After seeing Wicked for the second time, ranking the songs was necessary. While there are 19 songs in the official Broadway cast recording, I will only be explaining my top five. Having to put my favorite musical soundtrack in a ranking is gruesome. Disclaimer: I am solely ranking these songs on how they sound; I am NOT considering how they were performed.
19. “A Sentimental Man”
18. “Dear Old Shiz”
17. “I’m Not That Girl”
16. “I’m Not That Girl” (Reprise)
15. “Something Bad”
14. Finale “Wicked.”
13. “As Long As You’re Mine”
12. “Thank Goodness”
11. “Wonderful”
10. “For Good”
9. “March Of The Witch Hunters”
8. “Popular”
7. “What Is This Feeling?”
6. “One Short Day”
5. “No One Mourns the Wicked”
This song sets the scene for the show; the orchestra grabs your attention as the Citizens of Oz start singing. However, while the orchestra does incredible in this song, the true star is Glinda. Her singing sets the scene for the story she’s about to tell, which is about Elphaba’s parents. While I get goosebumps throughout this song, Glinda’s ending notes give me chills every time. I believe those notes are Glinda’s best in the play. “No One Mourns the Wicked” is an underrated song on the soundtrack, but it is an incredible song all around.
4. “Dancing Through Life”
I can not resist Fiyero’s charm; he starts the song by sweet-talking Glinda, which works for the entire audience. His belts are incredibly satisfying to hear, and he performs them effectively. I find myself becoming swept up in his glamor and his voice. In addition to his singing, Glinda, Nessarose, Boq, and the students of Shiz, having featured vocals, makes the song incredible. “Dancing Through Life” with Fiyero is definitely on my bucket list.
3. “Defying Gravity”
While this may be cliché and stereotypical, there’s a reason why “Defying Gravity” is known worldwide. While Glinda gives an incredible performance, the real star is Elphaba. She hits her notes with such an effortless sound it makes me think I could do the same (which I can’t!). As a listener, I can hear the emotion she has in her voice, and it truly moves me. The entire performance is incredible, but my favorite part of the song is when she belts, “so if you care to find me, look to the western sky. As someone told me lately, everyone deserves a chance to fly!” Those lyrics start the rest of her belting, and it honestly just leaves me speechless.
2. “The Wizard and I”
As embarrassing as this is, I wouldn’t say I liked this song the first time I heard it. However, as I kept listening to the soundtrack, it genuinely became one of my favorites to listen to. Elphaba tells such an incredible story while delivering the most effortless vocals. She truly makes you want to root for her and the Wizard (which we all know how well that works out). “The Wizard and I” is indeed one of the most influential songs in the show, and it blows my mind how well Elphaba hits her notes and conveys her message.
1. “No Good Deed”
The absolute best song in the play: “No Good Deed.” Elphaba’s vocals in this song are insane. While listening to this song, I genuinely became mesmerized by her singing and found myself getting lost in her vocals. The entire piece is just short of perfection, but when Elphaba belts “Fiyero!” wow. That is genuinely pure perfection. I can safely say I have never heard such pure talent as I did while listening to this song. It honestly just astonishes me that someone can sing this well while hitting some of the most challenging notes.
