Defying Gravity

Alice Fearn as Elphaba in the West End production of Wicked

"**Defying Gravity**" is the signature song of the popular Broadway musical Wicked. It is mostly a solo for the lead character, Elphaba, with several lines from Glinda, and a chorus part at the end of the song. The song was composed by Stephen Schwartz, and first performed publicly by Liz Callaway in 2001 in front of a small audience, The role of Elphaba was originated by Idina Menzel (along with Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda) in 2003 on the theatre stage.

## Lyrics

*[GLINDA, spoken]*

*Elphaba, why couldn't you have stayed calm for once?Instead of flying off the handle!*
I hope you're happy

*[sung]*

 *hope you're happy now*
I hope you're happy how you've hurt your cause forever
I hope you think you're clever

*[ELPHABA, spoken]*

*I hope you're happy*

*[sung]*

*I hope you're happy, too*
I hope you're proud how you
Would grovel in submission, to feed your own ambition

*[GLINDA & ELPHABA]*

*So though I can't imagine how*
I hope you're happy right now

*[GLINDA, spoken]*

*Elphie, listen to me, just say you're sorry!*

*[sung]*

*You can still be with the wizard*

*What you've worked and waited for*
You can have all you ever wanted

*[ELPHABA, spoken]*

*I know*

*[sung]*

*But I don't want it*

*No, I can't want it anymore*

*Something has changed within me*

*Something is not the same*

*I'm through with playing by the rules*

*Of someone else's game*

*Too late for second-guessing*

*Too late to go back to sleep*

*It's time to trust my instincts*

*Close my eyes and leap!*

*It's time to try defying gravity*

*I think I'll try defying gravity*

*And you can't pull me down*

*[GLINDA]*

*Can't I make you understand*

*You're having delusions of grandeur?*

*[ELPHABA]*

*I'm through accepting limits*

*'Cause someone says they're so*

*Some things I cannot change*

*But 'til I try, I'll never know!*

*Too long I've been afraid of*

*Losing love I guess I've lost*

*Well, if that's love*
It comes at much too high a cost!

*I'd sooner buy defying gravity*

*Kiss me goodbye, I'm defying gravity*

*And you can't pull me down*

*[spoken]*

*Glinda, come with me. Think of what we could do, together!*

*[sung]*

*Unlimited*

*Together, we're unlimited*

*Together we'll be the greatest team there's ever been*
Glinda, dreams the way we planned 'em

*[GLINDA]*

*If we work in tandem*

*[GLINDA & ELPHABA]*

*There's no fight we cannot win*

*Just you and I, defying gravity*

*With you and I defying gravity*

*[ELPHABA, spoken]*

*They'll never bring us down!*

*Well, are you coming?*

*[GLINDA, sung]*

*I hope you're happy*

*Now that you're choosing this*

*[ELPHABA, spoken]*

*You, too*

*[sung]*

*I hope it brings you bliss*

*[GLINDA & ELPHABA]*

*I really hope you get it*

*And you don't live to regret it*

*I hope you're happy in the end*

*I hope you're happy my friend*

*[ELPHABA]*

*So if you care to find me*

*Look to the western sky!*

*As someone told me lately*

*"Everyone deserves the chance to fly!"*

*And if I'm flying solo*

*At least I'm flying free*

*To those who ground me*

*Take a message back from me*

*Tell them how I am defying gravity!*

*I'm flying high, defying gravity!*

*And soon, I'll match them in renown*

*And nobody in all of Oz*

*No wizard that there is or was*

*Is ever gonna bring me down!*

*[GLINDA]*

*I hope you're happy*

*[CITIZENS OF OZ]*

*Look at her! She's wicked!*

*Get her!*

*[ELPHABA]*

*Bring me down!*

*[CITIZENS OF OZ]*

*No one mourns the wicked!*
So we've got to bring her...

*[ELPHABA]*

*Oh!*

*[CITIZENS OF OZ]*

*...down!*