Normally, when a beloved Broadway musical gets adapted for the screen, a couple of songs end up cut for time. But when Wicked premieres on November 22, we’ll get to hear everything in the songbook — well, at least the songs from the first half of the show. While splitting Wicked into two films gave the story enough breathing room to keep tracks that otherwise might have been cut — like “Something Bad” and “Sentimental Man” — it also means we have to wait another year to hear Ariana Grande’s “Thank Goodness.” Anyway, with a brand-new version of the show’s Act One score on the way, we figured it was time to reacquaint ourselves with these songs by ranking them from the most iconic to the most skippable (or, to quote Doctor Dillamond, baaaaaad).
But ranking is dangerous work, especially when it involves a rabid, opinionated fandom. Since I don’t want to get jumped outside the Gershwin, I turned to a group of Wicked superfans and scholars to share their expertise: Quincy Brown and Kevin Bianchi of the Sentimental Men podcast, comedian and New York’s social-media editor Zach Schiffman, and drag queen Reese Havoc (a.k.a. theater-marketing superstar Austin Spero). Don’t be offended by our frank analysis.
“Dear Old Shiz”
“Glinda, is it true you were her friend?” isn’t enough to save this transitional song from last place. It’s largely a flashback vehicle, taking us from Glinda announcing Elphaba’s “death” in the opening to their first meeting at Shiz. Nobody’s singing this at Marie’s Crisis.
“Something Bad”
This song should give pause to anyone with paws ears. It’s honestly a hugely important moment in the story but loses a lot of its gravitas because (onstage at least) it’s sung by a man dressed as a goat baa-ing.
“A Sentimental Man”
With both “Something Bad” and “A Sentimental Man” being so low on the list, a pattern emerges. We do not listen to Wicked to hear men sing (unless they’re wearing tight pants).
“I’m Not That Girl”
This is a perfectly good song. It succeeds at everything it’s setting out to do and pulls all the heartstrings it’s trying to pull. But it’s really just a layup for its far more impactful reprise sung by Glinda in Act Two. More on that next year.
“Dancing Through Life”
One question changed the world forever: “What’s the most swankified place in town?” That led us to the Ozdust Ballroom, where we hear a massive amount of story play out right in the middle of this song — ultimately helping make this cast recording cohesive, even for those who might not have been able to see it onstage.
“No One Mourns the Wicked”
I’ll never forget when Queen Elizabeth died and that night the West End production had to open with “Good news! She’s dead!” This song kicks the show off at a full-speed sprint, taking advantage of the audience’s foundational Wizard of Oz knowledge to dive right in. In composing this song, Stephen Schwartz had the unenviable task of basically writing his own “Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead” — and he did just that, but better. And with a green baby!
“Popular”
A tour de force for any Glinda to show off her vocal and comedic chops, this song has everything that really counts. Its only real pitfall is that it’s already gotten its flowers, costing it a few spots on this list in favor of songs that haven’t yet gotten to be quite as … popular. Lar.
“What Is This Feeling?”
If someone thinks the title of this song is ‘Loathing,’ they’re a fake fan and you should cut them out of your life. A true romp to listen to, the song brilliantly sets up not only the dynamic between Elphaba and Glinda — but also Elphaba’s isolation by having the entire student body rally behind Glinda in chorus. And it’s so fun to sing, how can you blame them?
“One Short Day”
A world-building, friendship-building bop of epic proportions. This should have been Wicked’s radio single. (Broadway shows should have radio singles.)
“Defying Gravity”
Heard of it? Undeniably the most famous song from the show, and with good reason — “Defying Gravity” leaves you gagged for the majority of intermission and has taken on a life of its own outside the show. It’s why Amy Adams did it at karaoke that one time.
“The Wizard and I”
While “Defying Gravity” might get all the attention, “The Wizard and I” is the better song. It’s about who Elphaba is, whereas “Defying Gravity” is about what she does. And if the foreshadowing in “A Sentimental Man” is too on the nose, “The Wizard and I”’s is artful, winking at what the audience thinks they know about what’s to come. I mean, she’d be so happy she could MELT? There’s a reason this song is held in such high esteem.
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