Comments on: Glee’s “Defying Gravity” disappoints

By: sansukini

sansukini — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 08:59:28 +0000

I first heard this song on GLEE andd thought it was great, although a little on the pop side. But then I heard Leah Salonga sing this song on youtube and I realized Glee’s version is not up to par with Leah Salonga’s version. Just saying she’s a legend.

I’d agree with you.

By: Angelo

Angelo — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 02:57:51 +0000

Yup, understanding the context of the song really helps to appreciate it. If context were not that important, then everyone would just upload everything to youtube for YOUR appreciation, and out the window with TV series, musicals, etc.

And there were fireworks.

I don’t think Agron will do well in a duet for this though. She simply doesn’t have the range, and because she’s female, people will expect here not to do a falsetto most of the time, unlike Colfer. Again, the context in the original rendition (relationship between Elphaba and Glinda) is also very far from that in the play.

Hmmm. I would not go so far as to compare Glee songs with the originals, especially the Tony award-winning songs. That way I won’t get disappointed with the TV series and just be happy about it the way it was intended.

Thanks for weighing in, Angelo.

By: Ashley

Ashley — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:17:53 +0000

I agree with the fact that they could have done it better. I still love it though but just to answer your question on why there wasn’t a duet with Lea and Dianna (I love the comparison between Elphaba and Glinda, it’s genius) is that the storyline is actually Chris Colfer’s. It’s his true life story – he always wanted to sing ‘Defying Gravity’ in his school talent show but it was always given to a girl. Who could be better at wanting the stardom so much she’d take away a solo from someone who never gets his own solo? Why, Rachel Berry* of course! Just thought you’d like to know.

Thank you!! I’m glad someone finally agreed with me!

By: tintin

tintin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:23:50 +0000

this song has always been one of my favs and for some reason when kurt and rachel sung it on glee it just made me cry. though i have to agree with you that they made better renditions of other songs. i was not really disapointed but there was something missing. :)

Thank you!! I’m so glad someone finally agrees with me. :p

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:26:12 +0000

Hi. Yup I heard the original from before. I guess the difference between Bust your Windows, Single Ladies, etc were daydreaming sequences. Defying Gravity was supposed to be an "actual" performance. Maybe they slowed down the arrangement to match the emotional state of the characters. Then, I do respect your opinion :) "Single Ladies" wasn't a dream sequence; it was actually performed by the football team, with an actual music source (the football stadium audio system). "Somebody to Love" received a full arrangement when performed; "Last Name" also got a full arrangement, as did a host of other songs performed live. Hypothetically, if a band were actually performing while the singers were singing (e.g., "Somebody to Love," where there was obviously a band), that would justify a sparse arrangement; in the absence of the band performing in the background, we can assume that Kurt and Rachel would've gotten their arrangements from elsewhere (making the whole "that's Idina's arrangement" theory a little more sound). The whole point of my post was that: limiting the arrangement of "Defying Gravity" to a sparse, acoustic arrangement was a risk. Some felt it was a good idea; others, including myself, disagree. So we can agree to disagree. BTW, I also realize that the version to which I've linked is not a mash-up. It's a separate recording. Chris sings a harmony here during the chorus. If it were a mash-up of the original, then both Chris and Lea would be singing the same notes (there's a YouTube example here.

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:35:21 +0000

Ok I understand this was posted this before watching the episode. Sorry to flood your blog :)

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:31:37 +0000

Ok to flood but last one, regarding the arrangement, how come you were expecting synths and stuff? They were auditioning in a school auditorium! What do you expect?

You’re obviously a Gleek, Kate. That’s so cute. :)

There’s a suspension of belief with “Glee.” Music doesn’t magically come floating in real life to provide a soundtrack for us; likewise, we don’t just burst into song. For instance, when Mercedes sang “Bust Your Windows,” the entire performance was taking place in her head, a dream sequence that came as a result of her thinking that Kurt was in love with Rachel. You can tell when to suspend your belief: the lights dim a little then a spotlight gets cast on the soloist (think: Kirsten Chenoweth’s “Maybe This Time.”).

I imagine the arrangers on “Glee” have a certain element of freedom with regard to rearranging songs they decide to use. While sSomeone posted in an earlier comment on this blog entry that the “Defying Gravity” backing track used by Lea & Chris was actually Idina Menzel’s, I’ve never confirmed that, and so I assume that the show’s arrangers do their own arrangements. So what held them back from arranging “Defying Gravity” in a more imaginative way, since, after all, they were faithful to “Bust Ya Windows,” “Don’t Stop Believing,” “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” “Single Ladies,” and a whole bunch more.

Please understand that I respect your assertion that it is important to look at the Colfer and Michele performances in the context of the show; I just personally felt that a track like “Defying Gravity,” even in the context of the show, deserves a big, bombastic arrangement, something with oomph, and, just to me, a brass section is awesome. (Give a listen to the original “Defying Gravity” and you’ll see what I mean.)

Hey, I said what I said a few weeks ago, but if you look at my personal chart, “Defying Gravity” is #1. ;)

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:24:05 +0000

Also I just want to add Chris really had a “piyok” or “pitchy” part in the end-because, well, because you have to watch the episode

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:20:40 +0000

Um, I think you need to watch the episode to understand why Chris Colfer sang the song. And it was not a duet. Lea and Chris were auditioning for the part and the editors did a mashup of their solos to save time. Their individual performances could be downloaded in Itunes.

Their performances are very heartfelt and emotional. It was very attune to what they were feeling in the series.

Hi, Kate! I did watch the episode; I posted this entry before the episode aired. I do realize that the version I initially heard from YouTube was a mash-up. I actually prefer the mash-up, but that’s just me, not to take away from either Colfer’s or Michele’s individual versions.

By: eminess

eminess — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:52:23 +0000

kurt and rachel are not going to do a duet on this, they had different versions because they were vying for the lead, which rachel won of course. but i think we have yet to judge the whole song and production in the sectionals episode of glee.

Thanks for chiming in, eminess! :)