For Good
{{about|the song|the 2025 film|Wicked: For Good{{!}}Wicked: For Good|the Supergirl episode|For Good (Supergirl){{!}}For Good (Supergirl)}}
{{Infobox song
| name = For Good
| artist = Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth
| album = Wicked
| released = December 16, 2003
| recorded = November 10, 2003
| genre = Musical theatre, pop, show tune
| label = Decca Broadway
| writer = Stephen Schwartz
| producer =
}}
"For Good" is a musical number from the hit musical Wicked. It is sung as a duet between Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (the Good Witch of the North) as a farewell. The song's score and lyrics were written by composer Stephen Schwartz.
Lyrics
The song's lyrics concern how both Elphaba and Glinda have been changed by their friendship with each other. Glinda begins by saying that, while she doesn't know if it is true that people come into each other's lives for a reason, "I know I'm who I am today because I knew you." Similarly, Elphaba tells Glinda that "whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend." Elphaba also asks Glinda to forgive her for anything she might have done wrong, to which Glinda replies that "there's blame to share", but both agree that "none of it seems to matter anymore". Schwartz commented after the show premiered that for the opening of the song, he asked his daughter what she would say if she would never see her best friend again, and her answer became the first verse of "For Good".{{Cite web |url=http://www.musicalschwartz.com/wicked-for-good.htm |title="For Good" from Wicked the Musical |website=MusicalSchwartz.com |publisher=Scene 1 Arts LLC |language=en |access-date=2018-06-26}}
Critical reception
Vulture ranked the song as the third-best from the Wicked score, describing it as "not particularly inventive", "comically heavy-handed", and almost overtaken by "flowery schmaltz", while ultimately concluding that the earned emotion that the show has built through the duo's relationship can "excuse all manner of lyrical sins".{{Cite news |url=http://www.vulture.com/2013/10/wicked-at-10-ranking-the-broadway-hits-songs.html|title=Wicked at 10: Ranking the Broadway Hit's Songs|date=2013-10-30 |work=Vulture |access-date=2018-06-22 |language=en}} Playbill ranked it the seventh-best Stephen Schwartz song, deeming it less flashy than other Wicked songs, unique, powerful, meaningful and an insight into how relationships make people grow.{{Cite web |url=http://www.playbill.com/article/youre-gonna-be-popular-the-top-14-songs-by-stephen-schwartz-com-331497|title='You're Gonna Be Popular': The Top 14 Songs by Stephen Schwartz {{!}} Playbill |website=Playbill|language=en|access-date=2018-06-22}}
Other versions and usage in media
- Internet personalities Sam Tsui and Nick Pitera, recorded a cover that has been uploaded to their respective YouTube channels.{{YouTube|lQYmSfLAbJ8}}{{primary source inline|date=January 2025}}
- Portions of the original version of the song were used at the ending of the September 4, 2013 repeat episode of the game show Wheel of Fortune, as a tribute to director Mark Corwin, who died on July 25, 2013.{{YouTube |hDbB0OA-Qmk |Wheel of Fortune - Mark Corwin Tribute (Sept. 4, 2013)}}{{primary source inline|date=January 2025}}
- The song appeared in Glee episode "New York", and featured as a duet between Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel, Lea Michele and Chris Colfer, respectively.
- Kristin Chenoweth herself sang the song at the funeral for fellow The West Wing cast-mate John Spencer.
- Heather Headley covered the song on her 2018 album Broadway My Way.
- Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are set to perform the song in the second part of the Wicked film adaptation, which shares the same subtitle.
- Rachel Bay Jones covered the song on her 2009 album ShowFolk.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Wicked}}
{{Wicked films}}
{{Idina Menzel}}
{{Kristin Chenoweth}}
{{Lea Michele}}
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Category:Kristin Chenoweth songs