Glee featured multiple major and secondary roles who have contributed vocals to the show: Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison, Dianna Agron, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Mark Salling, Jenna Ushkowitz, Kevin McHale, Naya Rivera, Heather Morris, Jayma Mays, Jane Lynch, Chord Overstreet, Darren Criss, Harry Shum, Jr., Damian McGinty, Vanessa Lengies, Samuel Larsen, Blake Jenner, Alex Newell, Melissa Benoist, Jacob Artist, and Dean Geyer. Numerous special guests have also featured on tracks, including Jonathan Groff, Kristin Chenoweth, Grant Gustin, Olivia Newton-John, John Stamos, Neil Patrick Harris, Idina Menzel, Charice, Gwyneth Paltrow, k.d. lang, Ricky Martin, Matt Bomer, Kate Hudson, and Sarah Jessica Parker.
The pilot episode of the show was broadcast on May 19, 2009 and the first season began airing on September 9, 2009. The show was created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. Murphy selects all music featured within the series himself, with the intent of maintaining a balance between show tunes and chart hits. Songs featured on the show are available for digital download through iTunes up to two weeks before new episodes air, and through other digital outlets and mobile carriers a week later.
Their debut single, "Don't Stop Believin'", a cover of the 1981 Journey song, was a top ten hit, and was certified platinum in Australia and gold in the US. The group's cover of The All-American Rejects' "Gives You Hell" reached number one in Ireland, giving them their first number one single.
There has been Nineteen soundtracks released through Columbia Records: Glee: The Music, Volume 1, Glee: The Music, Volume 2, Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers, Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album, Glee: The Music, Volume 4, Glee: The Music, Volume 5, Glee: The Music, Volume 6, Glee: The Music, Volume 7 and Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 2,Glee: The Music, Volume 7,Glee: The Music, The Graduation Album,Glee: The Music, Season 4, Volume 1,Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 3,Glee Sings the Beatles and Glee: The Music - Celebrating 100 Episodes.
Nineteen EPs have also been released: Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna, Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals,Glee: The Music, The Rocky Horror Glee Show.Glee: The Music, The Rocky Horror Glee Show,Glee: The Music, Love Songs,Glee: The Music, The Rocky Horror Glee Show,Glee: The Music, Love Songs,Glee: The Music, Dance Party,Britney 2.0,Glee: The Music Presents Glease,The Quarterback (Music from the TV Series),A Katy or a Gaga (Music from the Episode),Movin' Out,Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 4,City of Angels,New New York,Glee: The Music, Bash,Glee: The Music, Tested,Glee: The Music, Opening Night,Glee: The Music, the Back Up Plan,Glee: The Music, Old Dog, New Tricks,Glee: The Music – The Untitled Rachel Berry Project,Glee: The Music – Loser Like Me and Glee: The Music – Homecoming.
The cast is second behind The Beatles for most chart appearances by a group act in the Billboard Hot 100's history, and holds the record of sixth overall among all artists, with sixty-nine appearances. The cast has sold over thirty six million and over eleven million albums worldwide. The series' cover versions have also had a positive effect on the original recording artists, with sales of Rihanna's "Take a Bow" increasing by 189 percent after the song was covered in the Glee episode "Showmance".
The series features covers of numerous songs sung on-screen by the characters. Musical segments typically take the form of performances, as opposed to the characters singing spontaneously, as the intention is for the series to remain reality-based. Murphy is responsible for selecting all of the songs used, and strives to maintain a balance between show tunes and chart hits, as: "I want there to be something for everybody in every episode. That's a tricky mix, but that's very important — the balancing of that." Song choices are integral to script development, with Murphy explaining: "Each episode has a theme at its core. After I write the script, I will choose songs that help to move the story along."
Glee is choreographed by Zach Woodlee, and features five to eight production numbers per episode. Once music rights are cleared, songs are arranged and pre-recorded by the cast. Woodlee constructs the accompanying dance moves, which are then taught to the cast and filmed. Numbers can take several weeks to prepare, depending on complexity. Each episode costs at least $3 million to produce, and can take up to 10 days to film as a result of the elaborate choreography.
Against All Odds
Glee Cast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just let you leave without a trace?
When I stand here taking every breath with you
You're the only one who really knew me at all
How can you just walk away from me
When all I can do is watch you leave?
'Cause we've shared the laughter and the pain,
You're the only one who really knew me at all
So, take a look at me now
Well, there's just an empty space
And there's nothing left here to remind me
Just the memory of your face
Take a look at me now,
Well, there's just an empty space
And you coming back to me is against the odds
And that's what I've got to face
I wish I could just make you turn around
Turn around and see me cry
There's so much I need to say to you
So many reasons why
You're the only one who really knew me at all
So take a look at me now, well, there's just an empty space
And there's nothing left here to remind me
Just the memory of your face
Now, take a look at me now 'cause there's just an empty space
But to wait for you is all I can do and that's what I've got to face
Take a good look at me now 'cause I'll still be standing here
And you coming back to me is against all odds -
It's the chance I've got to take
Take a look at me, now
Take a look at me, now
The Glee Cast's rendition of "Against All Odds" speaks about the heartbreak of losing someone who was once everything to you. It is a song of anguish and desperation, wishing for one last chance to express all the unsaid words and make amends before the departure. The lines "When all I can do is watch you leave?" and "There's so much I need to say to you, so many reasons why," capture the sadness and the feeling of helplessness one has when they lose the person they love.
The chorus "Take a look at me now, well, there's just an empty space, and there's nothing left here to remind me, just the memory of your face" shows how a person finds themselves struggling with memories and the thought that their loved one is not by their side anymore, and they are left grappling with the vacuum that was created in their lives. However, they still hold on to the hope that someday their loved one might come back to them.
In summary, the song's message is clear, eloquent and emotional affirmation that losing someone close and depending on the circumstances, is a difficult experience, but finding ways to cope offers a sense of hope and closure.
Line by Line Meaning
How can I just let you walk away
I am unable to let you go and walk away from me.
Just let you leave without a trace?
How can I just let you go away without leaving any trace behind?
When I stand here taking every breath with you
Being in your presence makes me feel alive, and every breath I take with you feels precious.
You're the only one who really knew me at all
You are the only person who understood me completely, and now that you are gone, I feel lost.
How can you just walk away from me
I cannot understand how you could just walk out of my life.
When all I can do is watch you leave?
I feel helpless as I can only stand and watch you walk away from me.
'Cause we've shared the laughter and the pain,
We have been through good and bad times together, and those memories will always be with me.
And even shared the tears
We have cried together, and those tears represented our connection and love for each other.
So, take a look at me now
Look at me now, and see how much I have been affected by your absence.
Well, there's just an empty space
My life feels empty and meaningless without you in it.
And there's nothing left here to remind me
There is nothing left here that can remind me of the love we shared and how important it was to me.
Just the memory of your face
The only thing I have left of you is the memory of your face, which is slowly fading away.
But to wait for you is all I can do and that's what I've got to face
All I can do is wait for you to come back, even though it's against all odds and there's a good chance it may not happen.
I wish I could just make you turn around
I wish I had the power to make you turn around and see the pain and hurt you have caused me.
Turn around and see me cry
If only you could see my tears and heartache, you would realize how much I need you in my life.
There's so much I need to say to you
There are so many things I need to tell you, and I fear that I may never get the chance to do so.
So many reasons why
There are so many reasons why we belong together, and these reasons are still valid even though we are apart.
Take a good look at me now
Look at me now, and see how much I have changed since you left me.
And you coming back to me is against all odds -
The chances of you coming back to me are very slim, and the odds are against me.
It's the chance I've got to take
But I am willing to take that chance, no matter how slim the odds may be, because that's how much you mean to me.
Take a look at me, now
Look at how much I have changed, and how much I need you back in my life.
Writer(s): Phillip David Charles Collins
Contributed by Emma P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jhnkejj6157
How can I just let you walk away,
Just let you leave without a trace,
When I'm standing taking every breath,
With you, ooohhh,
You're the only one who really knew me,
At all.
[Mariah:]
How can you just walk away from me,
When all I can do is watch you leave,
Cause we shared the laughter and the pain,
And even shared the tears,
You're the only one who really knew me at all.
So take a look at me now,
There's just an empty space,
There's nothing left here to remind me,
Just the memory of your face,
So take a look at me now,
There's just an empty space,
If you're coming back to me it's against all odds,
And that's what I've got to face.
[Mark:]
I wish I could just make you turn around,
Turn around and see me cry,
There's so much I need to say to you,
So many reasons why,
You're the only one who really knew me at all.
[Mariah:]
So take a look at me now,
There's just an empty space,
There's nothing left here to remind me,
Just the memory of your face,
So take a look at me now,
So there's just an empty space,
But to wait for you is all I can do,
When that's what I've got to face.
Take a good look at me now,
Cause I'll be standing here,
([Mark:] Standing here)
And you coming back to me is against all odds,
And that's the chance I've got to take.
[Westlife:]
Got to take
Got to take
[Mariah:]
Ooh
Take a look at me now
[Westlife:]
Take a look at me now.
@LesBeanJai123
Lets all take a moment to process that THE DARREN EVERETT CRISS is the only one to sing live on glee....and has done it flawlessly several times
@radomnessismylife
what other songs did he do live?
@LesBeanJai123
That which makes you different makes you strong
Teenage dream
All of me
Suddenly semore
And they sung a song he wrote called rise on tonights episode
... Darren Criss is epic
@radomnessismylife
awesomegleek123 I knew he wrote rise, but it's kinda funny because those are like my favorite songs he sang on glee :)
@radomnessismylife
awesomegleek123 also, a DC fact I didn't know. weird. those are very rare
@LesBeanJai123
That which makes you different makes you strong
and he wrote THIS TIME the last solo rachel berry has on the show ...he truly is amazing
he wrote 2 songs featured on the show and one is the final rachel solo in the final episode
@patriciaaranda962
The fact that this was recorded live... Darren Criss, everybody; his talent is unbelievable awesome.
@demidmusicsound1530
New music video for the song Новое музыкальное видео:
Against All Odds - Take A Look At Me Now (Glee Cast Version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPN16Wpmfn8
@julial6189
Wait what do you mean recorded live
@bethany6007
@@julial6189 usually when they perform the song is already recorded and they're just lip syncing to it, but this one wasnt.