Look- personally, I think one last ride is better than one last time. But, why was one last ride cut from hamilton?
If you don’t know what ‘One Last Ride‘ is- it’s the first version of the famous Hamilton song ‘One Last Time’. You can listen to it on the ‘off-broadway’ version of Hamilton. Here’s an embed of it.
There were many reasons that ‘one last ride’ was cut from hamilton. Although, there is not ‘one’ particular reason or any reason said by Lin himself.
The reason it was cut is that it didn’t focus on Hamilton enough. It almost adds this entire new storyline to Washington that just jam packs a ton of random information into the play.
The musical is named ‘Hamilton’ for a reason, not ‘Washington’. Furthermore, the song ‘One Last Time’ is designed perfectly to create this somber and sadness for one of our favorite characters stepping down forever.
It was cut from the broadway to bring more emphasis to the fact that Washington is leaving and make the audience sad. It was not designed to bring emphasis to this final battle of Washington.
Let’s talk about this more in-depth.
It Was Not Cut Due To Time
I don’t like that some people say the song was cut ‘due to time’.
For many Hamilton cut songs- this is actually true! Many songs like The Adams Administration and No More John Trumbell were cut due to time.
However, the song length of ‘One Last Ride’ and ‘One Last Time’ are the same.
So, this idea doesn’t really make sense.
When people wonder- why was one last ride cut from Hamilton- the answer is NOT because of time. They’re the same length!
It Destroys Emphasis on Washington’s Resignation
The song ‘One Last Time’ beautifully orchestrates Washington’s resignation.
The song One Last Ride- not so much. Sure, you can argue that One Last Ride did a good job of saying Washington’s resignation, but it’s not true.
‘One Last Ride’ Brings Focus Into The Whiskey Rebellion
One Last Ride brings focus to the whiskey rebellion. This is well, far from ‘Washington’s resignation’.
You see, in the song One Last Time, the entire focus is just Washington stepping down and setting this precedent. It’s a somber song talking about his experience as President and showing Hamilton he has to set this 8 year mark.
It is making the country more mature by setting this precedent.
The big problem with One Last Ride is that it ‘jams’ this battle into the end of the play- for no reason.
And trust me, I LOVE One Last Ride- I wish it was included! But the ending of Hamilton is supposed to be a conclusion and wrapping up his life, not introducing a whole new battle.
When people ask why was one last ride cut from hamilton, part of the reason is that it just tries to put way too much into the end of the play.
Why Was ‘One Last Ride’ Cut From Hamilton? Well, Not Everybody is a History Major
Yes, I think if you know a lot about history- your viewership of Hamilton will be greatly enhanced.
But, this is a broadway play designed for general viewership. If this play really was just for history nerds- it probably would just be a movie, right?
But their goal is to go around the country and show this to as many people as possible. It’s also how they make money.
So part of the reason one last ride was cut from hamilton is because well, not everybody is a history major.
Most people with basic high school history knowledge can tell you about our country’s revolution and many other ‘big’ things.
While history majors will sit there all day and argue if the ‘whiskey rebellion’ was important or not in our country’s history- here’s the facts.
It was important, and a huge precedent Washington set, but….most people don’t know a lot about it. If you asked most people on the street, they wouldn’t know much about it.
But, Hamilton is Pretty Simple To Understand
But, most people will know a significant amount of the play Hamilton. Even though Hamilton is a ‘forgotten founding father’ the play does an excellent job of explaining most events.
If you don’t know anything about America’s revolution, you can still enjoy the play. This means it is incredibly enjoyable for all audiences.
Anything significant the play actually explains in great detail. For instance, in the song ‘Non-Stop’- they go into great detail about why the constitution was not being ratified.
You don’t need to study history greatly to know this. The play does a good job of explaining it.
Meanwhile, the whiskey rebellion would just take way too long to explain for the concept of this play.
The Whiskey Rebellion Was Well, Incredibly Controversial
Look, we just got done listening to this entire play of these rowdy boys starting an entire revolution and rebellion against King George.
Now- they are stopping an active rebellion going on?
This kind of doesn’t make sense. The entire beginning of the play is about how powerful revolution is and how we made this great nation, then it ends by us just squashing a rebellion going on?
Doesn’t it make basically no sense that we would crush a rebellion after starting one? Doesn’t that make us the bad guys?
Well, that’s what happened in our country’s history. But, in Hamilton it would just not make sense.
The entire play is all about Hamilton and Washington- these incredible war heroes that stepped up when our country needed it. Now, it’s almost just confusing for them to be crushing a rebellion.
Some People Criticize Washington For His Response
In the play, you learn Hamilton was incredibly controversial.
While you can argue all day about this, everybody knows the phrase ‘No Taxation Without Representation’.
So, the colonists do this entire war to get away from this country that is taxing them! Awesome, right?
Then Hamilton suddenly drafts this huge tax on alcohol. Without any representation….
Most of the veterans that fought against the british were farmers. After the war, they went back to their farms- just to find out they can barely make profits on their farms.
All because they’re being taxed, without being represented, again.
Washington Marches Against The Protestors
So, Washington gets this massive army and marches onwards towards these people resisting the tax.
While many people praise Washington for not killing anybody and even sending negotiators to try and work it out- Jefferson wasn’t so happy.
This leads to Jefferson becoming president indirectly. One of the first things under Jefferson’s administration was repealing the Whiskey Tax.
Many democratic-republicans were angry at Washington for supporting Hamilton through all of this.
It caused this huge rift which helped cement the ‘two-party’ system we have today.
Many Hamilfans Would Have Just Been Angry
Many hamilton fans would just have been angry at all of this. I just got done explaining how controversial this entire thing was.
The fact is, it would’ve ruined this ‘perfect’ image of George Washington we have in the play.
It would’ve also ruined the emotional value we get from the song ‘One Last Time’.
We go from this general that has doing everything right and has tried so hard to do help Hamilton (basically perfect guy) to this man shutting down a rebellion that is one of Washington’s most controversial things ever.
It takes away from the sadness and brings the viewer of the play into this dazed confusion.
Summary
The facts are:
- it would’ve been confusing
- it would’ve added way too much at the end of this play
- many people don’t know what the whiskey rebellion is
- one last ride takes away from the fact Washington is leaving
- it takes away the focus on Hamilton
It was a tough choice to switch songs. And honestly, I would’ve preferred ‘One Last Ride’- but, I think Lin Manuel Miranda made the right choice.
