hercules Mulligan flow. Just awesome. And Ten Battle Commandments. I also love how you just love to hate Jefferson and how much you feel for Burr. The whole play is just balls-to-the-wall and so unapologetic. And I now have a favourite Founding Father, a sentence I never thought I would say. Thanks fandom.
Idk if I will read fic for the fandom, but on resources! There's of course, also Lin-Manuel's tumblr. Sporadic updates bc busy, but I really enjoy it! http://linmanuel.tumblr.com/
I also laughed when I saw that the US Treasury had to apologize because just as the musical became big they were trying to start to change the 10$ note to a woman. Which, good goal, but right now they're fending off people and promising it will be a different note. This got awkward, oops.
no subject
Date: 2015-10-04 10:43 pm (UTC)I've got a bunch of interesting interviews and vid clips and tweets and everything that I kind of want to share, but I've been too busy to internet this weekend! Are you familiar with the #Ham4Ham thing they do for the ticket lottery? And did you see the one with the little kid yesterday? SO CUTE: https://youtu.be/31zJo-ys1bk
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Date: 2015-10-04 11:01 pm (UTC)Jefferson is such an (entertaining) asshole. The guy who wrote "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal" owned slaves, great. Miranda mentioned on Twitter that there's a song he cut from the musical where Hamilton, Jefferson, and Madison argue about slavery, I really hope we get to hear that!
Hah, bad timing for the Treasury. I wonder how much this musical will encourage students to study that part of US history, my guess is a lot. Teachers must be happy (and wish for a video more than anyone else.)
no subject
Date: 2015-10-04 11:06 pm (UTC)I'm looking forward to other stuff you have to share when you have the time :)
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Date: 2015-10-05 01:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-10-05 09:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-10-05 12:43 pm (UTC)Oh, I agree about Jefferson! Just, his introduction song - What did I miss?; won't you be a lamb and open it for me, fksjlkfjg. I want to hug the actor and punch the character. Him bragging about the declaration was awesome as well!
Miranda also mentioned another one that was cut - basically Ben Franklin telling Jefferson that "diplomacy happens at night" about the time when they're at France. It sounded awesome and another opportunity for pissy Jefferson, so I'm here for it.
I know good teachers will cease this to make their students get this - I feel like they got the jackpot in study memorising material. I know I learned a bunch I didn't know! :D
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Date: 2015-10-05 08:52 pm (UTC)I hope there will be fic for Yuletide! (For some reason atm I'd be really interested in Maria Reynolds fic, for example.)
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Date: 2015-10-05 09:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-10-05 09:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-10-05 09:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-10-06 08:57 pm (UTC)I adore "Wait for It," agh. "Guns and Ships" may be the one I've listened to the most.
I'm reading the Chernow biography right now, and, as someone on my flist said, Hamilton is... basically a Mary Sue. In real life! If you made a fictional character with all the things that he did, no one would believe it!
no subject
Date: 2015-10-06 09:22 pm (UTC)Hamilton has too many obvious flaws and enemies for a stereotypical Mary Sue, and I like that. To come back to your Vorkosigan comparison, he seems less of a Mary Sue than Miles because he's not as supported by the narrative, history is complicated like that (especially when your enemies outlive you!)
Someone on Tumblr commented on "I want to be in the room where it happens" to "yeah, the room where they play the musical", now I always have to think of that during that song. Very accurate.