Glee was an American musical comedy-drama television series that aired on t… Read Full Bio ↴Glee was an American musical comedy-drama television series that aired on the Fox network in the United States from May 19, 2009, to March 20, 2015. It focused on a high school show choir, also known as a glee club, set within the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio.

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.

If I Can't Have You
Glee Cast Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don't know why
I'm surviving every lonely day
When there's got to be
No chance for me
My life would end
And it doesn't matter how I cry
My tears of love
Are a waste of time

If I turn away

Am I strong enough to see it through
Go crazy is what I will do

If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, oh oh oh oh, oh!
If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, oh oh oh

Can't let go
And it doesn't matter how I try

I gave it all so easily
To you my love

To dreams that never will come true
Am I strong enough to see it through
Go crazy is what I will do

If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, oh oh oh oh, oh!
If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, oh oh oh OH!

If I can't have you! Ooh!

If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, oh oh oh oh
(No, don't want nobody)
If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, oh oh oh
(I don't want nobody)

If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, oh oh oh oh
(No nobody)
If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, oh oh oh
(No no, no no, no no, no!)

If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, oh oh oh oh

(No)
If I can't have you!

Overall Meaning

The Glee Cast's rendition of "If I Can't Have You" is a poignant yet upbeat tune that speaks of unrequited love and the heartbreak that comes with it. The lyrics convey a sense of desperation and isolation, as the singer of the song admits that they are surviving every day without hope. They know that the object of their affection is unattainable, and their love is unreciprocated. Despite their efforts and tears, their love is futile and a waste of time. They know they need to turn away from the unattainable love and move on, but they struggle to do so.

The chorus of the song contains the main refrain, where the singer claims that they do not want anybody else but the person they love. They would rather be alone than settle for anyone else. The lyrics are a testament to the power of love and the pain it can cause when it is not returned. The singer's desperation is palpable, and the upbeat melody of the song serves to highlight their struggle and the energy that can come from unrequited love.

Overall, "If I Can't Have You" is a classic love song that speaks to the human experience of longing for something that is unattainable. It is a powerful reminder that love can cause both joy and pain, and that moving on can be an impossibly difficult task.

Line by Line Meaning

Don't know why
I don't understand why...

I'm surviving every lonely day
I am enduring every day of loneliness...

When there's got to be
Although there must be...

No chance for me
I have no opportunity to be with the person I desire...

My life would end
The desire for this person is so strong that I feel like my life would be over if I can't have them...

And it doesn't matter how I cry
Even though I cry my heart out...

My tears of love
The tears I shed out of love...

Are a waste of time
Serve no purpose...

If I turn away
If I give up trying to be with this person...

Am I strong enough to see it through
Do I have enough fortitude to endure this...

Go crazy is what I will do
I will become unhinged and unstable...

If I can't have you
If I cannot have this person...

I don't want nobody baby
I don't want anyone else...

If I can't have you, oh oh oh oh, oh!
If I cannot have you, my heart will hurt...

Can't let go
I cannot relinquish the thought of being with this person...

And it doesn't matter how I try
No matter how I strive to move on...

I gave it all so easily
I made it known how much I love them...

To you my love
I gave my heart and soul to this person...

To dreams that never will come true
To aspirations that are unlikely to be fulfilled...