This week's video comes from the Broadway Musical Wicked. It's a powerful story of a friendship, that takes two witches down two different paths. The song expresses so clearly where the LGBT Movement is right now: the insider vs. outsider strategies, the principled vs. pragmatic philosophies, and the comprehensive vs. incremental approaches. The inspiring lyrics are pasted below for you to read.
Glinda the Good Witch could be HRC or Gay Inc. Elphaba could be the irreverent LGBT blogosphere or new groups doing direct action such as Get Equal and Queer Rising. And the Wizard represents, no other than President Obama and Congress.
And for the LGBT activist in me, this is one of the most inspiring songs out there for those fighting for full equal rights against what seems to be such an overwhelming circumstances.
Could this be the LGBT movements new civil rights anthem?
GLINDA:(spoken)
Elphaba – why couldn't you have stayed calm for
once, instead of flying off the handle!
(sung) I hope you're happy!
I hope you're happy now
I hope you're happy how you
Hurt your cause forever
I hope you think you're clever!ELPHABA
I hope you're happy
I hope you're happy, too
I hope you're proud how you
Would grovel in submission
To feed your own ambitionBOTH
So though I can't imagine how
I hope you're happy right nowGLINDA
(spoken) Elphie, listen to me. Just say you're sorry:
(sung) You can still be with the Wizard
What you've worked and waited for
You can have all you ever wanted:ELPHABA
(spoken) I know:
(sung) But I don't want it -
No – I can't want it
Anymore:Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules
Of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes: and leap!It's time to try
Defying gravity
I think I'll try
Defying gravity
And you can't pull me down!GLINDA
Can't I make you understand?
You're having delusions of grandeur:ELPHABA
I'm through accepting limits
"cause someone says they're so
Some things I cannot change
But till I try, I'll never know!
Too long I've been afraid of
Losing love I guess I've lost
Well, if that's love
It comes at much too high a cost!
I'd sooner buy
Defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye
I'm defying gravity
And you can't pull me down:
(spoken) Glinda – come with me. Think of what we could
do: together.(sung) Unlimited
Together we're unlimited
Together we'll be the greatest team
There's ever been
Glinda -
Dreams, the way we planned 'emGLINDA
If we work in tandem:BOTH
There's no fight we cannot win
Just you and I
Defying gravity
With you and I
Defying gravityELPHABA
They'll never bring us down!
(spoken) Well? Are you coming?GLINDA
I hope you're happy
Now that you're choosing thisELPHABA
(spoken) You too
(sung) I hope it brings you blissBOTH
I really hope you get it
And you don't live to regret it
I hope you're happy in the end
I hope you're happy, my friend:ELPHABA So if you care to find me
Look to the western sky!
As someone told me lately:
"Ev'ryone deserves the chance to fly!"
And if I'm flying solo
At least I'm flying free
To those who'd ground me
Take a message back from me
Tell them how I am
Defying gravity
I'm flying high
Defying gravity
And soon I'll match them in renown
And nobody in all of Oz
No Wizard that there is or was
Is ever gonna bring me down!GLINDA
I hope you're happy!CITIZENS OF OZ
Look at her, she's wicked!
Get her!ELPHABA
:Bring me down!CITIZENS OF OZ
No one mourns the wicked
So we've got to bring herELPHABA
Ahhh!CITIZENS OF OZ
Down!
--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy
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