Glee Countdown, #1: Top 10 Back 9 Songs

I did a Top 10 for the first 13, so it's only fair I do a Top 10 for the Back 9. Plus it's an easy way to kick of the She-Bloggo Glee Countdown! ...except it was totally hard to choose.

NUMBER 10. TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART, Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff.




Oh, the drama! This song is genuinely a great song, despite its inclusion in the "bad reputation" episode, and Lea Michele and Jon Groff sing the crap out of it. That's all I ever really want.

NUMBER 9. FAITHFULLY, Lea Michele and Cory Monteith.




This is perhaps my favorite of the Finn/Rachel duets. The way they sing this song tugs at my heartstrings, and the backup vocals from the rest of the Glee club is chills-inducing, every time. Plus Lea's high notes at the end? Good Lord. It's an excellent showing for their Regionals performance, and a song that I gets endless play on my iTunes. It also must be noted that I actually prefer the arrangement on the Glee cover to the arrangement in Journey's original. Gasp!

NUMBER 8. ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST, Jonathan Groff.




This list would not be complete without an appearance by the lovely Jon Groff, who graced us with his both his character's evils and also his beautiful voice. He gets massive points for this version of "Another One Bites the Dust," where he spits out every lyric with venom and bitterness as he sets his sights on taking down the New Directions, and his ex-girlfriend. This song is actually well-suited for show choir, and it fits rather nicely in both the Vocal Adrenaline songbook and the plot arcs of the show itself.

NUMBER 7. TO SIR WITH LOVE, Ensemble.




This song is sung simply, but effectively. I appreciate how small the song seems, because even though the club is comprised of losers on the verge of being broken apart, their ode to Mr. Schuester is a large and rather heartfelt gesture. It also represents a shift in the distribution of vocals, featuring mini-solos of nearly all the Glee kids. A lovely rendition, and makes me teary-eyed every time.

NUMBER 6. EXPRESS YOURSELF, the Glee girls.



The energy from this song jolted the ode to Madonna into the stratosphere, where it stayed for the rest of the episode. Fun, dancing, girl-power sass and happiness every time. What more do you want?

NUMBER 5. ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER/A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME, Matthew Morrison and Kristin Chenoweth.



Cheno has stated that hers and Matt Morrison's voices go together "like butter on a biscuit" and I couldn't agree with her more. This duet is a beautiful marriage of two songs and two voices, blending both seamlessly. Some say it's too long and too schmaltzy, but I say it's damn near perfect.

NUMBER 4. DREAM ON, Matthew Morrison and Neil Patrick Harris.



Neil Patrick Harris hits the most insane high notes in this song, and it's amazing. Matt Morrison has never sounded better, either. Together, they do Aerosmith a whole lotta justice.

NUMBER 3. LIKE A PRAYER, Ensemble.



Full-body goosebumps, PARTY OF THE ENTIRE NATION. "Like a Prayer" is a huge song, and Glee tackles it easily. It divides the song between Lea Michele's divine notes, Amber Riley's God-given vocal runs, Chris Colfer's voice of an angel, and an entire gospel choir. I don't see where they could go wrong. This is THE ensemble number of the Back 9.

NUMBER 2. ROSE'S TURN, Chris Colfer.



This episode got little Chris Colfer an Emmy nomination, and I'm pretty sure that "Rose's Turn" was the clincher. I love how vulnerable he is during this performance, and he turns from a broken little boy into a fabulous entertainer in a single note, and keeps the audience hanging on every syllable. Fantastic.

NUMBER 1. I DREAMED A DREAM, Lea Michele and Idina Menzel.



Remember when I said that "Maybe This Time" was amazing simply because it was a duet by Cheno and Lea Michele? Well, "I Dreamed A Dream" is a similar breed. I mean, it's amazing enough because it's Idina Menzel and Lea Michele singing together. But on top of that, it's the two of them doing what they do best: giving so much emotion through their voices, as they pour their souls into their tragic mother-daughter relationship. The harmonies in this song are enough to tear my heart into little pieces, and it's breathtaking the way that each woman's voice gathers power as the notes are held longer. It's simply a master class, and unlike anything you could ever expect from a television musical.