Non-Stop, first draft

[Lin-Manuel Miranda with background vocal(s), spoken]
After the war I went back to New York
A-After the war I went back to New York
Finished up my studies and I practiced law
I practiced law, Burr worked next door

Even though we started at the very same time
Alexander Hamilton began to climb
How to account for his rise to the top?
Maaaaan, the man is non-stop!

Time is so precious to me that I could not put myself in the way of any interruptions unless for an object of consequence to the public or to myself

Non-stop!

The more I see the more I find reason for those who love this country to weep over its blindness
The inquiry constantly is what will please, not what will benefit the people

Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room? (Hey!)
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room? (Hey!)
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room?
Soon that attitude may be your doom! (Awwww!)

Why do you write like you’re running out of time? (Hey!)
Write day and night like you’re running out of time? (Hey!)
Ev’ry day you fight, like you’re running out of time
Keep on fighting. In the meantime—

I–'m keeping my cause close to my chest
I'm waiting to see which way the wind will blow
I'm taking my time watching the afterbirth of a nation
Watching descension grow

And Hamilton is non-stop!

In every community where industry is encouraged, there will be a prominent division into the few and the many. Hence separate interests will arise

He's just non-stop!

Give all power to the many, they will oppress the few. Give all power to the few, they will oppress the many. Both therefore ought to have power, that each may defend itself against the other
Furthermore–

Hamilton, at the Constitutional Convention:
I was chosen for the Constitutional Convention!
There as a New York junior delegate:
Now what I’m gonna say may sound indelicate…

Goes and proposes his own form of government! (What?)
His own plan for a new form of government! (What?)
Talks for six hours! The convention is listless!

Bright young man…
Yo, who the fuck is this?

Why do you always say what you believe?
Why do you always say what you believe?
Ev’ry proclamation guarantees free ammunition for your enemies!

Why do you write like it’s going out of style?
Write day and night like it’s going out of style?
Ev’ry day you fight like it’s going out of style
Do what you do in the meantime–

I’ll keep all my plans close to my chest
I’ll wait here and see which way the wind will blow
I’m taking my time watching the afterbirth of a nation
Watching the tension grow

Hamilton, you're non-stop!

You know what your problem is?
My problem?
You never stand for anything
I'm doing fine, nobody knows who you are
Thank you
I've seen your work in court
Yeah, I know, I can argue anything
Being smart only gets you so far
So far
So far
So far

Well, you know what your problem is?
My problem?
Yeah, you take a stand on everything
I know who I am
You are a fool painting a target on your back
I say what I mean, I mean what I say
Ha, well do you have to do it all goddamn day?
I think we're done here
I think we're done here
Good day!
Good day!
Good day!

Hamilton joins forces with James Madison and John Jay to write a series of essays defending the new United States Constitution, entitled The Federalist Papers. They are published anonymously – under the pseudonym 'Publius', named after Publius Valerius whose writings overthrew Rome's last king. The plan was to write a total of twenty-five essays, the work divided evenly among the three men. In the end, they wrote eighty-five essays, in the space of six months. John Jay got sick after writing five. James Madison wrote twenty-six. Hamilton wrote the other fifty-five

How do you write like you’re running out of time? (Hey!)
Write day and night like you’re running out of time? (Hey!)
Ev’ry day you fight like you’re running out of time
Like you’re running out of time
Are you running out of time?
(Awwww!)

How do you write like tomorrow won’t arrive? (Hey!)
How do you write like you need it to survive? (Hey!)
How do you write ev’ry second you’re alive?
Ev’ry second you’re alive? Ev’ry second you’re alive?

Oh-oh-oh! Non-stop! (How do you write like you’re running out of time?)
Non-stop! (Write day and night like you’re running out of time?)
Non-stop! (Ev’ry day you fight like you’re running out of time)
Non-stop! (Like you’re running out of time
Are you running out of time?)
(Awwww!)

Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room? (Hey!) (Non-stop!)
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room? (Hey!) (Non-stop!)
Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the room? (Non-stop!)
Soon that attitude is gonna be your doom! (Awwww!)

Hamilton is chosen for the presidential cabinet
Treasury secretary, very first cabinet!
National politics, I'll take a stab
And the first opportunity I see, I'm grabbin' it

Philip Schuyler's in the New York senate
Your seat is up for grabs and I'm gonna win it
That's my father-in-law, just a minute
I swear democracy is the best thing ever invented!

I'm playing the cards close to (Hey!) my vest. (Hey!)
I'm starting to see which way the wind will blow
I–'m learning to thrive here (Hey!) in the afterbirth of our nation
Watching (Hey!) the ebb and flow

And soon I will be non-stop (afterbirth of our nation)
Non-stop (afterbirth of our nation)
Non-stop (afterbirth of our nation)
Non-stop (afterbirth of our nation)
Non-stop (afterbirth of our nation)
Non-stop (afterbirth of our nation)
Non-stop (afterbirth of our nation)
Non-stop (afterbirth of our nation)
Non-stop