Totally agree that Chris should get more recognition for his performance in this. There was not a single shaky or off note in the entire number. Arguably the strongest voice in the cast.
Lin shared that Chris was 'upset' when Lin called him for this role. He had doubts about playing a slave owner for obvious reasons. Lin convinced him to go through with it, and we're all lucky he did. Chris was absolutely perfect for this.
He brings that into another song as well, at the end when Phillipa sings about speaking out against slavery you should look at Chris. But besides this, Washington did set his slaves free in his will. It created a whole different mess with spouses of his slaves being owned by other people, and children and whatnot. But in the end he did see which way the nation had to go.
The film was shot near the time the original cast were beginning to leave the show. Jonathan Groff had already left and just came back for the performances needed to create the film. I wonder if part of Chris's emotion was knowing that those were the last times the the original cast would perform together. This was the beginning of the end of a journey they had been on together for a long time. Whatever the reason....he is amazing!
I love all the parts of this song. The humour at the start (“whatever it is Jefferson started it”), to the smooth dialog in the middle, where they act so naturally you almost forget they’re actually singing, to the overlapping spoken/sung text of the speech, to the chorus and belt at the end...THIS is what theatre is for me.
That’s one of the things about this musical - it is essentially an opera. All singing, which means you almost forget that there is singing. When you switch back between dialogue and song you are more aware of the singing.
The irony of this song being called one last time is that I am incapable of only listening to it once. I always go back and play it like 5 more times and I really never want any time listening to this to be the last time
I am a high school English teacher in a very conservative school district. On the morning after the 2020 election I knew I had students coming in who would be coming to school happy, sad, angry, confused, relieved... To keep politics out of my classroom but to still somehow address the elephant in the room, I just played this song with a printout of the lyrics and watched for their reaction. We talked about how, coming from a monarchist system, the idea of a “peaceful transfer of power” was in and of itself revolutionary and set the important precedent that presidents do not serve indefinitely. He taught us “how to say goodbye.” It was a moment I’ll treasure in an otherwise sh**storm of a school year.
Okay, theatre nerd moment, but the lyrics, the solo/duet, Chris putting on the jacket in the background, standing next to Lin, then Lin stepping back so Chris can have center stage. Chills in the best way.
Back when I first fell into the Hamilton rabbit hole a few years ago, this song stood out to me. I found myself especially anticipating it each time I listened to the soundtrack. My god, Chris Jackson is an artist. And the song is unlike any other in the show. It can't quite be classified as a particularly fun song, or a sad one, or one that exists mainly to move the plot along (though it's certainly an important part in the story). It's a rare happy tearjerker, and has such a pure beauty to it without being overly joyous or overly somber. It did seem unfairly overlooked for a long time. It's wonderful to see it get singled out for some well-deserved love.
From the first time hearing him sing this to the millionth time, I still get goosebumps and tear up. He has one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard. I think he should play the Phantom. How do we get a petition started for this?
Lin has always talked about that his goal for writing anything for Chris Jackson is to allow him to fly. You can really see and hear how he tailored this song to showcase the powerhouse that is Chris
From the moment I first became aware of Hamilton (and memorized/binge-listened to the soundtrack!), "One Last Time" has been my favorite song, and Chris Jackson one of my favorite performers of ever. I was so affected by it that I tweeted directly to Chris (not expecting a reply, of course) asking him what it felt like to sing that song - AND HE REPLIED!!! He said it felt "like death and life, in that order, every time." Wowwowwow. Also, and many others have noted this before me, he has the MOST amazing voice and absolutely nails this song to the wall.
the best performance of this song is when they were at the white house in obama's term and in the audience... maybe a little surreal... painting of the man you are portraying on the wall and the current president in front of you...
Jackson himself agrees. He's said it was surreal & special & for all his flaws, Washington was still an amazing man who helped define our nation. He's said he loves having been part of something that made history come alive & helps those living today who little resemble those old white men draw parallels to their own lives & connect with history. LMM has said the same.
I used to watch that and sob my freaking eyes out about every month from 2016 through 2017. The idea of them talking about the peaceful transfer of power at that point in time in particular was gutwrenchingly beautiful.
That video is so beautiful. I love the moment near the end when the woman playing "The Bullet" is literally crying as they sing out the "George Washington is going ho-o-ome" line and the camera sweeps over the ensemble. Such a poignant moment.
This might actually be my favorite song of the show, because it DOES show the humanity of our founding fathers. I also love the line "I want to teach them to say goodbye" because the colonies were used to having an absent king that demanded their labor and taxes without ever being present (I can't even remember if the king ever came to visit the colonies?). Counter that with a war hero who could have easily decided to run for president every 4 years for the rest of his life and he probably would have won simply because the people would have gladly kept a war hero in office until he died. (Keep in mind presidential term limits weren't put into place until FDR) After all he is here, present, and saved us from the British crown, right? So for Washington to voluntarily step down set the course of our nation and kept us from inadvertently slipping into a dictatorship (you know the mentality that a certain recent president had of "they love me, I wouldn't be surprised if they kept me around for 3, 4, or even 5 terms".) He told a budding nation "it's ok to trust the next guy. And hey, if you don't like him you can change presidents in 4 more years" Phenomenal song, phenomenal message, outstanding performance.
As a child it used to embarrass me when my Daddy - now gone over 10 years - would come close to tears listening to music. Once grown I followed in his footsteps, and understood why he reacted as he did. This turns my body into one big goosebump, & the tears flow. Not just for the music, but for the meaning behind it. Thank you for posting this!
We were lucky enough to see him during his last week in November, 2016. It was a once in a lifetime moment. Of course the show was brilliant but this song is what I was waiting for. Cried during the whole thing.
His performance for this song is flawless.. it gives me chills and goosebumps every. single. time! When he performed it at the Kennedy Center Honors, it was equally amazing... a must see.
So I was brand new to Hamilton until it released on Disney+. And now I’ve watched it just about everyday for a year (because my 3yr old has autism and it calms him for therapy... and because it’s A MASTERPIECE). No matter what I am doing, when this scene comes on, I stop doing what I’m doing. His voice is LITERALLY commanding. It demands your attention. It’s been almost 300 plays and I’m still rapped with attention like it’s the first time. He is The Best.
@@pgreen8573 I'd say that should be it, he totally deserves a standing ovation every single time he delivers such a performance (which it seems like pretty much any time he performed as Washigton)
This performance make me teary eyed every time. It's Chris's last performance as George Washington and you can feel the emotions coming from him in every moment he's on stage.
RE: Chris's emotions at the end of the song. Historical record of Washington's farewell address notes that Washington became emotional while delivering his speech. My guess is Chris did his research and his performance here was influenced by how the real person felt in the moment. It's also said that the audience to Washington's farewell address grew emotional as well, many of them having been with the former General through the Revolutionary War, seeing their leader require reading glasses to deliver his speech.
Have you watched the video of the cast performing Hamilton at the White House? It was at the end of President Obama’s presidency and what he said after they sang this song was just great. And not to be political here either, but it was so wise. To paraphrase, and to be especially noteworthy now, 4 years later, This is how to say goodbye’. You don’t have to react to it (unless you want to, of course), but it’s worth watching. In that vein and still related to Hamilton, watch Lin Manuel’s performance early in the Obama presidency at the night of song and poetry of his ‘Alexander Hamilton’ song. It was the bare kernel of an idea at this point, and not what the song eventually became. He and Alex Lacamoire had been invited to perform a piece from his then-current masterpiece In the Heights, but he decided to do this song instead. His introduction and the audience reaction before and after alone are worth your time.
1:55 - Marc shows every reaction video’s reaction to the first “One last time” line. To be honest, it’s my reaction still, the dozens of times I’ve listened to this song. This song is such perfection. I have a hard time not being in tears watching Chris Jackson’s emotion at the end. So, so good. Kudos to Marc for correcting is breaking into parts misstep. ❤️
Every time I listen to the Hamilton soundtrack, I find a new performer to appreciate. This go around was Chris. I always liked this song, but after giving it my undivided attention, it blows me away and I cry every time. The thought of "one last time" 😭
When I saw Hamilton on Broadway I was fully expecting my favorite performance to be Satisfied. It turned out to be this song, the actor playing George Washington, while not Christopher Jackson, absolutely knocked it out of the park. It was stunning.
I've got to say... I was really confused as to why the entire song didn't get reviewed! But I think you absolutely knocked it out of the park with the new video. Thank you for listening! We are huge fans of yours in this household...my 8 year old is obsessed, but great job! You have our support! Keep up the great work :)
I’m a manly man and an old Marine, but this song moved me literally to tears the first time I heard it because I understood the historical implications and power of this song in helping to instill in us as Americans the idea of a peaceful transfer of power… AND AT THE END OF THIS SHOWSTOPPER HE POSES LIKE SO MANY MAJESTIC STATUES OF WASHINGTON! My GOD what a show!
I truly think this one is so overlooked. I love the whole soundtrack. Honestly, this one didn’t pop out to me on the album so much. When I heard it live tho... I was crying sooooo hard. Sobbing because the emotion of the performance is just so strong and powerful and beautiful. Ohhh I love it.
This performance brings me to tears EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Chris Jackson is amazing and I love that he portrayed this roll. I always think about how if I were to have seen this performance live while Chris was still playing Washington, but it would've been his last time playing the roll and singing "we're gonna teach them how to say goodbye", I probably would've never stopped crying!! Those people in the audience on Chris' last time playing George Washington probably got THE BEST performance.
From what I heard, the show was filmed around the time Chris Jackson was wrapping up his time in "Hamilton" and getting ready to move onto other projects, "Bull" in particular. He was overcome with emotion, his inevitable departure from the show, and we get to bear witness to his emotions. What a gift!!!
Words can’t describe the out of body experience I get when hearing this, it’s beyond words can describe. I hate to compare but his voice is the most mesmerising
I live in Rio de Janeiro and two weeks ago I was in New York to visit my youngest daughter (19) who is studying Theater at Fordham. We went to see Hamilton and I was blown away by the play. I've already tried to find words that, combined, could describe it, but in the end I conclude that it is an impossible task. Since then I have been searching and digesting everything on the internet about the musical, and I am delighted with the intelligent and gentle way in which you present your point of view on the various performances. Great! I'm already following you. Greetings from Rio.
The first time I watched this with my teen son it brought us both to tears. It still brings us to tears. This song is probably the one that compelled me to buy the soundtrack.
I get chills EVERY time I hear this song. It's the most impressive vocal performance in the whole show in my opinion and to add onto that the passion and emotion and vulnerability he brings to it... Just ughhhh it's perfection.
The "uh" at 1:58 is so appropriate ... and then I was like, "wait for it, wait for it." And the tears in Marc's eyes ... every damn time I watch "Hamilton," this song makes me sob. Not only because of Christopher's singing and passion, but because he was also crying at the end. This ensemble is why I don't think I could see the musical with any other actors.
I was lucky enough to see Christopher Jackson do this live, and I can't convey how amazingly powerful this was in person. You could feel his voice in your bones.
This song was so powerful for me. It was the perfect song for this moment, and for the wonderful person who played him. I almost cried the first time I heard this song.
I just love the idea that Chris and Lin worked on this, they also worked on In The Heights, and in Moana. Lin gave him such a good piece because they've worked together for so long
Thank you thank you for this review. This is certainly one of my favorite songs. Chris' voice is like beautiful soft worn leather to me. Love this performance with my whole ❤️
When I saw this show in London in 2019, it was not surprising when I sobbed through Burn, or Its Quiet Uptown, or the finale. But this number threw me completely off guard. As a British person, I didn't think the character of George Washington would affect me much. But the beautiful way that this song built up, and the absolutely stunning vocals, (I *think* performed by Dom Hartley-Harris?), absolutely floored me. Such a stunning and underrated number ❤️
Every time I hear Christopher Jackson sing this song I cry. I don’t know if it’s the lyrics or his emotion when he sings it. But I can tell you that public service is not for selfish or self serving people. The literal purpose of every government employee is to assure the protection of the public from harm. So the lines “ if we teach them to say goodbye. The nation learns to move on. It out lives me when I’m gone.” “ no one shall make them afraid. They’ll be safe in the nation we’ve made.” “A moment alone in the shade at home in this nation we’ve made.” Those lines get me every time. 🥹 He definitely should have won a Tony for his performance. He was great!
Chris Jackson's perfomance in this is right up there with Renee Elise Goldsberry's in Satisfied as far as vocal chops are concerned. Among other fantastic songs with tremendous vocals such as Satisfied, Burn, Wait For It, and Say No To This, One Last Time is underrated af.
I cried the first time I saw this...got to experience THIS. I cry every time I see it. As far as I'm concerned, this scene from a musical of all places is perhaps the greatest scene done on camera or onstage of all time.
I would like to request the final song in Hamilton in it's full glory, just love Chris Jackson in that song as well. Maybe do the song with Chris Jackson and Elmo singing Story of Tonight. So cute
I think what gets me is knowing he died only 2 years after he finished his presidency. Such a short time to sit under his own vine and fig tree. That and the emotion he puts into the song... Such a flawless performance.
get ready for an immense increase in views of this video. you did a great job with this critique as we are learning together as a nation in real time how a President teaches his country "how to say goodbye...." 👏👏🍻🍻👍👍🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊😎😎✌✌
I just watched Hamilton last night for the first time and this is what stood out to me the most! So it is very surprising to find out that this is so underrated
This is my favorite song from Hamilton. I always tear up whenever I listen to this song no matter who sings it, but when it's Chris Jackson singing it, I just start BAWLING.
I remember watching this for the first time on my laptop and after the song ended, I patted my laptop's back, because I couldn't possibly do that physically to Christopher Jackson. What a send-off to a prominent character!
You literally NEVER miss on your reviews and analysis of a piece! You pull every single thought out of my mind and articulate it with perfection!! You're my Favorite 🙌🏾👏🏾👏🏾
He deserved the Tony nom!!!! First time watching/hearing and Chris was the standout performance to me. Mostly from this singular song. It still moves me every time!
The key to understanding and enjoying Hamilton is not to perceive the show as lionizing the Founding fathers but as re-imagining them to some extent while acknowledging their many flaws. Lin Manuel gave us a mix of who they were as well as who they could have been.
Exactly. Modern students have imagery and characters they can relate to when watching Hamilton without letting the racism of the era cloud their learning
I like that "who they could have been". That is illuminating--like, who would I have been, if I had been born in 1750, without the last couple of centuries of history to draw upon?