[1] Performed towards the end of Act Two, the song springs from Elphaba's rage over her continuously thwarted efforts to do good and her inner turmoil about her intention for doing so.
In the song she lists what she perceives as her failures at goodness, including anger with herself over Fiyero—her lover who is being concurrently tortured by the Wizard's guards over her whereabouts—the death of her sister, and the capture and dehumanisation of her favourite teacher, Dr. Dillamond.
Schwartz is quoted as likening No Good Deed to an opera aria: Originally it was sung by Tony Award Winning actress Idina Menzel, who is known for, as Ben Brantley of the New York Times describes it, her "iron strong larynx".
Stephen Schwartz composed it specifically to showcase Menzel's belting talent, in addition to giving her a second-act solo song.
Among these, the German version, sung by Dutch actress Willemijn Verkaik, was featured on the 5th and 10th Anniversary Wicked albums.