Hear them sing! Songs and voices on Glee

[fakeempress]

Well it has already gone higher on itunes then Rise did even after the show aired.

Oh, I wasn't following the exact ranking, just went by your comment of breaking 200 which Rise also did by a little. I guess I wasn't making a very bold prediction lol.

[the hero factor]

If I watch the number, it will be if I convince myself to think of them as the cast and not the characters.

 

Yeah, I hope the number is sufficiently out of context.  It would be neat to watch the cast have fun one last time.  But if it's too obviously the characters, then ewww, forget it.

[phoenixrising]

I also think "This Time" is a better song than Rise. I know Darren talked about it being a love letter to the show, fans, etc., and it feels like it. It's not as generic as Rise, and it doesn't have a ton of people I struggle to tell apart singing on it. But I'm sure it being the last Lea solo is a factor.

[caracas1914]

But I'm sure it being the last Lea solo is a factor.

 

Consider her fan base and the fact  that her singles consistently have sold well for 6 years, IMO I would say it's the biggest factor.

Edited March 18, 2015 by caracas1914

[phoenixrising]

Consider her fan base and the fact that her singles consistently have sold well for 6 years, IMO I would say it's the biggest factor.

Yeah, I was just adding other potential factors. Im not really a mega-Lea fan, and I got it, because I think it's a nice song.

[wingster55]

With the end approaching everyone (meaning media sites) are choosing their top songs etc...many choose Don't Stop Believing.

But for me...it's always been Somebody to Love (Queen)..just a fantastic cover and one that shows numerous voices.

[shantown]

With the end approaching everyone (meaning media sites) are choosing their top songs etc...many choose Don't Stop Believing.

But for me...it's always been Somebody to Love (Queen)..just a fantastic cover and one that shows numerous voices.

DSB was an amazing kickoff number to build buzz in the pilot and establish the series, but STL was the first Original 12 performance, so it will always be one of my favorites too.

 

I wish the show was ending with a classic rock number - they used to do so well with those.

[phoenixrising]

DSB was an amazing kickoff number to build buzz in the pilot and establish the series, but STL was the first Original 12 performance, so it will always be one of my favorites too.

I wish the show was ending with a classic rock number - they used to do so well with those.

The only episode I like all the songs in is Journey to Regionals, which is mostly classic rock.

It does feel wrong to not go out on a classic rock song, and I actually like "I Lived", but still...

[jaytee1812]

With the end approaching everyone (meaning media sites) are choosing their top songs etc...many choose Don't Stop Believing.

But for me...it's always been Somebody to Love (Queen)..just a fantastic cover and one that shows numerous voices.

Mine is True Colours. Just the most beautiful rendition of a beautiful song.

I never like DSB until they did it at Regionals. I heard the pilot version on another TV show and it put me off watching for months. I love both the regionals and season 5 versions, the other two are awful.

[Casual Viewing]

Biggest surprise

• Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, sung by Jonathan Groff and cast, Season 1/Episode 22 (Journey to Regionals)

Groff had "never sung in that sort of Freddie Mercury-style," Anders says. "He was a Broadway guy, and he was afraid he wouldn't be able to handle it. I remember telling him, 'Just trust me, just trust me.' And he was floored by how it turned out and it really opened his eyes to a whole new way of singing, which was really exciting for me. But man, we sang for 48 hours straight doing background on that. We didn't stop for two days to get it all done." From usatoday.com article "farewell Glee".

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2015/03/18/glee-series-finale-music-highlights/24940423/

I never liked Bohemian Rhapsody as a song until Groff did it on Glee. I do wish they had let him do more ballads though.

As much as I like Lea's voice, many times I feel she's not really emotionally connecting to the song. Belting is not a substitute for real emotion.

I'm still trying to decide which is my favorite song(s). I do know the Adele mash up is my favorite mash up.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Casual Viewing

[jaytee1812]

I never like Bohemian Rhapsody, I never disliked it, it's just the weakest version of the song I've seen. But I always thought it was meant to be all flash and no connection to the song. Isn't that what Vocal Adrenaline do? Groff sounds great though.

[absnow54]

Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, sung by Jonathan Groff and cast, Season 1/Episode 22 (Journey to Regionals)

Groff had "never sung in that sort of Freddie Mercury-style," Anders says.

Did they record it before "Another One Bites the Dust"? I've loved all of Groff's numbers, but the rock songs are the ones that stand out the most to me. He's still a power house in that higher register. I loved his "Highway to Hell" too.

[Casual Viewing]

I never like Bohemian Rhapsody, I never disliked it, it's just the weakest version of the song I've seen. But I always thought it was meant to be all flash and no connection to the song. Isn't that what Vocal Adrenaline do? Groff sounds great though.

 

I never liked Freddie Mercury.  He had an incredible vocal range but his "I''m God's Gift to men & women" performance persona was a huge turn off for me' and his overbite was incredibly distracting. My fav performance of BR is actually watching Mark Kanemura dance to it.

Did they record it before "Another One Bites the Dust"? I've loved all of Groff's numbers, but the rock songs are the ones that stand out the most to me. He's still a power house in that higher register. I loved his "Highway to Hell" too.

I don't know which came first, but BR is far more vocally challenging.

 

I'm still hoping that somewhere in the vault is a video of Jesse's performance of Burning Up. Vocally I like Groff's tone in his voice when he sings. I also appreciate that he enunciates clearly so you can hear every word properly and invests emotionally in a song.   His version of "Mama Who Bore Me" on UT is one of my favorites although that could be because it one of the first non-Glee songs I heard him sing.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Casual Viewing

[Nite Ryder]

Going back for a sec, I was watching one of my favorite performances from Season 5, the "Nasty/Rhythm Nation" mashup. I realized they never did a Janet Jackson tribute episode, they've done all the other biggies in pop -- Madonna, Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Whitney Houston, Lady GaGa -- yet left her out and she has a great catalog of songs that covers array of topics from various music genres.  

[caracas1914]

Glee comes to an end tonight — six seasons, 15 albums, and seven EPs after its debut. The cast’s success on the charts paved the way for the musical crossover of shows like Empire and Nashville — but, out of all the classic Glee covers, which did fans love (and buy) the most?

Here are the top ten most downloaded Glee original cast recordings, according to Nielsen Music.

10. “Poker Face” (410,000 downloads)

9. “Rumor Has It/Someone Like You” (413,000 downloads)

8. “Somebody To Love” (418,000 downloads)

7. “We Are Young” (455,000 downloads)

6. “Singing In The Rain/Umbrella (ft. Gwyneth Paltrow)” (492,000 downloads)

5. “Defying Gravity” (529,000 downloads)

4. “Loser Like Me” (617,000 downloads)

3. “Teenage Dream” (652,000 downloads)

2. “Forget You (ft. Gwyneth Paltrow)” (783,000 downloads)

1. “Don’t Stop Believin’” (1,422,000 downloads)

 

 

Season 1:  4 songs

Season 2:  4 songs

Season 3:   2 songs

 

Absolutely  NOTHING after Season 3.   

Edited March 20, 2015 by caracas1914

[fakeempress]

'Glee' Cast's 10 Best-Selling Downloads

 

eta: The link for the above, we must have posted at the same time. 

Edited March 20, 2015 by fakeempress

[jaytee1812]

Never got the Defying Gravity love. Poorest version I've ever heard. And that includes several TV talent show versions.

Lea and Chris sound lovely, but that's the problem, they sound sweet and nice, which isn't right for that song.

[caracas1914]

Seasons One through Three was where  the show sold the best.  Once the Noob and Blee show took over in Season 4 the ITUNE sales dropped dramatically.

 

Looking back there were dozens of singles those 3 years that sold 100,000 copies.

 

Some weeks during the S4 Noob fest the best selling download was between 10-15,000 copies.  That decline was that dramatic. 

That's not conjecture nor opinion, that's a fact.

Edited March 20, 2015 by caracas1914

[Ceeg]

I think that list is proof positive that Glee's best moments that people grasp onto were all about context and were about something more than being a jukebox. Obviously, the Gwyneth ones sold well because of the buzz of her being on the show, but other than her songs, the rest of those on the list were about (mostly) organic moments. Not about singing a top 40 hit and having someone belt out a big finish or from recreating a music video. And they weren't numbers that were just stuffed in there bc Ryan decided he wanted someone to sing about the color orange.

Edited March 20, 2015 by Ceeg

[jjjmoss]

Hmm, 4 gold and 1 platinum song. 

 

The last time I made a list, my T10 were: Don't Rain on My Parade, For Good, I Feel Pretty/Unpretty, On My Own, My Life Would Suck Without You, I Have a Love, I Dreamed a Dream, Dream On, I Want to Hold Your Hand, It's All Coming Back to Me. 0% overlap with the fanbase T10.

Edited March 20, 2015 by jjjmoss

[caracas1914]

I think that list is proof positive that Glee's best moments that people grasp onto were all about context and were about something more than being a jukebox. Obviously, the Gwyneth ones sold well because of the buzz of her being on the show, but other than her songs, the rest of those on the list were about (mostly) organic moments. Not about singing a top 40 hit and having someone belt out a big finish or from recreating a music video. And they weren't numbers that were just stuffed in there bc Ryan decided he wanted someone to sing about the color orange.

 

 I roll my eyes at all the teenagers /tweeners in the Glee forum who go and on how the Season 4 group numbers were so so  much better because it was bright colors and people running around the stage, just like a music video.

 

Take a number like "Keep Holding On" where Quinn is devastated because her pregnancy is now public and ND rallies around her, the visual, the signing and the SL all jell together.  There was  a REASON why that number works so well.

 

"Somebody to Love" still gives me chills . (the lead vocals and the visuals)

 

AT it's best the Glee numbers told a story, none better the emotional turmoil of Santana with  "Rumors/Someone Like Me"

Edited March 20, 2015 by caracas1914

[jaytee1812]

Take a number like "Keep Holding On" where Quinn is devastated because her pregnancy is now public and ND rallies around her, the visual, the signing and the SL all jell together.  There was  a REASON why that number works so well.

It actually highlights one of the only things I don't like about my favourite song from last season - Wide Awake. I think it's gorgeous, everybody sings beautifully, and they look like they mean every word, but it has no context to anyone's storyline.

My favourites change all the time. Well except my ultimate favourite which is True Colours.

[jjjmoss]

If you compare the T10 in total sales to the songs that cracked the T20 on the Hot 100, there's 80% overlap.

The exceptions are Somebody to Love (#28) and Defying Gravity (#31) which I suppose had inordinate-for-Glee longevity, which bump #16 peaking Total Eclipse of the Heart/Toxic/Get it Right.

[tom87]

I Lived and This Time have both broken 100 on itunes.

[heyerchick]

I quite enjoyed "This Time" - heard it the first time on the episode, loved Lea's singing, which wasn't full on belt, so she brought a warm, feeling sensibility to the song, and I thought it was a decent song. "I Lived" is just joyful to me. I've bought them both from iTunes.

[fakeempress]

Chris's full second DG solo has surfaced. I love it. 

 

No source but I'm guessing it's from the Gleek Out Brazil who are back and "opening a vault of secrets" or something. 

Edited March 21, 2015 by fakeempress

[caracas1914]

They had the recording already, why the fuck didn't they let Chris/Kurt sing this song in either of the finale episodes?

How much more fucking effort would it have taken to insert it in as a solo?

 

Geeze, it's not as if, I don't know,  it would have connected to his character's journey??

Edited March 21, 2015 by caracas1914

[heyerchick]

I'm so happy Chris's "Defying Gravity" solo has surfaced! Got my Chris-Bliss on :) I've been listening to him all week back and forth on my commute. I'll be forever grateful Glee brought me his beautiful voice, My mum loved him too, bless her.

[Bill1978]

I'm personally still waiting for April/Will's screen version of Total Eclipse of the Heart to appear.

[bjork]

There are solo versions of season 5's Defying Gravity with Lea and Amber, and solo versions of season 4's New York State of Mind with Lea and Melissa. I'm glad to get more music, especially the full-length Chris version of DG.

[cali1981]

I hadn't really browsed through this thread and have found it very interesting and informative.  I'll say up front that I think that Lea Michele has got one of the best voices of her generation and her solo's have almost always been major highlights of various Glee episodes.  It's unfortunate that quite a few of them get edited when they air, at times very poorly which is pretty shocking for a major sound engineered show.  Some may disagree but, to me, Lea's definitive performance was "Being Good Isn't Good Enough" even with one whole verse edited out.  Everything about it was world class.  Her dress, makeup, stage presence and a spectacular vocal made it one of the songs/video clips that I watch over and over. The studio recording of the complete song is stunning.  There was another song that she did which, unfortunately, was butchered by the editors as well. It was Joni Mitchell's "River", one of the most beautiful numbers in her distinguished songbook.  It was just Lea alone "onstage" singing with her stage training on display. It was marred by a not very seamless sound edit but that didn't take away from the beautiful simplicity of the performance.

[jjjmoss]

I kinda wish Being Good isn't Good Enough had been swapped with It's All Coming Back to Me Now. The former is the better vocal performance and feels more like a National Championship Winning piece.

[phoenixrising]

Lea's best solo for me is always going to be DROMP. It was really iconic, and she nailed it.

I think I feel more over saturated by her singing than anything. She's good, but if I listen to too much of anyone, I'll get tired of them. And her ballads tend to all sound the same to me (but part of this is my dislike of ballads).

[cali1981]

There are solo versions of season 5's Defying Gravity with Lea and Amber, and solo versions of season 4's New York State of Mind with Lea and Melissa. I'm glad to get more music, especially the full-length Chris version of DG.

There's been a lot of speculation about Lea playing Elphaba when the film version of Wicked is cast.  At first, I didn't think she would be right because she's pretty tiny.  After listening to her solo version of Defying Gravity, my feeling is that she can definitely do it.  She's got the vocal chops for it and good camera work can solve any perceived physical stature issues.

[fakeempress]

The peak positions on the singles iTunes chart for finale songs:

#45 I Lived

#71 This Time

 

According to tumblr Darren said it was easier to write This Time because he was working off a specific message and singer / range, making it  2.5 octaves for Lea's 3 octaves.  

Edited March 23, 2015 by fakeempress

[Danielle87]

I kinda wish Being Good isn't Good Enough had been swapped with It's All Coming Back to Me Now. The former is the better vocal performance and feels more like a National Championship Winning piece.

 

In terms of Lea solos on Glee for me it goes:

 

1. Being Good

2. My Man

3. DROMP

 

I agree Being Good was the better vocal performance, however in the context of the show having Being Good come after It's All Coming Back to Me Now works because it shows her growth from being in a high school glee club vs a competitive arts college.

[jjjmoss]

Mmm, I think a song about being The Best makes more sense when winning a national championship than being better than a couple of your classmates.

[Higgs]

There was another song that she did which, unfortunately, was butchered by the editors as well. It was Joni Mitchell's "River", one of the most beautiful numbers in her distinguished songbook.  It was just Lea alone "onstage" singing with her stage training on display. It was marred by a not very seamless sound edit but that didn't take away from the beautiful simplicity of the performance.

"River" is among my top ten Lea vocal performances, ever. ("One" is another, and it's also her greatest rock performance and Cory's best of any kind.) This opinion is based on listening to the full digital audio files (NOT the edited versions and severely limited acoustics of the telecasts) on decent equipment (NOT a computer's internal speakers). "River"is the perfect showcase for Lea's tonal beauty, phrasing, vocal coloring, and interpretive nuances, but to fully appreciate them, in the words of Mrs. Willy Loman, "attention must be paid."

[Cranberry]

But not flac? What good are fancy speakers if you're not listening in flac format? ;)

[camussie]

"River"is the perfect showcase for Lea's tonal beauty, phrasing, vocal coloring, and interpretive nuances, but to fully appreciate them, in the words of Mrs. Willy Loman, "attention must be paid."

 

 

Or people paid attention and simply have a different opinion than you.  Believe it or not, it can happen, no matter how much flowery language you use to describe Lea' talents.  For you to assume that people who don't see it as a "perfect showcase for Lea's tonal beauty, phrasing, vocal coloring, and interpretive nuances"  is pretty condescending.

 

For example, I paid attention and while I thought "River" was good I also didn't think it was in Lea's top 10 performances on Glee.

Edited March 23, 2015 by camussie

[tom87]

Obviously I like Lea but even I roll my eyes at the flowery language.   There is such a thing as over selling.  River was good but yeah It wouldn't be in my top 10.

 

DROMP will always be my number 1 not because of vocals but I thought the song was perfect for the show, for Rachel's  her arc and for the glee club at that time. 

 

I think a very underrated Rachel solo vocally is What I did for love.  Also heard her solo version of Out here on my own and not saying she was better  but there is no way she was worse - tie again.  

[caracas1914]

"Fireworks" always will  have a soft spot for that Lea solo. 

 

Lea's gift as Rachel I thought, whether you liked her singing voice aesthetically or not, was that her singing seemed natural onscreen coming from this tiny person. It sprung from the character seamlessly.

 

Take a number  like "Papa can you hear me", she just nails it vocally and visually in just an unfussy way.

Edited March 23, 2015 by caracas1914

[tom87]

"Fireworks" always will  have a soft spot for that Lea solo. 

 

Lea's gift as Rachel I thought, whether you liked her singing voice aesthetically or not, was that her singing seemed natural onscreen coming from this tiny person. It sprung from the character seamlessly.

 

Take a number  like "Papa can you hear me", she just nails it vocally and visually in just an unfussy way.

I like Papa can you hear me too.    I know people like to make fun of it cause she is so intense with Burt but the vocals are great and it cracks me up at the end were she is all emotional and then just stops and says "who's next".

 

I think the comedy behind some things is often over looked.  I mean really intense singing to a guy in a coma and then screeching halt to that line.  Humor.

[caracas1914]

Exactly her singing fit that character.  Her singing was part of the character in that it was suppose to be over sized and theatrical.  Rachel was always "on".

Edited March 23, 2015 by caracas1914

[Higgs]

But not flac? What good are fancy speakers if you're not listening in flac format? ;)

FLAC format is commonly used for ripping CDs, and the result can't be better than the source. (There are web sites that sell music in much higher res FLAC, but the selection is quite limited.) For just hearing sufficient details in the human voice you don't need "fancy" equipment; decent headphones will do. More important is what you listen for. As an example, here is pre-Glee Lea singing "On My Own" live at the Hollywood Bowl.

At 2:33 she emits the ugliest sound I've ever heard from her, yet it's interrupted with cheers. Those folks want different strokes from mine.

"New York State of Mind": http://leamichele-news.tumblr.com/post/114247698493/new-york-state-of-mind-lea-solo

The anti-"River", virtuosic, overblown, bluesy (a first for her, I think), but now the 15th or so entry on my personal "Lea top ten list".

Of the songs mentioned recently in the thread, "Papa" - absolutely (Actors Studio host Lipton said it was better than Streisand's), "What I Did For Love" - mediocre phrasing, overdone arrangement, "Firework" - lousy material, DROMP - greatest dramatic musical scene I've ever witnessed on TV, but she was still in her brief "scooping" phase, so not top ten for just the singing.

When I read an opinion about a song in which the scene is described, I know it's "apples & oranges". I think "River", "One", "Uninvited", and "The Rose" were some of her best vocal performances, but none of them would have been of any particular interest to me based on the telecasts.

Edited March 23, 2015 by Higgs

[dizzyizzy01]

I think DROMP is still my favorite musical moment on the show.  It just was well done and fit the story arc perfectly.

 

I also really liked Take a Bow.  I always enjoyed Rachel + singing into her hairbrush =P.

 

Oddly enough, Firework is one of my favorites as well even though I actually really hate the original and the song does kind of make no sense.  

 

Endless Love is one of my favorite duets on the show.  Pity there weren't any Schue/Rachel duets this season.  S1 and S2 were really the highlights musically.  Songs still mostly fit the storylines in S2.

[twotrey]

I'm not really sure what my favorite Rachel/Lea number of all 6 seasons is, but the last few days at the forefront of my mind is "Roots Before Branches"--probably because the scene/song/performance is such a better series finale in terms of closure/emotion/bittersweet/sadness about a conclusion/open-ended hope and optimism at a future of endless possibilities than the one they ended up coming up with.

[ComfySweater]

I loved Firework, but then she bailed on the message of that one almost immediately afterwards. That always soured that one for me a bit. I never wanted to see Mercedes stuck with the black woman don't need no man banner because it's so cliche, but leading lady can stand on her own two feet without one was really nice while it lasted. I like Jesse for her because he seems to enjoy her brand of insanity for exactly what it is, but single and ready to blow the world away with her talent Rachel was a force I wish we saw more of in later seasons. It's much easier to buy that one as taking on Broadway and winning.

[SadieT]

I think DROMP is still my favorite musical moment on the show.  It just was well done and fit the story arc perfectly.

 

Mine too. Her version of the song itself is great but the performance and how it tied into the plot is what really makes Don't Rain on My Parade special to me. 

 

And I love all the Rachel solos mentioned here already but I also really love Without You and Gives You Hell, partly because they're not the type of songs you'd expect to hear from Rachel Berry. 

 

 

Endless Love is one of my favorite duets on the show.  Pity there weren't any Schue/Rachel duets this season.  S1 and S2 were really the highlights musically.  Songs still mostly fit the storylines in S2.

 

It really sucks they didn't give Matt and Lea a chance to sing together again. This season would have been perfect because they both were back in the positions of leads and they actually had quite a bit of interaction on screen so a duet could have definitely been worked in naturally (like them demonstrating a lesson to the kids when Will came on as an advisor to ND) but instead we got like 37 Sam and Rachel duets. 

[ancslove]

I love Lea's Without You.  I never really got the criticism in-show and out that it was all about her and Finn, and wouldn't work for Will and Emma.  I think it was shown pretty clearly that Will wasn't fully functional without Emma!  

 

The missed opportunity to get a last Will/Rachel duet, or a Will/Rachel/Kurt trio in front of ND this season is criminal.