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.