Former President Barack Obama has a single on the Billboard R&B charts, you guys. This is not a drill.
Fans of Hamilton (so... everyone?) will undoubtedly have heard the track One Last Time; but if you haven't then allow us to explain. The track is a conversation between Alexander Hamilton and George Washington, with Washington asking Hamilton to write down his words so that he can address the American people one last time as their President. The track features both spoken and sung lyrics delivered by Washington.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, who penned the song, is a big fan of remixing and re-working his music. We've gotten an entire mixtape full of re-worked Hamilton tracks, after all. So nobody was really shocked that he took another crack at One Last Time. This time, with more of a gospel feel.
Original cast member Christopher Jackson returns to lay down some delicious sung vocals. Barack Obama appears to deliver a portion of George Washington's farewell address. The track was dubbed One Last Time (44 Remix) in honor of Obama's time as the 44th President Of The United States.
You can listen to the track here.
Christopher Jackson, Barack Obama, Bebe Winans β One Last Time (44 Remix) [Official Audio]www.youtube.com
The track is the final "drop" in the Hamildrops - a series of reworked Hamilton and Hamilton-related tracks that have been dropped throughout the last year. The drops were designed as a way to raise money for different charities and non-profits. To commemorate the final track, Lin-Manuel Miranda tweeted the track along with a behind-the-scenes picture of Obama working on the piece.
He tweeted it casually and said goodnight like he didn't just knock some people's socks off.
Gnight! See you in 2019! https://t.co/GZl4cxK6gOβ Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda) 1545368523.0
People couldn't help but laugh at that.
@Lin_Manuel @ChrisisSingin @LacketyLac You sending this tweet and getting offline. https://t.co/q11kuwIpM5β Mollie Davis (@Mollie Davis) 1545368597.0
@Lin_Manuel @ChrisisSingin @LacketyLac YOU CANT JUST DROP THIS AND LEAVEβ leana (@leana) 1545368576.0
@Lin_Manuel @ChrisisSingin @LacketyLac WAIT NO COME BACKβ Reagan Woodward (@Reagan Woodward) 1545368759.0
@Lin_Manuel @ChrisisSingin @LacketyLac DONT GNIGHT US THIS IS WILDβ shana aparicio (@shana aparicio) 1545368555.0
And yes, people loved it.
@Lin_Manuel @ChrisisSingin @LacketyLac Words cannot describe the love and respect, Lin-Manuel is the truth! #44remixβ Cristann Naomi (@Cristann Naomi) 1546010772.0
@Lin_Manuel @ChrisisSingin @LacketyLac I'm cryingβ π ΛΛΛ β βΞΏΡΡΞΉΞΏ βΛΛΛ π ~ β (@π ΛΛΛ β βΞΏΡΡΞΉΞΏ βΛΛΛ π ~ β) 1545368931.0
@Lin_Manuel I listened to this in my car and I cried the whole time. What did you think when you heard the final cut? #44Remixβ Alyss (@Alyss) 1546459954.0
Hi uh so I just listened to the #44remix of "One Last Time," and uh, I'm weeping @Lin_Manuel @BarackObama @ChrisisSinginβ merry christmissa (@merry christmissa) 1546462817.0
@Lin_Manuel @ChrisisSingin @LacketyLac Ok...well in 2019 we need to talk a little (A LOT) more about what you justβ¦ https://t.co/xTlYxV8Wdpβ Carynton (@Carynton) 1545369019.0
@Lin_Manuel @ChrisisSingin @LacketyLac Same. https://t.co/W2SbUuTwvzβ Rachel Santagran (@Rachel Santagran) 1545399035.0
Lin wasn't done giving the people some insider info, though. Fans kept hitting him with questions, so he responded to a few when he made his way back to Twitter.
I asked him around May or June. He said yes. Then I called @LacketyLac. Then I called @ChrisisSingin. Then I calledβ¦ https://t.co/P95jrV0OZjβ Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda) 1546452175.0
I wasnβt there! I was in Mexico doing Poppins press during the session, I FaceTimed in. π https://t.co/9kZOfxI6Jzβ Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda) 1546452267.0
4. https://t.co/QcMZwFtT9wβ Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda) 1546452307.0
I was at the Apollo the night he sang Al Green and it felt like all of Harlem screamed in one voice. Iβll never forβ¦ https://t.co/Cj1a47u0nGβ Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda) 1546453154.0
No I asked for a meeting. Thereβs a pic on twitter from the day we met him that summer, @tammyampersand will find iβ¦ https://t.co/5TvYASQ8Bwβ Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda) 1546453362.0
π https://t.co/0Q25EZKiVTβ Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda) 1546457353.0
Thaaaats when I asked him. #44Remix https://t.co/3hvz7sxAT4β Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin-Manuel Miranda) 1546459891.0
So there you go. That's the story of how the 44th President of the United States of America moved on after his time in office to record an r& b track - which then went on to rank pretty darn high on the Billboard charts. You're welcome.