March of the Witch Hunters Lyrics – Wicked

Song Overview

Song Credits

• Featured: Christopher Fitzgerald (Tin Man / Boq) with the Citizens of Oz ensemble
• Producer: Stephen Schwartz
• Composer / Lyricist: Stephen Schwartz
• First Performance: October 2003 (Broadway preview)
• Release Date (cast album): December 16 2003
• Genre: Militant march, Broadway patter-chorus
• Length: 1 min 35 sec
• Label: Decca Broadway
• Official translations: German “Marsch der Hexenjäger”, Brazilian Portuguese “Marcha dos Caçadores de Bruxa”
• Mood: Frenzied, satirical, mob-mental
• Poetic meter: Trochaic chants over 2?/?4 snare tattoo
• Copyright ©: 2003 Wonderland Music Company, Inc. (ASCAP)

Song Meaning and Annotations

The show slams out of Elphaba’s blistering solo “No Good Deed” and straight into martial snare drums — fear has found a marching rhythm. Schwartz writes an almost comic Sousa pastiche, yet the lyrics drip with bloodlust: “Go and hunt her, and find her, and kill her.” Mob choruses stomp in rigid unison, proving how easily a catchy beat can turn rumour into riot.

This number is Propaganda 101. The Wizard’s spin doctors brand Elphaba wicked; ordinary Ozians outsource their conscience to group chant. Even Glinda — visible onstage but silent — recoils at the sound of townsfolk cheering for her best friend’s death. The reprise of “No Good Deed” motif in the orchestral undercurrent stitches the scenes together: Elphaba’s isolated scream becomes the mob’s war-cry, stark opposites sharing DNA .

Schwartz spotlights two familiar voices in the mob: the Tin Man (formerly Boq) and the Cowardly Lion. Boq blames Elphaba for his tin body, though audience insiders know Nessarose’s mis-pronounced spell actually ripped out his heart; Elphaba saved his life by giving him metal lungs to survive. His slip — “El— The Witch” — momentarily humanises her before he self-censors, a chilling example of how mobs erase names to make murder palatable.

The Lion’s grievance twists earlier events too: as a cub he was caged in a Shiz classroom until Elphaba freed him. That act of mercy is reframed as meddling that bred cowardice. The scene exposes propaganda’s alchemy — rescue recast as sabotage, victim recast as villain.

Musically, the chorus’s repeated “punished, punished, punished” crescendos opposite to Elphaba’s descending “No Good Deed” howl, creating a cruel call-and-response across scenes. Stomping bass drum and piccolo squeals evoke military parades — a satire of patriotic fervour. In German productions the line “Bosheit muss man bestrafen” (“Wickedness must be punished”) hammers the point home with Teutonic bite .

Tin Man Solo

Fitzgerald’s patter rides a jaunty oom-pah brass line, ironic given Boq’s hollow chest. He boasts he is “glad I’m heartless,” yet the syncopated rests leave audible spaces where a heartbeat should be.

Crowd Chant

Male voices in parallel fifths recall medieval crusader hymns, a reminder that righteous fury often borrows sacred music for unholy aims.

Glinda’s Silent Reaction (stage note)

While not scored, many productions light Glinda centre-stage in cold follow-spot as the chant roars, foreshadowing the moral reckoning of “For Good.”

Similar Songs

1. “Cruciamentum” — Jesus Christ Superstar
   Another frenzied mob anthem where public opinion morphs into lethal intent, driven by staccato drums and call-and-response shouts.
2. “La Résistance (Medley)” — South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
   Satirical war march that lampoons blind patriotism — a modern comic cousin to Oz’s deadly parade.
3. “Which Witch?” — Into the Woods (Reprise)
   Villagers debate blame over Sondheim’s driving ostinato; like Wicked’s hunters, they simplify complex guilt into a single scapegoat.

Questions and Answers

Why does Boq call Elphaba “the Witch” after almost saying her name?

He de-humanises her to stoke the mob’s fury and mask his own conflicted memory of their Shiz-days friendship.

Is the Lion’s grievance accurate?

No. Elphaba rescued the cub from classroom captivity; propaganda twists that event into “weakening” him, birthing the Cowardly Lion myth.

How does the music parody military marches?

Snare tattoos, piccolo flutters, and a rigid 2?/?4 gait mimic parade bands while the lyrics glorify violence, exposing the absurdity of mob valor.

Does Glinda try to stop the hunters?

Stage directions show her stepping forward, but Madame Morrible blocks her — the press secretary cannot let the Good Witch humanise Elphaba.

Will the 2025 film include this number?

Yes. Early press notes list it between “No Good Deed” and “For Good,” with a newly extended bridge highlighting Glinda’s horror.

Fan and Media Reactions

“Fun fact: the German ‘Marsch der Hexenjäger’ is even scarier — harsher consonants, bigger brass.” @OzArchivist

“Mob songs are my guilty pleasure — this one slaps while horrifying me.” u/ChordCrusader

“Seeing Glinda freeze centre-stage while the chant roars? Chills every time.” Playbill fan column

“Goldblum’s Wizard isn’t in the scene, yet his shadow is everywhere — perfect propaganda writing.” Film Score Monthly review

“That piccolo lick is basically a wicked little wink — Sousa gone sour.” @PitOrchNerd on X