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.
Outcast
Glee Cast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who's to say
Who's not okay?
The breakaways
Will outlast, will outlast
Jake:
Sticks and stones
They're just some drones
To get past, I'll get past
Unique with Ryder:
Feeling downcast,
Like an outcast
Underdogs, it's time to bite back
Marley with Kitty and New Directions:
We are, we are, we are (Marley: We are!)
Stronger from every scar, (Marley: Scar!)
Brighter than any star (Marley: Star!)
Marley, Jake and Kitty with New Directions:
We're the outcast, o-o-outcast
Marley with Jake and New Directions:
There's nothing you can say (Marley: Say...)
To blow our dreams away
We rise above the fray, (Marley: The fray)
Marley, Jake and Kitty with New Directions:
We're the outcast, o-o-outcast
Ryder and Kitty:
In this skin, I'm better than
I've ever been, so take that, yeah, take that
Jake with Marley:
The test of time will show who shines
It will be mine
Yeah, the last laugh, the last laugh
Unique with Ryder (Marley):
Feeling downcast, (You're feeling)
Like an outcast (Like an outcast)
Underdogs, it's (Yeah!) time to
Unique and Ryder with New Directions:
It's time to, time to bite back
Marley with Kitty and New Directions:
We are, we are, we are (Marley: We are!)
Stronger from every scar, (Marley: Scar!)
Brighter than any star (Marley: Star!)
Marley, Jake and Kitty with New Directions:
We're the outcast, o-o-outcast
Marley with Jake with New Directions:
There's nothing you can say (Marley: Say...)
To blow our dreams away
We rise above the fray, (Marley: The fray)
Marley, Jake and Kitty with New Directions:
We're the outcast, o-o-outcast
Jake with Marley:
I'd rather be outrageous than
Unique with Ryder:
Just another door pushing again
Jake with Marley:
I'd rather be a rainbow than
Ryder, Marley and Unique:
Just some
Marley and Unique:
Shade of gray!
Ryder (Marley):
We are, we are, we are
Stronger from every scar, (Yeah)
Brighter than any star (Yeah)
The outcast
Jake:
The outcast, yeah
Marley with New Directions:
Stronger from every scar
Kitty with New Directions (Marley):
The outcast, (Outcast!) o-o-outcast (Outcast!)
Jake with Kitty and New Directions (Marley):
(Oooh!) Brighter than any star (Oooh!)
Kitty with Jake and New Directions:
The outcast, o-o-outcast (Jake: The outcast! Yeah)
Marley with New Directions (Unique):
We are, we are, we are (Yes, we are) the outcast, o-o-outcast
"Outcast" is a song that celebrates individuality and perseverance. The lyrics make it clear that the singers are proud of being outcasts and that nobody can break their spirit. The phrase "who's to say who's not okay" highlights the fact that society has established norms that determine what is considered acceptable, but the singers of the song reject this idea and embrace their differences.
The song seems to be addressing those who are marginalized and feel like they don't fit in with the mainstream. The phrase "sticks and stones won't break these bones" implies that the outcasts have been subjected to insults and bullying, but they have learned to rise above it. The singers repeatedly assert that they are stronger and brighter than anyone else, celebrating their differences and asserting their worth.
Line by Line Meaning
Who's to say
Who has the authority to pass judgment
Who's not okay?
Who is considered unacceptable or not normal
The breakaways
Those who are different and do not conform
Will outlast, will outlast
Will persevere and endure
Sticks and stones
Verbal or physical attacks
Won't break these bones
Will not cause any harm or damage
They're just some drones
They are insignificant and unimportant
To get past, I'll get past
To overcome and move forward
Feeling downcast,
Feeling discouraged, sad and rejected
Like an outcast
Feeling rejected and isolated from the group
Underdogs, it's time to bite back
As underdogs, it's time to fight back and show our strength
We are, we are, we are
We are confident in ourselves
Stronger from every scar,
Our experiences have made us stronger
Brighter than any star
We shine brighter than anyone else
We're the outcast, o-o-outcast
We are proud to be different and stand out from the crowd
There's nothing you can say
Words cannot deter us from our dreams
To blow our dreams away
To stop us from achieving our goals
We rise above the fray,
We are strong enough to overcome any obstacle
In this skin, I'm better than
I am proud of who I am
I've ever been, so take that, yeah, take that
I am proud of my personal growth and accomplishments
The test of time will show who shines
Success and greatness will be evident in the long run
It will be mine
Success will be mine
Yeah, the last laugh, the last laugh
I will have the final victory and success
I'd rather be outrageous than
I would rather be different and bold
Just another door pushing again
Just another ordinary and unremarkable person
I'd rather be a rainbow than
I would rather be colorful and bright
Just some shade of gray!
Just another dull and ordinary person
Contributed by Arianna L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.