Something Wonderful
Rodgers And Hammerstein Lyrics


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LADY THIANG

This is a man who thinks with his heart,
His heart is not always wise.
This is a man who stumbles and falls,
But this is a man who tries.

This is a man you'll forgive and forgive,
And help protect, as long as you live...
He will not always say
What you would have him say,
But now and then he'll do
Something
Wonderful.

He has a thousand dreams
That won't come true,
You know that he believes in them
And that's enough for you.

You'll always go along,


Defend him where he's wrong
And tell him, when he's strong
He is
Wonderful
He'll always
Needs your love
And so he'll get your love.
A man who needs your love
Can be
Wonderful.

She'll always go along
Defend him when he's wrong
And tell him when he's strong
He is wonderful.
He'll always need her love
And so he'll get her love




A man who needs your love
Can be wonderful.

Overall Meaning

The song "Something Wonderful" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical "The King and I" is sung by the character Lady Thiang. In the musical, Lady Thiang is the chief wife of the King of Siam and acts as a moral guide and advisor to him. In this song, Lady Thiang is explaining to Anna, the main character, that despite the King's flaws and mistakes, he is still a good man who tries to do something wonderful every now and then. She describes how he thinks with his heart, which may not always be wise, and how he has a thousand dreams that may not come true, but that he believes in them nonetheless.


Line by Line Meaning

This is a man who thinks with his heart,
This man's decisions and actions are largely driven by his emotions, rather than reason or logic.


His heart is not always wise.
Because he relies so heavily on his feelings, sometimes he makes choices that may not be the most prudent or sensible.


This is a man who stumbles and falls,
Despite his best intentions and efforts, this man experiences setbacks and difficulties.


But this is a man who tries.
Despite his mistakes and obstacles, he continues to make an effort and do his best.


This is a man you'll forgive and forgive,
Because of his positive qualities and intentions, you are willing to repeatedly pardon his missteps.


And help protect, as long as you live...
You feel a strong sense of duty to care for and safeguard this man throughout your life.


He will not always say
This man may not always be articulate or expressive in his communications.


What you would have him say,
Sometimes you may wish he would voice his thoughts or feelings differently.


But now and then he'll do
Occasionally, he surprises you by doing something beyond your expectations.


Something
He may perform a noteworthy and praiseworthy action.


Wonderful.
This action is awe-inspiring or awe-worthy.


He has a thousand dreams
This man has many aspirations and goals for his life.


That won't come true,
Unfortunately, he may face significant obstacles that prevent him from achieving all or most of his aspirations.


You know that he believes in them
Despite the challenges, he maintains a deep and lasting faith in his dreams and wants to see them fulfilled.


And that's enough for you.
You understand and respect his tenacity and commitment, even if you are not always able to provide tangible support or assistance.


You'll always go along,
You are committed to supporting him in his journey, regardless of the twists and turns it takes.


Defend him where he's wrong
You will stand up for him and protect him when he is unfairly criticized or maligned, even if you recognize his errors or flaws.


And tell him, when he's strong
You will affirm and praise him when he demonstrates positive qualities or behavior.


He is
You believe in his inherent worth and value as a person.


Wonderful
You recognize and appreciate his admirable qualities and the positive impact he has on your life and others'.


He'll always
Throughout your relationship and his life, this man will consistently possess certain traits or needs.


Needs your love
One of those needs is your affection, care, and support.


And so he'll get your love.
You are willing and motivated to give him the love he desires and need.


A man who needs your love
You recognize that this man's need for love is not a weakness, but a fundamental aspect of being human.


Can be
With your love and support, he can grow, thrive and fulfill his potential.


Wonderful.
As he develops and shines with your love, support, and encouragement, this man will continue to be someone truly admirable.




Contributed by Penelope D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Kim Oliver

Ruthie is such a courageous woman. To have suffered the losses she did, and then to still perform and give it her all. She does the world of theatre proud and her two little angels are smiling down from Heaven at the sound of their mommy's voice.

85nikki96

There are several who sing this beautifully, but Ruthie is the most "wonderful" because as well as her stunning voice, she exudes empathy and warmth. I'm filled with sorrow for her devastating losses.

Manuel Orozco

Ruthie has a stunning voice. I came here from watching Over the Moon where she voices Fei Fei’s mother.

David Evans

I've just come across clip. Brings back memories. I saw this London production and was filled with such awe and respect for this wonderful lady who despite suffering grievous losses in her life, carried on doing the job the public expected of her. The night I saw it, she was only able to get around the stage with the support of that walking stick. Now THAT is professional dedication taken to the highest level, and then some.

Lee Mclaury

Sending my love to Ruthie

Wendy Reiner

Such a poi

topherlarkin

I just realized, this thought - is the cane a character choice for Lady Thiang in the revival or was to to accommodate after the accident ?

-Kaitlyn Malone-

it was to accommodate her, she didn’t have a cane during her run on broadway, but it didn’t slow her at all

topherlarkin

Yeah I realized when I saw the Tony award performance clip :(

Accident aside, the cane added another layer to Lady Thiang's character

Manuel Orozco

@topherlarkin I never thought it that way

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