GLEE

Last night’s episode of Glee marked the 300^th musical performance of the show. It is an amazing milestone especially in an era when television and movie musicals are very few and far between. I love Glee for many reasons. Of course the musical performances are fabulous. The show would not exist without the music and the producers have brought together the most amazing cast and created wonderful characters. Every week I cannot wait to hear Rachel sing, see Mike Chang dance, or hear whatever sharp and funny one liners Sue has for Will.

But beyond the music I think there is no other TV show today striving to show that being different is acceptable. New Directions, the Glee’s show choir is made up of the most diverse characters as possible. An openly gay teenager, a misfit girl with a voice that can go up against any Broadway star, a wheelchair bound introvert, etc. I wish I had a show like Glee when I was in high school; it might have made things just a little bit better.

There are a few things that I think the show gets wrong (last week Rachel and Finn and Curt and Blain having sex for the first time, and the horrible over use of auto-tuning), but all in all I love the show and I think that if I had a teenager I would probably let them watch.

This morning on my way in to work I started thinking about what are my favorite Glee songs since the show began. So I sat down (during lunch time of course!) and ended up with a list of 47 songs and a few whole episodes. I could try to break it down further, but I am going to pass on that. So in honor of Glee’s 300^th musical performance, in a somewhat chronological order, here is my list of the top 50 songs. At the end I will list my actual top 10. There are too many songs to find you tube links to them all, so if you want to hear, search on you tube with glee and the name of the song.

1. Don’t Stop Believin’ – The first big hit and still an incredible arrangement. After I saw this performance in the pilot I knew I was hooked.
2. Maybe This Time – Episode 5 brought us Kristin Chenoweth as April Rhodes, and this amazing “duet” between April and Rachel of Maybe This Time from Cabaret.
3. Alone – Also from Episode 5 a fun duet of the Heart tune featuring Kristin Chenoweth and Matthew Morrison and April and Will.
4. Defying Gravity – In episode 8 we get to really hear Kurt shine with his amazing counter-tenor voice. This “duet” with Rachel is one of the best of the show and was released as a duet and as two solo singles.
5. Proud Mary – Episode 9 featured the group in wheelchairs and an amazing arrangement of the Ike and Tina Turner version of the song.
6. Don’t Stand So Close to Me / Young Girl – This episode (10) brought us perhaps the best Mash-up. Glee helped make Mash-up a household term.
7. Lean On Me – Also from Episode 10 a beautiful rendition of this Bill Withers classic.
8. True Colors – Also in episode 11 is great performance of Cindy Lauper’s True Colors featuring Tina in lead.
9. Don’t Rain on My Parade – Glee’s use of both popular music and Broadway music is masterful. This may be the best Broadway piece in Glee from episode 13
10. You Can’t Always Get What You Want – One of the best group songs featured in episode 13
11. Hello, Goodbye – I was doubtful about a Beatles tune in Glee, but they did a good job with this song in episode 14
12. Power of Madonna Episode – Not just one song, but all of the songs in episode 15!
13. Fire – A very hot duet between April and Will of this incredible Springsteen tune from episode 16.
14. The Lady is a Tramp – Episode 18 brought us a great duet between Puck and Mercedes with this classis Sinatra song.
15. Dream On – In episode 19 Neil Patrick Harris guests as an old rival of Wills, and they do a hilarious (and amazing) duet of Aeorsmith’s Dream On.
16. Safety Dance – A great song and dance number from episode 19 featuring Artie.
17. I Dreamed a Dream – Episode 19 also revealed that Shelby (Idina Menzel) is Rachel’s Birth mother. They sing an emotion duet of the showstopping Les Miserables song.
18. Bad Romance – Episode 20 included a number of Lady Gaga numbers and this is the best!
19. Beth – Kiss was also included in episode 20 with their chart topping power ballad.
20. Pokerface – One more from episode 20 is this duet with Rachel and Shelby.
21. Bohemian Rhapsody – The most over the top number ever on Glee from episode 22.
22. To Sir With Love – Episode 22 (the last of the first season) brought us this gem with the group singing to Mr. Schuster.
23. Over the Rainbow – Finally at the end of the 1^st season, Will sings the Israel Kamakawiwoʻole version of the classic song.
24. Papa Can You Hear Me – In episode 3 of season 2 Rachel sings this song from Yentl and sounds like she is channeling Barbara.
25. I Want To Hold Your Hand – Episode 3 also has second Beatles song to be featured on Glee, this version is from the movie Across the Universe.
26. Bridge Over Troubled Waters – Lastly from episode 3 we get the Aretha Franklin version of the Simon and Garfunkel classic.
27. Rocky Horror Glee Show – Again an entire episode, episode 5 of season 2 has the major songs from the show Rocky Horror.
28. Don’t Cry For Me Argentina – An amazing “duet” featuring Kurt and Rachel in episode 9 of the powerful song from Evita.
29. Silly Love Songs – Episode 12 brought us the Warbler’s version of the great McCartney song.
30. Blackbird – The third Beatles tune on Glee is beautifully sung by Kurt in episode 16
31. Turning Tables – Adele’s song is masterfully performed by Gwyneth Paltrow in episode 17.
32. Dreams – A third amazing whole episode, number 19, features music from Fleetwood Mac.
33. Rolling in the Deep – Another Adele song from episode 20 features Rachel and Jesse (Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff were the stars of the Broadway Musical Spring Awakening).
34. Pure Imagination – From episode 21 comes this emotional number from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
35. Somewhere – From episode 2 of season 3 comes this beautiful rendition of the West Side Story song featuring Rachel and Shelby.
36. Out Here On My Own – The song from the movie Fame is sung by Rachel and Mercedes in episode 3.
37. Bein’ Green – The classic Kermit the Frog song is sung by newcomer Rory in episode 3
38. Just You and I / Just You and I – A skillful mash-up from episode 4 of two songs with the same name, one by lady Gaga and one by Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle.
39. Hit Me With Your Best Shot / One Way or Another – A second great Mash-up from episode 4
40. I Can’t Go For That / You Make My Dreams – Episode 4 is a Mash-up episode and here is another with two songs by Hall and Oates.
41. Rumour Has it / Someone Like You – Two songs from Adele mashed up in Episode 4.

This blog post has become so long that I think I will leave my top ten for tomorrow.

Enjoy!