Lyrics Lin–Manuel Miranda – I Have This Friend

HAMILTON:
Mr. President, do you have a minute?

WASHINGTON:
Yeah, what is it, Mr. Secretary?

HAMILTON:
I have this friend
He’s quite a guy
He’s in a bit of a bind and he needs advice

WASHINGTON:
How can I help

HAMILTON:
Not me, this friend, it’s a friend

WASHINGTON:
All right

HAMILTON:
He’s in the public eye
Well, did something wrong
And he paid the price, expensive price
Made a mistake in his personal life
And now it’s bleeding over into the professional
His enemies are said to strike
With news that’s suited to a church confessional
What they think they know
Isn’t what happened and they know I know
They won’t stop until the world turns upside down

WASHINGTON:
So this friend?

HAMILTON:
Yup

WASHINGTON:

HAMILTON:
No sir, what he did was private
And no one saw, no one saw, no one saw

WASHINGTON:
Then your friend
Should just move on
Don’t respond, stay quiet until these men are gone

HAMILTON:
But he can’t just not respond, these men
Whisper again and again until his reputation’s in the mud
These men, these envious venomous men
Won’t let go the scent till they taste blood

WASHINGTON:
But do they need to know?
If he’s really done nothing wrong
It doesn’t matter if

ENSEMBLE:
The world turns upside down

WASHINGTON:
Oh down

HAMILTON:
Damned if I do and if I don’t
But I won’t be accused of financial impropriety
(I don’t see how)
They can take away what I say
If I say it first they can make it worse with their rank, false piety
People will make fun of this
But I can get in front of this
I can take the pain and shame
But I will clear my name
I will show them all in the end

WASHINGTON:
And your… friend?

HAMILTON:
Yeah, me and my friend
He’s come too far for them to drag him through the dirt

WASHINGTON:
Well I don’t know your friend
But I know you’re MY friend
Alexander, be careful who you hurt, who you hurt, who you hurt

ENSEMBLE:
Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it

WASHINGTON:
Who you hurt

ENSEMBLE:
Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it

WASHINGTON:
Who you hurt

ENSEMBLE:
Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it

WASHINGTON:
Who you hurt

ENSEMBLE:
Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it