- 2 days ago
You'll be defying gravity over how "Popular" these tunes are! Join us as we journey through the magical land of Oz, ranking every song from the *Wicked* films, from great to greatest. We're diving deep into the powerhouse vocals, emotional storytelling, and iconic moments that make this cinematic musical truly "Wonderful". Get ready for soaring melodies and unforgettable performances that will change you "For Good". Which track makes you feel like you've been "Dancing Through Life"? Tell us in the comments below!
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00:00We're just two friends, two good friends, two best friends.
00:08Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're ranking the songs from Wicked and Wicked for Good,
00:14based on how wonderful and popular they are.
00:17Plot points will be discussed, so this is your spoiler warning.
00:20There are bridges you crossed you didn't know.
00:24You crossed until you crossed.
00:35I've heard of an ox, a professor from Quark's, no longer permitted to teach, who has lost all powers of speech.
00:43This number suddenly feels way heavier on screen,
00:47especially as Elphaba starts to realize how deep the animals' suffering really goes.
00:51Unlike the stage version, this time Elphaba watches from the sidelines
00:55as Dr. Dilliman joins other animals to talk about what's happening all over Oz.
01:00That change is pretty huge.
01:03Only rumors, but still enough to give pause to anyone with pause.
01:08Something bad is happening in Oz.
01:12It makes it clear that this isn't just one isolated incident, but a full-blown crisis spreading fast.
01:17You can feel the tension rising, making the political atmosphere of Oz feel more dire and pressing.
01:24It might not be the catchiest song, but it does important work,
01:27laying the groundwork for the bigger ideas and conflicts that come into play later.
01:32Nothing all that bad, nothing truly bad.
01:43Sorry.
01:44Number 21. A Sentimental Man
01:47I am a sentimental man
01:49who always longed to be
01:52a father.
01:56That's why I do the best I can.
02:00Sometimes you need something short and understated before the big show-stopping finale,
02:04and that's exactly what we get here.
02:06The wizard continues his charm facade while explaining that the great and powerful wizard
02:11is really just a big softie at heart.
02:13He even talks about wanting to be a father,
02:16though that idea feels a little hollow without the later reprise to really sell the irony.
02:21For I am
02:26a sentimental...
02:32Although at least we now know that they did film it,
02:35even if for whatever reason they chose to cut it.
02:37Anyway, while he ends up being anything but parental,
02:41he does offer Elphaba advice that she clearly takes on board,
02:45just in her own way.
02:46Cause I think everyone deserves the chance to fly.
02:54As someone told me lately,
02:58everyone deserves the chance to fly.
03:03Number 20. The Wicked Witch of the East.
03:05That night when I felt I was floating on air.
03:13I want to feel that again.
03:18Make me feel that again.
03:20Oh, Oz, we finally got it.
03:23After 20-something years of bootlegs,
03:25The Wicked Witch of the East is officially on a Wicked soundtrack.
03:29Yes, there are some updates to the lyrics and melody,
03:32but narratively, they are very much needed.
03:34I'd always been unsure I could.
03:38But finally, from these powers,
03:42Something good.
03:45This version is more about Nessa's unrequited love for Bach,
03:48rather than focusing on her disability.
03:51That shift creates a beautiful moment
03:53where she relives the feeling she had
03:55back at the Oz Dust Ballroom.
03:57Still, it is Bach who brings her back down to reality
04:00with his confession.
04:01Nessa.
04:04I lost my heart to Glynda
04:06the moment I first saw her.
04:09Lost your heart?
04:11His transformation is spectacular and terrifying,
04:14while Nessa's hand in it solidifies her role
04:17as the Wicked Witch of the East.
04:19The Wicked Witch of the East.
04:26We deserve each other.
04:34Another brief one, but still important to our story.
04:51In fact, it pretty much sets the story.
04:53This song doesn't just introduce us to Shiz University,
04:56where much of the first half takes place,
04:58but it also marks the first moment
05:00Elphaba and Glynda see each other.
05:02As in the stage production,
05:04it's beautifully sung a cappella by the Shiz choir.
05:07Of course, Glynda isn't one to pass up a limelight
05:10when she sees one.
05:11She doesn't quite get the applause she was hoping for, though,
05:30as Elphaba makes her way through the crowd.
05:33And to borrow from a different song,
05:34the students become fixated on her verdigris.
05:37You're green.
05:40I am.
05:44Number 18.
05:45Every Day More Wicked.
05:47Every day more wicked.
05:50Every day the terror grows.
05:53All of us is ever on alert.
05:58Technically, Act 2 of the stage show opens with these same lyrics,
06:02but instead of a quick 20-minute intermission,
06:04movie audiences had to wait a whole year.
06:07So the song has been expanded to work
06:08like a previously on Wicked recap.
06:11It also shows us where everyone is 12 tides later.
06:14Perhaps the most memorable part of it all
06:16is all those reprises they fit in.
06:18If I can just make them believe in the truth
06:21that all that he says is a lie,
06:25that's when they'll finally bid
06:27the wizard goodbye.
06:29we get updated snippets of the wizard and I.
06:34What is this feeling?
06:35And even popular.
06:37In the end, the number exists purely to deliver exposition, and to be fair, it does exactly that.
07:00Whether it was really necessary is another conversation entirely.
07:07Number 17, The Girl in the Bubble.
07:16Where's that beautiful girl with a beautiful life? Such a beautiful life built on lies.
07:31This is one of two songs written just for the movie. In it, Glinda looks back on the choices she's made and the life they've shaped.
07:39Writers Dana Fox and Winnie Holtzman wanted this moment to come from Glinda herself, not because someone else pushed her to change.
07:47The truth has a way of seeping it in beneath the surface.
07:56While the song doesn't quite have the same magic as the original soundtrack, the visuals are stunning.
08:04The cinematography really sells the idea of a life that looks perfect on the outside, but isn't real.
08:10Glinda goes from her polished, high, operatic voice to something simpler and more honest as she allows the bubble to pop.
08:17I'm a girl in the bubble, the pink, shiny bubble. It's time for her bubble to pop.
08:29It's heartbreakingly beautiful.
08:32Number 16, Thank Goodness I Couldn't Be Happier.
08:36What a celebration we'll have today.
08:39Thank goodness.
08:41Thank goodness now takes place at the opening ceremony of the Yellow Brick Road.
08:49And oh, what a celebration it is.
08:52Fierro even finds out he's engaged during the number.
08:55So yeah, quite the party.
08:57But the most impactful moment comes when Fierro walks away,
09:00leaving Glinda to sit with whether this fairytale ending is really everything she hoped for.
09:05No, I couldn't be happier, though it is, I admit, the tiniest bit, unlike I anticipated.
09:20Ariana Grande sings it so gut-wrenchingly beautifully.
09:23It almost makes up for the fact that Madame Morrible's part was cut.
09:27As Glinda transitions back into party mode, we're left in total awe of the emotional range we just witnessed.
09:33We have to agree with her friends. She really is good.
09:51Number 15, March of the Witch Hunters.
09:54Go! And Hunter! And Hunter! And Hunter! And Hunter! And Hunter! And Hunter!
10:06On stage, this moment was already intense, but the movie makes it genuinely terrifying.
10:12The citizens of Oz, seemingly stirred up by Bach, flood the streets on a full-blown witch hunt, torches and pitchforks in hand.
10:19The song drives home the grip of mob mentality and how dangerous propaganda and lies can be when the masses buy into it.
10:26It's due to her, I'm made of tin. Her spell made this occur. So for once I'm glad I'm heartless. I'll be heartless killing her!
10:35Like the stage version, it's sung to a marching melody with the unified voices, making it feel relentless and suffocating.
10:42Unlike the stage version, the number is split in two, giving Glinda a quiet pause to reflect before we return to the hunt.
10:50It's easily one of the film's most chilling scenes.
10:53People's wickedness must be honest, honest, honest, honest for God!
11:09Number 14, No Place Like Home.
11:12Why do I love this place, that's never loved me?
11:18A place that seems to be devolving.
11:25Taking its name from one of, if not the most iconic lines from The Wizard of Oz, the song asks what defines a home, as Elphaba pleads with the animals not to abandon theirs.
11:36But there's no place like home, don't we all know?
11:45It might lack the musical DNA of Stephen Schwartz's original soundtrack, and the lyrics don't carry the same nuance or emotional complexity as other numbers.
11:54It also slows the overall narrative pace a bit.
11:57Still, the message is one we all need to hear.
12:00And with Cynthia Erivo delivering it, it's impossible not to get lost in the moment.
12:17The Lion interrupting the final note is unforgivable.
12:20Thank goodness for the soundtrack version.
12:22Number 13, Wonderful.
12:37Take it from a wise old carny.
12:40Once folks buy into your blarney,
12:44it becomes the thing they'll most hold onto.
12:49After writing this score, Schwartz wanted Wonderful to feel like it could exist in our world.
12:56After all, The Wizard's no true Ozziean, right?
12:59So instead, we get something that could be from the Great American Songbook.
13:02The truth is not a thing of fact or reason.
13:06The truth is just what everyone agrees on.
13:12Still, the biggest and most welcome change is the inclusion of Glinda in the number.
13:17This story is about Glinda and Elphaba.
13:20And without her there, they wouldn't share nearly enough time together.
13:23They call him wonderful.
13:27So I am wonderful.
13:30He is so wonderful.
13:32It's part of his name.
13:35Her presence also deepens her complicity in The Wizard's phony regime.
13:39Plus, who's more likely to convince Elphaba to join them?
13:42The sketchy wizard or her best friend?
13:44Wonderful.
13:46They'll call you wonderful.
13:49Come and be wonderful.
13:52Trust me, it's fun.
13:54That nostalgic dance party at the end might just be the most wonderful part of all.
14:00Number 12, A Wicked Good Finale.
14:03Who can say if I've been changed for the better, but...
14:15If you were weeping buckets at the show's finale, hold onto your pointy hats.
14:19The movie version delivers an even more emotional and satisfying ending to the story.
14:24We're brought back to where we began.
14:26Although now the lyrics hold so much more weight with what we know.
14:30It's bittersweet as Glinda and Elphaba sing a reprise of For Good.
14:34But the titular lyrics get lost to the sounds of the misguided celebration.
14:38I have been changed.
14:50Yet we leave hopeful as the grimmery opens for Glinda, officially marking the age of Glinda the Good.
14:56In its own way, this mirrors Elphaba's earlier comment that people need to believe in something wicked to believe in goodness too.
15:03Number 11, I'm Not That Girl.
15:14Hands touch, eyes meet.
15:22Erivo's performance here is absolutely breathtaking.
15:26The way the camera zooms in on Elphaba, showing all her heartbreak and how alone she feels, really hits us right in the chest.
15:33He could be that boy.
15:39I'm not that girl.
15:45Framing her apart from everyone else makes it clear she's an outsider.
15:49Wrestling with her feelings for Fierro.
15:52And it takes away all that musical theater gloss so the moment feels like a real private confession.
15:58Gold hair with a gentle curl.
16:04That's the girl he chose.
16:10You can hear every breath and every tiny nuance in her airy whispered mix register, and we feel it all right alongside her.
16:18The only thing more heartbreaking than this might just be the reprise, which makes us feel like we've just experienced an animal stampede over our hearts.
16:26She loves her.
16:27She loves her.
16:28So.
16:35I'm not that girl.
16:44Number 10, No One Mourns the Wicked.
16:47Who says an overture is just for the stage?
16:59Honestly, with that opening shot, we hope more movie musicals take notes because chills.
17:05The song pulls the audience straight into the story, clearly laying out the main themes while also adding backstory the stage version never had time for.
17:28In the theater, Glinda's performance can feel purely celebratory since the audience is so far away.
17:34In the film, close-ups on Grande make it painfully clear this is not the whole story.
17:58Even when Glinda tries to sound triumphant, the rhythm works against her.
18:02With that final soaring note, it's clear the real truth isn't the ones the Ozians choose to believe.
18:07Wicked!
18:09Wicked!
18:10Wicked!
18:11Wicked!
18:12Wicked!
18:13Wicked!
18:14Wicked!
18:15Wicked!
18:16Wicked!
18:17Wicked!
18:18Wicked!
18:19Wicked!
18:20Wicked!
18:21Wicked!
18:22Wicked!
18:23Wicked!
18:24Wicked!
18:25Wicked!
18:26Wicked!
18:27Wicked!
18:28Wicked!
18:29Wicked!
18:30Wicked!
18:31Wicked!
18:32Wicked!
18:33Wicked!
18:34Wicked!
18:35Wicked!
18:36Wicked!
18:37Wicked!
18:38Wicked!
18:39Wicked!
18:40Wicked!
18:41Wicked!
18:42Wicked!
18:43She beautifully lays out her hopes for the future through a melody that moves with her emotions.
19:04As Alphaba begins to see her dream future more clearly, her confidence and excitement grow until they finally burst.
19:11She is constantly in motion as she moves around the shiz grounds.
19:14But we see her metaphorically stepping into her own power as she races through the field and toward the future that her prophecy didn't quite show.
19:22Watch for the rainbow and bluebirds during the final note.
19:25For half of Oz's favorite team!
19:32A clever visual nod to the 1939 film that captures her peak optimism.
19:54Number 8. One Short Day
19:57It only takes one short day for a whole lot to change. But let's not jump ahead.
20:13At its heart, this song is about two best friends living their best lives. It's bright, fun and completely captivating.
20:20There are wonders like I've never seen
20:23It's all green, it's all green
20:25I think we found a place where we belong
20:28I wanna be in this toy fly
20:33But as we soon learn, there is much more happening once you take off those figurative emerald tinted glasses.
20:39It's also the closest we get to a new song in part 1, thanks to the expanded Whizzomania sequence.
20:58Any true fan likely defied gravity when the two original stars appeared, and again with every nod to their iconic performances.
21:07The cameos keep coming too, with appearances from Ultimate VIPs Winnie Holtzman and Steven Schwartz, making this moment a clear love letter to longtime fans.
21:16The wizard will see you now!
21:23Number 7. What is this feeling?
21:26What is this feeling, so sudden and new?
21:29I felt the moment I laid eyes on you.
21:32My pulse is rushing.
21:34My head is reeling.
21:35Yeah, well, my face is flushing.
21:37What is this feeling?
21:39You've heard of love at first sight? Well, this is loathing at first sight.
21:43The movie turns the number into a multi-location montage, showing the passage of time in a way the stage version never could.
21:50Dear Belinda, you are just too good.
21:52How do you stand it? I don't think I could.
21:55She's a terror, she's a tartar, we don't need to show a bias, but Galinda, you're a martyr.
22:01For audiences, it's also the first full chance to hear Elphaba and Galinda duet.
22:06And even as they sing about how much they dislike each other, their voices work together so well.
22:11We get a bit of everything in this number. Comedy, drama and even some foreshadowing.
22:29It even inspired a viral dance trend that got fans everywhere on their feet.
22:34No wonder it's remembered as a standout moment from part one.
22:37Loathing. Loathing, loathing. Yeah. My heart is falling. The heart is falling. The heart is burning. All aboard, Raul, Canada.
22:57While the stage version is all about passion and intensity, the movie takes a softer, more romantic angle.
23:19Elphaba has never really felt love like this before, so of course it takes her a while to accept that it's actually happening.
23:27Sure, the slower pace wasn't universally beloved, but it's gorgeous because it lets both characters explore so many layers of this love story.
23:48It's also pretty much the only full-on romantic duet in the whole score, giving us a perfect emotional breather between the high-stakes politics and looming tragedy.
23:58And with two absolute powerhouses singing it, every note hits like a literal heart explosion.
24:16Honestly, if we could, we'd be levitating too.
24:18Number 5. Dancing Through Life
24:32This is Fierro's shining moment in Part 1, and to borrow from Galinda, oh Oz.
24:55This prince knows how to put on a show between his swoon-worthy vocals, effortless charm, and hypnotic moves.
25:03No wonder everyone's hanging on to his every word.
25:05The staging is phenomenal, especially that tornado wheel.
25:09Dancing Through Life
25:11Swaying and sweeping
25:13And always keeping cool
25:16Life is fraudless
25:19When you're thoughtless
25:21Jonathan Bailey did his own stunts, singing live while jumping between moving pieces and even hanging upside down.
25:28As if we needed more reasons to love him.
25:30The choreography is just as impressive, with Fierro's smooth, relaxed movements purposely breaking the stiffness of the shiz students.
25:38You'll be happy to feel it
25:41Dancing Through Life
25:44Now that we are stress
25:46If only because dust is what we come to
25:49Beyond the spectacle, the heart of the number is the Oz Dust duet, a turning point in Alphaba and Galinda's friendship.
25:56This song truly is the life of the party.
25:59And here's a strange thing
26:01Your life galinda's changing
26:03While you're dancing through
26:09Number 4
26:15No Good Deed
26:17Let his flesh not be torn
26:23Let his blood leave no stain
26:25Though they feed him, let him feel no pain
26:29Not for a clock tick did we think this song would be anything less than epic.
26:34What makes this take so incredible is how many layers Erivo finds in Alphaba's words.
26:39She's frustrated and frenzied
26:41Yes, but also worried and devastated and all of it comes through at every moment.
26:46One more disaster I can add to my generous
26:51Supply
27:01There was apparently a version where she sang while suspended over the grimmery, but it was deemed too, quote, messy and distracted from the vulnerability of the moment.
27:10The visuals they chose help to tell the story, but it's Erivo who really sells it.
27:28She never loses control, she owns the narrative and bears her soul completely.
27:34No wonder audiences applauded like she was right there in front of them.
27:37Nobody will I do again
27:55Number 3
27:57Popular
27:58Whenever I see someone less fortunate than I
28:02And let's face it right, who isn't?
28:05Less fortunate than I
28:07Popular has always been, well, popular.
28:10Not just because it's super catchy, but because it shows Galinda at her absolute most playful and charming.
28:16Not when it comes to popular
28:19I know about popular
28:22And with an assist for me
28:24To be who you'll be
28:25Instead of Jerry who you were
28:27Well, R.
28:28Grande totally runs with that, paying tribute to past Galindas while adding her own fun, sparkly touches.
28:35From swinging off chandeliers to climbing balconies, it's impossible not to watch in awe as she owns every over the top, bubbly second of the performance.
28:45She surprised many of us with her comedy skills, and she did it all live.
28:49Plus, that little improv interlude is hilarious.
28:52The movie even stretches the number a bit, giving her another chance to high kick her way to one of the most memorable takes of this number.
28:59La la, la la, la la, la la, la la la la.
29:18Number 2. For Good.
29:20I've heard it said
29:23That people come into our lives for a reason
29:28a reason bringing something we must learn schwartz called this song quote the beating heart of the
29:37score and we couldn't agree more fun fact this was the very first number our two leading ladies
29:43ever sang together oh to have been in that room luckily we get to watch them pour their hearts
29:48out on screen so let me say before we part so much of me is made of what i learned from you you'll be
30:01with me like a handprint of my heart the filmmakers went for the most stripped back take letting
30:11arrivo and grande's acting carry the weight of the moment tight shots capture every subtle expression
30:17while a sweeping 360 degree shot nods to moments like defying gravity and the ozdust duet
30:35as each sings in the others register before coming together in perfect unison
30:40you can literally feel how they've been changed for good
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31:24number one defying gravity something has changed within me
31:34something is not the same
31:37one reason wicked is split into two movies is because anything that comes after defying gravity
31:44would get swallowed by it this is a moment elphaba is done living by people's expectations
31:50and this marks the moment she breaks free
32:03the build-up is intense
32:05the theatrical staging is iconic but on screen it becomes more breathtaking and triumphant redefining
32:25what a musical number can achieve through cinematography although let's be honest
32:29arrivo's vocals still do most of the heavy lifting
32:35so if you care to find me
32:43still the scale arrivo's performance the climactic orchestral surge and nods to the stage version
32:49create a tour de force with one last battle cry she leaves audiences wanting more
33:03to the top
33:15the air
33:17the air
33:19the air
33:21the air
33:23the air
33:25the air
33:26favorite make it to the top or do you think there's a different tune that deserves the chance to fly
33:30let us know in the comments
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