When Glee premiered on FOX in May 2009, it was a novelty. During its first season this musical television show, about McKinley High School’s loser show choir, quickly became a pop culture phenomenon. Since then the show has been nominated for several awards and in 2010 it won a Golden Globe for Best Comedy Television Series.
No one expected a show about show choir to garner the kind of success that Glee had been enjoying up until recently. Yet even before Glee saw a huge dip in its ratings, there were some questionable numbers.
Glee has had some spectacular performances in the last five seasons. Yet with over five hundred performances to its name, there were bound to be some misses among the hits. So we have affectionately compiled a list of some of the worst Glee performances of all time.
We would love to hear about your favorite and least favorite performances. Let us know in the comments!
[ new page = Baby Got Back ]
10. “Baby Got Back”
Let’s just say this particular song should not be slowed down. Drawing it out and making the lyrics painfully obvious? Not the best idea.
[ new page = Ben ]
9. “Ben”
Although the context of this one was pretty cute—Rachel, Finn, and Kurt sing it to Blaine, who is in bed nursing an injured eye after getting a rock-salt addled slushie to the face. However, the song itself, which was written about Michael Jackson’s pet rat, missed the affectionate mark and landed straight in the bizarre.
[ new page = Mamma Mia ]
8. “Mamma Mia”
Glee has been sorely lacking in ABBA songs, which is both surprisingly and severely disappointing. So we were ecstatic upon learning they would be doing this classic song. That is, until we watched it.
[ new page = Crazy in Love/Hair ]
7. “Crazy in Love/Hair”
We have high hopes for Amber Riley and Jenna Ushkowitz who are both set to perform in the August production of Hair at the Hollywood bowl. However, that doesn’t excuse this mess of a performance. The only thing that saves it is how hilarious the cast looks in their wigs.
[ new page = It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World]
6. “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World”
Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron) is sixteen and pregnant; she was manipulated into sex and has now been disowned by her super Christian parents for getting pregnant. So she has every right to be pissed off. Yet the performance ended up being less powerful and more simply creepy. Maybe it’s the fake pregnancy bellies or the Lamaze class style breathing exercises that punctuate the song.
[ new page = Dinosaur]
5. “Dinosaur”
And here we have cheerleaders in what appear to be Paper Mache dinosaur heads and lyrics about old men’s toupees and oxygen tanks. This is a wild ride from start to finish (and not in a good way).
[ new page = Candles]
4. “Candles”
What should have been a sweet moment—Kurt and Blaine’s first duet together as a couple—quickly turned sour once the song had began. The harmonies are off and the song doesn’t work for either of their voices. Best to watch this one on mute since the lovesick puppy faces they make at each other are still pretty cute.
[ new page = Wrecking Ball]
3. “Wrecking Ball”
Glee has had some seriously good recreations of music videos and numbers. See: Emma (Jayma Mays) and Will’s awesome recreation of “You’re All the World to Me” from Royal Wedding, complete with dancing on walls. Note to Glee: this does not work with Miley Cyrus videos.
[ new page = Gangnam Style]
2. “Gangnam Style”
We’ll ignore the fact that the first song they let Jenna Ushkowitz do after episodes of Tina-less solos is one sung mostly in Korean. The cast does try their best to do the dance but at least PSY knows he looks ridiculous when he does it.
[ new page = Blurred Lines]
1. “Blurred Lines”
Didn’t the Glee club, Sue Sylvester, and all of America decide that Mr. Schue was no longer allowed to rap? The questionable lyrics made this song completely inappropriate for a teacher to be performing in school with a bunch of teenagers. So uncomfortable.
Credit: Jennifer Graylock/INFphoto.com