Throwback Thursday: Tommy Picks the Best of Glee, Season 1

The Glee cast back when the show wasn't a steaming pile of shit.

I haven't been shy about my flagging interest in Glee. Still, there are three things that keep me watching: (1) Darren Criss; (2) the plethora of bitchy characters; and (3) the music. I'll admit that they often perform songs too recent to be covered by anyone, and other times they just downright butcher classics. But this talented cast definitely has countless jams under its belt. I attempted to choose my favorite Glee songs of all time, but it just couldn't be done. So, here's the first installment: The Best of Glee, Season 1.
10. "I Say a Little Prayer" by Quinn
Everyone knows I have a soft spot for Quinn, so it's no wonder that her glee club debut landed her on this list. Though not the strongest singer of the bunch, Quinn never disappoints, as evidenced by her short but sweet rendition of "I Say a Little Prayer", complete with provocative dance moves and Santana and Brittany on back-up.

9. "Don't Stop Believing" by the New Directions
This is the anthem of life Glee. Performed in the pilot by the newly-formed New Directions, "Don't Stop Believing" is what launched the show into massive popularity, and held viewers over for the 4-month gap between the episode's original broadcast and the official start of the first season.

8. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Rachel, Finn, Puck, and Jesse
Remember when Rachel, who was bottom of McKinley High's barrel, somehow managed to juggle three guys at once? Yeah, I barely do, either. But that love-rectangle culminated in this ridiculous but super fun rendition of "Total Eclipse of the Heart".

7. "Take a Bow" by Rachel
For whatever reason, Glee decided early on that it was gonna cover Rihanna. I stifled my vomit, because I knew that they would out-perform that talentless cunt, no problem. And leave it to the great Lea Michele to sing the shit out of "Take a Bow". (Side note: You may not remember this song because it was before Rihanna became unbearably and whorishly present.)

6. "Alone" by Will and April
I know I'm not the only one who totally tunes out when Will Schuester sings. It's not that I don't like him, or that he's not talented, because he has a great voice. It's just because I usually don't give a fuck about what's going on with his life. That all changed when Kristen Chenoweth brought her skills to Glee as the hilarious but uber-talented April Rhodes. When they sang "Alone" at a karaoke bar, I was hooked.

5. "Halo/Walking on Sunshine" by the New Direction girls
Anybody who watches Glee knows that when they do mash-ups, it becomes LIFE. One of the very first mash-ups was of Beyoncé's "Halo" and the classic "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves, performed by the girls in a gender dispute. I can't remember who won the competition, but my vote goes to the ladies for this performance!

4. "Somebody to Love" by the New Directions
Back when Glee had group performances on the regular, they covered Queen's "Somebody to Love". Not only is it one of the best songs from the first season, but it's one of my favorite Glee songs of all time.

3. "Over the Rainbow" by Will
Keeping in mind what I just said about Will a few songs ago, it's a miracle that two of his performances have made it on this list. His rendition of "Over the Rainbow" was just beautiful, and the perfect cap to the first season.

2. "Don't Rain on My Parade" by Rachel
It's no secret I'm a huge Lea Michele fan and that I love me some Rachel solos. I had to limit myself to only a handful on this list, but there was no way "Don't Rain on My Parade" wouldn't make the cut. The song captures Lea in all her glory, and it's what won the glee club sectionals in the first season. Holla!

1. "Like a Prayer" by the New Directions
In their very first tribute episode, Glee performed some of Madonna's biggest hits. The episode is definitely amongst the show's best, and they managed to take the so-called Queen of Pop's songs and make them better. This is especially true for their rendition of "Like a Prayer", a song I personally had to analyze to hell in a class on religion in pop culture. But that's another story.

With over 100 songs performed in the first season alone, picking the top ten was definitely a challenge. I know you totally agree with my choices. Stay tuned for the second and third seasons!