Tag Archives: GLEE

It’s Half-Time In the “Glee” Season, So What Are The Best Musical Numbers So Far?

6 Jan

"Glee" on Fox

So, it’s half-time in Glee’s sophomore (2010 – 2011) season, and therefore time to take stock of which musical numbers really rocked.

Overall, I have to agree with Jace Lacob of The Daily Beast, from a storyline character-development perspective, it’s been a bit weak compared to last year (however, I come no where near loathing it).  Maybe this lack of emotional pull spilled over to the musical numbers, because I experienced fewer goosebumps this season, and as a result, have fewer videos on my “repeat view” list.  With that said, here my top five (okay, six):

“Teenage Dream” from Never Been Kissed.

“Time Warp” from the Rocky Horror Picture Show (Halloween) episode – I challenge you to not “take a jump to the left, and take a step to the right, put your hands on your hips, and pull knees in tight…”

“Baby It’s Cold Outside” and ” Welcome Christmas,” both from A Very Glee Christmas.  I mean who can resist Kurt and Blaine singing and dancing to this Christmas classic.  And anyone who grew up watching “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas,” well a tear or two could possibly be shed.

And, it was a toss-up, hence the top six…

“Forget You” and “Singing in the Rain/Umbrella” in The Substitute.  Yes, Gwyneth Paltrow delivered, and apparently, she is due back at some point in the second half.

So, those are mine … what are yours?

The Best “Glee” Musical Numbers? The Daily Beast Weighs In

7 Jun

If you’re a Glee fan, which I unabashedly am, then this week’s season finale will be a cause for celebration and mourning … how many months until it’s back on the air?

Photo: FreeFoto.com

The Daily Beast must have thought of this, because they’ve just posted their list of the 15 Best Glee Musical Numbers.  Included are some of my personal favorites: Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab,” performed by rivals, Vocal Adrenaline; Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,” with which I have a serious romance; Aerosmith’s “Dream On,” performed by Matthew Morrison and Neil Patrick Harris.  (Is there anything this guy cannot do?); John Lennon’s “Imagine,” showcasing the New Directions partnered with a deaf glee club, certainly a tear-jerker; “Like a Virgin” in the Madonna episode; the Rogers and Hart show-tune, “The Lady is a Tramp,” performed in a pleasantly swinging turn by Mark Salling (Puck) and Amber Riley (Mercedes); and “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables, sung by Idina Menzel and Lea Michele, yet another tear-jerker.   Okay, I pretty much like them all.

So, when the TV summer doldrums hit, you can click on this link and be reminded of what’s to come when the weather turns colder, and then you really need something to look forward to.  (If you’re really in a funk, you can always watch full episodes.)

Sometimes a girl needs a guilty pleasure.

Rodrigo y Gabriela – Mexico’s Dueling Rhythmic Guitarists

20 May

Photo: Rodrigo y Gabriela website (www.rodgab.com)

Last night, the White House hosted it’s second State Dinner, this time for President Felipe Calderon of Mexico and his wife, first lady Margarita Zavalos.  Unlike the President’s first State Dinner, this one appears to have  gone off without incident (though I did read that the Salahis scheduled a drive-by, just as the invited guests were arriving, supposedly on their way to dinner at a nearby restaurant).

First lady Michelle Obama and her staff thoughtfully arranged all aspects of the dinner, including the entertainment, which featured the duo Rodrigo y Gabriela, rhythmic guitarists from Mexico City.  If you’ve never heard them play their acoustic guitars (although the word “play” does not quite live up to what they do with their instruments), then you need to have a listen.  Here are two of their songs that I particularly like:

Hanuman (from their 2009 album, 11:11 – scroll down to see them performing this song on The Tonight Show)

Tamacun (from their 2006 self-title album – sample the song on Pandora.com)

The pair is touring in the United States through May, then heading to Europe, before returning to the States for additional dates in August.  Visit their website for tour dates.   Quite simply, if you like acoustic guitar, then you’ll agree, this pair is fantastic.

And, I can’t help myself, I’ve got to mention this week’s Glee.  There were so many “moments.”  Neil Patrick Harris, guest-starring as Will Schuster’s high school nemesis, Bryan Ryan, belting out Aerosmith’s “Dream On” alongside Matthew Morrison.  A mall flash-mob version of Men Without Hats’ “Safety Dance,” headlined by Artie (Kevin McHale).  Then there was “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables, sung by Idina Menzel (rival glee club leader, Shelby Cororan) and Lea Michele (Rachel Berry) – this week we learned that Shelby is Rachel’s mother.   I’ve yet to manage to get through Les Mis without crying, and, I have to admit, I didn’t make it through this performance of “I Dreamed a Dream” either.  If you missed the episode, you can catch it online.

So much entertainment, so little time…

“GLEE” Heads to Italy – The Result: “Il FlashMob”

17 Jan

I am probably a bit late with this but, hey, better late than never, as they say.  Besides, on the off chance you haven’t seen it, I figured it was worth a post.

An admission: I am a serious GLEE fan.  The show has everything I love: smart, deadpan, often black humor, great music, singing, and dancing.  If I happen to miss an episode, I catch it online.  In fact, I’ve been known to re-watch episodes with musical numbers that I find particularly appealing.  (See the “Sectionals” episode for “And I’m Telling You… ,” “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” and “Don’t Stop Believin’.”  Or “Mash-Up” for “Bust-A-Move.”  And “The Rhodes Not Taken” for “Somebody to Love” and “Maybe This Time.”  And, yes, it’s been done a hundred times already, but “Single Ladies” in the “Preggers” episode is a laugh-and-a-half.)

With that in mind, when I stumbled upon the latest viral video, “GLEE: Il FlashMob,” I loved that too.  Whether you’re a GLEE follower or not, if you like scenes where everyday people bust out dancing to popular music, here is your smile for the day.

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.