Washington on Your Side Lyrics – Hamilton

Song Overview

Song Credits

• Vocals: Daveed Diggs (Thomas Jefferson), Leslie Odom Jr. (Aaron Burr), Okieriete Onaodowan (James Madison) & Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton
• Producer Collective: Bill Sherman, Alex Lacamoire, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Black Thought, ?uestlove
• Composer?/?Writer: Lin-Manuel Miranda
• Release Date: September 25 2015
• Genre: Rap-Rock Show Tune with Dixie-funk undertones
• Instrumentation: Banjo, walking bass, trap-lite drums, electric guitar flicks, vibraphone, synthesizer stabs, ensemble chants
• Label: Atlantic Records / Hamilton Uptown LLC
• Mood: Scheming, sarcastic, rally-cry charged
• Length: 3?min 55?s
• Recording Studio: Avatar Studios, New York City
• Copyright © ?: 2015 Hamilton Uptown LLC / Atlantic Recording Corporation

Song Meaning and Annotations

Washington On Your Side explodes like backstage gossip set to boom-bap drums. Having lost the Cabinet Battle, Jefferson storms in with Madison at his elbow while Burr fans the flames. Their gripe? Hamilton enjoys unfettered access to the nation’s ultimate cheat code: President George Washington. The song text fires off grievances in sixteenth-note bursts—tax plans, fashion digs, Wall Street shade—while the chorus taunts, “It must be nice.” You can almost see Burr twirling an imaginary moustache, nudging Jefferson to let the rage bloom.

Musically the track marries New-Orleans brass attitude to crunchy rap-rock edges: gritty snares pop against twangy banjo, echoing the South’s stake in the feud. Jefferson’s flow accelerates with each insult; Madison’s baritone cuts in like a bass clarinet; Burr never truly raps—he half-chants, half-sings, the smooth instigator. The result is a conspirator’s playground where jealousy sounds downright danceable.

Thematically, the song marks Burr’s pivot from neutral observer to full-time Hamilton antagonist. By coaxing Jefferson into open rebellion—and shouting out the freshly minted “Democratic-Republicans”—Burr finally takes a side, foreshadowing the duel path ahead.

Jefferson’s Opening Volley

“Ev’ry action has its equal, opposite reactions / Thanks to Hamilton, our cabinet’s fractured into factions.”

Miranda flips Newtonian physics into political fracture; the rhyming scheme snaps like a rubber band, underscoring the tension between Federalist centralization and Southern suspicion.

Madison’s Paper-Cut Reminder

“Look back at the Bill of Rights—
Which I wrote.”

A humble-brag as sharp as fresh parchment; Madison flexes authorship while implying Hamilton tramples those very amendments.

Revolutionary Rally Cry

“Southern mother—Democratic-Republicans!”

Jefferson and Madison coin their party in real time, lacing the shout with sly profanity and syncopated group rhythm. The banjo hits underline their regional pride.

Similar Songs

1. “The Message” – Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
   Social-policy critique over propulsive beats; where Flash targets urban decay, Jefferson slams fiscal centralization. Both tracks weaponize rap for political dissection.
2. “Fight the Power” – Public Enemy
   Unapologetic rally songs that braid funk samples with collective chants. Burr’s chorus mirrors PE’s call-and-response ethos, urging listeners to question authority.
3. “King George’s Rap” – Hamilton fan remix
   An unofficial but viral counterpart—switching vantage to the crown—showing how Miranda’s grooves invite endless political reinterpretation.

Questions and Answers

Why is a banjo prominent in the arrangement?

The twang grounds the track in Southern sonic soil, spotlighting Jefferson and Madison’s Virginia pride while contrasting Hamilton’s urban vibe.

Did Jefferson truly resign in protest?

Yes—he left Washington’s cabinet in 1793, frustrated by Hamilton’s influence and the administration’s tilt toward Federalist finance.

Is Burr’s chant “It must be nice” historically sourced?

No direct quote survives; Miranda invented the refrain to crystallize elite envy of Hamilton’s presidential proximity.

How does the song’s speed change reflect character dynamics?

Burr’s laid-back mantra sets the trap; Jefferson’s syllables accelerate as fury mounts, symbolizing how Burr’s nudges ignite Jefferson’s action.

What key signature drives the suspense?

A minor groove infused with blues thirds; occasional chromatic climbs mimic political pressure spikes.

Awards and Chart Positions

• Certified Gold by the RIAA on October 11 2019.

Fan and Media Reactions

Comment threads resemble covert strategy sessions: listeners swap favorite Jefferson burns, debate banjo syncopation, and hashtag #ItMustBeNice whenever political nepotism trends.

“Daveed’s double-time venom plus Leslie’s velvet sting = peak musical scheming.” —PlotTwistPercussion

“Madison’s ‘ink hasn’t dried’ flex made my history homework jealous.” —FootnoteFanatic

“That final ‘emperor has no clothes’ line drops harder than a bass cannon.” —SubwooferFederalist

“I play this whenever my sibling hogs the remote—works like lyrical kryptonite.” —CouchCabal

“Proof that drip feeds envy: Burr never raps, yet he puppeteers the room.” —ShadowBehindThrone