Wicked CD

[RagtimeRay]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 8:59pm

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.

[Elphie]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 9:03pm

I ignore Joel Grey's songs.

[Princess MimiChica]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 9:41pm

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

[JoizeyActor]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 9:50pm

Does she say "Wicked" like that in the show? I don't remember that. Sounds like something they did for the CD.

[BillFinn]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 10:00pm

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

[PJ]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 10:05pm

I like "Wonderful." I think it's a nice song for Joel. I too admit to skipping past Carole's speaking at the beginning of "The Wizard and I."

They added more people to the orchestra to beef up the sound on the CD. So maybe that's why the music seemed stronger on disc than in the theatre, RagtimeRay.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 10:15pm

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.)

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

[bially082]

Posted: 1/6/04 at 2:37am

I am becoming a huge fan of Dancing Through Life. I love his voice. I can't figure out what it is i like so much, but I can't stop listening to the song.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 1/6/04 at 2:46am

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

[WhatDoINeedWithLove?]

Posted: 1/6/04 at 2:51am

I LOVVVVVVVVE THE SCORE!
I truly think its incredible!
The ONLY song I usually skip is "Sentimental Man" I hate to admit it but it is soooo pointless!!
But I totally think "Wonderful" is wonderful! :)
Idina is INCREDIBLE and all her songs are amazing, such a powerhouse!
Kristen has incredible range, it scares me how talented she is!
Admit "Dancing Through Life" is cheesy, but thats why I LOVE it!! Norbert is great (though Im so excited to see Taye) my favorite part in it is "Ya know black is this years pink!"

Soooo...overall my favorites are: "The Wizard and I", "What is this Feeling", "Popular", "Im Not that Girl", "Defying Gravity", "As Long as you're Mine", "NO GOOD DEED" (my fav), and "For Good!"!

YAY WICKED! (wow this post was way to long)

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 1/6/04 at 2:54am

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.

[WhatDoINeedWithLove?]

Posted: 1/6/04 at 2:57am

I like when they come in but the repeated "loathing" gets annoying. I dont understand why people were dissing the ensemble forever bc i think they are so great!

Oh! only part that i would cut is the dreepy bowling pin monster THINGS in "One Short Day" (the wizomania thing) SCAAAARY! and pointless

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 1/6/04 at 2:59am

The Wicked ensemble is awesome.

[lyndyjane]

Posted: 1/6/04 at 6:14am

I can't stand the ensamble. They are frequently not in tune, and I don't think they ever learned to blend. I didn't notice it too bad until after I put in my Wicked CD after listening to Ragtime (which had the most amazing ensamble). I'm crazy about the show, don't get me wrong. I think that part of the problem may be that the understudies are in the ensamble, and each of them I am sure has as unique voices as the leads so it makes blending tough.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/6/04 at 12:10pm

It's all about

The Wizard and I
Defying Gravity
No Good Deed

I like
As Long as Your Mine
For Good

as well!

[dotmarie]

Posted: 1/6/04 at 12:23pm

Michelle Federer rules you guys :)


I like I'm Not That Girl a lot. But that last note is too low for me. Idina makes it sound so easy, it's crazy.

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 1/6/04 at 12:54pm

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.

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 1/6/04 at 12:57pm

I blast NO GOOD DEED; its truly become one of my favorite numbers on the CD.

But come on, how many cast recordings do you seriously like, enjoy and listen to EVERY single track? I even skip crap in Rent, Phantom, Les Miz, Hairspray...etc.

Every show has "filler" to move the story along. Not every song can be a cd single.

[Nydiva]

Posted: 1/6/04 at 1:35pm

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

[actorboy]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 3:58pm

According to Playbill.com, the CD is "flying off the shelves." Congratulations, Stephen Schwartz, you've got a well-deserved success!

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 4:00pm

'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.

[actorboy]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 4:04pm

But, still, the folks at Decca must be thrilled. As far as Broadway cast recordings go, that's a nice figure.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 4:23pm

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.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 4:35pm

17,000 and some change first week sales.

For a recording that had to pay a massive performer royalty and bring in an entire (and padded) orchestra, not to mention publish a very thorough and, thus, expensive, booklet. Not to mention overhead.

And think about it this way: all the 'theater people' who were dying to see and hear it have bought their copy. Certainly everyone I know has their copy. So sales have already peaked. They'll get some wandering interest sure, some people who see the show and want the recording, sure but the meat of 'Wicked's sales are already sold.

It's going to be downhill from here. The cast album market is NOT something to get excited about. If labels ever decide to cut out divisions that don't make money, look out Broadway.

[actorboy]

Posted: 1/7/04 at 4:44pm

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.