You'll Be Back (song)

"You'll Be Back" is a song from Act 1 of the 2015 stage musical Hamilton, composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

History

Alexander Hamilton biography author Ron Chernow said "I can remember laughing uproariously when [Lin] first sent me King George III’s satirical song to the colonists, 'You’ll Be Back.'".[1]

The song was featured in a 2016 Ham4Ham clip in which Jimmy Fallon sang the song through various musical impersonations.[2]

Synopsis

King George III is dismayed by the American War of Independence and expresses his belief that they will be crawling back to the British Empire once it is quashed.

Style

While the majority of songs in the musical Hamilton are in the genre of hip-hop, this one is in the style of British Invasion band the Beatles.[3] Vulture described it as a "Carnaby Street breakup song not unlike 'With a Little Help From My Friends.'"[4] The New York Times deemed the song "chiming ’60s Britpop".[1] The American Conservative described it as a "creepy stalker ballad".[5]

Analysis

The Huffington Post explained the significance of the song being sung by a white character: "this is one of the most 'traditional musical theatre' numbers in the show, sung by the only caucasian main character. He represents the Old Ways; Hamilton & Co represent the New".[6]

The melody is reprised twice later in the musical, first when the Americans win the war, and when George Washington retires as President.

Critical reception

Vibe deemed it a "sunny, playful take on the airing of grievances".[3] The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the "melodically rich number" has "sardonic humor".[7] The Daily Review wrote that any Australian wanting to become a republic will thoroughly enjoy King George's "bemoaning" of the revolutionary war.[8] The New York Times deemed it "sneering yet wonderfully breezy".[9]

References

  1. 1 2 "The American Revolutionary". The New York Times. 8 July 2015.
  2. ↑ "Watch Jimmy Fallon Sing 'Hamilton' Track as McCartney, Jagger, Bowie". Rolling Stone.
  3. 1 2 "Going H.A.M.: A Track-By-Track Review Of The 'Hamilton' Soundtrack". Vibe.
  4. ↑ Jesse Green. "Theater Review: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton -- Vulture". Vulture.
  5. ↑ "‘Hamilton’ and the Romance of Government". The American Conservative.
  6. ↑ "I Have an Opinion on Every Song in "Hamilton"". The Huffington Post. 1 October 2015.
  7. ↑ Frank Scheck (6 August 2015). "Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'Hamilton': Theater Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
  8. ↑ "Hamilton: the first ‘new’ musical of the 21st century". Daily Review: film, stage and music reviews, interviews and more.
  9. ↑ "Exploring ‘Hamilton’ and Hip-Hop Steeped in Heritage". The New York Times. 30 August 2015.
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