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.
Not the Boy Next Door
Glee Cast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Comin' home used to feel so good
I'm a stranger now in my neighborhood
I've seen the world at a faster pace
And I'm comin' now from a diff'rent place
Though I may look the same way to you
Underneath there is somebody new
I am not the boy next door
I don't belong like I did before
Nothin' ever seems like it used to be
You can have your dreams, but you can't have me
Oh, I can't come back there anymore
'Cause I am not the boy next door
You've been savin' those souvenirs,
Faded photographs from our foolish years
We made plans, but they're wearin' thin
And they don't work out 'cause I don't fit in
And those mem'ries will just weigh me down
'Cause I got no place to keep 'em uptown
I am not the boy next door
I don't belong like I did before
Nothin' ever seems like it used to be
You can have your dreams, but you can't have me
Oh, I can't go back there anymore
'Cause I am not the boy next door, huh!
I'm not sorry for just bein' me
But if you'd look past the past you could see
That I am not...
Nothin' ever seems like it used to be
You can have your dreams, oh, but you can't have me
I can't go back there anymore
'Cause I am not (You are not)
I am not (You are not)
I am not the boy next door
The song "Not the Boy Next Door" by Glee Cast, originally performed by Peter Allen, tells the story of a person who has moved away from their hometown and has experienced the world at a faster pace. They come home and realize that they no longer fit in, as they have changed and grown into someone new. Although they may look the same on the outside, they feel like a completely different person underneath. The lyrics express the idea that people are constantly evolving and changing, and sometimes the past can hold us back from moving forward and embracing our true selves.
The line "You can have your dreams, but you can't have me" showcases this idea perfectly, as it highlights the struggle between wanting to be true to oneself and wanting to fit in with the expectations of others. The repeated phrase "I am not the boy next door" reinforces this message and emphasizes the desire to break out of the mold and be unique.
Overall, the song is a powerful anthem for those who have felt like they don't fit in or have struggled to be true to themselves. It's a reminder that it's okay to be different and that embracing one's true identity is essential for personal growth and happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Comin' home used to feel so good
Returning home felt wonderful in the past
I'm a stranger now in my neighborhood
Nowadays, I feel like a stranger in the neighborhood
I've seen the world at a faster pace
I have travelled and experienced the world more quickly
And I'm comin' now from a diff'rent place
I'm returning now from a different place than where I started
Though I may look the same way to you
I may look familiar to you
Underneath there is somebody new
But deep down, I have changed and grown as a person
I am not the boy next door
I am not the same person who used to live here
I don't belong like I did before
I don't fit in as well as I once did
Nothin' ever seems like it used to be
Everything has changed
You can have your dreams, but you can't have me
Others may have their own dreams, but they can't have me back as I used to be
Oh, I can't come back there anymore
I can't return to the way things used to be
'Cause I am not the boy next door
I am no longer the same person who used to live here
You've been savin' those souvenirs,
You have been keeping those memories
Faded photographs from our foolish years
Old and blurry photographs from our past foolish years
We made plans, but they're wearin' thin
Our plans are no longer solid and strong
And they don't work out 'cause I don't fit in
Our plans are not working out because I am not fitting in anymore
And those mem'ries will just weigh me down
Those memories will only burden me
'Cause I got no place to keep 'em uptown
Because I don't have any place to keep them in the current city
I'm not sorry for just bein' me
I am not apologetic for being myself
But if you'd look past the past you could see
If you could look past my past, you could see who I am now
That I am not...
That I am not the same person as before
I can't go back there anymore
I can't return to my past life anymore
'Cause I am not (You are not)
Because I am not the same person anymore (and neither are you)
I am not (You are not)
I am not the same person anymore (and neither are you)
I am not the boy next door
I am not the same person who used to live in this neighbourhood
Contributed by Evelyn A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Genie Hossain
Everything about the whole NYADA storyline infuriated me from start to finish. First of all, Rachel and Kurt who supposedly have dreams of stardom from infancy, don’t even start thinking about college or start plotting their education/career moves until the start of season 3. Kurt gives this brilliant audition that he didn’t think he was capable of, and Rachel majorly chokes, both of which are honestly great story beats in and of themselves. But the writers clearly had no idea how they were going to move forward with this.
It could have been so interesting seeing someone like Rachel taken down a peg and having to wait a semester or two, staying in Lima and performing in community theater or something since she effectively had no back up plan if NYADA fell through. It would have been so interesting seeing Kurt navigate the big city alone and without his support system in his boyfriend/family. But no.
Also, the way everything ended up in season 4 was such utter bs. I think Carmen tells Kurt that he didn’t get in despite having a great audition because he wasn’t “authentic” or something? The thing is, auditions are really fucking complicated, more complicated than anything we see in the show. Maybe it would have been interesting if they just didn’t give a reason for Kurt being rejected. Maybe because his application wasn’t in order, or his GPA wasn’t great, or maybe too many people with his similar voice type applied and they didn’t have room that year. Because most of the time, that’s just how show biz works and it’s just insane to try and pin it down to specifics. But no. And I honestly don’t think the writers even had it thought out about why he wasn’t accepted. And it REALLY shows in how half baked seasons 4-5 are.
And don’t get me started on how Rachel skyrockets through the ranks of NYADA despite being a pretty shitty student and lands a leading Broadway role despite having no professional experience and being a freshman in college.
DLDR: Glee majorly shits on everyone who goes to school for/works in performance.
Alex D
I will suspend disbelief for every. single. detail. of this show (because it just isn't fun otherwise) EXCEPT the NYADA admissions storyline- infuriated is a great word (sorry I'm about to rant on ur year old comment bc my friends don't care and I need to express these feelings lolll)
Rachel is the kind of girl who would apply to 20+ prestigious private colleges that all have supplemental essays including every Ivy League and says her safety schools are UC Berkeley and NYU. She's the kind of girl who would make her dads take her on college tours across the country starting in 8th grade (she literally had a binder with a 5 year plan or something so you're really telling me she didn't thoroughly research multiple schools??) If she's dead set on performing arts school,,, there are more schools than NYADA? I mean NYADA isn't real so are we supposed to think that in the Glee-universe the only two performing arts schools that exist are NYADA and Julliard without a musical theatre department?
What angered me more than the who gets in and who doesn't aspect is the NYADA or nothing attitude????? Rachel should've been turned away after stalking Carmen and have to go to her third or fourth choice school (which can still be in NYC,,,,) to teach her that she can't get exactly what she wants every time especially in show business. The stakes were high enough to create sufficient drama without having to do NYADA or nothing.
(talking about when s3 was done but before s4) It was just so frustrating as a viewer to watch Rachel be awful for 3 seasons and get exactly what she wants in the end. I mean Kurt was the breakout favorite character since season 1 I think a lot of viewers (me especially) would have LOVED for him to finally come out on top instead of Rachel,,,, ALSO there's a girl at pretty much every competition (and dozens at nationals) who sound like Rachel but Kurt is a countertenor?????????? I mean how many of those with such a lovable personality do you come across?? homophobia explains his lack of solos in high school but to not be a favorite for art school admissions??? such BS.
Anyway, we can all agree that this is an amazing and enjoyable performance- always puts a smile on my face :')
James Hall
Coming home used to feel so good
I'm a stranger now in my neighborhood
I've seen the world at a faster place
And I'm coming now from a different place
Though I may look the same way to you
Underneath there is somebody new
I am not the boy next door
I don't belong like I did before
Nothing ever seems like it used to be
You can have your dreams but you can't have me
Oh, I can't come back there anymore
'Cause I am not the boy next door
You've been saving those souvenirs
Faded photographs from our foolish years
We made plans but they're wearing thin
And they don't work out 'cause I don't fit it
And those memories'll just weigh you down
'Cause I got no place to keep 'em uptown
I am not the boy next door
I don't belong like I did before
Nothing ever seems like it used to be
You can have your dreams but you can't have me
Oh, I can't go back there anymore
'Cause I am not the boy next door
I'm not sorry for just being me
But if you look past the past you can see
That I am not
Nothing ever seems like it used to be
You can have your dreams, oh but you can't have me
I can't go back there anymore
'Cause I am not (you are not), I am not (you are not), I am not
The boy next door
Singing Owl
There is no way that an actual kid wouldn't get in if they did that as an audition. It's one of the best performances on the whole show.
Mariana R.
@KimV Rin bizarre?
Yo Mismo
@Thais Araujo She didnt get all at all. She never had Cory and i´ve always thought how everything had gone if he hasnt died.
stefgm
@Sian Rodd AND she had gotten a fairly recent suspension when she applied.
Brenna Braelyn
@Lukas Elardo EXACTLY
grandcarriage1
Agreed. That last note was insane, and UNLIKE HJ (whom I like, but god he sounded terrible as Peter Allen. Chris actually sings the melody. HE sounds (and looks) fabulous.
Anna McDonald
She said HUGH JACKMAN WOULD BE IMPRESSED BUT THEN LET RACHEL IN INSTEAD? 2020 AND IT STILL AINT RIGHT
Hailey Keinath
2022 and I’m still pissed
lolo friend
2022 and STILL not right
Jennifer Brigitte
@J M they would have begged little porcelain to shine like a diamond for them.