The Room Where It Happens

Last updated
"The Room Where It Happens"
Song by Leslie Odom Jr., Lin-Manuel Miranda, Daveed Diggs, Okieriete Onaodowan, and the cast of Hamilton
from the album Hamilton
Released2015
Genre
Length5:19
Songwriter(s) Lin-Manuel Miranda
Audio
"The Room Where It Happens" on YouTube

"The Room Where It Happens" is the fifth song from Act 2 of the musical Hamilton , based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. The musical relates the life of Alexander Hamilton and his relationships with his family and Aaron Burr. The book, music, and lyrics of the musical, including this song, were composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. [1] The song describes the Compromise of 1790 from Burr's perspective.

Contents

Background

The song's writer and composer, Lin-Manuel Miranda, explained, "'Wait for It' and 'The Room Where It Happens' are two of the best songs I've ever written in my life and [ Aaron Burr ] got them both" (as opposed to Alexander Hamilton, Miranda's character in the original cast). [2]

Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton's musical director, explained how he came to add a banjo to a hip-hop band: "'The Room Where it Happens' just cried for it. The single greatest idea in the whole show, only because it's so quirky and is so of the style of the music. It's so Kander and Ebb-y, Dixieland, so I just sat down to orchestrate it, and I'm thinking to myself, 'What can the guitar do?' And literally in a flash of light, I'm like, 'Oh my god, it could be a banjo!' It invokes the feel of the song and I think it really fits in the world of it, but it's also so left of center and not what you would expect." [3]

Synopsis

Aaron Burr and Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton discuss the legacy of the deceased General Hugh Mercer, pondering what their own legacies will be. The conversation turns to Hamilton's attempt to gain approval from Congress for his proposed financial system. Their discussion is interrupted as Hamilton is ushered to a secret dinner table meeting, at which he, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison agree upon an unprecedented political compromise: the capital city of their new nation will be situated on the Potomac River—politically and geographically placing it in the South, Jefferson and Madison's home region—in exchange for the Democratic-Republican Party's support of Hamilton's financial plan. Burr ponders Jefferson's reports on the meeting, and enviously comments on how the American people, and more specifically himself, had no agency in this decision. An outraged Burr confronts Hamilton for "sell[ing] New York down the river" and demands to know why; Hamilton replies he had to in order to get his plan passed and be remembered, then goads Burr about his reluctance to stand for anything. Burr decides to rectify this by running for political office so as to be in the metaphorical "room where it happens"—in other words, to be a party to important decisions.

Claire Lampen of Yahoo News explained "History has drawn much of its information on the compromise from Thomas Jefferson's account of the evening, according to PBS; neither Miranda nor anyone else can be entirely certain what happened behind those closed doors". [4] This grants Miranda artistic liberty and freedom in retelling the story of the compromise.

Style

Monesha Woods of Vibe wrote that song is sung over a "snazzy, jazzy beat almost to tease [Hamilton's] VIP status". [5] Film and stage theater columnist Elizabeth Logan of The Huffington Post said the "slick" song is "just Fosse enough", and that it is "yet another reminder that American politicians have always, always made secret deals." [6] Arts and culture scholar Alisa Solomon of The Nation described it as a "razzmatazz show-tune". [7] Theatrical reviewer David Cote of Timeout deemed it "the ultimate outsider's jazz romp". [8] Theater critic Peter Marks of The Washington Post called it "a bluesy elucidation of a politician's urge to be at the center of the action". [9] Poet and Catholic blogger Monique Ocampo of Patheos deemed it Burr's "villain song". [10] Playwright and dramatic expert Carol Rocamora of Broad Street Review deemed it a "pop ballad". [11] Theater staff writer Anna Maples of MOVE Magazine says the song was her "personal favorite" and has a "blend of New Orleans and Dixieland jazz." [12] WIUX said:

Burr doesn't take his shot until 1791, in the true showstopper "The Room Where It Happens"—the jazzy event horizon that drives Burr to Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans, against Hamilton across party lines. In unflattering terms, this song describes the compromise that moved our capital to D.C. and created our first national bank. Onstage, it's the height of suspense, and much more than debt involvement policy. It's Burr, drunk on the idea of power, drunk with the want Hamilton has always had and expected from him, entering the political arena and "the room where it happens." As Hamilton meets him, emerging from the mysterious dinner in "the room where it happens", he taunts Burr with the same words from "Aaron Burr, Sir". [13]

Arts critic Colin Dabkowski of The Buffalo News deemed it "quiet and haunting". [14] Playwright and ATCA member Lou Harry of IBJ argued that the song "demonstrates an awareness and respect for 'Someone In a Tree', from Stephen Sondheim's Pacific Overtures score". [15] Theater critic Robert Cushman of the National Post expanded on this comparison, writing that "like its predecessor, this song grows in intensity as it proceeds, spurred on by its staging." [16] Making reference to a different Broadway musical, Jeff McGregor of Smithsonian Magazine said the experience of watching the performance is "a lot like seeing Ben Vereen take the stage for the first time in Jesus Christ Superstar , a watershed for performer and audience". [17]

Critical reception

The song received critical acclaim. The New York Times said the "jivey... wicked meditation on being a political outsider" is "now a full-fledged showstopper". [18] Huffington Post said that it makes the audience root for Burr, [6] and The Hollywood Reporter called the song a showstopper and a "rousing number". [19] Entertainment Weekly deemed it the show's biggest showstopper, describing it as "pulse-quickening" and "surprising". [20] Daily Review said the song is "an ode to power and the desperate desire to be in the inner sanctum." [21] The Los Angeles Times "grooved" to the song and appreciated how "Aaron Burr ditches his usual political double talk for no-holds-barred showmanship". This shows how much Aaron Burr is serious about his job. [22]

Talkin' Broadway argues that the song's lyrics do little narrative heavy lifting, "hardly crystalizing more of the man for us". [23] Variety argues the song reveals Burr's "frustration and yearning." [24] The Wall Street Journal deemed it a "spectacular second-act production number". [25] NBC New York argued that the song reveals Burr's true nature as a "stop-at-nothing climber obsessed with relevancy". [26] The New Yorker listed it as one of the top ten showstoppers of 2015, describing it as an "unforgettable... song about power and powerlessness". [27]

National Post wrote that the song is the show's most exciting number, aided by the "brilliance of Andy Blankenbuehler's choreography, an almost ceaseless but never excessive swirl, precisely keyed to the beats." [16] The Wrap deemed it an "infectious showstopper". [28] New York Theatre Guide writes that "the experience is visceral for us all and becomes a show stopper." [29] NBC New York described it as a "sly, dangerous... show-stealing number." [30] Deadline deemed it "one of the show's most memorable songs." [31] Theater Mania said it is one of the show's "most high-flying [numbers]". [32] The Post Gazette remarked that the song "bring[s] down the house." [33] Emertainment Monthly noted the song is "one of the most monumental numbers in Hamilton". [34] Uloop called it one of the show's catchiest tunes, along with "Wait For It". [35] RG Magazine wrote the song "captures the emotional and political complexities of Burr." [36]

Certifications

Certifications for "The Room Where It Happens"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [37] Silver200,000‡
United States (RIAA) [38] Platinum1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lin-Manuel Miranda</span> American songwriter, actor, and librettist (born 1980)

Lin-Manuel Miranda is an American songwriter, actor, singer, filmmaker, rapper, and librettist. He created the Broadway musicals In the Heights (2005) and Hamilton (2015), and the soundtracks for the animated films Moana (2016), Vivo, and Encanto. He has received numerous accolades including a Pulitzer Prize, three Tony Awards, two Laurence Olivier Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and five Grammy Awards, along with nominations for two Academy Awards. He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Victor Dixon</span> American actor and producer

Brandon Victor Dixon is an American actor, singer and theatrical producer. As a musical theatre actor, he is known for Tony Award-nominated Broadway performances as Harpo in the 2005 musical The Color Purple and Eubie Blake in Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed (2016). He originated both roles, as well as the leading role of Berry Gordy Jr. in Motown: The Musical (2013) on Broadway, which earned a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. In 2016, Dixon assumed the role of Aaron Burr in the Broadway company of Hamilton. Off-Broadway as well as in London's West End, Dixon played the role of Hayward Patterson in The Scottsboro Boys and was nominated for a 2014 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical.

<i>Hamilton</i> (musical) 2015 biographical musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Hamilton: An American Musical is a sung-and-rapped-through biographical musical with music, lyrics, and a book by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Based on the 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, the musical covers the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton and his involvement in the American Revolution and the political history of the early United States. Composed over a seven-year period from 2008 to 2015, the music draws heavily from hip hop, as well as R&B, pop, soul, and traditional-style show tunes. It casts non-white actors as the Founding Fathers of the United States and other historical figures. Miranda described Hamilton as about "America then, as told by America now."

"Alexander Hamilton" is the opening number for the 2015 musical Hamilton, a musical biography of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. This song features "alternately rapped and sung exposition".

"Satisfied" is the eleventh song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. The song is sung by the character Angelica Schuyler, originally performed by Renée Elise Goldsberry.

"Wait for It" is the thirteenth song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. It speaks of Aaron Burr's undying determination in the face of Hamilton's swift rise to influence and power. Vocally, it covers a baritenor range of Ab2 to Ab4.

"Say No to This" is the fourth song from Act 2 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. In this song, "Hamilton's eye begins wandering", as he has an affair with Maria Reynolds.

"It's Quiet Uptown" is the eighteenth song from Act 2 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. The song takes place in the second act of the musical, as the characters Alexander Hamilton and his wife Eliza grieve over their son's death.

"Dear Theodosia" is the penultimate song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. The song is sung by the character Aaron Burr, originally performed by Leslie Odom Jr., and Hamilton, originally performed by Miranda.

"Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story" is the finale song of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song.

"You'll Be Back" is the seventh song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. It is sung by Jonathan Groff in the show's original cast recording. Within the context of the musical, it is King George III lamenting the anti-royal machinations of the rebelling American colonists. It covers a vocal range of D3 to A4 and is written for a tenor voice.

"My Shot" is the third song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song.

"Cabinet Battle #1" & "Cabinet Battle #2" are songs written for Act II of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the songs.

"Your Obedient Servant" is the twentieth song from Act 2 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. The song is sung by the characters of Hamilton and Aaron Burr, originally performed by Miranda and Leslie Odom Jr., respectively.

<i>Spamilton</i> Musical parody play

Spamilton: An American Parody is a musical parody of the Broadway show Hamilton. Written by Gerard Alessandrini, creator of the parody revue Forbidden Broadway, Spamilton also parodies several other musicals, including Gypsy, Chicago, The King and I, Assassins, Camelot, The Book of Mormon and Sweeney Todd, and personalities, like Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Stephen Sondheim, Stephen Schwartz, Barbra Streisand, Bernadette Peters, Carol Channing and Liza Minnelli.

"Ten Duel Commandments" is the fifteenth song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song.

"The World Was Wide Enough" is the penultimate song from Act 2 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song. The song recounts the events of the 1804 duel in Weehawken, New Jersey between then–Vice President Aaron Burr and former Secretary of the Treasury Hamilton.

"The Reynolds Pamphlet" is the fourteenth song from Act 2 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song.

"Right Hand Man" is the eighth song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, 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 to the musical, and culminates with Hamilton becoming his eponymous "right-hand man".

<i>Hamilton</i> (2020 film) 2020 American film of the Broadway musical

Hamilton is a 2020 American biographical musical drama film consisting of a live stage recording of the 2015 Broadway musical of the same name, which was inspired by the 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. Co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures, 5000 Broadway Productions, RadicalMedia, Nevis Productions, and Old 320 Sycamore Pictures, it was directed by Thomas Kail, who also produced the film with Jeffrey Seller and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda, who wrote the music, lyrics, and book for the musical, also stars as Treasury Secretary and Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, along with the musical's original principal Broadway cast, including Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, Christopher Jackson, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Daveed Diggs, Anthony Ramos, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Okieriete Onaodowan, and Jonathan Groff.

References

  1. ↑ " Hamilton Broadway" ibdb.com, accessed June 11, 2016
  2. ↑ Browne, Rembert. "Genius: A Conversation With 'Hamilton' Maestro Lin-Manuel Miranda". Grantland.
  3. ↑ Evans, Suzy (28 November 2015). "The man behind the "Hamilton" sound: Hidden Beatles references, the "hip-hop horse" sample and why if "it's all computerized, there's no heart to it"". Salon.
  4. ↑ Lampen, Claire (17 February 2016). "The Secret Meaning Behind the Lyrics to "The Room Where It Happens" from 'Hamilton'". Yahoo News. Yahoo-ABC News Network.
  5. ↑ Woods, Monesha (October 20, 2015). "Going H.A.M.: A Track-By-Track Review Of The 'Hamilton' Soundtrack". Vibe. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group.
  6. 1 2 Logan, Elizabeth (October 1, 2015) [2015]. "I Have an Opinion on Every Song in "Hamilton"". The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc (published Sep 30, 2016).
  7. ↑ Solomon, Alisa (27 August 2015). "How 'Hamilton' Is Revolutionizing the Broadway Musical". The Nation. The Nation Company LLC.
  8. ↑ Cote, David (August 6, 2015). "Hamilton". Time Out New York. Time Out America LLC.
  9. ↑ Marks, Peter (6 August 2015). "'Hamilton': Making ecstatic history". Washington Post. The Washington Post.
  10. ↑ Ocampo, Monique (October 14, 2015). "Hamilton The Musical: An Album Review". Monique Ocampo Writes. Patheos.
  11. ↑ Rocamora, Carol (March 14, 2015). Weightman, Judy; Rosenfield, Wendy (eds.). "'Hamilton' at the Public Theater". Broad Street Review. New York: Broad Street Review.
  12. ↑ Maples, Anna (October 14, 2015). "'Hamilton' is a cast album to remember". MOVE Magazine. Columbia, Missouri, United States: The Maneater Student Newspaper.
  13. ↑ de la Rosa, Kathryn (28 October 2015). "Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording)". WIUX. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Student Broadcasting.
  14. ↑ Dabkowski, Colin (February 21, 2016). "'Hamilton' hearkens back to the real American Dream".
  15. ↑ Harry, Lou (November 19, 2015). "Broadway roundup (part 3): Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'Hamilton' reviewed". IBJ.com. Indianapolis Business Journal.
  16. 1 2 Cushman, Robert (8 September 2015). "How Lin-Manuel Miranda revives the American musical through hip-hop and history". National Post. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Postmedia Network Inc.
  17. ↑ MacGregor, Jeff (November 12, 2015). "Meet Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Genius Behind "Hamilton," Broadway's Newest Hit". Smithsonian Magazine. Smithsonian Institution.
  18. ↑ Brantley, Ben (7 August 2015). "Review: 'Hamilton,' Young Rebels Changing History and Theater". The New York Times.
  19. ↑ Scheck, Frank (6 August 2015). "Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'Hamilton': Theater Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
  20. ↑ Clark, Jason. "'Hamilton': EW stage review - EW.com". Entertainment Weekly's EW.com.
  21. ↑ Perrett, Janine (4 February 2016). "Hamilton: the first 'new' musical of the 21st century". Daily Review.
  22. ↑ McNulty, Charles (4 November 2015). "Review: 'Hamilton' is a watershed musical that sets a Founding Father's tale to hip-hop – LA Times". Los Angeles Times .
  23. ↑ Murray, Matthew. "Talkin' Broadway Review: Hamilton".
  24. ↑ Stasio, Marilyn (7 August 2015). "'Hamilton' Review: Broadway Musical Opened Aug. 6 – Variety". Variety.
  25. ↑ Teachout, Terry (7 August 2015). "'Hamilton' Review: The Revolution Moves Uptown". Wall Street Journal.
  26. ↑ Kahn, Robert. "Lin-Manuel Miranda Calls the Shots in Majestic 'Hamilton'". NBC New York.
  27. ↑ Schulman, Michael (17 December 2015). "The Top Ten Showstoppers of 2015". The New Yorker.
  28. ↑ Hofler, Robert (7 August 2015). "'Hamilton' Broadway Review: The Founding Fathers Never Looked or Sounded So Cool". TheWrap.
  29. ↑ McCall, Tulis (22 September 2017). "Review of Hamilton at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway". New York Theatre Guide.
  30. ↑ Quinn, Dave. "Lin-Manuel Miranda Makes History With "Hamilton"". NBC New York.
  31. ↑ Gerard, Jeremy (6 August 2015). "'Hamilton' Opens On Broadway, Bigger And Better Than Ever: Review – Deadline". Deadline.
  32. ↑ Stewart, Zachary (17 February 2015). "Hamilton". TheaterMania.com.
  33. ↑ Eberson, Sharon. "Broadway review: Brilliant 'Hamilton' puts history firmly in the present tense". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  34. ↑ Dominick, Nora. "A Day Spent Listening to 'Hamilton'". Emertainment Monthly. Archived from the original on 2016-03-09.
  35. ↑ Durham, Trevor. "Hamilton Album Review: Starting a Revolution Pt. 2". Uloop.
  36. ↑ Martinez, Michael. "Hamilton: Broadway's Revolutionary New Musical Theatre Review". RG Magazine.
  37. ↑ "British single certifications – Odom Jr/Miranda/Diggs – The Room Where It Happens". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  38. ↑ "American single certifications – ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST OF HAMILTON – The Room Where It Happens". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved June 23, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.