So far 2020 can be summarized by this line off of Hamilton’s “My Shot”: “I imagine death so much, it feels more like a memory. When’s it gonna get me?” It’s been a tough week of an unpredictable year for everyone, and Lin-Manuel Miranda knows how it is.
In hopes of lifting a few spirits, the Hamilton showrunner took to Twitter to drop a previously unreleased Hamilton track. I can already hear the clicking heels of Jamilton enthusiasts rushing to cover this one (if not yet, here’s the idea wink wink). The song titled, “I Have This Friend” is still within its demo stages and didn’t make it to the final Broadway run. But somehow, knowing it’s been released as a pick me up makes it all the more special.
The track was supposed to be for a scene that would take place after “We Know.” As Alexander Hamilton approaches George Washington to ask for advice, just imagining the in-song conversation taking place evokes a tense feeling with spots of underlying humor. After all, it’s not everyday a man has to deal with a potentially career-ending scandal because of a salacious affair. While “I Have This Friend” was written with the context of a man trying to PR his way out of his cheating’s backlash, it’s a nice reminder for everyone just trying to get through the day. No one is alone in this.
Thanks Lin-Manuel, for getting us from ‘helpless’ to ‘satisfied’ real quick. Listen to “I Have This Friend” below.
Photo from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s official soundcloud