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.
Some People
Glee Cast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some people can get a thrill
Knitting sweaters and sitting still
That's okay for some people who don't know they're alive
Some people can thrive and bloom
Living life in the living room
That's perfect for some people of one hundred and five
At least gotta try
When I think of all the sights that I gotta see
And all the places I gotta play
All the things that I gotta be at
Come on, papa, what do you say?
Some people can be content
Playing bingo and paying rent
That's peachy for some people
For some hum-drum people to be
But some people ain't me!
I had a dream
A wonderful dream, papa
All about June in the Orpheum circuit
Gimme a chance and I know I can work it
I had a dream
Just as real as can be, papa
There I was in Mr. Orpheum's office
And he was saying to me
"Rose, get yourselves some new orchestrations
New routines and red velvet curtains
Get a feathered hat for the baby
Photographs in front of the theatre
Get an agent and in jig-time
You'll be being booked in the big time"
Oh, what a dream
A wonderful dream, papa
And all that I need is eighty-eight bucks, papa
That's what he said, papa
Only eighty-eight bucks
Goodbye...
To blueberry pie
Good riddance to all the socials I had to go to
All the lodges I had to play
All the shriners I said hello to
Hey, L.A., I'm comin' your way!
Some people sit on their butts
Got the dream, yeah, but not the guts
That's living for some people
For some hum-drum people, I suppose
Well, they can stay and rot!
But not Rose!
The lyrics to "Some People" from Glee Cast's song are about what people want to do with their lives. Kurt states that some people can be content with sitting still, knitting sweaters, and living hum-drum lives. However, he knows that he can't settle for that type of life, and he has to try to do everything he wants in life. Kurt wants to see all the sights, play all the places, and become everything he dreams to be. He has a dream of being on the Orpheum Circuit with red velvet curtains, new orchestrations, and new routines. Although he needs eighty-eight bucks, he has the passion, determination, and the guts to achieve his dreams.
The song's message is that it's okay to have big dreams and aim high in life. Not everyone is content with staying in one place, doing the same things over and over. People's aspirations and passions are what give them meaning and purpose in life. The song encourages listeners to follow their dreams and be unapologetic for chasing them.
Line by Line Meaning
Some people can get a thrill
Some people can find happiness in smaller things
Knitting sweaters and sitting still
Like knitting sweaters and sitting still
That's okay for some people who don't know they're alive
It's okay for some people who don't see the potential they have in life
Some people can thrive and bloom
Some people can grow and develop happily
Living life in the living room
By staying within one's comfort zone
That's perfect for some people of one hundred and five
Older people who may not have much energy
But I...
But I'm different
At least gotta try
At least I have to give it a shot
When I think of all the sights that I gotta see
When I think of all the things I want to experience in life
And all the places I gotta play
And all the places I want to visit
All the things that I gotta be at
All the things I want to achieve in life
Come on, papa, what do you say?
Come on, let's do it!
Some people can be content
Some people can be satisfied
Playing bingo and paying rent
By doing mundane things
That's peachy for some people
It's good enough for some people
For some hum-drum people to be
For some boring and uninspired people to do
But some people ain't me!
But that's not me!
I had a dream
I had a vision of what I want to achieve
A wonderful dream, papa
A great and inspiring vision
All about June in the Orpheum circuit
About performing in June at Orpheum circuit
Gimme a chance and I know I can work it
Give me a chance, and I know I can make it happen
Just as real as can be, papa
As real as anything can be
There I was in Mr. Orpheum's office
I was in the office of Mr. Orpheum
And he was saying to me
And he said to me
"Rose, get yourselves some new orchestrations
"You need to get new orchestrations
New routines and red velvet curtains
New routines and red velvet curtains
Get a feathered hat for the baby
Get a feathered hat for the baby
Photographs in front of the theatre
Take photographs in front of the theatre
Get an agent and in jig-time
Find an agent, and soon you'll be a success
You'll be being booked in the big time"
You'll be famous and successful
Oh, what a dream
Oh, what an inspiring vision
And all that I need is eighty-eight bucks, papa
All I need is eighty-eight dollars to achieve my dream
That's what he said, papa
That's what Mr. Orpheum said to me
Goodbye... To blueberry pie
Goodbye to mundane aspects of life
Good riddance to all the socials I had to go to
Good riddance to social events I didn't want to attend
All the lodges I had to play
All the places I performed at, which I didn't enjoy
All the shriners I said hello to
All the people I had to greet and be polite to
Hey, L.A., I'm comin' your way!
Hey, Los Angeles, I'm on my way!
Some people sit on their butts
Some people don't do anything productive
Got the dream, yeah, but not the guts
Some people have visions but lack the courage to pursue it
That's living for some people
That is how some people choose to live
For some hum-drum people, I suppose
For some uninspired or uninteresting individuals, I reckon
Well, they can stay and rot!
Let them stay and be unproductive or uninspired!
But not Rose!
But not me!
Contributed by Jordan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.