The Room Where It Happens

"The Room Where It Happens" is the 5th song of Act Two of Hamilton.

Hamilton, under pressure from Washington, sits down to compromise with Jefferson and Madison behind closed doors. Hamilton gets his financial plans through leading to the national bank while the Virginians are allowed to place the capital. The song's title comes from the fact that historians aren't exactly sure about what happened during the meeting as only the three men were present.

In addition Burr's motives are finally revealed, as he expresses his simple envy-fueled desire for political power, cementing him as an antagonist.

Lyrics[]

[BURR]
Ah, Mister Secretary

[HAMILTON]
Mister Burr, sir

[BURR]
Did ya hear the news about good old General Mercer?

[HAMILTON]
No

[BURR]
You know Claremont Street?

[HAMILTON]
Yeah

[BURR]
They renamed it after him. The Mercer legacy is secure

[HAMILTON]
Sure

[BURR]
And all he had to do was die

[HAMILTON]
That’s a lot less work

[BURR]
We oughta give it a try

[HAMILTON]
Ha

[BURR]
Now how’re you gonna get your debt plan through?

[HAMILTON]
I guess I’m gonna finally have to listen to you

[BURR]
Really?

[HAMILTON]
“Talk less. Smile more.”

[BURR]
Ha

[HAMILTON]
Do whatever it takes to get my plan on the Congress floor

[BURR]
Now, Madison and Jefferson are merciless.

[HAMILTON]
Well, hate the sin, love the sinner

[MADISON]
Hamilton!

[HAMILTON]
I’m sorry Burr, I’ve gotta go

[BURR]
But—

[HAMILTON]
Decisions are happening over dinner

[BURR]
Two Virginians and an immigrant walk into a room

[BURR & ENSEMBLE]
Diametrically opposed, foes

[BURR]
They emerge with a compromise, having opened doors that were

[BURR & ENSEMBLE]
Previously closed

[ENSEMBLE]
Bros

[BURR]
The immigrant emerges with unprecedented financial power
A system he can shape however he wants
The Virginians emerge with the nation’s capital
And here’s the pièce de résistance:

[BURR]
No one else was in
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
No one else was in
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened

No one really knows how the game is played
The art of the trade
How the sausage gets made
We just assume that it happens
But no one else is in
The room where it happens

[ENSEMBLE]
The room where it happened

The room where it happened

Game is played

How the sausage gets made

Assume that it happens

The room where it happens

[BURR & COMPANY]
Thomas claims—

[JEFFERSON]
Alexander was on Washington’s doorstep one day
In distress ‘n disarray

[BURR & COMPANY]
Thomas claims—

[JEFFERSON]
Alexander said—

[HAMILTON]
I’ve nowhere else to turn!

[JEFFERSON]
And basically begged me to join the fray

[BURR & COMPANY]
Thomas claims—

[JEFFERSON]
I approached Madison and said:
“I know you hate him, but let’s hear what he has to say.”

[BURR & COMPANY]
Thomas claims—

[JEFFERSON]
Well, I arranged the meeting
I arranged the menu, the venue, the seating

[BURR]
But!
No one else was in—

[BURR & COMPANY]
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened

[BURR]
No one else was in—

[BURR & COMPANY]
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened

[BURR]
No one really knows how the
Parties get to yes
The pieces that are sacrificed in
Every game of chess
We just assume that it happens
But no one else is in
The room where it happens

[COMPANY]
Parties get to yes

Every game of chess

Assume that it happens

The room where it happens

[BURR & COMPANY]
Meanwhile—

[BURR]
Madison is grappling with the fact that not every issue can be settled by committee

[COMPANY]
Meanwhile—

[BURR]
Congress is fighting over where to put the capital—

[BURR]
It isn’t pretty
Then Jefferson approaches with a dinner and invite
And Madison responds with Virginian insight:

[MADISON]
Maybe we can solve one problem with another and win a victory for the Southerners, in other words—

[JEFFERSON]
Oh-ho!

[MADISON]
A quid pro quo

[JEFFERSON]
I suppose

[MADISON]
Wouldn’t you like to work a little closer to home?

[JEFFERSON]
Actually, I would

[MADISON]
Well, I propose the Potomac

[JEFFERSON]
And you’ll provide him his votes?

[MADISON]
Well, we’ll see how it goes

[JEFFERSON]
Let’s go

[BURR]
No!

[COMPANY]
—one else was in
The room where it happened

[BURR & COMPANY]
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
No one else was in
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened

[BURR]
My God!

[BURR & COMPANY]
In God we trust
But we’ll never really know what got discussed
Click-boom, then it happened

[BURR]
And no one else was in the room where it happened

[COMPANY]
Alexander Hamilton!

[BURR]
What did they say to you to get you to sell New York City down the river?

[COMPANY]
Alexander Hamilton!

[BURR]
Did Washington know about the dinner?
Was there Presidential pressure to deliver?

[COMPANY]
Alexander Hamilton!

[BURR]
Or did you know, even then, it doesn’t matter
Where you put the U.S. Capital?

[HAMILTON]
Cuz we’ll have the banks
We’re in the same spot

[BURR]
You got more than you gave

[HAMILTON]
And I wanted what I got
When you got skin in the game, you stay in the game
But you don’t get a win unless you play in the game
Oh, you get love for it. You get hate for it
You get nothing if you...

[HAMILTON & COMPANY]
Wait for it, wait for it, wait!

[HAMILTON]
God help and forgive me
I wanna build something
That’s gonna outlive me

[HAMILTON/MADISON/WASHINGTON/JEFFERSON]
What do you want, Burr?
What do you want, Burr?

If you stand for nothing
Burr, then what do you fall for?

[COMPANY]
What do you want, Burr?
What do you want, Burr?

What do you want, Burr?
What do you want?

[BURR]
I
Wanna be in
The room where it happens
The room where it happens

I...
Wanna be in
The room where it happens
The room where it happens

[BURR]
I

Wanna be<
In the room where it happens

I...
I wanna be in the room...
Oh
Oh

I wanna be
I wanna be

I’ve got to be
I’ve got to be
In that room
In that big ol’ room

[COMPANY]
I wanna be in
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
The room where it happens

I wanna be in the room
Where it happens
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
I wanna be in
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
The room where it happens

I wanna be in
The room where it happens
The room where it happens
The room where it happens

[COMPANY]
The art of the compromise:

[BURR]
Hold your nose and close your eyes

[COMPANY]
We want our leaders to save the day—

[BURR]
But we don’t get a say in what they trade away

[COMPANY]
We dream of a brand new start—

[BURR]
But we dream in the dark for the most part

[BURR & COMPANY]
Dark as a tomb where it happens

[BURR]
I’ve got to be in
The room...

I’ve got to be...

I’ve got to be...

Oh, I’ve got to be in
The room where it happens...
I’ve got to be, I’ve gotta be, I’ve gotta be...
In the room!

Click-boom!

[COMPANY]
The room where it happens

The room where it happens

The room where it happens

The room where it happens

The room where it happens

I wanna be in the room
Where it happens

Click-boom!