Hamilton’s been around for long enough at this point that at least a little bit of the freshness surrounding Lin-Manuel Miranda’s groundbreaking hip-hop historical musical has inevitably rubbed off. Still, Miranda’s not one to rest on his laurels; a year after releasing the well-received Hamilton Mixtape, he announced this week that he’s embarking on “Hamildrops,” a series of new music set in the show’s universe. The lead-off track: “Ben Franklin’s Song,” with lyrics by Miranda, and music written and performed by The Decemberists.
The end result definitely feels more Decemberists than Hamilton, with Colin Meloy swaggering through the lyrics as Ben “Fucking” Franklin, inventor of electricity, master of post offices and bifocals everywhere. Still, there are little Hamilton nods aplenty for fans of the show to enjoy, including a reprise of the “our young nation” line from “Dear Theodosia,” and a lot of absolutely unnecessary shitting on the legacy of poor old John Adams.