At work, we have music playing at all times. All the stores get the same playlist piped in from corporate, and it doesn’t vary much from day to day. Lots of Michael Bublé and Colbie Caillat, Lady Antebellum and Taylor Swift, Jason Mraz and John Mayer, and, for a few weeks, the newer version of “We Are the World” with T Pain all auto-tuned up in there. On the whole, it’s not music I would listen to if I had my druthers.
However, after you’ve heard one shuffled playlist as many times as I have now, you can’t help a) knowing most of the lyrics, b) singing along, and c) sometimes thinking, “This isn’t so terrible after all!” It’s a little embarrassing, and I’m not naming names, but I have to confess a growing fondness for certain songs.
There is one place where I draw the line, though: Glee covers.
I’ve watched a few episodes of Glee. As someone who loves musicals and wishes there were more real-life opportunities to break into song and dance without getting the stink eye from the general population, I am delighted by the premise of the show. They sing! All the time! They use popular songs to express their feelings! It’s awesome!
I think the song choices for each character and situation are usually spot-on and the cast does a phenomenal job with their material. Watch Kurt sing “Single Ladies” (Original choreography included!) or practically any scene involving Sue Sylvester and tell me the show is not, on some campy level, brilliant.
HOWEVER:
All my happy feelings about Glee do not transcend the context of the show. Spastic “Walkin’ on Sunshine/Halo” mashup as part of a boys vs. girls glee club competition? Fantastic. The same mashup played on the radio? MERCIFUL HEAVENS MAKE IT STOP.
Which is why it bothers me immensely when, instead of playing some of the BEST SONGS OF ALL TIME, they play the Glee covers of said songs at work.
This is pretty rad, sure:
But is it in any way superior to this?
In Rachel Berry vs. Steve Perry, there’s really no contest. I’m forever yours, pre-1998 Journey.
Two things: I have just finally started watching Glee on Hulu. (Also–discovered 3 mysterious episodes of Pushing Daisies, via Hulu, that I'd never seen before!)
I like Glee most of the time, but I confess the real reason I'm watching it is to see what Sue says next. Best part of the show.
Secondly, I realized that the only radio I listen to anymore is NPR. Which makes me feel old, because I only recognized two of the names you listed on your work playlist. But really, when I can listen to John Denver (my kids know almost all the words to the 4-disc Country Roads collection), why listen to anything else?
My kids are probably going to relive my experience of going to my first seventh-grade dance, hearing the music, and thinking, "What the heck is this? Where's the Beethoven?" because honest to goodness, that was the first time I'd heard anything else.
And now I know what I'm getting you for Christmas. Mix CDs of high quality kid-friendly music. Because while John Denver has his place, you guys are totally missing out.