What'd I Miss

Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Performed by Okieriete Onaodowan, Daveed Diggs, Leslie Odom, Jr. and cast

Seventeen, se- se- seventeen
Se- se- seventeen

Seventeen eighty-nine
How does the bastard orphan, immigrant decorated war vet
Unite the colonies through more debt?
Fight the other founding fathers 'til he has to forfeit?
Have it all, lose it all
You ready for more yet?
Treasury Secretary, Washington's the President
Every American experiment sets a precedent
Not so fast, someone came along to resist him
Pissed him off until we had a two-party system
You haven't met him yet, you haven't had the chance
'Cause he's been kickin' ass as the ambassador to France
But someone's gotta keep the American promise
You simply must meet Thomas, Thomas

Thomas Jefferson's coming home
Thomas Jefferson's coming home
Thomas Jefferson's coming home
Thomas Jefferson's coming home
Thomas Jefferson's coming home Lord he's been off in Paris for so long
(Aaa-ooo)
(Aaa-ooo)

France is following us to revolution
There is no more status quo
But the sun comes up and the world still spins

I helped Lafayette draft a declaration
Then I said, I gotta go
I gotta be in Monticello
Now the work at home begins

So what'd I miss?
What'd I miss?
Virginia, my home sweet home, I wanna give you a kiss
I've been in Paris meeting lots of different ladies
I guess I basically missed the late eighties
I traveled the wide, wide world and came back to this

Aaa-ooo

There's a letter on my desk from the President
Haven't even put my bags down yet Sally be a lamb, darlin' won'tcha open it?
It says the President's assembling a cabinet
And that I am to be the Secretary of State, great
And that I'm already Senate-approved
I just got home and now I'm headed up to New York

Headin' to New York, headin' to New York

Lookin' at the rolling fields I can't believe that we are free

Ready to face, whatever's awaiting
Me in N.Y.C.

But who's waitin' for me when I step in the place?
My friend James Madison, red in the face

He grabs my arm
And I respond, what's goin' on? (Aa-oo)

Thomas, we are engaged in a battle for our nation's very soul
Can you get us out of the mess we're in?

Hamilton's new financial plan is nothing less than government control
I've been fighting for the South alone
Where have you been?

Uh France (aa-ooo)
We have to win

What'd I miss? (What'd what'd what'd I miss)
What'd I miss? (I've come home to this)
Headfirst into a political abyss (headfirst, into the abyss)

I have my first cabinet meeting today (chik-a-pow)
I guess I better think of something to say
I'm already on my way get to the bottom of this
(What did I miss?) aa-ooo

Mr. Jefferson, welcome home
Mr. Jefferson (Alexander Hamilton)
Mr. Jefferson, welcome home
Mr. Jefferson, welcome home, sir, you've been off in Paris for so long

So what did I miss?