I'm Not That Girl
Wicked [Broadway 2004 October 19 Cast] 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...
"I'm Not That Girl" is a poignant song from the Broadway musical Wicked, composed by Stephen Schwartz. The song is sung by Elphaba, the green-skinned witch of the West, who is in love with Fiyero, the prince of Emerald City. The lyrics describe Elphaba's unrequited love for Fiyero and her realization that he is in love with someone else. The first verse sets the tone of the song as Elphaba becomes aware of her feelings and the impossibility of the situation. She describes the physical sensation of hands touching and eyes meeting, which causes a sudden silence and heat, and her heart leaping in a giddy whirl. However, Elphaba knows that she cannot have Fiyero and that he could be the boy she dreams of, but she is not the girl that he loves.
The second verse expresses Elphaba's frustration with her situation and her counsel to herself not to dream too far and not to lose sight of who she is. She warns herself not to remember that rush of joy, as it would only cause her more pain. Elphaba acknowledges that sometimes people wish to steal away to the land of what-might-have-been, but that imagining what could have been will not lessen the ache she feels when reality sets back in. The final verse describes the ideal "girl" that Fiyero has chosen, which Elphaba knows she is not. She describes the girl in detail – blithe smile, lithe limb, gold hair with a gentle curl – and recognizes that she is not that girl. Elphaba tells herself not to wish or start, as wishing only wounds the heart. She acknowledges that she was not meant to be the rose or the pearl and that Fiyero loves another girl, whom she knows but does not name.
Overall, "I'm Not That Girl" is a powerful expression of unrequited love and the pain it can cause. The song is poignant and emotional, highlighting Elphaba's turmoil and her struggle to accept the reality of her situation. It is a relatable song for anyone who has experienced the pain of loving someone they cannot have, and its popularity with audiences reflects the universal appeal of its message.
Line by Line Meaning
Hands touch, eyes meet
Two people have made physical contact and made eye contact
Sudden silence, sudden heat
The interaction causes a sudden silence, accompanied by a feeling of warmth
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl
Their hearts race with excitement
He could be that boy
Referring to the person they are interested in
But I'm not that girl
However, the artist realizes that they are not the person the other is interested in
Don't dream too far
Don't get too carried away with hopes and dreams
Don't lose sight of who you are
Stay true to oneself
Don't remember that rush of joy
Don't dwell on the brief excitement that came with the interaction
Ev'ry so often we long to steal
Occasionally, people wish to escape reality
To the land of what-might-have-been
They wish to imagine what could have been
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel
However, this does not lessen the pain they feel when they return to reality
When reality sets back in
Upon returning to reality
Blithe smile, lithe limb
The girl who the other person is interested in is described as carefree and graceful
She who's winsome, she wins him
She is charming and has won the affection of the person the singer is interested in
Gold hair with a gentle curl
The girl has gold, curly hair
That's the girl he chose
The person of interest has chosen the other girl
And Heaven knows
God knows
I'm not that girl
The singer acknowledges that they are not the girl the person of interest has chosen
Don't wish, don't start
The singer advises against continuing to wish for something that can never be
Wishing only wounds the heart
Continuing to wish for something that can never be only causes pain
I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl
The artist is not meant to have a life of luxury and romance
There's a girl I know
The artist knows of the girl the person of interest has chosen
He loves her so
The person of interest loves the other girl very much
I'm not that girl...
The artist accepts that they are not the chosen one and moves on
Contributed by Alexandra M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@coffeecomicsnerd7181
Story of my life.... Summed up in one song
@laurencreel2247
real
@maggieh.silino6970
I listen to this song everytime I need to snap myself out of a delulu. Hasn't failed me so far.
@lambinmaryland7181
This is such a sad and touchy song.
@Ladyginzberg
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 lose sight of who you are
Don't remember that rush of joy
He could be that boy
I'm not that girl
Every 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
@AveryWachtel-vq2il
I’m singing this for my audition soon!
@AcerThompson-et2ex
good luck, you’ll smash it! 😊
@shookyscousin
AHHHH HOW DID IT GO??????
@simplycinderfella3418
Cynthia Erivo bought to tear this song up!! 💯💯💯💯💯🔥🔥🔥