If there’s one thing we all learned from Glee, it’s that Will Schuester belongs in prison.
wanted nothing more than to be a glee club member at mckinley until i rewatched glee and realized will schuester should be in jail
— rachel zegler (@rachelzegler) November 1, 2019
But if there are two things we all learned from Glee, it’s that Will Schuester belongs in prison and that some of the show’s covers were much more iconic than the rest. We’ve compiled a list of 20 songs that would make anyone proud to self-identify as a Gleek.
- “Teenage Dream” by Blaine
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(This applies to both the original cover and the moving piano version from season four, both performed by Blaine for Kurt.)
- “Run Joey Run” by Rachel, Puck, Jesse & Finn
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A performance that was so iconic it became a running gag for the rest of the series.
- “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” by Rachel
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Rachel performs some of the most memorable solos of Glee’s entire run, but this national championship-winning number will always have a special place in our heart.
- “Party All the Time” by Holly
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One of the most underrated songs of the ’80s and one of the most underrated Glee covers all in one.
- “Hello” by Rachel and Jesse
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Because haven’t we all wanted to duet this Lionel Richie classic in a public library with our crush?
- “Make You Feel My Love” by Rachel
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“The Quarterback,” which dealt with Cory Monteith (Finn)’s death, is one of the most heart-wrenching episodes of the series. Lea Michele’s solo is a tribute to both her character’s boyfriend and her real-life one, and it’s as devastating as it is beautiful.
- “Let’s Have A Kiki/Turkey Lurkey Time” by Isabelle, Kurt, Brody & Rachel
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It feels more like a fever dream than a Glee performance, but so did every other moment of the series.
- “Disco Inferno” by Mercedes
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In an episode filled with iconic performances, “Disco Inferno” stands out as one of the best in “Saturday Night Glee-ver.”
- “Say A Little Prayer” by Quinn, Santana & Brittany
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Enter the Unholy Trinity. We are not worthy.
- “Roots Before Branches” by Rachel
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“Roots Before Branches,” the last duet between Rachel and Finn, was the perfect way to end season three on a high note.
- “Poker Face” by Rachel and Shelby
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Dare we say this is better than the orignial?
- “Valerie” by Santana
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Santana was born to sing this song.
- “Don’t Rain on my Parade” by Rachel
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By season three, this song became Rachel’s anthem — probably thanks to the fact that she killed it in every sense of the word. She was born to star in Funny Girl and she knows it.
- “Don’t Rain on My Parade” by Santana
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…but Santana did it better.
- “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by the New Directions
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We can all agree that season 4 is when Glee starts to take a turn for the worse, but there are still some moments that carry the show along, such as this incredible performance by the New Directions.
- “Bust Your Windows” by Mercedes
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The passion. The power. The performance. There’s nothing else to say but thank you, Queen Mercedes.
- “Blame It on the Alcohol” by the New Directions
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Nothing more fitting for alcohol awareness week than watching the New Directions get smashed at school. Speaking of, which kind of drunk are you? I for one am a Mercedes/Tina drunk.
- “Bust a Move”/”Thong Song”/”Ice Ice Baby” by Will Schuster
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There are a lot of bad moments in Glee, and the worst and (unfortunately) most memorable include any time Will Schuster thinks it’s a good idea to rap. Case in point.
- “Heads Will Roll/Thriller” by the New Directions
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Mashups were one of the best things that Glee did, and I’m surprised more didn’t make the list — but this takes the cake for the best one. I remember listening to it on my iPod Nano in middle school and it’s always had a special place in my heart.
- “Smooth Criminal” by Santana and Sebastian
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This is hands-down the best Glee cover of all time. Facts only.
Glee gave us the good, the bad and the ugly of pop song covers, and while it’s great to look back at and cringe about now, we can’t help but wish we could experience Glee today. Who wouldn’t kill to see a Hamilton episode or a Jonas Brothers reunion special? Or to listen to Mercedes cover Lizzo and Kurt obsess over Kim Petras? Honestly, it’s what we deserve…so Ryan Murphy, if you’re out there — please?