Something Bad
Christopher Fitzgerald/Idina Menzel/Kristin Chenoweth/Michelle Federer/Norbert Leo Butz Lyrics
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Dreadful things
I've heard of an Ox, a professor from Quox
No longer permitted to teach
Who has lost all powers of speech
And an owl in Munchkin Rock
A vicar with a thriving flock
Now he only can screech
Only rumors, but still enough to give pause
To anyone with paws
Something bad is happening in Oz
Something bad? Happening in Oz?
Under the surface
Behind the scenes
Something bad
Sorry, "bad"
Doctor Dillamond
If something bad is happening to the animals
Someone's got to tell the Wizard
That's why we have a Wizard
So nothing bad
I hope you're right
Nothing all that bad
Nothing truly bad
Sorry
Bad
It couldn't happen here
In Oz
The above lyrics are from the song "Something Bad" performed in the musical "Wicked" by Christopher Fitzgerald/Idina Menzel/Kristin Chenoweth/Michelle Federer/Norbert Leo Butz. The song discusses the rumors of strange happenings in Oz, including animals losing their abilities and a vicar losing his voice. The lyrics suggest that there is something bad occurring beneath the surface in Oz, causing worry to those who know about it.
The song is a reflection of the show's overarching themes of power, corruption, and the cost of societal norms. The rumors mentioned in the song allude to issues of censorship, silencing, and prejudice towards those who are different in the world of Oz. The characters in the song are grappling with these rumors and trying to make sense of them, but they also tiptoe around the possibility of truly bad deeds occurring, suggesting a fear and avoidance of confronting the unpleasant truths.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, Miss Elphaba, the things one hears these days
Miss Elphaba, have you heard what people are saying nowadays?
Dreadful things
It's truly awful.
I've heard of an Ox, a professor from Quox
There's word going around about an Ox who's a professor from Quox.
No longer permitted to teach
He's been banned from teaching.
Who has lost all powers of speech
The Ox has lost his ability to speak.
And an owl in Munchkin Rock
There's also talk of an owl in Munchkin Rock.
A vicar with a thriving flock
The vicar who had a thriving flock.
Forbidden to preach
Has now been forbidden from preaching.
Now he only can screech
His preaching is now reduced to screeching.
Only rumors, but still enough to give pause
Even though these are just rumors, they're still enough to cause concern.
To anyone with paws
To any animal or anyone who's paying attention.
Something bad is happening in Oz
There's something really bad going on in Oz.
Under the surface
Beneath the top layer.
Behind the scenes
In secret.
Sorry, "bad"
I apologize for using the word bad.
Doctor Dillamond
Speaking of animals.
If something bad is happening to the animals
If there's something bad going on with the animals.
Someone's got to tell the Wizard
We need to inform the Wizard.
That's why we have a Wizard
This is why we have a Wizard in the first place.
So nothing bad
In order to prevent anything bad.
I hope you're right
I trust that you're saying the truth.
Nothing all that bad
It's not really that bad at all.
Nothing truly bad
There's nothing that terrible happening.
It couldn't happen here
It's impossible for something like that to take place here.
In Oz
This great land of Oz.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEPHEN LAWRENCE SCHWARTZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind