Top Ten ‘Glee’ Performances – Season 2
#2 – ‘My Man’ – Rachel
My first ‘Glee’ countdown featured four solos or duets by Lea Michele. This marks just the second from Season Two.
I don’t know if her character, Rachel, was given less to do this season or if others just stepped up more, but I was surprised when compiling candidates for this list to see how seldom her name came up.
But the penultimate episode of the season gave Rachel a chance to shine in a way she hasn’t since the first season of ‘Glee.’ In a performance that reached back to her stirring rendition of ‘Don’t Rain On My Parade,’ Rachel dips into the Funny Girl songbook again and delivers one of her most memorable moments.
I like this performance even better than ‘Parade.’ That one was a show-stopper put on for a crowd to win a competition… this one is an audition played to a nearly empty auditorium, and she isn’t just performing the song, she’s feeling it. As the not-so-subtle shot of Finn at the beginning of the song makes clear, she’s singing this to him.
Lea Michele is sometimes ill-used on ‘Glee,’ her vocals auto-tuned and forced into the constraints of some Top 40 hit. She’s a Broadway baby, and she is meant to sing Broadway songs. Any doubt about that should be put to rest by this clip.
And I love Kurt’s reaction… even though he’s competing for the same solo she is, he can’t help but be overwhelmed by her greatness. That cutaway to Kurt at the end of the song is an example of when ‘Glee’ does something just perfectly right. Those moments are few and far between, but when they happen they’re pure magic.
He’ll never know
All my life is just despair
But I don’t care
When he takes me in his arms
The world is bright all right
What’s the difference if I say
I’ll go away
When I know I’ll come back on my knees someday
For whatever my man is
I am his forever more
Oh my man I love him so
He’ll never know
All my life is just despair
But I don’t care
When he takes me in his arms
The world is bright all right
What’s the difference if I say
I’ll go away
When I know I’ll come back on my knees someday
For whatever my man is
I am his forever more
Meet Me In Montauk 
Well, your commentary within this post is a perfect introduction to what I thought and hoped would be your #1 pick (but now I’m not so sure…) Just in case it is, I’ll hold off any other thoughts about it (the unknown song) until tomorrow.
Meanwhile, do you really think they auto tune Lea Michele? Why would they ever need to do such a thing? I agree that she’s far better suited to singing Broadway numbers such as this one (“… Bar – bra Strei – sand…”), but I hardly thought she was auto tuned when belting a contemporary number like “Rolling in the Deep” or “Jar of Hearts.” Hmmm.
Regardless, this is a great pick. I couldn’t have been more pleased when I heard the opening bars, knowing that she would once again do Barbra proud. And, yes, Kurt’s reaction is priceless. More on that tomorrow 😉
I believe Clay is speaking of auto-tune not in the sense of correcting her pitch, but instead in giving that now ubiquitous pop electronica sound.
Anyway, this girl, without question, has the vocal chops for Broadway, but I think her voice works well in the pop songs as well. “Loser Like Me” featured the other day is a great example. Her voice sounds young and fresh there in a way that I’m not sure even Barbra achieved when she was taking her turn at singing pop/disco songs in the 70’s and 80’s. Maybe that’s because of auto-tune?
Just waiting a moment for my goose bumps to subside. Ok, this is my favorite moment in the season; I even showed this to Dad, and he (who never watches Glee) stated, “wow, what a voice”, This is why she will never never never get or need a nose job.
This song gave me goose bumps the first time I heard it and it did now, too. Lea Michele’s voice is just incredible and, as Amy suggests, she sure does Barbra proud. I find her very believable singing Broadway OR pop, but this is the kind of song I think she was born for.
I wonder if Amy and I are on the same page as far as number 1; I know what I’ll be looking for tomorrow morning… 🙂
You guys pretty much said it all for me XD
Her voice is amazing.