Wicked CD

It is the rare Broadway show that can captivate me with an appreciation of nearly all of its musical numbers. Recent exceptions have been Ragtime (could you guess?) and Hairspray (except for Cooties and Miss Baltimore Crabs, I could listen to the score for hours, and even those two numbers certainly work in the context of the show).

I saw Wicked in November. I enjoyed the production and would give it a B-minus. (Two great performances, excellent production values, an uneven score, a story that had more holes than Swiss cheese if you stopped to think about if for two minutes.) For me, it was an entertaining evening in the theatre.

I recently got the CD of Wicked, and I have been regularly listening to about 7 or 8 of the tracks (which are about 33 minutes out of the 70 plus minutes on the recording, so perhaps typical). I love Idina's voice. What struck me as I listened to the recording, is that the music seemed (somehow) better than when I watched the show in the theatre. I can't explain it. I'm just tossing out this observation to see if anyone else felt similarly.

The tracks I enjoy are 1, 3, 7, 8, 11, 15, and 18. I think that "For Good" - as a statement about friendship, will be around for a long time. It almost has a "country western" feel to it, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it recorded by a country western artist.

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I adore this cd so much! i;ve worn it out the entire week i;ve had it...I can listen to Idina and Kristin all day! Those two voices sound AMAZING together!! But I agree the score is uneven, and I always skip Dear Old Shiz, Something Bad, Sentimental Man, and Wonderful. So I only skip maybe 7 or 8 minutes of the cd.
Oh, and I also skip Madam Morrible;s begining part of The Wizard and I, because frankly, Carole Shelley annoys the crap out of me on this disk. She starts singing and im just like, let's get to Idina already!!! =)

On a side note, I LOVE the way Idina says the word WICKED. "It's just..for the first time, I feel...wicked!" and during No Good Deed when she sings "i'm WICKED through and through!"
The woman gives me the chills.

Updated On: 1/5/04 at 09:41 PM

I am seriously starting to believe I'm the only fan of "Wonderful". It's such a great song.

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This biz of CD triumphing over score-in-the-theater is a common observation. I am a fan ... yet wonder: Maybe the numbers aren't staged with a strong enough 'period' on them. Other than "Defying Gravity," a coup de theatre with real emotional heft, they perhaps don't "land" in the theater with sufficient focus. This is very much the case with "Popular," which cries out for one MORE verse that is soley about Glinda's abject narcissism. When Elphie abandons her, you expect Glinda's frustration to feed her ego -- so that she lets loose and takes the roof off the Gerswhin. Instead, she just falls back on the bed, Gidget-y cuteness remaining the predominate color). Oddly enough, the number -- for all its promising primary color brio -- ends up simply being too sweetly subtle for a character who isn't remotely.

PS: I totally agree about the politically pointed "Wonderful," and sentimental (in the best sense) "For Good." Early on,I suggested that Dolly Parton and Emylou Harris do it, right? (Or Faith Hill and ... jeesh, S. Twain? I'm not in that loop.)

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Updated On: 1/5/04 at 10:15 PM

I enjoy Joel's songs, but they are not my favorites. The worst song would have to be "Something Bad."

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Does anyone agree with me when I say that I LOVE when the ensemble comes in on What Is This Feeling? I love that part.

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The Wicked ensemble is awesome.

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It's all about

The Wizard and I
Defying Gravity
No Good Deed

I like
As Long as Your Mine
For Good

as well!

I ignore Joel Grey's songs too.. as soon as I hear "I'm a sentimental man..." I press SKIP... too bad you cant do that during the show.

I think For Good will be one of those songs sung at funerals, graduations, and weddings. It definitely has an awesome sentimental feel to it and definitely has brought tears to my eyes when the thought of past relationships and friendships come to mind, especially the lost of my father.

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Oh, and I also skip Madam Morrible;s begining part of The Wizard and I, because frankly, Carole Shelley annoys the crap out of me on this disk. She starts singing and im just like, let's get to Idina already!!! =)

Idina has the bulk of the score (and is incredible); Carole has two small snippets. I only wish she had a song for herself (or perhaps a duet with the Wizard). That's one fabulous actress you're impatiently skipping over. My big regret is that they didn't include her "denunciation" speech on the CD. Now that scares the crap out of me every time (in a good way).

Nydiva

'Wicked' premiered at #205 on the Billboard charts.

Good for a cast recording but sobering to those who think it's making any impact beyond the hardcore theater audience.

It was in the #1 slot at Tower on B'way and 68th, then seemed to move to #4. Noticed when I was Christmas shopping. In my experience as a NYer, that's still hot sales.

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It was 17, 841 (why are you low-balling the figure?) for just the first week.

If it did twice what The Producers and Hairspray did in their first week, why isn't that something to take note of?

Why the negativity? I think its a good thing, and great that it's being written about.