Glinda and Elphaba doing For Good in Wicked: For Good
By
Cooper Hood
Published 3 minutes ago
Cooper Hood is the Associate Editor for all new movie releases, in theaters and on streaming. In addition to writing articles about these titles and upcoming releases, he also oversees content planning for each, ensuring that ScreenRant continues to cover major releases for months after their release.
He has written various reviews for ScreenRant that appear on Rotten Tomatoes, coordinated Oscars and San Diego Comic-Con coverage, appeared on CNN to talk about Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, and done select interviews with talent over the years.
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There are eleven songs in Wicked: For Good, and while they're all well-produced, they don't all hold the same weight in terms of their memorability, catchiness, or production. Tackling Act 2 of the Broadway musical, the sequel film had arguably a more challenging task with its songs, as Act 1 holds the stronger soundtrack overall.
After Wicked's songs like "Defying Gravity," "Popular," "What Is This Feeling?," and "Dancing Through Life" really stuck with audiences thanks to their lively choreography and brilliant vocal performances, the Wicked: For Good soundtrack incoprorates big hits, like "For Good" and "No Good Deed," as well as two original solos for Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande).
With a more somber tone overall, the sequel's music sounds quite different from the more fun tunes included previously. The whole cast delivers in each number, but Wicked: For Good's best songs stand out as favorites, making it possible to rank the whole soundtrack.
11 March Of The Witch Hunters
Boq as Tin Man in Wicked: For Good
While not a bad song by any means, there has to be a bottom-ranked number, and that's "March of the Witch Hunters" in this instance. The two-and-a-half-minute song has a powerful beat behind it as the Ozians chant about wanting to hunt and kill the Wicked Witch of the West before Boq, now the Tin Man, takes center stage.
Ethan Slater really nails the anger at the heart of this song, but it's a shorter, less important song to the film overall. Furthermore, "March of the Witch Hunters" is padded with a lot of instrumentals, which, while fantastically done, just don't satisfy the same way as the more lyrically driven songs.
10 I'm Not That Girl (Reprise)
Glinda in I'm Not That Girl Reprise in Wicked: For Good
With a length of just 2 minutes and 11 seconds, "I'm Not That Girl (Reprise)" is the shortest song in Wicked: For Good. The length holds it back some, as does an overall lack of singing. The sadder nature of the music becomes the focus, with the instruments helping convey the devastation she's feeling.
It's certainly great to hear Grande put her spin on a song Erivo sang in the first movie, but she's not awarded the same chance to really let her vocals shine. She does excellent work singing a few lines through Glinda's heartbreak, but there's simply not enough runway for her to make the song really special.
9 The Wicked Witch Of The East
Nessarose floating in Wicked: For Good
Not known as being one of the best songs from the musical (with it not even being included in the Broadway recording because of how much talking it contains), "The Wicked of the East" struggles to fully stand out in an overall great soundtrack. The lack of singing holds this back, even if Slater and Marrisa Bode shine through when Boq and Nessarose are given the chance to belt their hearts out.
There are some points still to be awarded to Wicked: For Good's rendition of this song. It updates the lyrics to fix Nessarose's portrayal and update what her heart really wants. The joy she feels before heartbreak is well-captured, as Bode delivers the necessary range of emotion throughout the number to sell Nessa's turn.
8 Every Day More Wicked
Glinda smiling as she is surrounded by adoring attendants in Wicked For Good
Wicked: For Good extends Act 2's opening number in the musical and splits the start into its own song, "Every Day More Wicked," and the results are pretty good. It's a big number that brings Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), Glinda, Elphaba, and many Ozians together to establish the current landscape of Oz.
Using reprises of "The Wizard and I," "Popular," and "No One Mourns The Wicked," there is a big, overstretching quality to this song as it reminds you of some of the first movie's best songs. The scale of this production really makes it fun to see on screen, while its also quite catchy to help you want to sing along later on.
7 Wonderful
Elphaba, Glinda, and The Wizard dancing to Wonderful in Wicked: For Good
One of the biggest musical changes made in Wicked: For Good comes with "Wonderful," as Glinda becomes part of the song that is traditionally a duet for The Wizard and Elphaba. This doesn't hold the most impressive vocal performances within the soundtrack (Jeff Goldblum does solid work), but it still ranks well thanks to how fun it is.
Bringing Glinda and Elphaba back together for the first time musically here really helps. There's also a colorful light show that shines throughout the song and some joyful dancing done by the trio, including Elphaba and Glinda briefly doing their dance from Ozdust once more. Adding in a "Defying Gravity" reprise also bolsters the song.
6 No Place Like Home
Elphaba singing No Place Like Home in Wicked: For Good
Adding new music to a beloved musical could backfire, but Elphaba's new song in Wicked: For Good shows why it was done. The setting is a bit dull, with the witch singing by herself to animals on the yellow brick road, but "No Place Like Home"'s lyrics still make it an effective addition.
Serving as a chance for Elphaba to express her motivations in saving Oz, Erivo makes the most of getting another performance. Her usual vocal power is present, and it more than delivers on using one of The Wizard of Oz's quotes as inspiration. If it had a stronger production element for the screen, it may have ranked higher.
5 Thank Goodness / I Couldn't Be Happier
Glinda in Thank Goodness in Wicked: For Good
While Morrible gets a few lines and Fiyero only talks, "Thank Goodness / I Couldn't Be Happier" is really a song for Glinda. She expresses her happiness with the life she now has, but rejoicing about her dreams coming true quickly turns south as the smear campaign against Elphaba pushes Fiyero away.
Grande really nails the highs and lows that Glinda experiences throughout this song, allowing her to sing some big, powerful notes throughout. With this all taking place in Munckinland with Ozians celebrating around her, there's a liveliness to this production that makes it a real pleasure to watch.
4 The Girl In The Bubble
Glinda in a bubble in Wicked: For Good
The other new song in Wicked: For Good, "The Girl in the Bubble," is perhaps the quietest, most reflective song in the entire movie. That does not stop Grande's vocals from majestically delivering each note, making it a smooth listen.
This song also holds great emotional and narrative weight to Glinda's arc, as it's a turning point for her development. Seeing her go through this transformation makes this a wonderful addition to the film. And with director Jon M. Chu doing some fun camera tricks with mirrors, it really pops on the big screen.
3 As Long As You're Mine
Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero looking over his shoulder near Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in Wicked For Good
Perhaps one of the most anticipated songs in the movie, "As Long As You're Mine" encompasses the passionate romantic feelings Elphaba and Fiyero have been hiding. The chemistry between Erivo and Jonathan Bailey is excellent in this song. Bailey really holds his own as a singer, which is saying something when you're paired with a Tony, Grammy, and Emmy winner.
This is a brilliant duet that gives both performers a chance to flex their vocal muscles. While it can be visually dark at times through the nighttime wilderness setting, the sparks that fly between the characters and the cinematic quality of bringing this song to life keep it in the top three.
2 No Good Deed
Cynhia Erivo as Elphaba in Wicked: For Good poster
Elphaba's tormented state after Fiyero is taken away transforms "No Good Deed" into a powerful and emotional song. Erivo doesn't miss a note here, bringing the biggest and loudest moments to the screen seamlessly.
As one of the musical's best songs, a high ranking for "No Good Deed" was expected. Thankfully, Erivo more than lived up to the expectations set upon her by Idina Menzel's original version. She's terrific from start to finish, navigating Elphaba's heartache and acceptance of her villainous status.
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Wicked: For Good
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