The Feeling We Once Had was the first song performed in The Wiz. The song is sung by Aunt Em as she tells Dorothy Gale how much she loves and cares for her.
In the film The Wiz, the song was changed to The Feeling That We Have. Aunt Em (Theresa Merritt) was singing to her daughter during her family's Thanksgiving dinner. In The Wiz Live!, Aunt Em (Stephanie Mills, who portrayed Dorothy in the original Broadway show) sang this to Dorothy (Shanice Williams) as she tried to run away back to Omaha.
"The Feeling We Once Had" Lyrics
Put your arms around me, child
Like when you bumped your shin
Then you'll know I love you now
As I loved you then
Though you may be trying sometimes
And I’ll need you and you're not there
I may get mad and turn you away
But I still care
Than can come from me
I am different than you are,
And one day you'll see
If I lose my patience with you
And I suddenly start to scream
It's only because I want you to be
What I see in my dreams
And I’d like to know that it's there
The feeling we once had
Knowing that you can come to me
Whenever you're feeling sad.
(Don’t lose the feeling we once had
Don't lose the feeling we once had)
Though you are growing older now
And I’m watching you grow
And if I make you sad sometimes
I see your feelings show
And one day I’ll look around
And you will be grown
You'll be out in the world
Such a pretty little girl
But you'll be on your own
And I’d like to know that it's there
The feeling we once had
Knowing that you can come to me
Whenever you're feeling bad
The feeling we once had
The feeling we once had
Don't lose the feeling
The feeling we once had.