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.
I Say a Little Prayer
Glee Cast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Say a little prayer for you)
The moment I wake up
Before I put on my makeup (Makeup)
I say a little (Prayer for you)
While combing my hair, now
And wonder what dress to wear, now (Wear, now)
I say a little (Prayer for you)
Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart
And I will love you
Forever, and ever, we never will part
Oh, how I'll love you
Together, together, that's how it must be
To live without you
Would only mean heartbreak for me
I run for the bus, dear
While riding I think of us, dear (Us, dear)
I say a little (Prayer for you)
At work, I just take time
And all through my coffee break-time (Break-time)
I say a little (Prayer for you)
Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart
And I will love you
Forever, and ever, we never will part
Oh, how I'll love you
Together, together, that's how it must be
To live without you
Would only mean heartbreak for me
In "I Say A Little Prayer," Quinn confesses how much she loves and thinks about a special someone throughout the day. The song details the ritualistic routine she goes through in preparing for her day, all while she says a little prayer for the person she loves so much. She reflects on the possibility of a future, expressing her deepest desire to forever stay together and never part. The first line is repeated throughout the song to emphasize the repeated thought process she goes through.
Line by Line Meaning
The moment I wake up
As soon as I wake up in the morning
Before I put on my makeup (Makeup)
Before I start getting ready for the day
I say a little (Prayer for you)
I take a moment to pray for someone I love
While combing my hair, now
As I'm getting ready and fixing my appearance
And wonder what dress to wear, now (Wear, now)
I'm deciding what to wear for the day
Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart
I will always love you and keep you in my heart
And I will love you
I will continue to love you
Forever, and ever, we never will part
We will always be together
Oh, how I'll love you
I will love you deeply
Together, together, that's how it must be
We must always be together
To live without you
If I were without you
Would only mean heartbreak for me
I would be heartbroken if you were not in my life
I run for the bus, dear
As I am commuting or travelling
While riding I think of us, dear (Us, dear)
I am thinking lovingly of us and our relationship as I travel
At work, I just take time
At my place of employment
And all through my coffee break-time (Break-time)
During my break time
I say a little (Prayer for you)
I take a moment to pray for someone I love
Contributed by Audrey O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.