Not too long ago I covered the musical "Shucked" with it having a movie coming up, and I have been listening to the album quite a bit lately and mixing some songs into my favorite musical playlists. In that post, I noted what some of my favorite songs are and decided to not just share what ones they are but why. It's time for a good old-fashioned song analysis breakdown as I like to do from time to time. So let's look at one of the songs I have listened to most from this show "Woman Of The World".
The song has Mayzee looking back on how she just may have saved her home and the corn from which it draws its name, in a state of almost shock and pure surprise. She now sees herself as a hero and is happy to have done what many said she couldn't, believing to have grown. The song then begins to ramp up a bit as she realizes the change going on in her. No longer just what people viewed her as her whole life, but rather something so much more. She sees herself as "A Woman Of The World", not just what her environment has labeled her as, thinking to have saved the day and no longer be doubted, since she stepped so boldly outside of town and ventured into the world now. Even if the world is just Tampa, to her it is still a massive deal.
The instrumentation much like many songs in the show draws a strong inspiration from country music but mixes in the Broadway musical flare. Having small moments for our lead to reflect, while building and growing both in scope and scale. Adding a background choir, performing key changes, and starting small and growing as the song progresses until a big, grand finish. Starting with a simple guitar and adding more as it goes, but still keeping the country music theme from start to finish.
The instrumentation fits the theme of the song as it grows and changes as the song progresses, growing from a quiet ballad to a big, loud, and proud display of someone who sees more in herself than she ever has. The lyrics fit well with the instrumentation, instilling quiet confidence and pride in oneself but not the territory of arrogance. Rather a pride in doing something well, helping others, and discovering you are more than what others think you are. Showing depth to a character narrator who two songs prior planted the seeds for this song. In " The Traveling Song" the narators say that she set out determined to prove everyone wrong, and now it seems she has. This a moment of victory for someone who has been underestimated.
As a song, this is just a plain fun listen, with great lyrics, great use of the ensemble later on, and solid instrumentation. A song that is inspiring and fun, and fits well as a musical ballad, a moment that is so big the character just has to sing about it. The theming stays consistent but does not distract from the song but rather adds to it and gives its set identity. It fits the tone the show has built so far and fits right in with the songs that proceeded and will proceed with it, giving a solid character moment without breaking what the show has built. Overall I love the song as a fun listen and as a character moment, I am an absolute sucker for big and grand moments where the lead gets a victory. A real emotion of being proud of yourself, wanting to break out of what you have been known as, and wanting to grow and be something more. A real and relatable emotion. The song is performed well on the cast album and is a must-listen at least once, alongside many of the songs in the show, I did a review of the whole album very recently.
Whether to just sing along to, or relate to, this song is great. A moment of victory that starts off slow and grows and grows until it fits the scope of the wide world she has just seen, this song and Mayzee have proved there can be so much more, then just whats on the surface.
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