Hamilton Clean Version OBCR?

[defygravity2]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 12:00pm

Please forgive another Hampost...I searched, but couldn't find an answer. As a 5th grade teacher that teaches about the American Revolution, I was able to use 2 of the King George songs as a humorous example of multiple perspectives during war times. I would love to use more of the OBCR, but I need to find a clean version (or turn down the sound really fast). I know high school teachers can use the entire album, but playing some songs for 10-11 year olds will get this veteran teacher in trouble with parents and administrators. I was wondering if any of you know if a clean version is or will ever be available?  Thanks!

[Anakela]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 12:05pm

This is from September 2015, but at one point there was a clean version coming "soon":

https://twitter.com/lin_manuel/status/647154858475261952

eta: you can also clean it up yourself (one of your students might be able to show you how :)) I don't know what program you would use or anything, but I've done Hamilton classes at fitness studios that make instructors play 'clean' versions of songs (and we're all adults here! don't even get me started) and so I've done spin class to, for example, Yorktown without Mulligan's swearing, etc.

Updated On: 6/22/16 at 12:05 PM

[broadwayguy91]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 12:06pm

Since it's for educational purposes, maybe you can rip the tracks that you want to use to a computer, and use a program to bleep out the parts that have swearing?

if you bought the digital version of the album, this would probably be easier since you won't have to rip the tracks from the CD

Updated On: 6/22/16 at 12:06 PM

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 12:09pm

A clean version of the HAMILTON cast album will be available July 8, 2016 and is available for pre-order on Amazon.  https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Original-Broadway-Recording-Edited/dp/B01GLHRLTI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466611728&sr=8-1&keywords=hamilton+clean

[delaney725]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 12:09pm

The free program "Audacity" is amazing and can take out individual words while the music plays on, can play a word backwards to mask it, can clip moments altogether (Madison's line became "You knock me down I get back up again" seamlessly. There actually only had to be 15 edits total for my 5th graders, because I sent out permission slips in email containing the Grammy performance and told them I wouldn't be editing anything they heard in that song. So I got to keep "Bastard" and "Whore" throughout. I wouldn't cut those because they were important to the characterization.

[macnyc]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 12:11pm

^^^ Great info! I hunted around for it and didn't find it. Thanks!

 

 

[defygravity2]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 12:19pm

jacobsnchz14 said: "A clean version of the HAMILTON cast album will be available July 8, 2016 and is available for pre-order on Amazon.  https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Original-Broadway-Recording-Edited/dp/B01GLHRLTI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466611728&sr=8-1&keywords=hamilton+clean

This is GREAT news!!!  Thank you, everyone, for your ideas and help with this! And, yes, it would have to be a student (or my 17 year old) that would have to help me rip/mask/whatever to make my own clean version...sigh.

 

 

"

 

[Jallenc32]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 12:21pm

Please tell me you're making it very clear to your students that this is an artist's interpretation of history and not reliable from an educational point of view as to what actually happened.  I dread the students who come out of school thinking Hamilton is a historically complete portrait of who Alexander Hamilton was and what he believed. 

[Pippin]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 12:22pm

..........Because you and Hamilton were BFF's and you know him better than anybody here?

[Jallenc32]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 12:42pm

Because students should learn their history from historians and not artists.  Alexander Hamilton feared democracy more than perhaps any other Founding Father.  He advocated that the President and Senate should be lifetime positions.  He argued against immigration with an appeal to nationalism that would make Donald Trump proud.  He fought against the Bill of Rights. 

Of course artists have often influenced how people view history.  Most people view Richard III as a bad ruler because of Shakespeare's play, but in reality he was a thoroughly decent King.  Doesn't take away from the beauty and artistry that is the play, but that's why Richard III should be taught in English Class and not History Class.

[Broadway Forever2]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 12:45pm

Jallenc32 said: "Because students should learn their history from historians and not artists.  Alexander Hamilton feared democracy more than perhaps any other Founding Father.  He advocated that the President and Senate should be lifetime positions.  He argued against immigration with an appeal to nationalism that would make Donald Trump proud.  He fought against the Bill of Rights. 

 

"

Ok some of this isn't true and I'm someone who has actually read books by historians. He didn't "fear" democracy. This is a very Jeffersonian view on Hamilton lol. 

Updated On: 6/22/16 at 12:45 PM

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 1:04pm

Jallenc32 said: "Please tell me you're making it very clear to your students that this is an artist's interpretation of history and not reliable from an educational point of view as to what actually happened.  I dread the students who come out of school thinking Hamilton is a historically complete portrait of who Alexander Hamilton was and what he believed. 

 

"

By this logic, you would have to give the same disclaimer every time students read a text book or any piece of text for that matter.

[KCW]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 1:18pm

And America is a republic, not a democracy.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 1:40pm

KCW said: "And America is a republic, not a democracy.

 

"

Actually, America is neither a "republic" nor a "democracy." But that's a different discussion for another day... 

 

Also, I just want to back up what Jallen is saying. There are many historical inaccuracies in HAMILTON. I hope educators who are using this musical (or its cast recording) as a tool for teaching are also completing their due diligence beforehand, and cross-referencing the piece with verified sources and historically-accurate publications. 

[TBone]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 1:53pm

I may be wrong, but I thought I remembered reading that the streaming version of the OCR (that was available before the album was released officially) was a "clean" version? I'm not familiar enough with the show to be able to say for sure.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 2:12pm

"Sh!t" and "fvck" were definitely blanked out in the NPR version.

I think everyone insults the intelligence of our educator friend by assuming they would use the show verbatim as fact. And as others point out no textbook or other teaching device is entirely accurate and they all contain at least some bias or liberties taken.

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 2:35pm

Wait, Hamilton didn't rap? Hercules didn't wear a beanie? Stahhhhhhhhp

[sarahb22]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 2:37pm

Wait, George Washington was white?

Seriously, any kid old enough to study Hamilton is old enough to know it's not a documentary. That said, every news report I've seen about teachers using the show in their classroom mentions that the show is only part of an entire 'Hamilton' related curriculum, which includes history books and, I'm sure, goes to great lengths to balance the entertainment with historical fact. 

What's important, though, is that the show is sparking kids' imaginations and making them want to learn.  They're reading 'The Federalist Papers' VOLUNTARILY. They're excited about learning more about our country, they think it's cool. That's huge.

One more note: I was twelve the first time I saw 1776, and it sparked my interest in American history like nothing had before.  But I didn't think for one second that Adams, Jefferson, and Franklin ran around singing.  I knew it was entertainment. It inspired me to take out books on American history and learn about how our country came about, and by reading I found out that, yes, liberties were taken (pun intended), but that didn't bother me at all. It's still a great show. 

Updated On: 6/22/16 at 02:37 PM

[ArtMan]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 2:56pm

Defygravity2, If Walmart carries the Hamilton cd on their website it should be clean.  All versions of their music that have explicit lyrics are the clean version.  If you do decide to order, make sure it is from them and not a marketplace retailer that also shows up on their site.

Updated On: 6/22/16 at 02:56 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 3:17pm

Because students should learn their history from historians and not artists.

 

Students should learn their history from as many sources as possible and be taught not to take any one version of history as the only version of history.

 

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 3:25pm

When I played it in my class, I just carefully turn the volume way down and then back up again at a curse word.  I tried to make as small of a deal of it as possible. 

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 3:33pm

Phantom4ever said: "When I played it in my class, I just carefully turn the volume way down and then back up again at a curse word.  I tried to make as small of a deal of it as possible. 

 

"

 

I suspect you quickly turning the volume "way down" in the middle of a song would actually draw more attention to it, and make it a bigger deal than necessary. 

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 3:41pm

You suspect wrong.  It goes up and down for a second. The kids have the lyrics in front of them. They don't even noticed most of the time.  If they do notice, I play it off like I thought the song was over or something.  A good teacher can get the kids to focus on what you want them to focus on.   I play it for my 7th grade history class when it coincides with our lesson. 

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 4:12pm

It's really not that hard to just digitally edit out the curse words from the tracks. Even if you are technologically challenged, I am sure one of your colleagues could have done it... But whatever.

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 6/22/16 at 4:19pm

Or I could do the volume thing.  Or try that whatever thing you mentioned. ; )