View source for For Good

{{about|the song|the 2025 film|Wicked: For Good{{!}}''Wicked: For Good''|the ''Supergirl'' episode|For Good (Supergirl){{!}}For Good (''Supergirl'')}}

{{Infobox song
| name     = For Good
| artist   = [[Idina Menzel]] and [[Kristin Chenoweth]]
| album    = [[Wicked (musical album)|Wicked]]
| released = December 16, 2003
| recorded = November 10, 2003
| genre    = [[Musical theatre]], [[Pop music|pop]], [[show tune]]
| label    = [[Decca Broadway]]
| writer   = [[Stephen Schwartz (composer)|Stephen Schwartz]]
| producer =
}}

"'''For Good'''" is a [[music|musical number]] from the hit 2003 musical ''[[Wicked (musical)|Wicked]]'' and the [[Wicked: For Good|titular second film]] of its [[Wicked (film franchise)|two-part film adaptation]]. It is sung as a [[duet]] between [[Elphaba]] (the [[Wicked Witch of the West]]) and [[Glinda]] (the Good Witch of the North) as a farewell. The song's score and lyrics were written by composer [[Stephen Schwartz (composer)|Stephen Schwartz]].

==Lyrics==
The song's lyrics concern how both Elphaba and Glinda have been changed by their friendship with each other. Glinda begins by saying that, while she doesn't know if it is true that people come into each other's lives for a reason, "I know I'm who I am today because I knew you." Similarly, Elphaba tells Glinda that "whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend." Elphaba also asks Glinda to forgive her for anything she might have done wrong, to which Glinda replies that "there's blame to share", but both agree that "none of it seems to matter anymore". Schwartz commented after the show premiered that for the opening of the song, he asked his daughter what she would say if she would never see her best friend again, and her answer became the first verse of "For Good".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.musicalschwartz.com/wicked-for-good.htm |title="For Good" from Wicked the Musical |website=MusicalSchwartz.com |publisher=Scene 1 Arts LLC |language=en |access-date=2018-06-26}}</ref>

==Critical reception==
''[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]'' ranked the song as the third-best from the'' Wicked'' score, describing it as "not particularly inventive", "comically heavy-handed", and almost overtaken by "flowery [[Schmaltz#Derived meanings|schmaltz]]", while ultimately concluding that the earned emotion that the show has built through the duo's relationship can "excuse all manner of lyrical sins".<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.vulture.com/2013/10/wicked-at-10-ranking-the-broadway-hits-songs.html|title=Wicked at 10: Ranking the Broadway Hit's Songs|date=2013-10-30 |work=Vulture |access-date=2018-06-22 |language=en}}</ref> ''[[Playbill]]'' ranked it the seventh-best [[Stephen Schwartz]] song, deeming it less flashy than other ''Wicked'' songs, unique, powerful, meaningful and an insight into how relationships make people grow.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.playbill.com/article/youre-gonna-be-popular-the-top-14-songs-by-stephen-schwartz-com-331497|title='You're Gonna Be Popular': The Top 14 Songs by Stephen Schwartz {{!}} Playbill |website=Playbill|language=en|access-date=2018-06-22}}</ref>

==Other versions and usage in media==
*Internet personalities [[Sam Tsui]] and [[Nick Pitera]], recorded a cover that has been uploaded to their respective YouTube channels.<ref>{{YouTube|lQYmSfLAbJ8}}{{primary source inline|date=January 2025}}</ref>
*Portions of the original version of the song were used at the ending of the September 4, 2013 repeat episode of the game show ''[[Wheel of Fortune (U.S. game show)|Wheel of Fortune]]'', as a tribute to director Mark Corwin, who died on July 25, 2013.<ref>{{YouTube |hDbB0OA-Qmk |Wheel of Fortune - Mark Corwin Tribute (Sept. 4, 2013)}}{{primary source inline|date=January 2025}}</ref>
*The song appeared in Glee episode "[[New York (Glee)|New York]]", and featured as a duet between Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel, Lea Michele and Chris Colfer, respectively.
*Kristin Chenoweth herself sang the song at the funeral for fellow [[The West Wing]] cast-mate [[John Spencer (actor)|John Spencer]].
*[[Heather Headley]] covered the song on her 2018 album [[Broadway My Way]].
*[[Cynthia Erivo]] and [[Ariana Grande]] are set to perform the song in the [[Wicked: For Good|second part]] of [[Universal Pictures]]' [[Wicked (film franchise)|''Wicked'' film adaptation]], which shares the same subtitle.
*[[Rachel Bay Jones]] covered the song on her 2009 album ''ShowFolk''.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Wicked}}
{{Wicked films}}
{{Idina Menzel}}
{{Kristin Chenoweth}}
{{Lea Michele}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:2000s ballads]]
[[Category:2003 songs]]
[[Category:female vocal duets]]
[[Category:Idina Menzel songs]]
[[Category:Kristin Chenoweth songs]]
[[Category:Lea Michele songs]]
[[Category:pop ballads]]
[[Category:songs from Wicked (musical)]]
[[Category:songs written by Stephen Schwartz (composer)]]