History Has Its Eyes on You – English Lyrics

• By: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Renée Elise Goldsberry, Daveed Diggs, Phillipa Soo, Christopher Jackson

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the profound message of responsibility and legacy in “History Has Its Eyes on You” from the musical Hamilton. This song offers a glimpse into American history and provides valuable insights into leadership and the importance of making mindful choices. Learn how this song encapsulates the weight of historical judgment.

[English]

Good evening.

Seven years ago, a young man came to a poetry jam that Michelle and I held at the White House.

He took the mic and said that he was gonna perform a song from something he was working on

about the life of somebody who embodies hip-hop:

America's first Treasury Secretary.

I confess, we all laughed. But who's laughing now?

[laughter]

Seven years later, "Hamilton" has become not only a smash hit, but a civics lesson our kids can't get enough of.

One with fierce, youthful energy.

One where rap is the language of revolution and hip-hop its urgent soundtrack.

It's a musical about the miracle that is America.

A place of citizenship, where we debate ideas with passion and conviction.

A place of inclusiveness, where we value our boisterous diversity as a great gift.

A place of opportunity, where no matter how humble our origins, we can make it if we try.

That's the story of America, an experiment that is not yet finished,

a project that belongs to all of us.

America is what we, the people, make of it,

as long as we stay – just like our country – young, scrappy, and hungry.

That's the story of "Hamilton," and you get to see it, coming up.

[applause]

Ladies and gentlemen, rapper, actor, and Academy Award-winning composer, Common.

[applause]

In every art form, there are game-changers,

artists whose unique voice and vision have a significant impact on the way we think and create.

The next nominee for Best Musical not only changed the game for theatre here in New York,

it's become a cultural phenomenon.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's ingenious rhymes and contemporary beats have inspired young and old to come to Broadway.

Simply put, it's one of the greatest pieces of art ever made.

Nominated for a record 16 Tony Awards tonight,

give it up for the company of "Hamilton."

[applause]

Let me tell you what I wish I'd known

when I was young and dreamed of glory.

You have no control who lives, who dies, who tells your story.

I know that we can win.

I know that greatness lies in you.

But remember from here on in: History has its eyes on you.

Oh-oh-oh

History has its eyes on you.

The battle of Yorktown.

1781.

Monsieur Hamilton.

Monsieur Lafayette.

In command, where you belong.

How you say, no sweat? We're finally on the field. We’ve had quite a run.

Immigrants:

We get the job done.

[applause]

So what happens if we win?

I go back to France I bring freedom to my people if I’m given the chance

We’ll be with you when you do

Go lead your men.

I'll see you on the other side.

Till we meet again, let’s go!

I am not throwin’ away my shot!

I am not throwin’ away my shot!

Hey yo, I’m just like my country, I’m young, scrappy and hungry

And I’m not throwin’ away my shot!

I am not throwin’ away my shot!

Till the world turns upside down…

Till the world turns upside down.

I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory

This is where it gets me: on my feet, the enemy ahead of me

If this is the end of me, at least I have a friend with me

Weapon in my hand, a command, and my men with me

Then I remember my Eliza’s expecting me... Not only that, my Eliza’s expecting

So, we gotta go, gotta get the job done

Gotta start a new nation, gotta meet my son! Take the bullets out your gun!

What?

The bullets out your gun!

What?

We move under cover and we move as one

Through the night, we have one shot to live another day We cannot let a stray gunshot give us away

We will fight up close, seize the moment and stay in it

It’s either that or meet the business end of a bayonet

The code word is "Rochambeau," dig me?

Rochambeau!

You have your orders now, go, man, go!

And so the American experiment begins with my friends all scattered to the winds.

Laurens is in South Carolina, redefining brav’ry

We’ll never be free until we end slavery!

When we finally drive the British away Lafayette is there waiting in Chesapeake Bay.

How did we know that this plan would work? We had a spy on the inside. That’s right.

Hercules Mulligan!

A tailor spyin’ on the British government! I take their measurements, information and then I smuggle it

Up

To my brother's revolutionary covenant I’m runnin’ with the Sons of Liberty and I am lovin’ it!

See, that’s what happens when you up against the ruffians We in the shit now, somebody gotta shovel it!

Hercules Mulligan, I need no introduction When you knock me down I get the fuck back up again!

Whoo!

Left! Right! Hold!

Go!

What! What! What!

After a week of fighting, a young man in a red coat stands on a parapet

We lower our guns as he frantically waves a white handkerchief

And just like that, it’s over. We tend to our wounded, we count our dead

Black and white soldiers wonder alike if this really means freedom

Not yet.

We negotiate the terms of surrender

I see George Washington smile

We escort their men out of Yorktown They stagger home single file

Tens of thousands of people flood the streets There are screams and church bells ringing

And as our fallen foes retreat I hear the drinking song they’re singing…

The world turned upside down

The world turned upside down

The world turned upside down

The world turned upside down

Down, down, down!

Freedom for America, freedom for France!

Down, down, down!

Gotta start a new nation! Gotta meet my son!

Down, down, down!

We won! We won! We won! We won!

The world turned upside down!

[applause]

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
embody /ɪmˈbɒd.i/ B2	verb - to represent or express something abstract in a tangible form
revolution /ˌrɛv.əˈluː.ʃən/ B2	noun - a sudden or complete change in something
citizenship /ˈsɪt.ɪ.zən.ʃɪp/ C1	noun - the status of being a citizen of a country
diversity /daɪˈvɜː.sɪ.ti/ B2	noun - the quality or state of being diverse; variety
opportunity /ˌɒp.əˈtjuː.nɪ.ti/ B2	noun - a chance to do something or a favorable situation
inherit /ɪnˈhɛr.ɪt/ B2	verb - to receive something from someone after they die
tribute /ˈtrɪb.juːt/ C1	noun - something given or done to show respect or admiration
surrender /sɜːˈrɛn.dər/ C1	verb - to give up or relinquish possession of something
protest /ˈprəʊ.tɛst/ B2	noun - a statement or action expressing disagreement or opposition verb - to object or oppose publicly
independent /ˌɪn.dɪˈpen.dənt/ B2	adjective - free from outside control or influence
legacy /ˈlɛg.ə.si/ C1	noun - something handed down from previous generations

Key Grammar Structures

• Let me tell you what I wish I'd known when I was young and dreamed of glory.

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood (Wish + Past Perfect)

  ➔ Expresses a regret about something in the past. "I wish I'd known" indicates the speaker didn't know something in the past and regrets it now.

• You have no control who lives, who dies, who tells your story.

  ➔ Noun Clauses with 'who'

  ➔ The phrases "who lives, who dies, who tells your story" function as the object of "control". "Who" introduces each clause, indicating the subject of each verb.

• I know that greatness lies in you.

  ➔ Noun Clause with 'that'

  ➔ The clause "that greatness lies in you" functions as the object of the verb "know". The conjunction "that" introduces the noun clause.

• Remember from here on in: History has its eyes on you.

  ➔ Present Simple (for general truths/facts)

  ➔ "History has its eyes on you" expresses a general truth about how historical events are scrutinized and judged. Present Simple is used to show this.

• We’re finally on the field. We’ve had quite a run.

  ➔ Present Perfect ('have had')

  ➔ "We've had quite a run" uses the present perfect to express that something started in the past and continues to the present, or has relevance to the present.

• I am not throwin’ away my shot!

  ➔ Present Continuous (for emphasis/determination)

  ➔ Using the present continuous, "I am not throwin' away my shot!", emphasizes the speaker's strong determination and ongoing commitment not to waste their opportunity.

• Till the world turns upside down…

  ➔ Preposition 'Till'

  ➔ "'Till'" is a shortened form of 'until', indicating a duration of time or a point in time up to which something continues.

• If this is the end of me, at least I have a friend with me.

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (Type 1 - Likely Condition)

  ➔ This is a type 1 conditional. It expresses a real and possible condition: "If this is the end of me". The result of that condition is "at least I have a friend with me."

• We’ll never be free until we end slavery!

  ➔ Future Simple ('We'll be') with 'until'

  ➔ The sentence uses the future simple tense ('We'll be') in combination with 'until' to express a future condition that will hold true only when another event occurs. The action of 'being free' will not happen before 'we end slavery'.