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"Take A Break" is the third song of Act Two of Hamilton.

Alexander returns home to work on his financial plan and is welcomed home by Eliza and Angelica, who has traveled from England. Eliza reminds him that it is his son Philip's ninth birthday; Philip performs a rap he composed and amazes his father. Meanwhile, Angelica suggests that Alexander should convince Jefferson of his plan so Congress will accept it. Both women invite him to travel upstate to the home of Philip Schuyler: Alexander refuses, saying that he needs time to work on his plan for Congress.

Lyrics[]


[ELIZA]
Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf

Good!

Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf
Sept huit neuf—

Sept huit neuf—

Sept huit neuf—



[PHILIP]
Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf



Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf
Sept huit neuf—

Sept huit neuf—

Sept huit neuf—


[ELIZA & PHILIP]
One two three four
Five six seven eight nine!

[HAMILTON]
My dearest, Angelica
“Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day”
I trust you’ll understand the reference to
Another Scottish tragedy without my having to name the play
They think me Macbeth, and ambition is my folly
I’m a polymath, a pain in the ass, a massive pain
Madison is Banquo, Jefferson’s Macduff
And Birnam Wood is Congress on its way to Dunsinane

[HAMILTON & ANGELICA]
And there you are, an ocean away
Do you have to live an ocean away?
Thoughts of you subside
Then I get another letter
I cannot put the notion away…

[ELIZA]
Take a break

[HAMILTON]
I am on my way

[ELIZA]
There’s a little surprise before supper
And it cannot wait

[HAMILTON]
I’ll be there in just a minute, save my plate

[ELIZA]
Alexander—

[HAMILTON]
Okay, okay

[ELIZA]
Your son is nine years old today
And he has something that he’d like to say
He’s been practicing all day
Philip, take it away—

[PHILIP]
Daddy, daddy, look!

My name is Philip
I am a poet
I wrote this poem just
To show it
And I just turned nine
You can write rhymes
But you can’t write mine

[HAMILTON]
What!

[PHILIP]
I practice French
And play piano with my mother

[HAMILTON]
Uh-huh!

[PHILIP]
I have a sister, but I want a little brother!

[HAMILTON]
Okay!

[PHILIP]
My daddy’s trying to start America’s bank
Un deux trois quatre cinq!

[HAMILTON]
Bravo!

[ELIZA]
Take a break

[HAMILTON]
Hey, our kid is pretty great!

[ELIZA]
Run away with us for the summer
Let’s go upstate

[HAMILTON]
Eliza, I’ve got so much on my plate

[ELIZA]
We can all go stay with my father
There’s a lake I know...

[HAMILTON]
I know

[ELIZA]
In a nearby park

[HAMILTON]
I’d love to go

[ELIZA]
You and I can go when the night gets dark

[HAMILTON]
I will try to get away

[ANGELICA]
My dearest Alexander
You must get through to Jefferson
Sit down with him and compromise
Don’t stop till you agree
Your favorite older sister
Angelica, reminds you
There’s someone in your corner all the way across the sea

In a letter I received from you two weeks ago
I noticed a comma in the middle of a phrase
It changed the meaning. Did you intend this?
One stroke and you’ve consumed my waking days
It says:

[HAMILTON & ANGELICA]
“My dearest Angelica”

[ANGELICA]
With a comma after “dearest.” You’ve written

[HAMILTON & ANGELICA]
“My dearest, Angelica.”

[ANGELICA]'
Anyway, all this to say
I’m coming home this summer
At my sister’s invitation
I’ll be there with your family
If you make your way upstate
I know you’re very busy
I know your work’s important
But I’m crossing the ocean and I just can’t wait

[HAMILTON & ANGELICA]
You won’t be an ocean away
You will only be a moment away…

[ELIZA]
Alexander, come downstairs. Angelica’s arriving today!

[ELIZA]
Angelica!

[ANGELICA]
Eliza!

[HAMILTON]
The Schuyler sisters!

[ANGELICA]
Alexander!

[HAMILTON]
Hi :)

[ANGELICA]
It’s good to see your face

[ELIZA]
Angelica, tell this man John Adams spends the summer with his family

[HAMILTON]
Angelica, tell my wife John Adams doesn’t have a real job anyway

[ANGELICA]
You’re not joining us? Wait

[HAMILTON]
I’m afraid I cannot join you upstate

[ANGELICA]
Alexander, I came all this way...

[ELIZA]
She came all this way—

[ANGELICA]
All this way—

[ELIZA & ANGELICA]
Take a break!

[HAMILTON]
You know I have to get my plan through Congress

[ELIZA & ANGELICA]
Run away with us for the summer
Let’s go upstate

[HAMILTON]
I lose my job if we don’t get this plan through Congress

[ELIZA & ANGELICA]
We can all go stay with our father


[ELIZA]
There’s a lake I know

In a nearby park

You and I can go



[ANGELICA]
I know I’ll miss your face—

Screw your courage to the sticking place

Eliza’s right—



[ELIZA & ANGELICA]
Take a break!

[ELIZA]
And get away!

[ANGELICA]
Run away with us for the summer
Lets‐

[ELIZA & ANGELICA]
Go upstate!

[ELIZA]
Where we can stay! Oh!

[ANGELICA]
We can all go stay with our father




[ELIZA]
Look around, look around
At how lucky we are to be alive right now
We can go—


[ANGELICA]
If you take your time—
You will make your mark
Close your eyes and dream—



[ELIZA & ANGELICA]
When the night gets dark!
Take a break

[HAMILTON]
I have to get my plan through Congress
I can’t stop until I get this plan through Congress


Songs in Hamilton (Broadway Production)
Act One
Alexander Hamilton
Aaron Burr, Sir
My Shot
The Story of Tonight
The Schuyler Sisters
Farmer Refuted
You'll Be Back
Right Hand Man
A Winter's Ball
Helpless
Satisfied
The Story of Tonight (Reprise)
Wait For It
Stay Alive
Ten Duel Commandments
Meet Me Inside
That Would Be Enough
Guns And Ships
History Has Its Eyes On You
Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)
What Comes Next?
Dear Theodosia
Tomorrow There'll Be More Of Us
Non-Stop
Act Two
What'd I Miss
Cabinet Battle #1
Take A Break
Say No To This
The Room Where It Happens
Schuyler Defeated
Cabinet Battle #2
Washington On Your Side
One Last Time
I Know Him
The Adams Administration
We Know
Hurricane
The Reynolds Pamphlet
Burn
Blow Us All Away
Stay Alive (Reprise)
It's Quiet Uptown
The Election of 1800
Your Obedient Servant
Best of Wives and Best of Women
The World Was Wide Enough
Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story
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