Thank Goodness

Thank Goodness is the opening number of Act II in the musical, Wicked. It is sung by Glinda, Madame Morrible and the citizens of Oz.

Elphaba is now feared throughout the land of Oz, while Glinda tries to take the citizens' mind off Elphaba and announce her engagement to Fiyero. Fiyero, hearing the lies about Elphaba, storms off, leaving Glinda with Madame Morrible and the Ozians. Glinda tries to convince herself that she is happy with the way things are now, while admitting that things aren't exactly what she had expected and wondering what she has lost in the process.

On the original Broadway cast recording Thank Goodness is sung by Kristin Chenoweth, Carole Shelley, Norbert Leo Butz, and the original Broadway ensemble.

The lyrics in a different section is the ones that is spoken in the production but not included in the original recording. The lyrics vary from each production.

For the film Wicked: For Good, the song has been portioned into the sections "Every Day More Wicked" and "Thank Goodness / I Couldn't Be Happier."

Musical Lyrics[]

Citizens of Oz:
Ev'ry day, more Wicked!
Ev'ry day, the terror grows!
All of Oz is ever on alert!
That's the way with Wicked
Spreading fear where e'er she goes
Seeking out new victims she can hurt

Woman:
Like some terrible green blizzard
Throughout the land she flies!

Man:
Defaming our poor Wizard

All:
With her calumnies and lies!
She lies!
Save us from the Wicked
Shield us so we won't be hexed!
Give us warning
Where will she strike next?
Where will she strike next?
Where will she strike next?

Glinda:
(spoken) Fellow Ozians, as terrifying as terror is, let us put aside our panic for this one day, and celebrate!
(sung) Oh, what a celebration
We'll have today

Crowd:
Thank Goodness

Glinda:
Let's have a celebration
The Glinda way!

Crowd:
Thank Goodness

Madame Morrible:
Fin'lly a day that's
Totally Wicked-Witch free!

Crowd:
We couldn't be happier
Thank Goodness

Glinda:
Yes, we couldn't be happier
Right, dear?
Couldn't be happier
Right here
Look what we've got
A faity tale plot
Our very own happy ending
Where we couldn't be happier
True, dear?
Couldn't be happier
And we're happy to share
Our ending vicariously
With all of you
He couldn't look handsomer
I couldn't feel humbler
We couldn't be happier
Because happy is what happens
When all your dreams come true!

Madame Morrible:
(spoken) And Glinda, dear, we're happy for you! As Press Secretary, I have striven to ensure that all of Oz knows the story of your braverism.
(sung) The day you were first summoned
To an audience with Oz
And although he would not tell you why initially
When you bowed before his throne
He decreed you'd hence be known
As Glinda the Good, officially
Then with a jealous squeal
The Wicked Witch burst from concealment
Where she had been lurking, surreptitially!

Crowd:
I hear she has an extra eye
That always remains awake
I hear that she can shed her skin
As easily as a snake!
I hear some rebel animals
Are giving her food and shelter!
I hear her soul is so unclean
Pure water can melt her

Fiyero:
What?!

Crowd:
Melt her?
Please, somebody go and melt her!

Fiyero:
(spoken) Do you hear that? Water will melt her? People are so empty-headed, they'll believe anything

Glinda:
(spoken) Fiyero! Oh, yes. Thanks plenty, dearest. He's gone to fetch me a refreshment. He's so thoughtful that way!
(sung) That's why I couldn't be happier
No, I couldn't be happier
Though it is, I admit
The tiniest bit
Unlike I anticipated
But I couldn't be happier
Simply couldn't be happier
(spoken) Well, not simply.
(sung) 'Cause getting your dreams
It's strange
But it seems
A little - well - complicated
There's a kind of, a sort of cost
There's a couple of things get lost
There are bridges you cross
You didn't know you crossed
Until you've crossed
And if that joy, that thrill
Doesn't thrill like you think it will
Still, with this perfect finale
The cheers and ballyhoo
Who wouldn't be happier
So I couldn't be happier
Because happy is what happens
When all your dreams come true
Well, isn't it?
Happy is what happens
When your dreams come true!

Crowd:
We love you, Glinda, if we may be so frank

Glinda:
Thank Goodness!

Crowd:
For all this joy
We know who we've got to thank
Thank Goodness!
That means the Wizard, Glinda...

Glinda:
And fiancé!

Crowd:
They couldn't be goodlier
She couldn't be lovelier
We couldn't be luckier

Glinda:
I couldn't be happier

Crowd:
Thank Goodness!

Glinda and Crowd:
Today!
(Thank Goodness for today!)

Wicked: For Good Lyrics[]

For the film Wicked: For Good, the song is portioned into the sections "Every Day More Wicked" and "Thank Goodness/I Couldn't Be Happier."

"Every Day More Wicked"[]

Citizens of Oz:
Every day, more Wicked!
Every day, the terror grows!
All of Oz is ever on alert!
That's the way with Wicked
Spreading fear where e'er she goes
Seeking out new victims she can hurt

Madame Morrible:
Like some terrible green blizzard
Throughout the land she flies!
Defaming our poor Wizard
With her calumnies and lies!

All:
She lies!
She lies!

Save us from the Wicked
Shield us so we won't be hexed!
Give us warning
Where will she strike next?
Where will she strike next?
Where will she strike next?

Elphaba:
(to the tune of "The Wizard and I")
When I stop the Wizard
All Oz will applaud
How I saved them from the Wizard
By revealing he's a fraud
If I can just make them believe in the truth
That all that he says is a lie
That's when they'll finally bid the Wizard goodbye

Glinda's Assistants:
(to the tune of "What Is This Feeling?")
Dearest Glinda, you are still the best
Others are good but you are the goodliest
We feel merry, we feel cheery
Just to gaze on your reflection
Only you disprove the theory that you can't improve perfection

Glinda:
(to the tune of "Popular")
La la, la la

Citizens of Oz:
La la, la la
La la, la la
La la, la la
(background chant of la la la, la la la begins)

La la, la la
La la, la la

Save us from the Wicked
Every night our voices wail
Save us from this fear and victimhood

We believe in Glinda
With her magic, she'll prevail
She will make it end the way it should
When at last the Wicked is defeated by the good

The good
Wicked is defeated by the good.

"Thank Goodness/I Couldn't Be Happier"[]

Glinda:
Oh, what a celebration
We'll have today

Crowd:
Thank Goodness

Glinda:
Let's have a celebration
The Glinda way!

Crowd:
Thank Goodness

Madame Morrible:
Finally a day that's
Totally Wicked-Witch free!

Crowd:
We couldn't be happier
Thank Goodness

Madame Morrible:
Thank goodness for you, Glinda. And your handsome swain, Prince Fiyero, newly appointed captain of the Gale Force. Tell us, Captain, how does it feel being engaged?

Fiyero:
We're engaged?

Glinda:
Surprised?

Fiyero:
Yes.

Glinda:
Good. We hoped you'd be, the Wizard and I.
We couldn't be happier
Right, dear?
Couldn't be happier
Right here
Look what we've got
A faity tale plot
Our very own happy ending
Where we couldn't be happier
True, dear?
Couldn't be happier
And we're happy to share
Our ending vicariously
With all of you
He couldn't look handsomer
I couldn't feel humbler
We couldn't be happier
Because happy is what happens
When all your dreams come true!

Madame Morrible:
And Glinda, dear, we're happy for you! As Press Secretary, I have striven to ensure that all of Oz knows the story of your braverism in the face of the terrifying Wicked Witch of the West.

Woman in crowd:
I hear she has an extra eye
That always remains awake

Another Woman:
I hear that she can shed her skin
As easily as a snake!

Third Woman:
I hear some rebel animals
Are giving her food and shelter!

Man in Crowd:
I hear her soul is so unclean
Pure water can melt her

Crowd:
Melt her?
Please, somebody go and melt her!

Fiyero:
I can't just stand there grinning, pretending to go along with all this.

Glinda:
Fiyero! Thanks plenty, dearest! He's, um, he's gone to fetch me a refreshment. He's so thoughtful that way.
That's why I couldn't be happier
No, I couldn't be happier
Though it is, I admit
The tiniest bit
Unlike I anticipated
But I couldn't be happier
Simply couldn't be happier
Well, not simply.
'Cause getting your dreams
It's strange
But it seems
A little - well - complicated
There's a kind of, a sort of cost
There's a couple of things get lost
There are bridges you cross
You didn't know you crossed
Until you've crossed
And if that joy, that thrill
Doesn't thrill like you think it will
Still, with this perfect finale
The cheers and ballyhoo
Who wouldn't be happier
So I couldn't be happier
Because happy is what happens
When all your dreams come true
Well, isn't it?
Happy is what happens
When your dreams come true!

Crowd:
We love you, Glinda, if we may be so frank

Glinda:
Thank Goodness!

Crowd:
For all this joy
We know who we've got to thank
Thank Goodness!
That means the Wizard, Glinda...

Glinda:
And fiancé!

Crowd:
They couldn't be goodlier
She couldn't be lovelier
We couldn't be luckier

Glinda:
I couldn't be happier

Crowd:
Thank Goodness!

Glinda and Crowd:
Today!
Thank Goodness for today!

Crowd:
Thank Goodness for today!

Trivia[]

In the early readings of the show, "Happy Healing Day" was the song in the place of today's "Thank Goodness".
The song plants the idea of Elphaba being melted by water, stated by a random citizen of Oz. The idea is dismissed scornfully by Fiyero, but Elphaba later uses it to her own advantage.