Hail – Hail! The Witch is Dead Lyrics - Wizard Of Oz, The

Song Overview

Review and Highlights

Quick summary

1. Company number from The Wizard of Oz (2011 London Palladium Recording), placed late in Act II after the Witch’s defeat.
2. Music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by E. Y. Harburg; the 2011 track is commonly titled “Hail Hail! The Witch Is Dead” on official releases.
3. Leads include Danielle Hope, Paul Keating, Edward Baker-Duly, David Ganly with the ensemble, produced by Nigel Wright and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
4. Brisk, punchy choral shout that reprises the Munchkinland anthem in a victory frame.
5. Links directly to the throne-room payoff, functioning as a crowd-wide exhale and scene change.

Creation History

The reprise traces back to the 1939 film’s cutting room: a short “Hail Hail! The Witch Is Dead” celebration after the melting was recorded but dropped from the final cut. Elements resurfaced on deluxe soundtrack issues decades later. The 2011 London staging reinstated that beat in streamlined form, and the cast album preserves it under the “Hail-Hail!” title, slotting it as track 22 between “The Rescue” and “The Wizard’s Departure.” The release rolled out digitally in spring 2011 with a U.S. CD following in late June.

Highlights

Everything lands on snap and clarity. Tight chorus writing, bright percussion, and a lyric that feels like confetti. The energy flips the earlier, anxious Oz into communal relief, letting Dorothy’s team soak up a rare moment of triumph before the next ask.

Song Meaning and Annotations

Plot

After the Wicked Witch’s defeat, the travelers and townsfolk break into a compact reprise. Bells metaphorically ring, voices stack, and the crew pivots toward the Wizard with proof of the deed. The number is a reset button - short, loud, forward.

Song Meaning

It’s civic catharsis. Where the Act I sequence sells relief in Munchkinland, this reprise sells release in the Witch’s shadow. The chorus doubles as proof of change of power - tyrant gone, people audible again. Mood: jubilant and a little rowdy.

Annotations

“Wake up, you sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed”

A wake-up call to a silenced city. The line started life in the Munchkinland medley; here it reappears as a wider civic alarm.

“She’s gone where the goblins go - below”

Cartoonish diction with bite. The rhyme compresses judgment and geography into one stomp.

“Let them know the Wicked Witch is dead”

A thesis in plain speech. No metaphors needed when a regime ends.

Style and instrumentation

Up-tempo show-chorus with crisp brass and snare. Voices lead, band shines, and the cadence is built for quick blackout or crossfade.

Context

The 2011 score threads legacy songs with new material. By restoring this post-melting cheer, the production echoes the film’s shelved idea and keeps the road back to the Wizard buoyant. According to Playbill and Broadway trade coverage, the album’s sequence reflects the onstage running order.

Key Facts

• Artist: David Ganly, Paul Keating, Edward Baker-Duly, Danielle Hope, Nigel Wright, Andrew Lloyd Webber
• Featured: Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion, Emerald City ensemble
• Composer: Harold Arlen
• Lyricist: E. Y. Harburg
• Producers: Nigel Wright; Andrew Lloyd Webber
• Release Date: May 9, 2011
• Genre: Musical theatre
• Instruments: Orchestra with brass, reeds, rhythm section, chorus
• Label: Polydor - under license from The Really Useful Group
• Mood: Triumphant, celebratory
• Length: approx. 1:50–1:55 on digital listings
• Track #: 22 on the London Palladium cast album
• Language: English
• Album: The Wizard of Oz (2011 London Palladium Recording)
• Music style: March-tinged show chorus
• Poetic meter: Patter-couplets into refrain

Canonical Entities & Relations

Questions and Answers

Why is the 2011 track often titled “Hail-Hail! The Witch Is Dead”?

That phrase comes from the film’s unused post-melting reprise. The London album adopts it as the cut’s official title while audiences still recognize it as a reprise of the familiar anthem.

Where does it fall in the running order?

After “The Rescue,” before “The Wizard’s Departure,” just ahead of the finale churn.

Is this version different from the Act I celebration?

Yes - shorter, faster, and scored as a victory tag rather than a full set-piece.

Was this ever a standalone single?

No. It circulates inside the full 2011 cast album.

Any notable covers of this specific reprise?

Covers typically reference the original film song; the reprise title mainly appears on stage albums and concert revivals.

What does the lyric accomplish dramatically?

It certifies the Witch’s defeat to the citizens and to the Wizard - a musical receipt stapled to the plot.

Why restore a cut idea from 1939?

To give the audience a release after the castle peril and to smooth the tonal pivot back to Emerald City business.

Awards and Chart Positions

Production recognition: The 2011 London production received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Musical Revival in 2012. No single-format chart entries are documented for this reprise; the track is part of the full cast recording.

Additional Info

The base song has a long cultural tail. According to the Wikipedia overview, it hit number 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 2013 via a protest-driven download campaign. That’s the original film chorus, not this late-Act reprise - but the echo helps explain why the 2011 team kept a celebratory tag in the score. Playbill and BroadwayWorld’s release notes fix the album sequence and confirm the U.S. distribution. Apple Music and Discogs listings show the reprise circulating under the “Hail-Hail!” title with a sub-two-minute runtime.

Sources: Playbill, BroadwayWorld, Discogs, CastAlbums, Wikipedia, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube.