[Intro: Hip-Hop Musical Theater, Tight 808 Kick, Snapping Snare, Gospel Stabs, Brass Hits on Beat Two and Four] How does a frankfurter, orphan, bun from the store, man, Dropped in a cart in the heat, on the floor, man, Under the lights at a fair in squalor, Grow up to be a founder and a scholar? [Verse 1: Pizzicato Strings, Boom-Bap Drumline, Flow in 4/4, Midtempo Bounce] The ten-cent dog without a father, Got a lot farther by cookin’ up harder, By stayin’ up later, by spittin’ out smarter, By noon he’s on the grill, takin’ every order. [Verse 2: Storytelling Flow, Organ Pulse, Claps on the Two and Four, Rising Strings] Every day, while condiments slathered and parted, He sizzled at the stand while the crowd departed, Inside, he was hungry for a role to start in, The bun was ready to beg, steal, borrow, or barter. [Verse 3: Trap Hi-Hats, Orchestral Horns, Tempo Push, Beat Punching Every Two Bars] Then the fryer popped, lights blinked, heat drained, Hot grease on his skin, see his future stained, Put mustard to his mind, wrote through the pain, And the first hot line made ‘em scream his name. [Pre-Chorus: Gospel Call-and-Response, Brass Fanfare, Syncopated Handclaps] Word got around, they said, “This dog insane, man!” Took up a collection, sent him to the mainland, “Get your education, don’t forget your flame, and The world’s gonna know your name — what’s your name, man?” [Chorus: Broadway Hip-Hop Fusion, Full Choir, Kick Drum in Triplet Groove, Brass Swells] Alexander Hotdogton! (Hot-dog-ton!) Name ring loud when the lunch bell’s on! (Lunch bell’s on!) There’s a million buns I haven’t toasted, But just you wait, just you wait! [Verse 4: R&B Piano Groove, Light Percussion, Female Backing Vocals] When he was ten, the wrapper tore, life slid in, Two years later, see him and the vendor give in, Half-stale, sittin' by the cart, dream thin, Alex got sharper, the vendor gave in. [Verse 5: Funk Bassline, Hip-Hop Bounce, Hand Snaps, Call-and-Response Shouts] Moved with a cousin, sold ice cream by night, Left him broke, but the spark stayed bright, Voice in his head said, “Fend for yourself,” He read every menu on the library shelf. [Verse 6: Cinematic Trap, Low Brass, String Stabs, Fast Hi-Hats, Rising Intensity] Would’ve been nothin’ left to do, For a weaker link or a softer crew, He could’ve been broke, frozen through, But he flipped that script — brand new brew. [Verse 7: Funk Organ, Big Brass, Gospel Choir Echoes, Triumphant Groove] Started workin', clerkin' for a deli supplier, Flippin' brats, grillin' heat and fire, Stackin' every tip he could snatch from the buyers, Plannin' for the future, eyes gettin’ higher. [Pre-Chorus: Broadway Fusion, Drumline Snare, Electric Bass Groove, Rising Brass] In Patriot-town, you can be a new man, Patriot-town, fryin' with a new plan, In Patriot-town, you can take that stand, In Patriot-town — just you wait! [Chorus: Gospel Hip-Hop Fusion, Syncopated Drumline, Call-and-Response Shouts, Brass on Downbeat] Alexander Hotdogton (Hot-dog-ton!) We are waitin’ in the wings for you (wings for you!) You don’t back down, never waste no time (no thyme!) You rise up when the grill’s on fire, every single time! (Every single time!) [Bridge: Gospel Choir Swell, R&B Vocal Runs, Strings Build to Crescendo] Oh, Alexander Hotdogton (Hotdogton!) When America sings for you, Will they know what you overcame? Will they know you rewrote the flame? The world will never be the same, oh! [Verse 8: Minimal Beat, Soft Strings, Low 808s, Half-Time Flow] The cart’s in the harbor now, See if you can spot him (just you wait!) Another immigrant dog from the bottom, But nobody forgot him (just you wait!) [Bridge 2: Layered Gospel Call-and-Response, Hip-Hop Shouts, Brass Flourish] We fought with him! (We fought with him!) Me? I grilled for him! (I grilled for him!) Me? I trusted him! (I trusted him!) Me? I loved him! (I loved him!) And me? I’m the fool that sold him! (Sold him!) [Outro: Full Broadway Orchestration, Gospel Choir, Cymbal Crash, Final Snare Hit] There’s a million buns I haven’t toasted, But just you wait! (Just you wait!) What’s your name, man? Alexander Hotdogton!
