No One Mourns the Wicked lyrics
No One Mourns the Wicked
CITIZENS OF OZ:
Good news! She's dead!
The Witch of the West is dead!
The wickedest witch there ever was
The enemy of all of us here in Oz
Is Dead!
Good news!
Good news!
SOMEONE IN THE CROWD:
(spoken) Look! It's Glinda!
GLINDA
(spoken) Fellow Ozians:
(sung) Let us be glad
Let us be grateful
Let us rejoicify that goodness could subdue
The wicked workings of you-know-who
Isn't it nice to know
That good will conquer evil?
The truth we all believe'll by and by
Outlive a lie
For you and -
SOMEONE IN THE CROWD:
No one mourns the Wicked
ANOTHER PERSON:
No one cries "They won't return!"
ALLNo one lays a lily on their grave
MAN
The good man scorns the Wicked!
WOMEN
Through their lives, our children learn
ALL
What we miss, when we misbehave:
GLINDA
And Goodness knows
The Wicked's lives are lonely
Goodness knows
The Wicked die alone
It just shows when you're Wicked
You're left only
On your own
ALL
Yes, Goodness knows
The Wicked's lives are lonely
Goodness knows
The Wicked cry alone
Nothing grows for the Wicked
They reap only
What they've sown
GLINDA(spoken) Are people born Wicked? Or do they have
Wickedness thrust upon them? After all, she had
a father. She had a mother, as so many do:
FATHER
How I hate to go and leave you lonely
MOTHER
That's alright - it's only just one night
FATHERBut know that you're here in my heart
While I'm out of your sight
GLINDA
(spoken)
And like every family - they had their secrets
LOVER
Have another drink, my dark-eyed beauty
I've got one more night left, here in town
So have another drink of green elixir
And we'll have ourselves a little mixer
Have another swallow, little lady,
And follow me down:
GLINDA
(spoken) And of course, from the moment she was born,
she was - well - different
MIDWIFEIt's coming
FATHERNow?
MIDWIFE
The baby's coming
FATHER
And how!
MIDWIFE AND FATHER
I see a nose
I see a curl
It's a healthy, perfect,
Lovely, little -
FATHER
(spoken) Sweet Oz!
MOTHER
(spoken) What is it? : what's wrong?
MIDWIFEHow can it be?
FATHER
What does it mean?
MIDWIFE
It's atrocious
FATHERIt's obscene!
MIDWIFE AND FATHER
Like a froggy, ferny cabbage
The baby is unnaturally
ALL
Green!
FATHER
(spoken) Take it away: take it away!
GLINDA
(spoken) So you see - it couldn't have been easy!
ALL
No one mourns the Wicked!
Now at last, she's dead and gone!
Now at last, there's joy throughout the land
And Goodness knows
We know what Goodness is
Goodness knows
The Wicked die alone
GLINDA
She died alone:
ALLWoe to those
Who spurn what Goodness
They are shown
No one mourns the Wicked
GLINDA
Good news!
CROWD
No one mourns the Wicked!
GLINDAGood news!
ALL
No one mourns the Wicked!
Wicked!
Wicked!
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Song Details and Overview:
Title: No One Mourns The Wicked
Album: Wicked (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
Primary Artists: Kristin Chenoweth, Sean McCourt, Cristy Candler, Jan Neuberger
Producer: Stephen Schwartz
Writer: Stephen Schwartz
Genre: Broadway, Musicals
Mood: Jubilant, ironic, reflective
Language: English
Exploring the meaning of "No One Mourns the Wicked"
No One Mourns the Wicked serves as the opening number of Wicked, introducing the audience to the story’s central theme: the perception and judgment of morality. Set in the immediate aftermath of the Wicked Witch of the West’s death, the song depicts the citizens of Oz celebrating her demise, creating a contrast between their unbridled joy and Glinda’s more nuanced perspective.
Meaning and Annotations
Citizens of Oz: The opening lines jubilantly proclaim the Witch’s death, emphasizing collective relief and celebration. This exuberance sets the stage for exploring societal reactions to perceived evil and the mob mentality.
Glinda: While participating in the celebrations, Glinda subtly raises questions about morality and human nature. Her lines, such as "Are people born wicked, or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?" hint at the complexity of Elphaba’s character and challenge the simplistic good-versus-evil narrative.
The Baby’s Birth: The flashback to Elphaba’s birth explains her origins and the ostracization she faced due to her green skin, symbolizing prejudice and rejection. This backstory provides the audience with a deeper understanding of the events that shaped her life.
Refrain: The repeated line, "No one mourns the wicked," captures the public’s unwillingness to empathize with those deemed villains, emphasizing societal tendencies to dehumanize and vilify.
Last Update: November, 25th 2024