I'm Not That Girl
ORIGINAL CAST RECORDING Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hands touch, eyes meet
Sudden silence, sudden heat
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl
He could be that boy
But I'm not that girl
Don't dream too far
Don't remember that rush of joy
He could be that boy
I'm not that girl
Ev'ry so often we long to steal
To the land of what-might-have-been
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel
When reality sets back in
Blithe smile, lithe limb
She who's winsome, she wins him
Gold hair with a gentle curl
That's the girl he chose
And Heaven knows
I'm not that girl
Don't wish, don't start
Wishing only wounds the heart
I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl
There's a girl I know
He loves her so
I'm not that girl...
The song "I'm Not That Girl" from the musical Wicked is a poignant, heartbreaking reflection on unrequited love. Elphaba's lyrics communicate the deep yearning and longing she feels for a boy who doesn't reciprocate her feelings, all while watching the boy she loves choose someone else. She opens the song with a vivid description of the intense, immediate connection between two people in love – "Hands touch, eyes meet / Sudden silence, sudden heat / Hearts leap in a giddy whirl" – before admitting that while she wishes it could be her, she knows she's not the one for him.
Throughout the song, she offers advice to herself and others in a similar position, urging them not to hold onto unrealistic dreams or hope for love that will never come: "Don't dream too far / Don't lose sight of who you are / Don't remember that rush of joy." At the same time, she acknowledges the pain and longing that come with unrequited love, singing "Ev'ry so often we long to steal / To the land of what-might-have-been / But that doesn't soften the ache we feel / When reality sets back in." Ultimately, Elphaba resigns herself to the truth that the boy she loves has chosen another, ending the song with the heartbreaking line, "There's a girl I know / He loves her so / I'm not that girl."
Overall, "I'm Not That Girl" is a beautiful, emotional exploration of the pain and longing that come with loving someone who doesn't love you back. It's a universal feeling many people can relate to, and Elphaba's raw, passionate vocals make the song all the more powerful.
Line by Line Meaning
Hands touch, eyes meet
The two people have a moment of intimacy when their hands touch and their eyes meet.
Sudden silence, sudden heat
The sudden physical contact and emotional connection between them creates a moment of quiet and intense emotion.
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl
The romantic spark causes their hearts to beat quickly and excitedly.
He could be that boy
The person she's attracted to could be the one she's been waiting for.
But I'm not that girl
Despite the attraction, she acknowledges that they're not right for each other.
Don't dream too far
She warns herself against getting her hopes up too high.
Don't lose sight of who you are
She advises herself to stay grounded and true to herself.
Don't remember that rush of joy
She reminds herself not to dwell on the initial excitement of meeting someone new.
Ev'ry so often we long to steal
Occasionally, we all dream of what could have been and the life we might have had.
To the land of what-might-have-been
This place represents the fantasy world of alternate choices.
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel
Even though we imagine a happier life, it doesn't make our current situation any less painful.
When reality sets back in
Ultimately, we have to face our real situation and accept it.
Blithe smile, lithe limb
The person who the guy ends up choosing has a carefree smile and seems physically graceful.
She who's winsome, she wins him
The other girl has a charm and attractiveness that appeals to the guy.
Gold hair with a gentle curl
The girl he chooses has attractive hair that is blonde and slightly curly.
That's the girl he chose
He ultimately picked the other girl.
And Heaven knows, I'm not that girl
The artist acknowledges that she's not the one he chose and may not be the right fit for him.
Don't wish, don't start
She gives herself a reminder that she shouldn't allow herself to hope for anything with him.
Wishing only wounds the heart
If she yearns for him, it will only hurt her emotionally.
I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl
She doesn't feel she was born to be a picture-perfect girl.
There's a girl I know
She's aware of the other girl he chose.
He loves her so
He has strong feelings for the other girl.
I'm not that girl...
The singer ends the song with a somber realization that she lost the guy to someone else.
Contributed by Alexandra M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.