I Feel Pretty - Wikipedia

Song from West Side Story For the 2018 film, see I Feel Pretty (film).

"I Feel Pretty" is a song written by Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein from the 1957 musical West Side Story.

Production

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The New York Times explained that "Mr. Sondheim…has said he was never particularly fond of his lyrics in 'West Side Story,' especially 'I Feel Pretty'", later expressing that "The idea of the song is so simple".[1]

The original stage version of the lyrics was changed in the making of the 1961 movie version of West Side Story because of a change in the setting of the scene. While the scene took place at night in the original, it was during the day in the movie. Therefore, the lyric 'I feel pretty and witty and bright/And I pity/Any girl who isn't me tonight' changed to 'I feel pretty, and witty and gay/And I pity/Any girl who isn't me today'.[2] The lyrics were changed back to their original form for the 2021 film version.[3]

The song was cut from the 2019 Broadway revival in order to streamline the plot and condense it to a 90-minute intermissionless show.

Steven Spielberg and Sondheim initially wanted to cut the song from the 2021 film, with the former questioning whether the upbeat song would still work without an intermission between it and the rumble.[4] It was ultimately due to the intervention of Tony Kushner that the song remained, as Spielberg later explained, "Tony [Kushner] explained to me, and then I explained to Stephen... that this is the first time in our story that the entire audience is ahead of Maria's story. And the audience will feel very protective of her because we know she’s about to find out."[5]

Synopsis

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In the musical and 2021 film version, Maria is not yet aware that her sweetheart, Tony, has just killed her brother Bernardo, while in the 1961 film version, the song occurs before Bernardo's death. In the bridal salon where she works (in the 1961 film; Gimbels in the 2021 film), Maria sings about being happy and feeling beautiful because she is "loved by a pretty wonderful boy", while her work colleagues tease her about her silly behavior. Robert Cummings of AllMusic comments that the song "features one of Bernstein's more memorable melodies: its first four notes, deliciously rhythmic in their rising contour, repeat, then are reduced to three, then to two. …Bernstein's instrumentation colors the music with a Latin character…and so does the girls' chorus that enters midway through. Stephen Sondheim's lyrics deftly capture Maria's bliss and newfound sense of confidence".[6]

Reception

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Birmingham Mail described the song as "delightful",[7] while The Tab deemed it a "classic".[8] Applause Meter called it "sweetly charming"[9] and VCOnStage called it "operatic".[10]

Cover versions

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The song has been covered by many artists,[11] including Annie Ross and Julie Andrews. Little Richard covered the song as part of the 1996 RCA Victor tribute album The Songs of West Side Story.[12]

The song was mashed up with the song "Unpretty" by TLC in a Glee episode to create "I Feel Pretty/Unpretty", a duet that attempts to show the irony in people feeling pretty on the outside but unpretty on the inside.[citation needed]

Parodies

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• On the children's show Sesame Street, episode 3522 (repeated as episode 3680), Oscar the Grouch's girlfriend, Grundgetta, is going to school to become a Grouch beautician. Upon explaining just that, she sings "I Feel Yucky" (a parody of "I Feel Pretty"), expressing how yucky she looks and feels, and how she wants everyone to look and feel that yucky also.[13]
• The Simpsons parodies this song in Season 11 Episode 3 "Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?". Homer gets the perfect side job when he becomes the chief restaurant critic for The Springfield Shopper newspaper. In response, he celebrates by breaking out in song ("Homer's Food Song").[citation needed]
• On a 1975 episode of Saturday Night Live, guest host Madeline Kahn plays the Bride of Frankenstein, who rises from the slab and sings this song.
• In the Friends episode "The One with Chandler's Dad", Charles Bing (Kathleen Turner) sings the movie version of the song, with the lyrics "I feel pretty, and witty and gay".
• In the 1995 VeggieTales film Are You My Neighbor?, a version called "I'm Busy" is sung in the "Story of Flibber-o-loo" segment.
• In the 2003 film Anger Management, Buddy Rydell (Jack Nicholson) teases Dave Buznik (Adam Sandler) to sing "I Feel Pretty" in the middle of the Queensboro bridge.[14]
• In T-Mobile's Super Bowl LVI commercial, which aired during the game on February 13, 2022, Zach Braff and Donald Faison (referencing their role in Scrubs) sing a parody of the song with the lyrics changed to being about 5G home internet, with Braff griping "about overpaying for the internet," while Faison boasts about his affordable deal.[15]

References

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1. ^ "Same City, New Story". The New York Times. March 29, 2009 [March 15, 2009]. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
2. ^ "The Official West Side Story Site -- Lyrics -- I Feel Pretty". Archived from the original on 2018-01-11. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
3. ^ Bouzereau, Laurent (2021). West Side Story the Making of the Steven Spielberg Film. ISBN 9781419750632.
4. ^ Cristi, A.A. "Steven Spielberg Wanted to Cut 'I Feel Pretty' from WEST SIDE STORY". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
5. ^ "West Side Story: Steven Spielberg Reveals He Wanted to Cut 'I Feel Pretty'". 24 February 2022.
6. ^ Cummings, Robert. "Leonard Bernstein: 'I Feel Pretty', song", Allmusic, accessed February 12, 2016
7. ^ "Review: West Side Story at the New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham - Roz Laws". Birminghammail.co.uk. 2014-04-03. Retrieved 2015-05-04.
8. ^ "Review: West Side Story". Exeter.tab.co.uk. 2014-02-03. Archived from the original on 2015-05-05. Retrieved 2015-05-04.
9. ^ "West Side Story – Review". Applause-meter.com. 12 February 2014. Retrieved 2015-05-04.
10. ^ "Theater League's 'West Side Story' – A Revival of Rumbles and Romance". Vconstage.com. Retrieved 2015-05-04.
11. ^ "I Feel Pretty", SecondHandSongs.com, accessed February 12, 2016
12. ^ "The Songs Of West Side Story", Amazon, accessed March 25, 2017
13. ^ "Sesame Street - I Feel Yucky". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
14. ^ "Anger Management - I Feel Pretty". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
15. ^ "Zach Braff and Donald Faison on Their 'Scrubs' Reunion for T-Mobile's Super Bowl Ad". The Hollywood Reporter. 16 February 2022.

External links

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• "I Feel Pretty" lyrics at The Official West Side Story Site
• "I Feel Pretty" (1961 film version) on YouTube
• "I Feel Pretty" (2021 film version) on YouTube
• "I Feel Pretty" (1961/2021 supercut) on YouTube

v t e Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's West Side Story (1957)
Inspiration	William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
Adaptations	Symphonic Dances from West Side Story (1961) West Side Story (1961 film) West Side Story Suite (1995 ballet) West Side Story (2021 film) accolades
Variations	Swango (2002 musical) West Bank Story (2005 parody film)
Songs	Act 1 "Something's Coming" "Maria" "Tonight" "America" "Cool" "One Hand, One Heart" "Tonight (Quintet & Chorus)" Act 2 "I Feel Pretty" "Somewhere" "Gee, Officer Krupke" "A Boy like That"
Albums	West Side Story (1957 original cast) West Side Story (1959 Previn) West Side Story (1961 soundtrack) West Side Story (1961 Tjader) Bernstein Plays Brubeck Plays Bernstein (1961 Brubeck Quartet) West Side Story (1962 Peterson Trio) Kenton's West Side Story (1962 Kenton) Toshiko–Mariano Quartet (in West Side) (1963 Akiyoshi) West Side Story (1974 Earl Hines) West Side Story (2021 soundtrack)
Related	"The First Time" "Upper West Side Story" Wild Side Story China Girl "Roses" Josh Superjail! "La Borinqueña" (used in 2021 film)

v t e Leonard Bernstein
List of compositions Awards
Opera and operetta	Trouble in Tahiti (1951) Candide (1956) A Quiet Place (1983)
Musicals	On the Town (1944) "New York, New York" "Lonely Town" Peter Pan (1950) Wonderful Town (1953) "Ohio" West Side Story (1957) "A Boy Like That" "America" "Cool" "Gee, Officer Krupke" "I Feel Pretty" "Maria" "One Hand, One Heart" "Something's Coming" "Somewhere" Tonight" "Tonight Quintet" A Party with Betty Comden and Adolph Green (1958, collaboration) The Race to Urga (1968) 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (1976) The Madwoman of Central Park West (1979, contribution)
Ballet	Fancy Free (1944) Dybbuk (1974)
Orchestral music	Symphony No. 1 (Jeremiah) (1942) Symphony No. 2 (The Age of Anxiety) (1948–49, revised 1965) Symphony No. 3 (Kaddish) (1963) Fanfare for the Inauguration of John F. Kennedy (1961) CBS Music (1976) Slava! A Political Overture (1977) Divertimento (1980) Concerto for Orchestra (1986, 1988, 1989, originally Jubilee Games)
Concertante	Prelude, Fugue and Riffs (1948) Serenade after Plato's "Symposium" (1954) Ḥalil (1981)
Chamber music	Piano Trio (1937) Clarinet Sonata (1942) Dance Suite (1989)
Choral	Hashkiveinu (1945) Chichester Psalms (1965) "Olympic Hymn" (1981) Missa Brevis (1988)
Vocal	Psalm 148 (art song, 1935) I Hate Music (song cycle, 1943) La Bonne Cuisine (song cycle, 1947) "So Pretty" (1968) Songfest: A Cycle of American Poems for Six Singers and Orchestra (1977) "My Twelve Tone Melody" (1988)
Piano music	Non troppo presto (Music for the Dance No. 1) (1937) Music for the Dance No. 2 (1938) Sonata for the Piano (1938) Anniversaries (1942—1988) Seven Ann. (1942–43) Four Ann. (1948) Five Ann. (1949–51) Thirteen Ann. (1988) Four Sabras (ca. 1950) Bridal Suite (1960) Touches (1980)
Other compositions	The Lark (incidental music) (1955) Mass (1971) Opening Prayer (1986)
Film adaptations	On the Town (1949 film) West Side Story (1961 film) West Side Story (2021 film)
Books	The Joy of Music
Related articles	Academy for the Love of Learning Artful Learning Bernstein–Mahler cycle Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts New York Philharmonic concert of April 6, 1962 Pacific Music Festival These Radical Chic Evenings (1970 essay) The Unanswered Question (lecture series) Young People's Concerts Maestro (2023 film) soundtrack
Category

v t e Stephen Sondheim
Works Awards and nominations
Musicals	Saturday Night West Side Story (lyrics only) Gypsy (lyrics only) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Anyone Can Whistle Do I Hear a Waltz? (lyrics only) Evening Primrose The Race to Urga (unproduced, lyrics only) Company Follies A Little Night Music The Frogs Pacific Overtures Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Merrily We Roll Along Sunday in the Park with George Into the Woods Assassins Passion Road Show Here We Are
Film adaptations	West Side Story (1961) Gypsy (1962) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966) A Little Night Music (1977) Gypsy (1993) Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) Company (2011) Into the Woods (2014) West Side Story (2021) Merrily We Roll Along (TBA)
Musical revues	Side by Side by Sondheim Marry Me a Little Putting It Together Sondheim on Sondheim Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends
Songs	"Something's Coming" "Maria" "Tonight" "America" "Cool" "One Hand, One Heart" "Tonight Quintet" "I Feel Pretty" "Somewhere" "Gee, Officer Krupke" "A Boy Like That" "Let Me Entertain You" "Everything's Coming Up Roses" "Together, Wherever We Go" "You Gotta Get a Gimmick" "Rose's Turn" "The Boy From..." "Company" "Getting Married Today" "The Ladies Who Lunch" "Being Alive" "I'm Still Here" "Could I Leave You?" "Losing My Mind" "Send In the Clowns" "Not While I'm Around" "No One Is Alone" "Sooner or Later"
Books	Finishing the Hat
Documentaries	Original Cast Album: Company (1970) Six by Sondheim (2013) Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened (2016)
Screenplays and play	Topper (1953–54) The Last of Sheila (1973) Getting Away with Murder (1996)
Concert celebrations	Sondheim! The Birthday Concert (2010) Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration (2020)

v t e Little Richard
Studio albums	Here's Little Richard Little Richard The Fabulous Little Richard Pray Along with Little Richard Pray Along with Little Richard (Vol 2) The King of the Gospel Singers Little Richard Is Back (And There's a Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On!) Little Richard's Greatest Hits The Wild and Frantic Little Richard The Explosive Little Richard The Rill Thing Mr. Big The King of Rock and Roll The Second Coming Right Now! Talkin' 'bout Soul Little Richard Live God's Beautiful City Lifetime Friend Shake It All About Little Richard Meets Masayoshi Takanaka Southern Child
Live albums	The Incredible Little Richard Sings His Greatest Hits - Live! Little Richard's Greatest Hits: Recorded Live!
Singles	"Tutti Frutti" "Long Tall Sally"/"Slippin' and Slidin'" "Rip It Up"/"Ready Teddy" "Heeby-Jeebies"/"She's Got It" "The Girl Can't Help It" "Lucille"/"Send Me Some Lovin'" "Jenny, Jenny"/"Miss Ann" "Keep A-Knockin'" "Good Golly, Miss Molly"/"Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!" "Ooh! My Soul"/"True Fine Mama" "Baby Face" "Early One Morning "Kansas City" "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" "Crying in the Chapel" "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" "Goodnight, Irene" "Twins"
Dubious recordings	Friends from the Beginning - Little Richard and Jimi Hendrix
Related topics	Discography Billy Wright Robert Blackwell Art Rupe Esquerita Jimi Hendrix James Brown Larry Williams The Upsetters The Girl Can't Help It (film) Keep On Rockin' (film) Little Richard (miniseries)