A review of my favorite group numbers from the show
With my recent resurgence of watching the show Glee with my roommate and friends before bed this semester, I have consistently put on the music while on my walks to class, to the gym or around campus. Since I have been a fan of the show since my early middle school days, I like to think that I have mastered the soundtracks and songs from every season. With that being said, I definitely have strong favorites and least favorite songs from each season and episode. In spite of this resurgence, I felt that this was the perfect time to break down my top 10 ranking of the best group songs from the show. Spoilers ahead!
10. “I Love New York/New York, New York”
While putting “I Love New York/New York, New York” in my top ten may seem likea random song choice to most Glee fans, I truly love this number in the show. It comes from my favorite episode of the entire series, and the number and songs show how truly excited everyone is to be in New York for Nationals.
9. “Thriller/Heads Will Roll”
This is a great number in season two that features both the New Directions and the McKinley football team. Like “I Love New York/New York, New York,” this mashup is not anything extraordinary, but is catchy and fun with a good beat.
8. “Rumour Has It/Someone Like You”
After the eighth spot is when the rankings become increasingly more difficult to decide upon, so to kick it off, we have Santana and Mercedes’ mashup of “Rumour Has It/Someone Like You.” I debated whether or not to put this in the rankings,considering that it is more of a duet, but the background vocals and singing solidifies it as a group number in my book. With so many group numbers centered around Mercedes and Santana, it was difficult to pick one to focus on, but this is my personal favorite. The soul and emotion in this song make it for me, along with my own love for these two songs individually.
7. “Homeward Bound/Home”
At this point, it was hard to organize these ratings for I love all of these songs, and I had a difficult time placing any of them lower than five. Though I love “Homeward Bound/Home” for many reasons, one of the largest reasons is that in this medley, we clearly hear almost every voice of the cast clearly, rather than one or two of the leads. This song is also very emotional and evokes a response from the audience and listeners.
6. “Singin’ in the Rain/Umbrella”
This is just a fun song to listen to and a fun scene to watch. Cheesily listening to it brightens my day and makes me happy. It’s also a great example of two songs that you wouldn’t think go together, but do.
5. “4 Minutes”
If I could describe this song in one word, it would be “epic”. Everything about this number is just so well done and makes it a spectacular song. The instrumentals, Mercedes and Kurt, the drama…everything about this piece makes it so good that I wish I could put it higher, but my top four are locked in.
4. “Marry You”
Starting off the top four is the Glee cover of “Marry You,” sung at Burt and Carol’s wedding. Watching this scene over the weekend truly brought a smile to my face as it made me so happy. If you have never sat down and watched this scene, I highly recommend doing so as this scene and song just give me an instant boost of serotonin.
3. “Bohemian Rhapsody”
At three we have “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which is a number performed by Vocal Adrenaline, not the New Directions. Jesse’s rendition of this song is everything, especially aligned with Quinn’s scene of going into labor and giving birth. While some may even argue that this song should be number one, I feel that number three makes perfect sense.
2. “Don’t Stop Believing”
At number two, we have to go with the iconic “Don’t Stop Believing.” This song is the reason I fell in love with Glee, and it is the most iconic cover to come out of the show. Seeing and hearing the group sing this iconic number for the first time was amazing and encapsulates the show as a whole.
1. “One”
To close at number one, we have not only my favorite Glee group number, but my favorite Glee song in general. This is “One,” featured in season one. The vocals come from Rachel, Finn, Mercedes and the rest of the cast and are simply incredible. I truly believe this to be the most underrated song of the entire series, and undeservingly so. The raspiness of Rachel and Finn’s voices and their harmonies are unmatched. I would definitely recommend this song to anyone who has or has not watched the show.