Before George Washington places Hamilton in charge of his own troops, he informs him about the severity of the situation in the song “History Has Its Eyes on You”. Washington explains that he was younger than Hamilton was when he was given his first command. You can truly hear the guilt and shame in his voice as he recalls the bloody massacre that ensued. He had to watch his own men die directly in front of him, and even to the present that memory still haunts his dreams. He explains that history had its eyes on him, and he clearly understands what is at stake if the Americans lose the Revolutionary War. A chorus of voices echoes this sentiment, adding additional pressure for George Washington to succeed.

He gives Hamilton advice he wished he had received all those years ago: you have no control who lives, who dies, and who tells your story. This is a reference to the final song of the musical and foreshadows Hamilton’s untimely demise. The stakes are high, but he sees potential in Hamilton. Although he sees victory as a possibility, he also warns Hamilton that from here on out, his every action will define history as we know it. This slight lyrical shift is a sign of trust and is meant to portray how honored he is to give Hamilton his first command. The chorus once again chimes in to highlight the severity of the situation at hand, but the intent changes. While the voices were used earlier in order to drill that feeling of shame and guilt into Washington’s head, here they are being used to warn Hamilton not to make the same mistakes.

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Although he sees victory as a possibility, he also warns Hamilton that from here on out, his every action will define history as we know it.

The mixtape version, sung by John Legend, is more of a gospel rendition. The chorus in the beginning serves as a smooth transition into Legend’s solo. The piano is much more upbeat in this version, removing much of the serious tension present in the original. However, John Legend remedies this issue by placing emphasis and weight onto certain notes to display his emotions. This allows the listener to imagine a more vivid picture of how Washington feels about his past decisions. One of the main differences between this version and the original is the constant repetition of the word history. Typically in music, when a word or phrase is repeated multiple times in a row, the intent is to create dynamic contrast. In this case, each successive “history” is sung with increased intensity and volume. The function of the chorus is to act as an accent to John Legend’s voice and therefore serves less of a narrative function than the chorus in the original. Themes of honor, pride, and hope lie in the forefront of this version, and these themes are further emphasized by the slight melodic contrasts. After the second verse, the chorus harmonizes with Legend in a series of whoas, which serve as a mirror to the whoas in the original song but adapted to the gospel style. Finally, they repeat the chorus one more time, and the song ends.