Back to picking three again. Small group, medium, and large group, because they feel like qualitatively different things.
["No One Is Alone," "Downtown," and "On Our Way."]
"You move just a finger / say the slightest word / something's bound to linger / be heard," heavy with all the knowledge of its truth. Careful. "People make mistakes, fathers, mothers." "Honor their mistakes."
"Witches can be right, giants can be good, you decide what's right, you decide what's good."
"Someone is on your side, our side, our side, someone else is not."
"They are not alone. No one is alone."
"Hard to see the light now."
... I really am just copying almost every line. Okay. Well, what I'll say is: this is one of those wonderful songs where almost every line has a meaning. And part of that, overall, is the meaning of the song, and its kind of... overall place in the narrative. We've grown up now, we're somewhere else, where we always wanted to be. (In the song it's fairyland). Which means we have to make the real decisions, in this world that's complicated. And cruel, and unfair, and worst of all, though it shouldn't be, dangerous. All we have is each other... but at least we do have that.
~
"Downtown" for medium size group songs. Because it's fun and oh so catchy (I mean, I did know the song before, but the Glee version is so much better) and compulsively listenable. Because everyone sounds great on it. And because, again, every line split works, says something.
"Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city / linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty," swinging on the lamp post, walking backward, making space.
"You may find somebody kind to help and understand you," "someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand to," I just think of the hot lemon water and ~flail.~
And everyone coming together one by one and two by two, introducing the city and the scene, this is our new world.
~
"On Our Way," of course, for the big group song. Glee wiki has this bit of trivia: 'This is the first New Directions performance ever where all the members of New Directions are present and have a solo part.' (wow that took a WHILE.) But it's great, anyway, all the solo lines work here, everyone sounds like themselves and fits in and sounds good. And it also sounds like a cohesive group, having fun and singing together, most of all.
Unique's "I'll believe when the storm is through" in the face of the shit she faced this past episode, but also, meaningfully, "this night will never end," because at least her friends gathered around her.
Tina's coming in after "I can hear them say" with "David won't you stop dreaming now?" Because people keep asking her, keep telling her really, and she's gone through a lot of stuff this year, and no she won't.
Kitty's "everybody clap your hands and shout" with Artie cause she is totally part of the group now, and happy there, no question about it.
Blaine's "damn the sirens keep on driving" because he's going into a lot of stress and almost almost out and thrown into the real world but not too scared.
Jake's "miss her bed, I lost my head," cause yeah, damn boy, you fucked up.
"We're losing time" with the never-ending spring, but also cause the school year's almost done.
Marley's "we're falling to the ground," managing to end on just a little bit of a sad note, after all, leavens the exuberance out. Because even when everyone's happy all together there are individual sad things too.
But like can we talk about how Rachel hopping up on the piano at the end of Broadway Baby is totally like Sharpay pushing Ryan back down the ladder at the end of Bop To The Top so she can be the tallest?
