Bad Song Showdown: Which Version is Better, the Movie or the Broadway OST?
The Bad film forced me to do something I never thought I would do: actively choose to listen to the film musical versions of certain songs instead of the original Broadway cast recording. While movie musicals sometimes have one or two songs that stand out, like Reneé Rapp’s sultry cover of “World Burn” in the Mean girls musical film, they usually pale in comparison to the Broadway versions. Sometimes it’s just that the originals are so iconic in people’s minds. Sometimes it’s because musicals usually cast famous actors instead of good singers.
But in 2024 Badthe majority of the songs, largely sung by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, do just now just as good as the original recordings with Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel. Some film tracks are, dare I say, even better than their stage equivalents.
I know, I know – it’s blasphemy in musical theater. But I have reasons!
Bad is now available on VOD to watch at homeso we have a good excuse to compare them all again. Here’s a track-by-track comparison of all the songs in the film and its Broadway versions Badwith my picks for (and defense of) which ones should be more… popular.
(Ed. remark: General spoilers for the plot of Badas told through these songs.)
“No one mourns for the wicked”
On the Broadway soundtrack, Glinda (Chenoweth) sounds as if she is processing the news of Elphaba’s death in real time, posing as the PR arm of the Ozian government. But Ariana Grande sings it as if she’s mourning an event she already knows. She brings a depth to this song that kicks me right in the heart. She sings it as if she is mourning the loss of a great love. (And given everything she’s said about Glinda and Elphaba’s relationship, I’m inclined to believe this was intentional!)
A friend of mine pointed out a specific difference in line delivery that haunts me. It is towards the end, when Glinda begins to echo the ensemble. When the ensemble “She died alone!” sings, Glinda repeats it. Chenoweth delivers the phrase with equal emphasis on each word, but Grande lingers on the “alone” and draws it out. It comes at about the 6:34 mark on the Spotify track above. It’s absolutely heartbreaking!
Winner: Broadway OST version
At just over a minute long, this is one of the shorter, less fun and less meaningful songs. Both versions are solid, but there’s something more Oomf to the harmonies in the original.
Winner: Broadway OST version
I appreciate Cynthia Erivo’s take on Elphaba, which is more reserved and shy than Idina Menzel’s approach. It’s a great look at the character! As such, her version of “The Wizard and I” is more subdued. It’s a fitting choice for this version of the character. But Menzel’s triumphant take on the song is so fundamental! It’s rising! It’s an “I Want” song, but with an extra layer of dramatic irony, because we know how this story ends for Elphaba.
“What kind of feeling is this?”
Winner: Broadway OST Version
The movie version is really damn good – I love the initial back-and-forth banter in this version so much, especially with the extra emphasis on certain line deliveries to fit the specific situation of the two girls trying and failing falling asleep in the same room.
But the original has an almost palpable ferocity, especially towards the end, when Elphaba and Glinda sing along together. Erivo and Grande’s voices work a bit at well here, blending together seamlessly, as Chenoweth and Menzel’s vocals collide in a way that gives the song a wonderfully layered texture.
Winner: Broadway OST Version
It comes down to the delivery of “Yeaaaaaa”, and the original just does it better.
‘Dancing through life’
Winner: Movie version – but just barely
More than any other song in this competition, this was one Real damn close. The original is full of fun, spirited moments between characters, and Norbert Leo Butz (the original Fiyero) has a beautifully rich quality to his voice. But man, Jonathan Bailey in the film elevates the sensuality of Fiyero and puts a fun, jazzy spin on the song. The synths in the background also add a wonderfully effervescent quality that really sells the whole “mindless, painless” energy. It feels more like a party song!
“Dancing Through Life” is also heavy on the dialogue exchange, with Boq asking Glinda out, and Nessarose telling Elphaba about her exciting plans for the future. The film allows these interactions to shine through, with a greater focus on how the characters deliver the lines. It works in a more subtle way than Broadway theater, where the cast has to project to hit all those balcony seats.
Winner: Broadway OST Version
Listen, Ari came by! It’s a fantastic cover! But while her version is fluffy and sweet like cotton candy, Chenoweth’s is the excited sugar rush of a can of Red Bull at 3 a.m. — and that’s exactly what Glinda experiences in that scene.
‘I’m not that girl’
Now with this Elphaba song, Erivo’s version shines above Menzel’s. In a movie, the song can be softer and more intimate, and therefore more heartbreaking as Elphaba watches Fiyero and Glinda, singing about the pain she feels, knowing she will never be what she thinks he is looking for.
The OST version always fell middle of the road for me. However, the film version is at the top of my list. It has a fantastic build-up that really feels like we’re watching the glorious Emerald City unfold in real time. Also! The percussion is just so damn catchy. I can’t listen to this without nodding along to the drums and cymbals. The movie version Also features Menzel and Chenoweth’s cameo in the extended Wizomania section, adding even more fun.
It’s really hard to make this song interesting, but at least Jeff Goldblum’s version didn’t put me to sleep!
Winner: Broadway OST version
It’s not that the movie version is bad. Far from it, actually! Even with the choppy breaks and extra fluff (which give inexperienced singers a moment to catch their breath while singing along, but really cramp the tempo), it’s still fantastic. I love Erivo’s take on the ending riff, and how desperate Grande sounds.
But the original is just pure magic. The back and forth between Glinda and Elphaba is tight and tense, and it all escalates with perfect timing, building more and more to that final big note. It’s iconic for a reason, and there’s probably no chance of a cover ever bringing down the original.
We only get a chance to evaluate the second act of the musical Bad: forever hits theaters in November, but if part one of the film is any indication, I might swap out some of the OST versions while listening.