No One Mourns The Wicked: A Powerful Start To A Powerful Tale

As the film draws closer, as more trailers and teasers drop, I want to continue to explore the mega-musical smash, that has lasted through decades from which this film owes everything to its existence. What can be said about Wicked that hasn't been said, the songs performed, covered, and played still all these years later, the show still plays and tours and is beloved by many. For many this show opened the door to the wonderful world of musicals for them, for me, I have never seen it live, yet. I plan to and hope to see it live someday, it is a musical bucket list item for me. All I have is the album and the movie, so I wanted to dive into some of my favorite songs from Wicked here and there as we prepare for the movie we are all waiting to see if it can defy gravity or if it will crash and burn. 

The show begins at the end before the tale unfolds, the threat is slain and the heroes rejoice, all while using the fallen villain as an example showing the path of evil leads to a lonely, unloved, unfulfilled life. But even as the ensemble sings how the wicked walk a lonely path, seeds are planted, and a sad origin is shown, Glinda already showing us small snippets that this story has more underneath than what people see, showing how there are already twists and turns in this tale from the moment the curtain rises. 

Everything the audience knows about "The Wizzard of Oz" is thrown out the window by the end of this song, which starts in the realm of familiarity is then thrown out the window to show this is not a mere adaptation, but rather so much more. It is not just the text from the page or reenacting the film, it is a show that raises the question before the first song wraps up "Was the villain truly all that bad?" by showing the sad circumstances of the moment she came into this world, and continues to explore that very question through the entire show, to leave the audience to answer the question themselves. 

The score and lyrics are strong, and the use of solos, mixed with the ensemble are woven together to form a song that will send chills down your spine. A mass choir stating what they see and know, celebrating the loss of the vile villain before them, as Glinda musically sets the stage for the true story to unfold. The moments in the album even of spoken dialogue do not break the pace but rather feel like you are listening to the whole scene as it was presented live. 

The sweeping chorus of voices interwoven and building up, taking time for solos, and Glinda interjecting with her pieces fit together and the way they combine with the amazing score leaves the song in the listener's mind long after it finishes. This song is a great opening, it grips the listener with a powerful start as the story begins, and I assume the show is the same. This song starts the show with a question, it begins showing its theme and building its morale from the very start, and it is all wrapped in a fantastic song. A sweeping score, and strong and powerful lyrics, all sung in a way that welcomes you into a world that is familiar yet so different in so many ways. This song is great, no one may mourn the wicked, and this song shows this show has so much more, then what you see even from the moment it starts. 

My Shot: The Hamilton Mixtape Version

 Perhaps it's because we are only a couple weeks away from the release of his next album, or the upcoming movie "Mufasa" in which he made the music, yet surprisingly he did not return for the upcoming "Moana 2", but I have been thinking about Lin Manuel Miranda's work lately. As we prepare for his new concept album that has rumblings of potentially making its way to the stage, I decided to listen to remixes, covers, and of course the original songs from Hamilton, his last show to tread the stage. One place I have been spending my time listening to songs whether when working or relaxing is the Hamilton Mixtape and the Hamildrops, both I have covered in great detail and love just as much as the Broadway show they came from, which I love to the moon and back. Today I decided to look at the first song that greets the listener after the intro, "My Shot".

Lifting only the chorus, everything else around it is set to fit the modern day, modern problems of glass ceilings, ambivalence, giving up, and finding motivation in all ways. Performed by The Roots, Busta Rhymes, Joell Ortiz, and Nate Ruess, this collaboration is a thrill from start to finish. Ever since this mixtape dropped this was one of the songs I have listened to most, not unlike "My Shot" in the original Broadway cast of Hamilton. The song's kinetic energy, causing motivation while speaking on not giving up carries from the original to this remix, full of powerful lyrics, an amazing background track, and using only pieces of the song to make something new. 

The song taking pieces from the original and changing it into a song about expectations, and chasing your dreams in the face of them is just as inspiring as the song this remake came from. The lyrics and melody work together to create a high energy, hyping up the listener and preparing them to face whatever is in front of them. This song is a great workout song, and it really pushes the listener to push beyond their limits. 

The song's message is the same as the one before it about not being limited to your environment, but this is not a simple copy-and-paste job. The song uses references that the audience can relate to such as a Spider-Man lunchbox and deeper issues like glass ceilings, having to hustle to make it, or being labeled simply for being who you are even at a young age. The song shows the wrongs but how to face them, whether having what you need or having to think outside the box, that the essence of not throwing away your shot is in your mindset, using what you have to chase your goals. 

This song is such a good listen, inspiring but also just super entertaining. One night I was over at a friend's house and he was playing some NBA game on his XBOX and this song was even in that. The song is super well made and is just an all-around great listen, whether to hype you up or something good to keep your mind moving as you run your day-to-day errands. Whether to inspire or just for some fun, this remix is one shot, you will not want to throw away.

Broadway Remixes And Covers: First Burn

 Going from Lin Manuel Miranda's first major work to the one that put him on the map, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite Hamilton remixes from the Hamildrops collection. "First Burn" is a take on the song "Burn" performed by other actresses who also stepped into Eliza's shoes and had to sing about her grief. The song is about heartbreak, betrayal, and writing oneself from the narrative is remixed beautifully by four others and turned into a song that is simply unforgettable.

Pieces of the original song are stitched throughout this interwoven with new lyrics and powerful ones at that. "Heaven forbid someone whispers 'He's part of some scheme", Your enemy whispers so you have to scream. I know about whispers, I see how you look at my sister". Lyrics such as that pack an emotional punch that carries the same weight as the contemporary it came from that started on the stage. This remix has so much emotion in it, being great in the context of when it was released as well as on its own. 

This song stands out as its own song and can be listened to by fans of Hamilton and those who only know of the show through pop culture. This song is a great listen, the instrumentation matches the lyrics in a perfect harmony that makes me want to listen to it again and again.

This song packs so much power into it, the slow and somber nature of it shows someone who is truly heartbroken. The four voices harmonize perfectly and balance so well to make every part of this song linger with the listener even after it has wrapped up. The emotion captured never leaving and growing until the song ends in a frustrated cry for someone not to apologize, but to grow, learn, and change. Begging someone to see what is right in front of them, return home, and be with those who love them, for they matter most. Cutting off any counterargument with countless "Don'ts" in the song, leaving no room for excuses, not dwelling in pity or wanting an apology but rather for the offending party to listen. Using some of the original lyrics mixed in for that extra layer of empowerment and relatability. 

Capturing Eliza's heartbreak and rage in a new way, still staying true to where it came from while becoming a new song entirely. I hope more musical-based songs do this, I would love to see new songs, that are inspired, use lyrics and themes, or do both like this. I would love to see songs inspired by the amazing pieces of music from SIX, Come From Away, Waitress, and so many others. Songs that capture the characters feelings and expand them to connect just as much with the listener or even more than the song that came before it on the stage. There are so many outlets to inspire, move, and relate that I do not want it to stop at the Hamildrops from almost ten years back now. Hamilton is still the only show I know of that has released a mixtape and many remixes monthly as a sequel. Meanwhile, plenty of shows come out, and many of them make a solid mark that they are being listened to, covered, and seen by thousands.

Some shows like SIX and Waitress release a second album with cut songs or different performers but I feel like something amazing can come from collaborating with other artists to make new pieces of media to connect with the audience. But until then, I have amazing songs such as this.