A mash-up for those of you not in the know is the act of combining two songs together for a wholly unique musical experience. Now I myself am unsure with the history of mash-ups but I think I can safely say that they came into cultural knowledge thanks to glee.
I certainly cannot remember a time in my twenty years of life when I heard a mash-up pre-glee and neither any of my friends who I asked.
According to the Glee Wiki, glee has done nine mash-ups in season one (two of them not being released in any format) and eight in season two (one not on show but released on album). In season three glee released eleven added that to the four already released in season four (so far as of this writing season four has only completed six episodes).
Glee has released thirty-two mash-ups thus far according to my calculations and information available. The mash-ups released have ranged from really good to why did you to do that to just meh.
However, as something of a glee mash-up connoisseur, I do wonder from time to time about mash-ups glee should have done but didn't do. Which leads to my very first top ten list!
(Let's just say spoilers up to general season 4)
Why do this? Well to showcase my fun side after last week's beginning of the Glee and Social Issues series but also because I see everyone list their top ten favorite mash-ups or something in that ilk. However, I've never seen this type of list so why not.
The rules for my list are simple. At least one of the songs has been performed on glee at one point in time and it was not performed in a mash-up.
Also the way I organized this list was if the song was insanely popular when it came out it gets a lower place due to its popularity. So the less popular the original glee version was the higher it will be placed on my list.
With those ground rules it's time for THE TOP TEN MASH-UPS GLEE SHOULD HAVE DONE BUT DIDN'T.
10) Teenage Dream (Katy Perry)/The One That Got Away (Katy Perry)
I know! I know! Teenage Dream has been performed twice on glee. It is the most popular single that has ever been sold (mainly due to hordes of Darren Criss fangirls) even outstripping the signature song of the show Don't Stop Believing, which has also been performed twice, rather easily.
So that is why it is number ten. It was insanely popular at the time of the release. Darren Criss has even taken to performing it when he holds concerts or does performing outside of the show. Seeing as it would be very unlikely for them to use this song again, it warrants a place on the list.
Now where would this never going to happen mash-up fit? I see it fitting in season four episode four "The Break-Up". The two songs are about being teenagers. However while Teenage Dream is a hopeful fun tune about being in love and young, The One That Got Away is a stark contrast against it with the loss of love and that forever not lasting. It would have provided a stark contrast to the break-up with Kurt and Blaine.
Plus I think it just would have sounded beautiful on the piano.
9) You Can't Always Get What You Want (The Rolling Stones) /I Can't Get No Satisfaction (The Rolling Stones)
However, I also think these two could have a deeper meaning in conjunction with what was happening with the characters at the time. Babygate has just happened in the show where Finn found out he wasn't the father of Quinn's baby. There set list had been leaked. It is them at the lowest point in the first thirteen of season one.
Also if they could come up with a number on the fly then they could come up with a mash-up on the fly as well. The songs fit together and the situation of New Directions. They can't get what they want and no matter how hard they try they cannot be satisfied with everyone seemingly against them.
8) Over the Rainbow (Judy Garland) /I'm Yours (Jason Mraz)
Since the Glee: Journey to Regionals EP was successful this song also counts as being successful. Over the Rainbow is a beautiful song on its own and symbolizes the hope that the glee club feels at having another year. However I believed if mashed up with I'm Yours it could have also added another interesting layer to both songs.
Over the Rainbow is a song of hope while I'm Yours is just a song about love, love, loooooove. And while I normally don't like songs with guys strumming guitars like Mraz does here I can totally get behind it if Mark Salling (Puck) and Matthew Morrison (Will) are singing it with a ukulele playing.
Just a nice low key mash-up about good vibes would be nice to see more.
7) Without You (David Guetta ft. Usher) /Without You (Rent)
Hey if Glee can do a You and I/You and I mash-up then they can do one similar to it. Now I must admit that I am not the biggest Finchel fan in the world (for reasons we will get into as the blog continues) and sometimes I feel like Rachel is being used...too much in the show. Don't get me wrong! Lea Michele has an insanely amazing voice that I am in awe of. The show just doesn't give you time to miss it.
Plus sometimes Rachel goes on strange trips outside of her comfort zone of Broadway with varying results. Without You by David Guetta featuring Usher is...one that strangely works? Now I have to admit I had never heard of this song before the show but it was actually introduced rather well and the song topped the iTunes charts for a week after the show.
However, when I saw Without You being slated for Rachel the song I was thinking was the Without You from the Broadway Musical Rent. I just felt like it would have fit her more to do that song as a solo version However, I would have taken a mash-up of the two songs.
6) Empire State of Mind(Jay-Z ft Alicia Keys) /New York, New York (Frank Sinatra)
I certainly cannot remember a time in my twenty years of life when I heard a mash-up pre-glee and neither any of my friends who I asked.
According to the Glee Wiki, glee has done nine mash-ups in season one (two of them not being released in any format) and eight in season two (one not on show but released on album). In season three glee released eleven added that to the four already released in season four (so far as of this writing season four has only completed six episodes).
Glee has released thirty-two mash-ups thus far according to my calculations and information available. The mash-ups released have ranged from really good to why did you to do that to just meh.
However, as something of a glee mash-up connoisseur, I do wonder from time to time about mash-ups glee should have done but didn't do. Which leads to my very first top ten list!
(Let's just say spoilers up to general season 4)
Why do this? Well to showcase my fun side after last week's beginning of the Glee and Social Issues series but also because I see everyone list their top ten favorite mash-ups or something in that ilk. However, I've never seen this type of list so why not.
The rules for my list are simple. At least one of the songs has been performed on glee at one point in time and it was not performed in a mash-up.
Also the way I organized this list was if the song was insanely popular when it came out it gets a lower place due to its popularity. So the less popular the original glee version was the higher it will be placed on my list.
With those ground rules it's time for THE TOP TEN MASH-UPS GLEE SHOULD HAVE DONE BUT DIDN'T.
10) Teenage Dream (Katy Perry)/The One That Got Away (Katy Perry)
I know! I know! Teenage Dream has been performed twice on glee. It is the most popular single that has ever been sold (mainly due to hordes of Darren Criss fangirls) even outstripping the signature song of the show Don't Stop Believing, which has also been performed twice, rather easily.
So that is why it is number ten. It was insanely popular at the time of the release. Darren Criss has even taken to performing it when he holds concerts or does performing outside of the show. Seeing as it would be very unlikely for them to use this song again, it warrants a place on the list.
Now where would this never going to happen mash-up fit? I see it fitting in season four episode four "The Break-Up". The two songs are about being teenagers. However while Teenage Dream is a hopeful fun tune about being in love and young, The One That Got Away is a stark contrast against it with the loss of love and that forever not lasting. It would have provided a stark contrast to the break-up with Kurt and Blaine.
Plus I think it just would have sounded beautiful on the piano.
9) You Can't Always Get What You Want (The Rolling Stones) /I Can't Get No Satisfaction (The Rolling Stones)
I know. I know. Second one in a row mashed with another song by the same artist. However, these two songs would have been epic together. I remember You Can't Always Get What You Want being a fairly popular interpretation that glee has done.
However, I also think these two could have a deeper meaning in conjunction with what was happening with the characters at the time. Babygate has just happened in the show where Finn found out he wasn't the father of Quinn's baby. There set list had been leaked. It is them at the lowest point in the first thirteen of season one.
Also if they could come up with a number on the fly then they could come up with a mash-up on the fly as well. The songs fit together and the situation of New Directions. They can't get what they want and no matter how hard they try they cannot be satisfied with everyone seemingly against them.
8) Over the Rainbow (Judy Garland) /I'm Yours (Jason Mraz)
Since the Glee: Journey to Regionals EP was successful this song also counts as being successful. Over the Rainbow is a beautiful song on its own and symbolizes the hope that the glee club feels at having another year. However I believed if mashed up with I'm Yours it could have also added another interesting layer to both songs.
Over the Rainbow is a song of hope while I'm Yours is just a song about love, love, loooooove. And while I normally don't like songs with guys strumming guitars like Mraz does here I can totally get behind it if Mark Salling (Puck) and Matthew Morrison (Will) are singing it with a ukulele playing.
Just a nice low key mash-up about good vibes would be nice to see more.
7) Without You (David Guetta ft. Usher) /Without You (Rent)
Hey if Glee can do a You and I/You and I mash-up then they can do one similar to it. Now I must admit that I am not the biggest Finchel fan in the world (for reasons we will get into as the blog continues) and sometimes I feel like Rachel is being used...too much in the show. Don't get me wrong! Lea Michele has an insanely amazing voice that I am in awe of. The show just doesn't give you time to miss it.
Plus sometimes Rachel goes on strange trips outside of her comfort zone of Broadway with varying results. Without You by David Guetta featuring Usher is...one that strangely works? Now I have to admit I had never heard of this song before the show but it was actually introduced rather well and the song topped the iTunes charts for a week after the show.
However, when I saw Without You being slated for Rachel the song I was thinking was the Without You from the Broadway Musical Rent. I just felt like it would have fit her more to do that song as a solo version However, I would have taken a mash-up of the two songs.
6) Empire State of Mind(Jay-Z ft Alicia Keys) /New York, New York (Frank Sinatra)
Okay this one would have involved some creativity in the part of glee's music producer Adam Anders. However, this is my list and I can put whatever kind of odd mash-up that pops into my head on here.
Now the reasoning behind it. These two songs are the anthems of New York City! I mean I heard Sinatra's New York, New York on my first trip to New York. Jay-Z's Empire State of Mind has been called the modern equivalent to the standard. So it would make some twisted sense for glee to mash-up the old and the new. Use the show to introduce the music from the bygone era to the new generation of kids! You've done it in season one!
Not much more I can say other than a wasted opportunity.
5) Kiss (Prince)/Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis Presley)
Let me make one thing clear. I reeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllyyyyyyy hate Holly Holiday. Just so...much hatred for the character. Most of her time on screen I want to punch her in the face. So why didn't I choose to mash-up something with Forget You which was another more successful cover that features the same actress (Gwyneth Paltrow) on vocals?
Because you cannot top the awesomeness of Fuck You. Yes! I'm not even using the clean version for it. The clean version sucks! It's Fuck You! So I tend to pretend that that cover doesn't really exist.
Which leads me to choose these two songs to mash-up. Kiss is a very sexy song about getting extra time with your lover. Heartbreak Hotel is a song about well heartbreak.
So in the context of episode fifteen of season two "Sexy" it probably it would have still fit and gave it a sexy edge. You can have Holly being herself and then give the Elvis part to Will because it fits his situation, women he love keep leaving him and he's scared about having that extra time as evidenced in Kiss!
4) Marry You (Bruno Mars)/ I Do (Colbie Caillat)
Okay this one would have been epic for the Hudmel wedding. Both songs are about marriage. Both songs have the same up-tempo cheerful key. Colbie Caillat and Bruno Mars have similar enough styles that it wouldn't be hard.
It would have been such a sweet fun epic mash-up for a wedding of two awesome parents. And it would have been something very sweet and uplifting and a wedding mash-up for the ages.
Plus it would have been interesting to maybe have Santana's smoky vocals to cover the I Do part?
3) You Keep Me Hangin' On (The Supremes)/Think (Aretha Franklin)
Granted I would understand not mashing this up for Quinn. Dianna Agron has a lovely singing voice that has improved but she can't just belt out those big beautiful Aretha notes that this song requires.
However, both songs would still make an amazing mash-up. Especially if you're pissed at your man like Quinn was for him having flirting with Rachel while she misleads into think she's pregnant with his child. It is the perfect mash-up to smack some damn sense into the guy.
Sadly I don't think this cover never got very popular which is a pity because Dianna does do an amazing job and the fantasy sequence itself is awesome (episode seven season one "Throwdown" if you want to refresh yourselves).
2) Dancing with Myself (Billy Idol)/Dance the Night Away (Van Halen)
Both of these songs are glorious eighties cheese. Now I was obsessed with Artie's cover of Dancing With Myself in the season one episode nine "Wheels" but not a lot of people remember this. So I think glee could sneak this back in and no one would really notice. Both songs are just...fun songs.
Most of the mash-ups glee does are fun songs that you can ultimately dance to in the end. So I don't think this would be too out of place in the pantheon of the glee mash-ups. I think it would just be a fun silly mash-up number with head banging and just all that glorious eighties cheese we have come to love from the show.
1) Bills, Bills, Bills (Destiny's Child)/No Scrubs (TLC)
WHY DIDN'T GLEE DO THIS?!?! NO ONE REMEMBERS THE COVER OF BILLS, BILLS, BILLS! IT'S JUST SO FORGETTABLE!
It really is!!!! The one thing everyone remembers for episode eleven of season two "The Sue Sylvester Shuffle" is the mash-up between Thriller/Heads Will Roll. You have dancing football zombies! Of course people are going to remember that against the Warblers singing about how people pay their bills.
(Also FYI? Do...These guys are rich. I don't think paying their bills is a legit concern. God it's like singing Raise Your Glass at Regionals. You are rich, successful and popular at your school. You guys aren't really swimming in problems except not thinking about your image versus your song choice. I would also like to point out that I am a Warblers fan just not a fan of some of their song choices. More on that in another post for another day.)
It just kills me. You have rights to TLC songs glee you mashed up Unpretty with I Feel Pretty from West Side Story into one of the best mash-ups of the show! You could have gone two for two here with the mash-up of No Scrubs and Bills, Bills, Bills but instead you just make into this throwaway song for the Warblers?! To sell more singles or padding for the Warblers album? No glee! Go back and do it right! They need a mash-up to truly be a show choir!
I can't really articulate why these songs fit together except they just do. They're talking about the same thing guys that try to mooch of their more successful ladies. They both have similar beats and wouldn't have been that hard to mash-up for an epic sound experience.
However since glee has done Bills, Bills, Bills and probably won't go back to it anytime soon it makes Bills, Bills, Bills/No Scrubs the number one mash-up glee should have done but didn't.
NEXT ON GLEE REWATCH PROJECT: Um either a retrospective look on past Sectionals or Glee and Social Issues Part Two-Mercedes Sam and Marley with Body Image. Both are coming up soon I just don't know which one I'm getting too first.
Credit: Glee Wiki (glee.wikia.com)
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