Song Lyric Sunday — “The Room Where It Happens”

Well, I thought for sure that Helen Vahdati stumped me this week with the Song Lyric Sunday theme, “plan.” Absolutely nothing came to mind. I couldn’t even figure out where to start looking. To compound my inability to come up with any ideas, I realized that, for several hours after I read “plan,” the back of my brain was singing “The Room Where It Happens” from Hamilton. It was really getting annoying. Why couldn’t my subconscious loop a song related to “plan”? Heeeyyyyy, wait a minute…..

“The Room Where It Happens” begins with Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton discussing how Hamilton was going to get Congress to accept his financial plan. They are interrupted by James Madison, who leaves with Hamilton for dinner. The song refers to the behind-the-scenes story of the Compromise of 1790, which was reached between Virginia’s U.S. Representative Madison and Secretary of the Treasury Hamilton (New Yorker) at a private dinner hosted by Virginian Thomas Jefferson. The dinner ended with an agreement that the new U.S. government would assume the debts of the states (as the Northern legislators wanted) in exchange for establishing the federal capital in the South, rather than either New York or Philadelphia. Coincidentally, Madison and Jefferson also got Hamilton to agree to a lucrative debt adjustment for Virginia. No one, other than those three men, was in the room where the compromise was hammered out.

Burr marvels that the immigrant (Hamilton) came out of the dinner with “unprecedented financial power” while the Virginians got the national capital, both sides getting what they wanted. And no one else was in “the room where it happened.” Burr concludes that in the future, he, too, wants to be in the room where the important negotiations take place.

Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the music, lyrics, and book for Hamilton, which won multiple awards, including 11 Tony awards, a Grammy, 8 Drama Desk awards, 7 Olivier awards, and a Pulitzer Prize.

“The Room Where It Happens“

[Burr:]
Ah, Mister Secretary[Hamilton:]
Mister Burr, sir[Burr:]
Didja hear the news about good old General Mercer?

[Hamilton:]
No

[Burr:]
You know Clermont 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 fin’ly have to listen to you

[Burr:]
Really?

[Hamilton:]
“Talk less. Smile more.”

[Burr:]
Ha 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 and Ensemble:]
Diametric’ly opposed, foes

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

[Burr and 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 (Ensemble):]
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
The room where it happened (The room where it happened)
No one really knows how the game is played (Game is played)
The art of the trade
How the sausage gets made (How the sausage gets made)
We just assume that it happens (Assume that it happens)
But no one else is in
The room where it happens (The room where it happens)

[Burr and Company:]
Thomas claims

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

[Burr and Company:]
Thomas claims

[Jefferson:]
Alexander said

[Hamilton:]
I’ve nowhere else to turn!

[Jefferson:]
And basic’ly begged me to join the fray

[Burr and Company:]
Thomas claims

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

[Burr and 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 and Company:]
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened

[Burr:]
No one else was in

[Burr and Company:]
The room where it happened
The room where it happened
The room where it happened

[Burr (Company):]
No one really knows how the
Parties get to yes (Parties get to yes)
The pieces that are sacrificed in
Ev’ry game of chess (Ev’ry game of chess)
We just assume that it happens (Assume that it happens)
But no one else is in
The room where it happens (The room where it happens)

[Burr and Company:]
Meanwhile

[Burr:]
Madison is grappling with the fact that not ev’ry issue can be settled by committee

[Company:]
Meanwhile

[Burr:]
Congress is fighting over where to put the capital

[*Company screams in chaos*]

[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 and 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 and 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:]
‘Cause 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 and Company:]
Wait for it, wait for it, wait!

[Hamilton:]
God help and forgive me
I wanna build something that’s gonna outlive me

[Hamilton/Jefferson/Madison/Washington (Company):]
What do you want, Burr? (What do you want, Burr?)
What do you want, Burr? (What do you want, Burr?)
If you stand for nothing (What do you want, Burr?)
Burr, then what do you fall for? (What do you want?)

[Burr:]
I
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 (Company):]
I (I wanna be in the room where it happens)
Wanna be (The room where it happens)
In the room where it happens (The room where it happens)
I (I wanna be in the room where it happens)
I wanna be in the room… (The room where it happens)
Oh (The room where it happens)
Oh (I wanna be in the room where it happens)
I wanna be (Where it happens)
I wanna be (Where it happens)
I’ve got to be, I’ve got to be (I wanna be in the room where it happens)
In that room (The room where it happens)
In that big ol’ room (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 and Company:]
Dark as a tomb where it happens

[Burr (Company):]
I’ve got to be in the room… (The room where it happens)
I’ve got to be…
(The room where it happens)
I’ve got to be…
(The room where it happens)
Oh, I’ve got to be in
The room where it happens… (The room where it happens)
I’ve got to be, I’ve gotta be (The room where it happens)
I’ve gotta be
In the room (I wanna be in the room where it happens)
Click-boom! (Click-boom!)

Song Lyric Sunday — “Nosferatu”

To be honest, when Helen Vahdati announced this week’s Song Lyric Sunday theme is “fear,” my first thought was “more cowbell!” I really tried to find some song other than Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” but finally admitting defeat, I went to You Tube to find an appropriate video. Once there, the strangest thing happened. I found another Blue Oyster Cult song I liked better: “Nosferatu,” BOC’s homage to the 1920s German film of the same name. The cool thing was that the best videos paired the song with footage from the film. Here’s one of them:

“Nosferatu”

Deep in the heart of Germany
Lucy clutched her breast in fear
She heard the beat of her lover’s heart
For weeks she raved in dreams he appeared
From far Transylvania

Only a woman can break his spell
Pure in heart who will offer herself
To Nosferatu

This ship pulled in without a sound
The faithful captain long since cold
He kept his log till the bloody end
Last entry read “Rats in the hold.
My crew is dead, I fear the plague”

Only a woman can break his spell
Pure in heart who will offer hefself
To Nosferatu

Mortal terror reigned
Sickness now then horrible death
Only Lucy knew the truth
And at her window
Nosferatu

So chaste so calm, she gave herself
To the pleasure of her dreaded master
He sucked the precious drops of life
Throughout the long and cold dark night

One last goodbye, he was blinded by love
One last goodbye, he was blinded by love
Blinded by love

He screamed with fear, he’d stayed too long in her room
The morning sun had come too soon
The spell was broken with a kiss of doom
He vanished into dust, left her all alone

Only a woman can break his spell
Pure in heart, who will offer herself
To Nosferatu

Writer/s: DICKON JAMES HINCHLIFFE, DAVID LEONARD BOULTER, STUART ASHTON STAPLES, NEIL JOSEPH STEVEN FRASER, MARK ANTHONY STEPHEN COLWILL, ALISTAIR MACAULAY
Publisher: Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

And because I know you want to see it, here’s the Saturday Night Live cowbell skit (almost…couldn’t find the original; see Felicia Denise‘s post in comment section for link to original):

Song Lyric Sunday: “Drive” (or, Benjamin Orr’s voice)

OK….You know the saying “it’s 5 o’clock somewhere” when someone judges you for day drinking? Well, as soon as I saw this theme ….. “it’s Sunday somewhere.” Song Lyric Sunday, that is; with a theme of Drive/Driving! Thank you, Helen Vahdati!

“Drive“
written by Ric Ocasek; sung by Benjamin Orr

Who’s gonna tell you when it’s too late
Who’s gonna tell you things aren’t so greatYou can’t go on thinking nothing’s wrong
Who’s gonna drive you home tonight?Who’s gonna pick you up when you fall
Who’s gonna hang it up when you call
Who’s gonna pay attention to your dreams
Who’s gonna plug their ears when you scream

You can’t go on thinking nothing’s wrong
Who’s gonna drive you home tonight?

Who’s gonna hold you down when you shake
Who’s gonna come around when you break

You can’t go on thinking nothing’s wrong
Who’s gonna drive you home tonight?

You know you can’t go on thinking nothing’s wrong
Who’s gonna drive you home tonight?

Because you can’t have too much Benjamin Orr:

Three seems like overkill ( to you, maybe, but not to me or my pal sweetpurplejune), but I had to throw this one in for a change of pace. It’s really worth listening to.

Song Lyric Sunday — Song of the Magician

While following ephemera rooted in Song Lyric Sunday, I re-discovered singer-songwriter Tim Buckley, father of singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley.

Song of the Magician

When I sing I can’t bring everything on the wing
Flying down from dizzy air
To the ground because I care
You will be love and your love will live

When I smile I beguile all the while every mile
As I walk across the sky
Of the clockwork of your eye
You will be love and your love will live

Casting spells from the well I can tell you the bells
Listen to my magic voice
Learn the tune of children’s toys
You will be love and your love will live

When I die do not cry hear my sigh passing by
After I have turned to win
I will try to help you then
You will be love and your love will live

Songwriters: Larry Beckett / Tim Buckley (1966)

Song Lyric Sunday — Pink Champagne

You all know by now that I’ll take any opportunity to post music by Benjamin Orr and/or the Cars. This week’s Song Lyric Sunday is no exception; and I guarantee you have never heard this song before (unless you’re a Benjamin Orr fanatic like me). Helen Vahdati’s theme this week is “drink,” and Benjamin Orr’s first record fits the bill. Long before he became the co-founder, bassist, and a lead singer for the Cars, Ben Orzechowski was a teen rock star in his native Cleveland, Ohio. He had joined a popular local band, The Grasshoppers, at 15 years old as a rhythm guitarist and lead singer. The Grasshoppers soon became the house band for a local American Bandstand style TV show, The Big 5 Show (renamed Upbeat upon national syndication), opening for major acts such as Dave Clark Five and Paul Anka. In 1965, The Grasshoppers recorded two regional hits, including “Pink Champagne (And Red Roses)” written and sung by young Mr. Orr (second from the right in the first picture on the video). Take a listen: