This post is a little different to the other ones I have done. I am absolutely obsessed with musicals. I’ve seen pretty much all of the well-known ones in some form, whether it be at the theatre or on film, and I much prefer listening to a soundtrack cover to cover than any other genre.
You’ve probably guessed by the title that the musical I’m going to be talking about is Hamilton. But theres one small issue, I haven’t actually seen it!
Hamilton has been on Broadway for about a year, but it is only recently that I have discovered the amazing soundtrack. As I don’t live in the US it’s pretty unlikely I’ll be able to see it any time soon. But with the popularity of the show continuously growing, tickets are extremely difficult to get hold of and the reseller prices are ridiculously high. I think I have about the same chance of seeing it as some people that actually live in the US!
Just because I’m probably not going to see it any time soon doesn’t mean that I’m not absolutely obsessed with the music! I watched the Grammys a few months ago where the cast of Hamilton did a performance of the opening song ‘Alexander Hamilton’, and I was completely blown away. At the time I didn’t know what the musical was about but it was catchy and addictive. It immediately made me want find out more about it, so that’s exactly what I did!
It’s a musical based on one of the founding fathers of America, Alexander Hamilton. It’s getting a lot of hype because of it’s unique and modern portrayal of a historical figure. The songs are unique compared to most other musicals because they are mostly made up of rap/hip hop numbers.
I saw a recent production of Cats, a musical I know and love. The song Rum Tum Tugger which was original a song with a kind of rock edge, was changed to be a hip hop number, much to my disgust! I was not at all impressed with the change, but maybe that’s just because I was used to the old version.
But the hiphop numbers in this musical just work so well. It puts a modern spin on an old story, making it more relevant and appealing to today’s audience.
I have even learned a little just by listening, as I admittedly don’t know an awful lot about American history. When I was younger it used to baffle me how I would struggle to remember things when revising for exams but I could remember the lyrics of songs I hadn’t listened to in years. But after a few days of listening to this album I have already learned that Alexander Hamilton was an “bastard, orphan, son of a whore” who worked his way up to be a Founding Father and is on the $10 bill today, just to name a few things.
The songs are unlike any musical tracks I have ever heard before. Some of them even sound like regular pop or hip-hop songs I have heard on the radio, whilst still keeping the stage quality that most musical songs have. I have heard rumours that Hamilton will be venturing to the UK at some point and I will be the first in line for tickets, but until then I will happily go about my days listening to these tracks on repeat.
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My Daily Obsessions 