For Good
| "For Good" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth | |
| from the album Wicked | |
| Released | December 16, 2003 |
| Recorded | November 10, 2003 |
| Genre | Musical theatre, pop, show tune |
| Label | Decca Broadway |
| Songwriter(s) | Stephen Schwartz |
"For Good" is a musical number from the hit musical Wicked. It is sung as a duet between Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (the Good Witch of the North) as a farewell. The song's score and lyrics were written by composer Stephen Schwartz.
Lyrics
[edit]The song's lyrics concern how both Elphaba and Glinda have been changed by their friendship with each other. Glinda begins by saying that, while she doesn't know if it is true that people come into each other's lives for a reason, "I know I'm who I am today because I knew you." Similarly, Elphaba tells Glinda that "whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend." Elphaba also asks Glinda to forgive her for anything she might have done wrong, to which Glinda replies that "there's blame to share", but both agree that "none of it seems to matter anymore". Schwartz commented after the show premiered that for the opening of the song, he asked his daughter what she would say if she would never see her best friend again, and her answer became the first verse of "For Good".[1]
Critical reception
[edit]Vulture ranked the song as the third-best from the Wicked score, describing it as "not particularly inventive", "comically heavy-handed", and almost overtaken by "flowery schmaltz", while ultimately concluding that the earned emotion that the show has built through the duo's relationship can "excuse all manner of lyrical sins".[2] Playbill ranked it the seventh-best Stephen Schwartz song, deeming it less flashy than other Wicked songs, unique, powerful, meaningful and an insight into how relationships make people grow.[3]
Other versions and usage in media
[edit]- Internet personalities Sam Tsui and Nick Pitera, recorded a cover that has been uploaded to their respective YouTube channels.[4]
- Portions of the original version of the song were used at the ending of the September 4, 2013 repeat episode of the game show Wheel of Fortune, as a tribute to director Mark Corwin, who died on July 25, 2013.[5]
- The song appeared in Glee episode "New York", and featured as a duet between Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel, Lea Michele and Chris Colfer, respectively.
References
[edit]- ^ ""For Good" from Wicked the Musical". MusicalSchwartz.com. Scene 1 Arts LLC. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
- ^ "Wicked at 10: Ranking the Broadway Hit's Songs". Vulture. 2013-10-30. Retrieved 2018-06-22.
- ^ "'You're Gonna Be Popular': The Top 14 Songs by Stephen Schwartz | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 2018-06-22.
- ^ Video on YouTube[non-primary source needed]
- ^ Wheel of Fortune - Mark Corwin Tribute (Sept. 4, 2013) on YouTube[non-primary source needed]
