Wait for It (song)

"Wait for It" is the thirteenth 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. It speaks of Aaron Burr's undying determination in the face of Hamilton's swift rise to influence and power.[1] Vocally, it covers a baritenor[2] range of Ab2 to Ab4.

"Wait for It"
Song by Leslie Odom Jr. and the cast of Hamilton
from the album Hamilton
Released2015 (2015)
Genre
Length3:14
Songwriter(s)Lin-Manuel Miranda
Audio
"Wait for It" on YouTube

Background

Miranda explained that the song's refrain appeared to him essentially in its final state while taking the subway to a friend's party. He recorded the refrain on his phone, briefly attended the party, then completed the song on his trip home.[3]

He has commented that "Wait for It" and "The Room Where It Happens" are "two of the best songs I've ever written in my life and [Leslie Odom Jr.] got them both".[4] Odom originated the role of Aaron Burr on Broadway. Miranda further explained the out-of-context significance of the song: "I feel like I have been Burr in my life as many times as I have been Hamilton. I think we've all had moments where we've seen friends and colleagues zoom past us, to success, or to marriage, or to homeownership, while we lingered where we were—broke, single, jobless. And you tell yourself, 'Wait for it.'"[3]

Synopsis

After contemplating his own misfortunes, and Alexander Hamilton's successes, Aaron Burr decides to hang on for now and lie in wait, knowing that his time to shine is coming soon.[5] The A.V. Club further explains "the song finds sympathy for Burr's chronic caution; with a legacy and reputation to protect, he can't risk as much as the ambitious Hamilton, and what will become a murderous rage begins here as mournful jealousy over his rival's ability to openly work for what he wants and believes in".[6]

Style

Pitchfork wrote that the song "moves with a dancehall lilt".[7] Allmusic described it as a "tender pop ballad".[8]

Critical reception

The song has received critical acclaim. The Huffington Post wrote that the song "has perhaps the most profound lyrics of the entire libretto", and praised its ability to present Burr as a tragic hero rather than a villain, noting "it complicates everything that comes after because we find ourselves rooting for him".[9] Jezebel noted that this song is "stand-alone enough outside the narrative that it contains no real spoilers", and further described it as a "rich...post-Gyptian meditation".[10] Vibe wrote that in this song, Burr "lifts his own spirits up."[5]

The A.V. Club listed it as one of 20 musical theater numbers from the past 20 years that should become standards, writing that the number, "one of the catchiest, most haunting numbers of an already landmark show...may be the track that best expresses the show's complex perspective".[6] New York Theatre said it was "one of Odom's show-stopping numbers in the musical".[11]

The Daily Telegraph said it is an "instant classic anthem".[12] Screen Fellows writes that the "powerful" song "make[s] a moving case for [Burr's] humanity" by portraying him as an "ultimately sympathetic character".[13] DVC Inquirer deemed it a "standout track".[14] Vogue praised the song as being a "Broadway crossover hits [that] sound[s] like bona fide iTunes single".[15]

Recordings

Leslie Odom Jr. performed the song for the 2015 cast album.

The Hamilton Mixtape, which was released in December 2016, includes a recording of the song in a different arrangement with Usher as the lead vocalist. Usher's version peaked at number 16 on the R&B Digital Song Sales chart.[16]

Odom Jr. recorded an abridged version of the song for a public service announcement regarding the 2020 United States presidential election, urging people to "wait for it" as the votes were counted.[17]

Jennifer Nettles also recorded an arrangement of the song on her 2021 album, Always Like New.

Certifications
Certifications for "Wait for It"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[18] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[19] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Review of Hamilton, starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, at The Public Theater's Astor Place". New York Theatre Guide. 18 February 2015.
  2. "Aaron Burr from Hamilton Summary & Breakdown". StageAgent. Retrieved 2021-07-18.
  3. Rebecca Mead (9 February 2015). "All About the Hamiltons". The New Yorker.
  4. Rembert Browne. "Genius: A Conversation With 'Hamilton' Maestro Lin-Manuel Miranda". Grantland.
  5. "Going H.A.M.: A Track-By-Track Review Of The 'Hamilton' Soundtrack". Vibe. 20 October 2015.
  6. "Beyond "I Dreamed A Dream": 20 musical theater numbers that should become standards". The A.V. Club. 14 December 2015.
  7. "Various Artists". Pitchfork.
  8. Marcy Donelson. "Hamilton: An American Musical [Original Broadway Cast Recording]". AllMusic.
  9. "I Have an Opinion on Every Song in "Hamilton"". The Huffington Post. 1 October 2015.
  10. Julianne Escobedo Shepherd (21 September 2015). "Should You Listen to the Soundtrack to Hamilton If You Have Not Seen Hamilton?". The Muse.
  11. "An Aaron Burr Who's Not The Villain: Leslie Odom Jr in Hamilton – New York Theater". New York Theater. 13 February 2015.
  12. Tim Auld (30 December 2015). "Hamilton: the Broadway phenomenon that made US history hip". The Telegraph.
  13. "'Hamilton' Cast Recording Review: An American Masterpiece – Fellowship of the Screen". Fellowship of the Screen. 2 November 2015.
  14. "The Inquirer".
  15. "2015 Was the Year of Hamilton Obsession". Vogue. 27 December 2015.
  16. "R&B Digital Song Sales - December 10, 2016". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  17. "Leslie Odom, Jr. sings 'Wait For It' in new election PSA - November 3, 2020". CNN. 3 November 2020. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  18. "British single certifications – Leslie Odom Jr & Hamilton Cast – Wait For It". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  19. "American single certifications – Original Broadway Cast Of Hamilton – Wait For It". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
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