Why is Defying Gravity the Ultimate Modern Broadway Show Tune?

Considering my love of modern classic musical ‘Wicked,’ it should be no surprise that I believe that the production’s signature song, ‘Defying Gravity,’ is the ultimate modern Broadway show tune. Let me present my case.

I realise, Simon Morris readers, that this is a hotly contested topic and that many would contest the argument. The last 50 years has seen numerous shows produce iconic numbers and classics such as ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,’ ‘Memory,’ ‘Electricity,’ ‘I’ll Cover You’ and a thousand more are serious contenders for this title.

However I would contend that ‘Defying Gravity’ beats them all, and not for the reason you think. I would argue that it is the ultimate modern Broadway show tune because of the impact it has had on audiences and performers.

Of course Defying Gravity is a technically brilliant song and it bears all the hallmarks of a classic. It is a defiance anthem that comes at the end of the first half of the musical. The lead character, Elphaba, has just realised that every single dream she had was based on a lie and the song is basically her ‘screw you’ moment as she literally and figuratively defies gravity.

In a theatre it’s a real treat to watch. The number itself is full of fierce lyrics that resonate because we’ve all had that moment in our lives where we take that first brave step in going against what society expects of us. It has amazingly big belts and the production is immense as Elphaba rises up on a podium and looks like she is actually defying gravity.

However other modern Broadway anthems hold similar characteristics. ‘Electricity’ is every bit as defiant. ‘Memory’ is every bit as vocally stunning, if more melancholy. ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’ is just as emotionally honest. ‘I’ll Cover You’ is equally as inspiring. However I would argue that none of the aforementioned tracks combine these elements in quite the same way that ‘Defying Gravity’ does.

This shows in the legacy the song has left. It’s a standard these days, not just of the musical theatre industry but of the entertainment industry as a whole. Everybody from Broadway starlets to TV alums to Pop divas has tried their hand at the song and that is because it is probably one of, if not the, most relatable number ever produced on a Broadway stage.

In conclusion, I believe I have presented a strong case to suggest that ‘Defying Gravity’ is the modern ultimate Broadway show tune. This is not because of each of its individually great elements but because the combination of those elements has captured an entire generation of performers. 

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Anne Hathaway Killed It and This is Why

Anne Hathaway managed to bring a new dimension to classic show tune ‘I dreamed a dream’ in the movie version of Les Miserables and I want to explain why her performance breathed new life into one of musical theatre’s most enduring hits.

People were sceptical when Anne Hathaway won the pivotal role of Fantine in the long awaited movie version of popular musical Les Miserables. They doubted that her vocal ability, despite being good, was up to the performance of Fantine’s signature tune.

It’s easy to see why people may believe that; this song has been belted out by some of the best in the business. Theatre icons including but not limited to Barbara Streisand, Patti Lu Pone and Idina Menzel have all at some point in their careers tackled this song and brought people to tears with their renditions.

If Hathaway had chosen to emulate these icons she would have fallen flat on her face; she can’t belt like they can. However she didn’t and in my opinion it was this that made it work. More, her haunting rendition of the track breathed new life into it and brought it to a whole new generation.

When the song is usually performed it is a waling lament; the big notes are almost screamed to the heavens and the leading lady takes on an air of the hysterical. Hathaway could easily have tried to cast her version of Fantine in this light.

However she chose to make her Fantine a more broken creature. The version she sang of the song was quiet, withdrawn and purely broken hearted. She made Fantine less of a hysterical melodramatic character and more one that had just been broken by all the horrific things she had been through in her life.

Quite frankly I thought it was a very real interpretation. Fantine was a woman with a little girl to support who had lost all her chances in life. ‘I dreamed a dream’ is her absolute lowest point, she can’t take it anymore and Hathaway’s muted notes reflect this. She just gives up.

The great thing about musical theatre is that you can interpret the characters over and over again. You don’t have to have one as gospel truth and this allows you to get a fresh perspective on the show you are watching, Simon Morris readers, every single time a new actor comes to fill those large shoes. 

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