the room where it happens

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  BURR:
Ah, Mister Secretary

HAMILTON:
Mister Burr, sir

BURR:
Didja hear the news about good old General Mercer?

HAMILTON:
No

BURR:
You know Clermont Street?

HAMILTON:
Yeah

BURR:
They renamed it after him. The Mercer legacy is secure

HAMILTON:
Sure

BURR:
And all he had to do was die

HAMILTON:
That's a lot less work

BURR:
We oughta give it a try

HAMILTON:
Ha

BURR:
Now how're you gonna get your debt plan through?

HAMILTON:
I guess I'm gonna fin'ly have to listen to you

BURR:
Really?

HAMILTON:
"Talk less. Smile more."

BURR:
Ha

HAMILTON:
Do whatever it takes to get my plan on the Congress floor

BURR:
Now, Madison and Jefferson are merciless.

HAMILTON:
Well, hate the sin, love the sinner

MADISON:
Hamilton!

HAMILTON:
I'm sorry Burr, I've gotta go

BURR:
But—

HAMILTON:
Decisions are happening over dinner

BURR:
Two Virginians and an immigrant walk into a room

BURR AND ENSEMBLE:
Diametric'ly opposed, foes

BURR:
They emerge with a compromise, having opened doors that were

BURR AND ENSEMBLE:
Previously closed

ENSEMBLE:
Bros

BURR
The immigrant emerges with unprecedented financial power
A system he can shape however he wants
The Virginians emerge with the nation's capital
And here's the pièce de résistance:

BURR:
No one else was in
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
No one else was in
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
No one really knows how the game is played
The art of the trade
How the sausage gets made
We just assume that it happens
But no one else is in
The room where it happens.

BURR AND COMPANY:
Thomas claims

JEFFERSON:
Alexander was on Washington's doorstep one day
In distress 'n disarray

BURR AND COMPANY:
Thomas claims

JEFFERSON:
Alexander said

HAMILTON:
I've nowhere else to turn!

JEFFERSON:
And basic'ly begged me to join the fray

BURR AND COMPANY:
Thomas claims

JEFFERSON:
I approached Madison and said
"I know you hate 'im, but let's hear what he has to say."

BURR AND COMPANY:
Thomas claims

JEFFERSON:
Well, I arranged the meeting
I arranged the menu, the venue, the seating

BURR:
But!
No one else was in

BURR AND COMPANY:
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened

BURR:
No one else was in

BURR AND COMPANY:
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened

BURR:
No one really knows how the
Parties get to yesssss
The pieces that are sacrificed in
Ev'ry game of chesssss
We just assume that it happens
But no one else is in
The room where it happens.

BURR AND COMPANY:
Meanwhile

BURR:
Madison is grappling with the fact
that not ev'ry issue can be settled by committee

COMPANY:
Meanwhile

BURR:
Congress is fighting over where to put the capital—

Company screams in chaos

BURR:
It isn't pretty
Then Jefferson approaches with a dinner and invite
And Madison responds with Virginian insight:

MADISON:
Maybe we can solve one problem with another
and win a victory for the Southerners, in other words

JEFFERSON:
Oh-ho!

MADISON:
A quid pro quo

JEFFERSON:
I suppose

MADISON:
Wouldn't you like to work a little closer to home?

JEFFERSON:
Actually, I would

MADISON:
Well, I propose the Potomac

JEFFERSON:
And you'll provide him his votes?

MADISON:
Well, we'll see how it goes

JEFFERSON:
Let's go

BURR:
No!

COMPANY:
one else was in
The room where it happened

BURR AND COMPANY:
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
No one else was in
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened

BURR:
My God!

BURR AND COMPANY:
In God we trust
But we'll never really know what got discussed
Click-boom then it happened

BURR:
And no one else was in the room where it happened

COMPANY:
Alexander Hamilton!

BURR:
What did they say to you to get you
to sell New York City down the river?

COMPANY:
Alexander Hamilton!

BURR:
Did Washington know about the dinner?
Was there Presidential pressure to deliver?

COMPANY:
Alexander Hamilton!

BURR:
Or did you know, even then, it doesn't matter
Where you put the U.S. Capital?

HAMILTON:
Cuz we'll have the banks
We're in the same spot

BURR:
You got more than you gave

HAMILTON:
And I wanted what I got
When you got skin in the game, you stay in the game
But you don't get a win unless you play in the game
Oh, you get love for it. You get hate for it
You get nothing if you...

HAMILTON AND COMPANY:
Wait for it, wait for it, wait!

HAMILTON:
God help and forgive me
I wanna build
Something that's gonna
Outlive me

HAMILTON/JEFFERSON/MADISON/WASHINGTON:
What do you want, Burr?
What do you want, Burr?

If you stand for nothing
Burr, then what do you fall for?

BURR:
I wanna be in
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
I wanna be in
The room where it happens
The room where it happens

BURR: COMPANY:
I I wanna be in
. The room where it happens
Wanna be The room where it happens
In the room where it happens The room where it happens

I I wanna be in the room
. Where it happens
I wanna be in the room... The room where it happens
Oh The room where it happens
Oh I wanna be in
. The room where it happens
I wanna be The room where it happens
I wanna be The room where it happens

I've got to be I wanna be in
I've got to be The room where it happens
In that room The room where it happens
In that big ol' room The room where it happens

COMPANY:
The art of the compromise—

BURR:
Hold your nose and close your eyes

COMPANY:
We want our leaders to save the day—

BURR:
But we don't get a say in what they trade away

COMPANY:
We dream of a brand new start—

BURR:
But we dream in the dark for the most part

BURR AND COMPANY:
Dark as a tomb where it happens

BURR:
I've got to be in COMPANY:
The room... The room where it happens

I've got to be...
. The room where it happens
I've got to be...
. The room where it happens
Oh, I've got to be in
The room where it happens... The room where it happens
I've got to be, I've gotta be, The room where it happens
I've gotta be...
In the room! I wanna be in the room
. Where it happens!
Click-boom! Click-boom!  

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