On a textual level, “I Know Where I’ve Been†always had the potential to be Hairspray Live!’s most memorable number, resonating within a cultural moment that doesn’t feel too removed from 1960s Baltimore can’t be understated. But even so, none of that quite accounts for what the song feels like with Jennifer Hudson, the production’s clear all-star, knocking it right out of the damn park. With our premiere belter of pain at the wheel, “I Know Where I’ve Been†was an outpouring of brittle resilience that stopped the show in its tracks. Jennifer Hudson: Making America regret its Idol votes until the end of time.
