March of the Witch Hunters
Wicked [Broadway 2004 October 19 Cast] Lyrics
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Go and hunt her
And find her
And kill her
Vicious Woman
Good fortune, Witch Hunters!
Go and hunt her
And find her
And kill her
Rabid Man
Kill the Witch!
Ozians
Wickedness must be punished
Evil effectively eliminated
Wickedness must be punished
Kill the Witch!
Tin Man
And this is more than just a service to the Wizard. I have a personal score to settle with Elph—with the Witch!
It's due to her I'm made of tin
Her spell made this occur
So, for once I'm glad I'm heartless
I'll be heartless killing her!
And the lion also has a grievance to repay
If she'd let him fight his own battles when he was young
He wouldn't be a coward today!
All
Kill her!
Kill the witch!
Wickedness must be punished
Brave Witch hunters, I would join you if I could
Because wickedness must be punished
Punished
Punished
For good!
The song, "March of the Witch Hunters," from the musical Wicked, is an intense and powerful ensemble number that calls for the persecution and punishment of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. The Ozians, who have been swayed by propaganda, uniforms, and rousing chants, express their desire to hunt, find, and kill Elphaba in order to eliminate wickedness from their society. The song is a commentary on fear-mongering, propaganda, and the dangers that arise when people blindly follow leaders and ideologies without question.
The song starts with the Ozians, who have been influenced by the propaganda spread by the Wizard and his government, chanting for Elphaba's capture and execution. The Vicious Woman wishes the hunters good luck on their mission, and the Rabid Man screams for the Witch's death. The iron-fisted ideology of the Wizard, along with the fear of the unknown and the different, has turned the Ozians into ruthless, bloodthirsty witch hunters. The Tin Man and the Lion express their personal grievances against Elphaba, blaming her for their situations, and the chorus encourages and supports the proposed witch hunt.
The song is a cautionary tale about the dangers of propaganda, fear-mongering, and blind obedience. It is a reminder to question authority and ideologies, rather than blindly following what is presented as truth. The song also illustrates how easy it is to be swayed by emotion, especially fear-induced emotions, and the consequences that come with such decisions.
Line by Line Meaning
Go and hunt her
Search for the Witch
And find her
Locate the Witch
And kill her
End the Witch's life
Good fortune, Witch Hunters!
May luck be on your side in finding and killing the Witch
Kill the Witch!
Murder the Witch
Wickedness must be punished
Evil must face consequences
Evil effectively eliminated
Wickedness must be eradicated
Kill the Witch!
The only solution to dealing with the Witch
And this is more than just a service to the Wizard. I have a personal score to settle with Elph—with the Witch!
I have a personal reason for wanting the Witch dead, beyond just following the Wizard's orders.
It's due to her I'm made of tin
The Witch is responsible for my current state of being made of tin
Her spell made this occur
The Witch's magical spell is the cause of my transformation to tin
So, for once I'm glad I'm heartless
I am grateful that I am lacking a heart, as it makes killing the Witch easier
And the lion also has a grievance to repay
The lion has a personal issue to resolve with the Witch
If she'd let him fight his own battles when he was young
The Witch prevented the lion from developing his courage by fighting his battles for him when he was young
He wouldn't be a coward today!
The lion's current cowardice is a result of the Witch interfering in his upbringing
Brave Witch hunters, I would join you if I could
I support the effort to punish wickedness, though I cannot physically assist
Punished
The Witch must face justice
Punished
The consequences for wickedness must be severe
Punished
The punishment for the Witch's actions is necessary and just
For good!
The punishment must be final and permanent
Contributed by William V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.