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.
Take my Breath away
Glee Cast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watching every motion in my foolish lovers game
On this endless ocean, finally lovers know no shame
Santana:
Turning and returning to some secret place inside
Watching in slow motion as you turn around and say
Take my breath away
Take my breath away
Watching, I keep waiting, still anticipating love
Never hesitating to become the fated ones
Turning and returning to some secret place to cry
Watching in slow motion as you turn to me and say
Santana:
My love
Both:
Take my breath away
Santana:
Through the hourglass I saw you, in time you slipped away
When the mirror crashed I called you and turned to hear you say
Quinn:
If only for today, I am unafraid
Both:
Take my breath away
Take my breath away
Watching every motion in this foolish lover's game
Haunted by the notion somewhere there's a love in flames
Turning and returning to some secret place inside
Watching in slow motion as you turn my way
Santana:
And say
Both:
Take my breath away
Quinn:
My love
Both:
Take my breath away
Quinn:
My love
Both:
Take my breath away, ooohh
Away
Take my breath away
Santana:
My love
Both:
Take my breath away
The lyrics of Glee Cast's "Take My Breath Away" describe the experience of being in love and completely awestruck by someone. The first verse sung by Quinn talks about how she is watching every motion of her lover in their foolish lover's game, suggesting they are both playing a game to be together. However, as lovers, they have no shame and are finally accepting their love and desire for each other, as expressed in the line "On this endless ocean, finally lovers know no shame."
Santana's verse talks about the secret place inside her where she is turning and returning to, suggesting she is thinking about this person all the time. As she watches the person in slow motion, they turn around and say "Take my breath away," expressing how they feel about each other. The chorus repeats this sentiment, with the two singers waiting and anticipating their love, not hesitating to become the fated ones.
In the next verse, Santana sings about the passing of time, watching the person's movements as if in an hourglass, but feeling like they're slipping away. However, even when the mirror crashes, she calls out for them and hears them say they are unafraid if only for today. The final chorus repeats the message of being completely in awe of the other person, with the lines "Watching every motion in this foolish lover's game, haunted by the notion somewhere there's a love in flames."
Overall, "Take My Breath Away" is a song about being completely smitten with someone and feeling completely helpless in their presence. The ocean imagery in the first verse, hourglass in the second, and secret place inside in the third all support the idea that this love is vast and all-consuming.
Line by Line Meaning
Watching every motion in my foolish lovers game
I am paying close attention to every move in this game of love that I am foolishly playing with my partner.
On this endless ocean, finally lovers know no shame
We are lost in the vastness of this love like being in an endless ocean and not caring about what others think or say.
Turning and returning to some secret place inside
I keep going back to a secret place in my mind where I hide my deepest emotions and desires.
Watching in slow motion as you turn around and say
I am watching you turn around in slow motion while waiting for you to say something significant to me.
Take my breath away
You are so breathtakingly beautiful that I am stunned and speechless.
Watching, I keep waiting, still anticipating love
I am continuously watching and waiting for love to happen, still expecting and hoping for it despite setbacks.
Never hesitating to become the fated ones
We have no hesitation in embracing our destiny as two people who are meant to be together.
Turning and returning to some secret place to cry
I keep going back to my secret place to shed tears because of the intensity of my emotions.
Watching in slow motion as you turn to me and say
I am watching you turn towards me in slow motion as you say something meaningful to me that I will remember forever.
Through the hourglass I saw you, in time you slipped away
I once saw you through the hourglass of time, but now I realize that you have slipped away from my grasp.
When the mirror crashed I called you and turned to hear you say
In an emotional state when everything seemed shattered, I called out to you and turned around to hear your reassuring words.
If only for today, I am unafraid
Even if it's just for today, I am unafraid to express my true feelings for you.
Watching every motion in this foolish lover's game
I am still paying attention to every move in this game of love even if it's foolish.
Haunted by the notion somewhere there's a love in flames
I am haunted by the idea that somewhere there's a love that is so intense that it's like a flame that burns everything around it.
And say
At this point, I am waiting for you to say something that will change everything.
Take my breath away
Again, you are so captivating and stunning that you take my breath away.
My love
You are not just someone I care for, but you are also someone that I love deeply.
Contributed by Ryan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
✨ kaanabi ✨
Watching every motion in my foolish lover's game
On this endless ocean, finally lovers know no shame
Turning and returning to some secret place inside
Watching in slow motion as you turn around and say
Take my breath away
Take my breath away
Watching, I keep waiting, still anticipating love
Never hesitating to become the fated ones
Turning and returning to some secret place to cry
Watching in slow motion as you turn to me and say, my love
Take my breath away
Through the hour glass I saw you
In time you slipped away
When the mirror crashed, I called you
And turned to hear you say
If only for today, I am unafraid
Take my breath away
Take my breath away
Watching every motion in this foolish lover's game
Haunted by the notion somewhere there's a loving place
Turning and returning to some secret place inside
Watching in slow motion as you turn my way and say
Take my breath away, my love
Take my breath away, my love
Take my breath away, oh oh, away
Take my breath away, my love
Take my breath away
Bento Abreu
Lyrics:
Watching every motion
In my foolish lover's game
On this endless ocean
Finally lovers know no shame
Turning and returning
To some secret place inside
Watching in slow motion
As you turn around and say
Take my breath away
Take my breath away
Watching I keep waiting
Still anticipating love
Never hesitating
To become the fated ones
Turning and returning
To some secret place to hide
Watching in slow motion
As you turn to me and say
My love, take my breath away
Through the hourglass I saw you
In time you slipped away
When the mirror crashed I called you
And turned to hear you say
If only for today, I am unafraid
Take my breath away
Take my breath away
Watching every motion
In this foolish lover's game
Haunted by the notion
Somewhere there's a love in flames
Turning and returning
To some secret place inside
Watching in slow motion
As you turn my way and say
Take my breath away
My love, take my breath away
My love, take my breath away
My love
My love, take my breath away
aliso321
I used to listen to this song everyday and just be amazed at how beautiful Naya and Dianna's vocals are together.
Now I'm just crying :(
R.I.P Naya, your wonderful soul and voice will always be with us.
Phillip Bragado
One couldn't have asked for two better characters to get such an emotional response out of us viewers. Santana now able to express herself honestly, she embraces her love for Brittany unconditionally and purely. Quinn having to deal with getting pregnant, giving up her child, and the accident; with all those hardships she continued on. Stronger than ever. If these two have taught us anything it would be to never give up even when you want to. And be yourself.
Skinny Z
Dianna's voice was so under appreciated in the series!
cuddlefuddle
Quinn sounds amazing. It sucks Ryan never gave her songs in her vocal range - like this ones early on.
Booker1912
I agree 1000%. I feel like she was way under utilized. She has a very distinct, unique voice that should have been used more
El. C.
he never appreciated and utilized the cast’s vocal talents at their fullest.
4Tom4 Lepus4
Agreed. This is one of my favorite songs in the entire show, Dianna sounds so beautiful here, Quinn and Santana's voices are perfectly matching.
Amy Carcaterra
@El. C. he really wanted Lea in the spotlight 1000%
Xavier García
While I agree that Quinn has an amazing voice and was under used, she is under average in Glee. She is amazing, but let’s not rush. Diana probably will never get the level of Lea, Amber, Darren, Alex Newell, Naya. That’s why those others were more used in the show. At the end of the day, it was about make money and you have to use the best you have to make it. Diana wasn’t the best of Glee nor was near to be.
Nicolette.
I love this version, this song is seriously beautiful no matter what version or singer. But these two are my absolute favourite vocalists from the show.