4. What Is This Feeling?
Wicked--Original Broadway Cast featuring Kristin Chenoweth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My dear father
There's been some confusion
Over rooming here at Shiz
But of course, I'll care for Nessa
But of course, I'll rise above it
For I know that's how you'd want me to respond
Yes, there's been some confusion
For you see, my room-mate is
Unusually and exceedingly peculiar
And altogether quite impossible to describe
Blonde
What is this feeling
So sudden and new?
I felt the moment
I laid eyes on you
My pulse is rushing
My head is reeling
My face is flushing
What is this feeling?
Fervid as a flame
Does it have a name?
Yes!
Loathing
Unadulterated loathing
For your face
Your voice
Your clothing
Let's just say, I loathe it all!
Every little trait, however small
Makes my very flesh begin to crawl
With simple utter loathing
There's a strange exhilaration
In such total detestation
It's so pure! So strong!
Though I do admit it came on fast
Still I do believe that it can last
And I will be loathing
Loathing you
My whole life long!
Dear Glinda, you are just too good!
How do you stand it? I don't think I could!
She's a terror! She's a tartar!
We don't mean to show a bias
But Glinda you're a martyr!
Well, these things are sent to try us!
Poor Glinda, forced to reside
With someone so disgusticified
We just want to tell you
We're all on your side!
We share your
What is this feeling
So sudden and new?
I felt the moment
I laid eyes on you
My pulse is rushing
My head is reeling
Oh, what is this feeling?
Does it have a name?
Yes
There's a strange exhilaration
In such total detestation
It's so pure, so strong!
So strong!
Though I do admit it came on fast
Still I do believe that it can last all
And I will be loathing
For, forever loathing
Truly, deeply loathing you loathing you
My whole life long!
Unadulterated loathing
Boo!
The lyrics to What Is This Feeling? from the Broadway musical Wicked, featuring Kristin Chenoweth, present a rather complex emotional web. The song is a duet between the two main characters, Elphaba and Glinda, who start off squabbling about their college dorm room assignment. Elphaba expresses confusion over having to share a room with Glinda, but also shows grace by agreeing to take care of their disabled classmate, Nessarose. As the song progresses, Elphaba's feelings for Glinda become more clear - at first, she feels an intense hatred (loathing) towards Glinda, which she describes as a strange exhilaration. However, as the song reaches its climax, Elphaba realizes that her loathing has developed into something more complex and powerful - she's fallen in love with Glinda.
As the listener, it's clear that Elphaba's feelings towards Glinda have evolved throughout the course of the song. In the beginning, she has a fixed and limited perspective of Glinda as a chipper, bubbly, and clueless young woman who seems to have it all together. Elphaba, on the other hand, is the more intelligent and serious one, but is also initially indignant and annoyed by Glinda. She's unable to get past Glinda's superficial façade to see the person beneath.
The turning point is when Elphaba sees Glinda's good-heartedness, particularly towards Nessarose. Elphaba starts to become aware of the more complex aspects of Glinda's character, and begins to develop a new appreciation for her. As these feelings start to become clearer to Elphaba, she becomes more and more confused, until it reaches a crescendo with the realization that she is in love with Glinda.
Line by Line Meaning
Dearest darlingest momsie and popsical
My dear father
There's been some confusion
A misunderstanding has occurred
Over rooming here at Shiz
About our accommodations here at Shiz University
But of course, I'll care for Nessa
I will take care of Nessa
But of course, I'll rise above it
And I will not let this situation bring me down
For I know that's how you'd want me to respond
Because that is what you would have wanted me to do
Yes, there's been some confusion
Indeed, there has been some misunderstanding
For you see, my room-mate is
You see, my roommate is
Unusually and exceedingly peculiar
Extraordinarily strange and difficult to describe
And altogether quite impossible to describe
And very hard to explain in words
Blonde
She is blonde
What is this feeling
What is this emotion
So sudden and new?
That is so new and sudden
I felt the moment
I felt it right away
I laid eyes on you
When I saw you for the first time
My pulse is rushing
My heartbeat quickens
My head is reeling
My mind is in a whirl
My face is flushing
My face is becoming red
What is this feeling?
What is the name of this emotion?
Fervid as a flame
Intensely passionate
Does it have a name?
Is there a specific name for this feeling?
Yes!
Yes!
Loathing
It is loathing
Unadulterated loathing
Pure and complete hatred
For your face
For your appearance
Your voice
For the way you speak
Your clothing
For your attire
Let's just say, I loathe it all!
To put it simply, I hate all of it!
Every little trait, however small
Even the smallest characteristic
Makes my very flesh begin to crawl
Makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable
With simple utter loathing
With complete and utter hatred
There's a strange exhilaration
It creates a strange sense of excitement
In such total detestation
In the midst of such intense detestation
It's so pure! So strong!
It's so unadulterated and powerful!
Though I do admit it came on fast
Though I must admit, it happened quickly
Still I do believe that it can last
But I do believe that it can continue
And I will be loathing
And I will continue to hate
Loathing you
Hating you
My whole life long!
For the rest of my life!
Dear Glinda, you are just too good!
Oh Glinda, you are too kind!
How do you stand it? I don't think I could!
How can you tolerate it? I don't think I could!
She's a terror! She's a tartar!
She's a nightmare! She's awful!
We don't mean to show a bias
We don't want to seem biased
But Glinda you're a martyr!
But Glinda, you are a saint!
Well, these things are sent to try us!
Well, these things happen to test us!
Poor Glinda, forced to reside
Oh poor Glinda, having to live
With someone so disgusticified
With someone so disgusting
We just want to tell you
We just want to say
We're all on your side!
We're all supporting you!
Truly, deeply loathing you loathing you
Genuinely and completely hating you, hating you
Unadulterated loathing
Pure and complete hatred
Boo!
Boo!
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KAREN ANN POOLE, PAUL JOHN HARRIS, IAN KENNETH MASTERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind