Friday, January 23, 2009

For Good

I've been slightly obsessed with the music from the Broadway production of Wicked as of late. I know this musical has swept the nation, and all of my friends and most of my family have been talking it up for years, but I just caught onto it.

The song that inspires this post is definitely my favorite from the soundtrack. I was reading into the background of it and came across the composer's own words:

"The song 'For Good' was, of course, written for the show to try to express the leading characters' feelings as they are seeing each other for the last time. The title came out of a brainstorming conversation I had with Winnie Holzman (the book writer) -- basically at one point she said it should be about how the two of them had changed each other 'for good', at which point, hearing the amazing possibilities in that phrase, I knew I had found the title for the song.

"To get some of the content, I had a long conversation with my daughter, in which I asked her what she would say to her best friend (someone she has known pretty much all her life), if she knew she was never going to see her again. A lot of what Jessie said got transformed into the first verse of the song. Other than that, it was simply trying to put myself into the hearts and minds of the characters and see what they said."

I love this song. The lyrics are wonderful and complicated, there's just so much depth to them. What really gets me is when Glinda and Elpheba sing their separate verses simultaneously.

ELPHABA

You're the only friend I've ever had.

GLINDA
And I've had so many friends. But only one-- that mattered.
(sings)


I'VE HEARD IT SAID
THAT PEOPLE COME INTO OUR LIVES FOR A REASON
BRINGING SOMETHING WE MUST LEARN
AND WE ARE LED
TO THOSE WHO HELP US MOST TO GROW
IF WE LET THEM
AND WE HELP THEM IN RETURN
WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF I BELIEVE THAT'S TRUE
BUT I KNOW I'M WHO I AM TODAY
BECAUSE I KNEW YOU...

LIKE A COMET PULLED FROM ORBIT
AS IT PASSES A SUN

LIKE A STREAM THAT MEETS A BOULDER
HALFWAY THROUGH THE WOOD
WHO CAN SAY IF I'VE BEEN CHANGED FOR THE BETTER?
BUT BECAUSE I KNEW YOU
I HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR GOOD …

ELPHABA
IT WELL MAY BE
THAT WE WILL NEVER MEET AGAIN
IN THIS LIFETIME
SO LET ME SAY BEFORE WE PART
SO MUCH OF ME
IS MADE OF WHAT I LEARNED FROM YOU
YOU'LL BE WITH ME
LIKE A HANDPRINT ON MY HEART
AND NOW WHATEVER WAY OUR STORIES END
I KNOW YOU HAVE RE-WRITTEN MINE
BY BEING MY FRIEND...


LIKE A SHIP BLOWN FROM ITS MOORING
BY A WIND OFF THE SEA
LIKE A SEED DROPPED BY A SKYBIRD
IN A DISTANT WOOD
WHO CAN SAY IF I'VE BEEN CHANGED FOR THE BETTER?
BUT BECAUSE I KNEW YOU...

GLINDA
BECAUSE I KNEW YOU...

BOTH
BECAUSE I KNEW YOU
I HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR GOOD...

ELPHABA
AND JUST TO CLEAR THE AIR
I ASK FORGIVENESS
FOR THE THINGS I'VE DONE YOU BLAME ME FOR

GLINDA
BUT THEN, I GUESS WE KNOW
THERE'S BLAME TO SHARE

BOTH
AND NONE OF IT SEEMS TO MATTER ANYMORE

___

[They sing simultaneously]

GLINDA

LIKE A COMET PULLED FROM
ORBIT/AS IT PASSES A SUN/
LIKE A STREAM THAT MEETS A
BOULDER/ HALF-WAY
THROUGH THE WOOD

ELPHABA

LIKE A SHIP BLOWN OFF ITS
MOORING/BY A WIND OFF THE
SEA/ LIKE A SEED DROPPED BY A
BIRD IN
THE WOOD

___

BOTH
WHO CAN SAY IF I'VE BEEN CHANGED FOR THE BETTER?
I DO BELIEVE I HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR THE BETTER

GLINDA
AND BECAUSE I KNEW YOU...

ELPHABA
BECAUSE I KNEW YOU...

BOTH
BECAUSE I KNEW YOU...
I HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR GOOD.

*Tracy and Lisa* I'm going to try and get the sheet music in the next couple of days, anyone up for a new song?

6 comments:

The Lambert Family said...

I LOVE Wicked! Jason got us tickets for it when it comes in April, opeining night, second row! I can't wait! It has beautiful music!

Katy said...

I am listening to this right now during my workouts. That is so funny you posted this. I am really enjoying the book... minus all the nasty parts... I don't know anything about the musical, now I am curious how all the music fits into the scenes.

Mirien said...

Thanks, Melanie. Hadn't heard or thought about it in awhile but I love that song, too. Wish that I had tickets this spring!

Tim and Holly Fowers said...

we are so like minded! I am sitting here listening to For Good in my itunes as I am blog surfing. I can't make it through For Good without crying! I wish you could get tickets to the show. Keep checking as the shows get closer and hopefully people will lower their prices. If not, travel to other cities and the tickets aren't in such high demand or as expensive!

Melanie said...

Hey Mel! I was given the "Wicked" Soundtrack by a friend about three years ago...and have always loved it. "For Good" is one of my true favorites too. My little ones also love the cd. I have tickets for April...and I am SO EXCITED! Hope all is well with you! Thanks for sharing this! Love, Mel

Neff Family said...

Of course you know how I feel about this musical!
I learned how to play (well, beginner play) this on the piano. The kids know most of the lyrics. I love this song. I get goosebumps when they sing together.