Is “Good “N” Evil” in every production?

Yes for concept and pre-Broadway runs; some international stagings trim or shorten it, but the Broadway revival restored the full number.

Why does Lucy defend evil?

Survival instinct. In Victorian London’s underclass, corruption pays rent while piety offers platitudes.

What vocal range does the song require?

Alto/mezzo with a belt up to E5 plus rapid jazz articulation.

Did Linda Eder influence the style?

Wildhorn wrote bluesy ornamentations to highlight Eder’s powerhouse belt.

How does orchestration differ concept vs Broadway?

Broadway beefed up brass and added wood-block hits for sharper vaudeville flair.

Good 'N' Evil Lyrics – Jekyll & Hyde

Good 'N' Evil Lyrics

LUCY:
Good and evil -
And their merits -
Men have argued through history -
As well they should!
My philosophy
Any child can see -
"Good is evil -
And therefore
All evil is good"

How do you tell evil from good?
Evil does well - good not so good!
Evil's the one that is free everywhere -
Good is the one that they sell!
You must decide which is heaven -
Which is hell!

Good maintain evil's a curse! -
But it is plain good's even worse!
Evil's the one that they tell you to shun -
Good is the one to embrace
Say that and Satan will laugh right in your face!

The battle between good and evil
Goes back to the start -
Adam and Eve and the apple tore Eden apart!
The key thing about good 'n' evil -
Each man has to choose! -
Heaven 'n' hell
Is a helluva gamble to lose! -

But as I peruse
This world we abuse -
It's hell that we choose -
And heaven must lose!

Evil is everywhere -
Good doesn't have a prayer!
Good is commendable -
Evil's dependable!
Evil is viable
Good's unreliable!
Good may be thankable!
Evil is bankable!

Evil's for me - you can have good!
Doesn't suit me to be Robin Hood!
S'easier by far, from the way that things are,
To remain good 'n' evil
Than try to be evil and good!
Last Update: June, 23rd 2025

Song Overview

Screenshot from Good “N” Evil lyrics video by Linda Eder — Linda Eder prowls the stage as Lucy in ‘Good “N” Evil’ from *Jekyll & Hyde*.

Song Credits

Featuring Artist: Linda Eder (as Lucy Harris)
Composer: Frank Wildhorn
Lyricist: Leslie Bricusse
Producers: Frank Wildhorn & Karl Richardson
Album: Jekyll & Hyde – The Musical (1997 Original Broadway Cast)
Release Date: July 15, 1995 (concept single) / 1997 (Broadway)
Label: Atlantic Theatre / Atlantic Records
Genres: Vaudeville Show-tune, Cabaret Swing, Gothic Musical
Language: English
Copyrights © 1995 Atlantic Recording Corporation / Frank Wildhorn Music

Song Meaning and Annotations

Linda Eder singing Good “N” Evil on Broadway — Spotlight, red velvet curtains, and a philosophy lesson from the Red Rat’s star.

Back-alley Philosophy

Lucy Harris, London’s most street-wise chanteuse, lectures the audience on moral relativity. Her toast: “Good is evil — therefore all evil is good.” It’s a burlesque sermon wrapped in syncopated jazz, punctuated by saucy horns and strip-joint cymbal swishes.

Musical DNA

Wildhorn channels Kurt Weill cabaret and Kander & Ebb razzle-dazzle. The melody stalks in minor key, then flips to a bright major vamp whenever Lucy rattles off clever rhyme chains (“Evil is viable / Good’s unreliable!”). The harmonic mood-swings mirror her argument: morality pivots with the lighting cue.

Character Insight

Lucy’s worldview foreshadows her fatal attraction to Hyde: she trusts evil’s predictability over society’s hypocritical virtue. In narrative terms the song seduces Jekyll toward Soho’s underbelly and signals the moral quicksand into which both will sink.

Staging Nuggets

Original Broadway choreography used a top-hat, cane, and crimson back-lighting to echo the duality theme. Eder punctuated punch-lines with shoulder shimmies timed to muted-trumpet growls, eliciting cabaret-style applause mid-number.

Similar Songs

Thumbnail from Good “N” Evil lyric video — A lyric-video frame: Lucy’s credo in bold neon.

“When You’re Good to Mama” – Chicago
Matron Mama Morton’s transactional morality (“I’m one conclusion you can bet”) aligns with Lucy’s cynical ledger of vice and virtue.
“The Ladies Who Lunch” – Company
Joanne’s martini-laced takedown of social veneers uses similar sardonic swing and biting word-play.
“Mein Herr” – Cabaret
Sally Bowles turns survival into a seductive philosophy, much like Lucy selling her code of profitable wickedness.

Questions and Answers

Red Rat club scene Good “N” Evil — The Red Rat club—where morality dances for coins.

Is “Good “N” Evil” in every production?: Yes for concept and pre-Broadway runs; some international stagings trim or shorten it, but the Broadway revival restored the full number.
Why does Lucy defend evil?: Survival instinct. In Victorian London’s underclass, corruption pays rent while piety offers platitudes. Her credo exposes systemic hypocrisy.
What vocal range does the song require?: Alto/mezzo with a belt up to E5, plus jazz inflections and rapid lyric articulation.
Did Linda Eder influence the song’s style?: Wildhorn wrote the bluesy ornamentations to showcase Eder’s powerhouse belt and cabaret background.
How does the orchestration differ from the concept album to Broadway?: Broadway added a beefier brass section and wood-block percussion hits, sharpening the vaudeville bite.

Awards and Chart Positions

The 1997 cast album peaked at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Cast Albums chart. While “Good “N” Evil” was not a charting single, critics singled it out for Eder’s “pliable yet volcanic” delivery.

Fan and Media Reactions

“If Lucy had her own cabaret spinoff, I’d buy front-row seats—moral crisis optional.” – Theatre blogger VelvetVictorian

“That rhyming volley of ‘commendable / dependable’ is musical candy—try singing it three times fast.” – YouTube commenter

“Finally, a show-tune that admits evil pays better tips.” – Reddit user r/BroadwayBabble

“Eder’s belt on ‘Evil is bankable!’ could refinance your mortgage.” – Variety review

“The perfect audition cut for anyone who wants to be a villain and a philosopher in 32 bars.” – TikTok vocal coach

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