My Shot

"My Shot" is the third song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song.

"My Shot"
Song by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anthony Ramos, Daveed Diggs, Okieriete Onaodowan, Leslie Odom Jr., and the cast of Hamilton
from the album Hamilton
Released2015
Genre
Length5:33
Songwriter(s)
Audio
"My Shot" on YouTube

Synopsis

Alexander Hamilton wows several other young revolutionaries with his verbal skills, speaking about his hopes for the future, his disillusionment with the British and his desire to be remembered, even if it means dying. "I am not throwin' away my shot" is used almost entirely throughout the song.

The other revolutionaries in the song, who rap about their own hopes for and reservations about the future, are:

  • Marquis de Lafayette, a Frenchman who does not want to live under a monarch's rule. He mentions his fighting abilities and the possibility of a revolution in France, after Alexander hints at the imminent American revolution.
  • Hercules Mulligan, a tailor's apprentice who wants to socially advance by joining the revolution.
  • John Laurens, an abolitionist who will not be satisfied until all men have equal rights. He dreams of riding into battle with America's first all-black regiment.
  • Aaron Burr, who reminds all of the men to keep quiet because loyalists may be among them ("You've got to be carefully taught. If you talk, you're gonna get shot.").[2] Despite Burr's warnings, the men continue rapping about the rebellion and encouraging other Americans to rise up with them against the British, while Burr remains silent.

The number contains interpolations of lyrics from the rap songs "Shook Ones (Part II)" by Mobb Deep and "Going Back to Cali" by The Notorious B.I.G.. It also contains a lyric from You've Got to Be Carefully Taught, from South Pacific by Rodgers and Hammerstein. These sources are credited in the credits of the 2020 filmed version Hamilton.

Analysis

Vibe described the backing as "reminiscent of the '90s".[3] The tune is reprised during the songs "Right Hand Man", "Yorktown",[3] and "Non-Stop".[4] The Los Angeles Times said the song had "Eminem combustion".[5] Vulture said the song was reminiscent of Eminem's "Lose Yourself".[6]

TapInto notes that this song becomes ironic by the end of the musical because Hamilton does, indeed, throw away his shot in the fatal duel with Aaron Burr.[7] Deadline notes that "I am not throwing away my shot" becomes Hamilton's mantra.[8]

Critical reception

TapInto deemed it a "ferocious song".[7] The Huffington Post suggested the song would make a good opening number to the musical.[9]

The song was one of many performed at the White House in March 2016.

A parody of the song[10] was performed by Miranda as his opening monologue[11] on the October 8, 2016, episode of Saturday Night Live.

The song was parodied and performed by The Roots during The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon's "Football Raps" segment on August 3, 2017.

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[12] Silver 200,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Mixtape version
"My Shot (Rise Up Remix)"
Song by The Roots featuring Busta Rhymes, Joell Ortiz, and Nate Ruess
from the album The Hamilton Mixtape
Released2016
Genre
Length4:30
Songwriter(s)Lin-Manuel Miranda
Audio
"My Shot (Rise Up Remix)" on YouTube

"My Shot (Rise Up Remix)" is a song recorded by The Roots featuring Busta Rhymes, Joell Ortiz, and Nate Ruess from The Hamilton Mixtape. The song peaked at number 16 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart.[13] It was featured in the credits of the filmed version of the musical on Disney+.

References
  1. https://lumiere-a.akamaihf.net/v1/documents/hamilton_credits_51acd41a.pdf
  2. "Geniuses, lower your voices / You keep out of trouble and you double your choices". Genius. Retrieved 2017-02-07.
  3. "Going H.A.M.: A Track-By-Track Review Of The 'Hamilton' Soundtrack". Vibe.
  4. "I am not throwin' away my shot". Genius. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  5. Los Angeles Times (4 November 2015). "Review: 'Hamilton' is a watershed musical that sets a Founding Father's tale to hip-hop - LA Times". latimes.com.
  6. "Talib Kweli Analyzes Hamilton -- Vulture". Vulture.
  7. "The Mommy's Review - In the Room Where Hamilton Happens". TAPinto.
  8. Jeremy Gerard. "'Hamilton' Opens On Broadway, Bigger And Better Than Ever: Review - Deadline". Deadline Hollywood.
  9. "I Have an Opinion on Every Song in "Hamilton"". The Huffington Post. 1 October 2015.
  10. Robbins, Caryn. "Check Out Full Lyrics to Lin-Manuel Miranda's SNL 'My Shot' Remix!". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  11. "Lin-Manuel Miranda Monologue - SNL". NBC Saturday Night Live's YouTube channel. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  12. "British single certifications – Miranda/Ramos/Diggs/Onaodowan – My Shot". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  13. "R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales: November 11, 2016". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
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