Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)

File:Surrender of Lord Cornwallis.jpg, an 1820 painting by John Trumbull depicting the surrender of the British to French forces.]]

The song begins with Alexander Hamilton, having been promoted to a command position in the Continental Army by George Washington, meeting with his friend Marquis de Lafayette and discussing their plans after the impending conclusion of the war. It is revealed that Hamilton's friend Hercules Mulligan was spying on the British forces to give information to the American forces. Hamilton also remarks on his wife and her pregnancy with their first child, and how John Laurens went to South Carolina in an effort to form a black battalion of soldiers.{{cite web|url=http://www.revolutionary-war.net/john-laurens.html|title=John Laurens|website=revolutionary-war.net|access-date=May 6, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170626140147/http://www.revolutionary-war.net/john-laurens.html|archive-date=June 26, 2017|df=mdy-all}} The Continental Forces then proceed to begin fighting, with Hamilton ordering his three battalions to remove the bullets from their firearms before their assault on British Redoubts 9 and 10. The Americans, assisted by the French, succeed in the battle, with their opponents waving a white flag. Hamilton then describes the British retreat, saying that he heard "the drinking song they were singing."{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle_yorktown1781.html|title=LIBERTY! . Chronicle of the Revolution . Yorktown 1781 - PBS|website=www.pbs.org|access-date=May 6, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170212162125/http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle_yorktown1781.html|archive-date=February 12, 2017|df=mdy-all}}

The song takes its title from an English ballad, which according to legend was performed by the British army band on the orders of Lord Cornwallis during their retreat. Whether or not this is historically accurate is not known, as it was incorporated into the story a century after the siege.{{cite web|url=http://www.visitingyorktown.com/surrender.html|title=Cornwallis' Surrender|website=www.visitingyorktown.com|access-date=May 6, 2017}}

Much of the song, particularly towards its beginning, functions as a reprise of "My Shot", as Hamilton remarks on how potential death lies ahead. The song contains a hint of "Lose Yourself" by Eminem, as well as a lyrical reference to A Tribe Called Quest's track "Jazz (We've Got)," one of many callbacks in the musical to hip-hop and rap.{{cite web|last1=Logan|first1=Elizabeth|title=I Have an Opinion on Every Song in "Hamilton"|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-logan/i-have-an-opinion-on-ever_b_8223496.html|website=Huffington Post|date=October 1, 2015}}

The Young Folks ranked the song 27th best in the musical.{{cite web|url=https://www.theyoungfolks.com/music/79401/every-song-from-the-hamilton-cast-album-ranked/|title=Every Song from 'Hamilton,' Ranked - The Young Folks|website=www.theyoungfolks.com|date=June 14, 2016 |access-date=May 5, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505152926/https://www.theyoungfolks.com/music/79401/every-song-from-the-hamilton-cast-album-ranked/|archive-date=May 5, 2017|df=mdy-all}}

Elizabeth Logan, writing for Huffington Post, stated that the song was a "rollicking remix", while Vibe.com said that the song gave the audience the opportunity to "hear the perseverance of the soldiers in the war".{{cite web|url=http://www.vibe.com/2015/10/hamilton-soundtrack-review/|title=Going H.A.M.: A Track-By-Track Review Of The 'Hamilton' Soundtrack|first=Monesha |last=Woods |date=October 20, 2015|website=vibe.com|access-date=May 5, 2017}}

The original Broadway cast, having been introduced by Barack and Michelle Obama, performed the song, as well as its immediate predecessor, at the 70th Tony Awards prior to winning eleven awards.{{cite web|url=http://nerdist.com/watch-the-hamilton-performance-from-the-2016-tonys/|title=Watch the HAMILTON Performance from the 2016 Tonys - Nerdist|date=June 13, 2016|website=nerdist.com|access-date=May 6, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160614123336/http://nerdist.com/watch-the-hamilton-performance-from-the-2016-tonys/|archive-date=June 14, 2016|df=mdy-all}} However, following the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, they did not use muskets out of respect.{{cite journal|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2016/06/12/hamilton_tonys_cast_performs_yorktown_the_world_turned_upside_down_video.html|title=Watch the Hamilton Cast's Explosive Tonys Performance, With an Introduction by the Obamas|first=Marissa|last=Martinelli|date=June 12, 2016|access-date=May 6, 2017|journal=Slate}}

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Hamilton Cast|title=Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)|award=Silver|relyear=2015|certyear=2023|id=18826-6009-1|access-date=March 24, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton|title=Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)|award=Platinum|relyear=2015|certyear=2023|access-date=June 24, 2023}}

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{{anchor|"Immigrants (We Get The Job Done)"|reason=Over-capitalized original heading name.}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)

| artist = K'naan, Snow tha Product, Riz MC, and Residente

| album = The Hamilton Mixtape

| released = 2016

| recorded =

| genre = Hip hop

| length = {{Duration|m=4|s=41}}

| producer =

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|6_35a7sn6ds|"Immigrants (We Get The Job Done)"}}

| type = song

}}

}}

A rap song inspired by and sampling from "Yorktown" was recorded for The Hamilton Mixtape. The song took inspiration from the line shared between Hamilton and Lafayette—"Immigrants—we get the job done". It was performed by K'naan, Snow tha Product, Riz MC (Riz Ahmed) and Residente. Miranda selected those performers as they represent all corners of the world, in line with the song's message.{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/a/lin-manuel-miranda-says-immigrants-we-get-the-job-done-is-a-response-to-current-events|first=Elizabeth|last=Ayme|title=Lin-Manuel Miranda Says "Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)" Is a Response to Current Events|website=Genius|access-date=May 6, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161203192731/http://genius.com/a/lin-manuel-miranda-says-immigrants-we-get-the-job-done-is-a-response-to-current-events|archive-date=December 3, 2016|df=mdy-all}} It also incorporates Washington's line from the original—"Not yet", which Miranda said meant that America has yet to achieve full freedom as a society.

Slate.com considered the new take on the song to be the best on the mixtape.{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2016/12/05/all_the_songs_on_the_hamilton_mixtape_ranked.html|title=All the Songs on The Hamilton Mixtape, Ranked|first=Marissa|last=Martinelli|date=December 5, 2016|access-date=May 6, 2017|via=Slate}}

A music video was released in June 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/lin-manuel-miranda-releases-powerful-immigrants-video-w490151| title=Lin-Manuel Miranda Releases 'Immigrants' Video From 'Hamilton Mixtape'| date=June 28, 2017| first=Daniel| last=Kreps| publisher=Rolling Stone}}{{cite AV media|title=The Hamilton Mixtape: Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_35a7sn6ds|date=June 28, 2017|language=en|first1=Tomás |last1=Whitmore|first2=Keinan |last2=Warsame|author-link2=K'naan|first3=René|last3=Joglar|author-link3=Residente|first4=Rizwan|last4=Ahmed|author-link4=Riz Ahmed|first5=Claudia|last5=Feliciano|author-link5=Snow Tha Product|editor-first1=Tomás |editor-last1=Whitmore|editor-first2=Alexander |editor-last2=Aquino|website=YouTube}} The song was nominated for "Best Fight Against the System" at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards and shared the win with the other five nominees.{{cite web|title=MTV VMA 2017: See the Complete Winners List|url=http://people.com/music/mtv-vmas-complete-winners-list/|website=PEOPLE.com|date=28 August 2017}}

The song peaked at number 22 on the Rap Digital Song Sales chart.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/rap-digital-song-sales/2016-12-03|title=Rap Digital Song Sales - December 3, 2016|magazine=Billboard |access-date=November 30, 2019}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Hamilton (musical)}}

{{K'naan}}

{{Residente}}

{{MTV Video Music Award for Best Video with a Social Message}}

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Category:2015 songs

Category:Songs from Hamilton (musical)

Category:K'naan songs

Category:Residente songs

Category:Songs about freedom