Helpless (Hamilton song)
| "Helpless" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by Phillipa Soo & the Cast of Hamilton | ||||
| from the album Hamilton | ||||
| Language | English | |||
| Released | 2015 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:10 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Lin-Manuel Miranda | |||
| Hamilton track listing | ||||
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"Helpless" is the tenth 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.
This song focuses on the romance and eventual wedding of Eliza Schuyler and Alexander Hamilton. Eliza is introduced to Hamilton by her sister Angelica during a ball held while the Army is stationed in Morristown for the Winter in early 1780. They immediately start a correspondence and Hamilton wastes no time in asking Eliza's father Philip Schuyler for his permission to marry his daughter, which is granted. Hamilton shares with Eliza his concerns regarding his orphanhood and lack of wealth and station, but Eliza dismisses them and the song ends on the notes of the nuptial march played at their wedding.
Although the musical Hamilton is based on true events, Miranda does use some dramatic license in retelling the story. In the case of the song “Helpless” the main differences are:
Huffington Post described the song as "equal parts Cole Porter and Ja Rule, a sweet Pop/R&B tune".Phillipa Soo said that inspirations for the song include Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, and Etta James. Musical director Alex Lacamoire explained "The Beyoncé reference is 'Stressin'! Blessin'!' sounds like 'Houston rocket!' [in "Countdown"]. We asked the girls to deliver it like that."Slate said the "big R&B love song" drew inspiration from Beyoncé’s “Countdown” due to its "half-rapped, half-sung cadences", and added that the lyrics "the boy is mine” is a lyrical reference to a song of the same name by Brandy and Monica. According to NPR, the song also includes a hip hop reference in the form of a lyrical nod to Trina and Mannie Fresh's song "Da Club." GCAdvocate notes that in "Satisfied," Eliza's "assertive, clever sister Angelica Schuyler raps and remixes “Helpless". The LA Times said the song had "the flair of Destiny's Child". The Man Eater also likens Eliza's vocal stylings to "the style of Beyoncé".
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