Defying Gravity (song)
| "Defying Gravity" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth | |
| from the album Wicked | |
| Released | November 18, 1997 |
| Recorded | October 13, 1997[1] |
| Genre |
|
| Length | 5:56 |
| Label | Decca Broadway |
| Songwriter(s) | Stephen Schwartz |
"Defying Gravity" is a song from the musical Wicked. It was written by Stephen Schwartz. It was originally recorded on October 13, 1997, by American actresses Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who played Elphaba and Glinda in the musical.
It is mostly a solo sung by the main character of the show, Elphaba, with two small duets at the beginning and the middle of the song between Elphaba and her friend Glinda, and a chorus part at the end in which the citizens of Oz sing.[2]
The song is the climax of the musical's first act, in which Elphaba realizes the truth about the Wizard of Oz and promises to fight him, beginning her evolution into the "Wicked Witch of the West".[2]
It has been covered many times, including by the cast of Glee and for the 2024 2024 movie version of the musical starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.[3][4]
The song has been seen as one of the best known in the Wicked musical and one of the greatest in the history of Broadway.[2]
The song was used to wake up astronauts aboard a space shuttle mission in April 2010 for astronaut Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger in honor of the day's planned extra-vehicular activity.[5]
References
- ↑ Gans, Andrew (September 9, 2016). "Original Wicked Cast Recording Goes Vinyl". Playbill. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 McHenry, Jackson (October 26, 2017). "Examining the Silly, Emotional Legacy of 'Defying Gravity'". Vulture. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ↑ "Cast versions of 'Proud Mary', "Defying Gravity" and "Dancing With Myself" among songs featured in tonight's episode of "Glee" on Fox" (Press release). Fox. November 11, 2009. Archived from the original on March 2, 2010. Retrieved February 16, 2010.
- ↑ Daw, Stephen (November 22, 2024). "Every Song From the 'Wicked' Soundtrack, Ranked From Worst to Best". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
- ↑ "STS-131 wake calls". NASA. Archived from the original on January 16, 2016.