24 "Glee" Covers That Are Better Than The Originals
I know it's not cool to admit this. But Rachel turns anything into sonic gold.
1. "Firework" -- Katy Perry
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Katy Perry is a fantastic pop song writer, but Lea Michele's voice turns this song into an experience.
2. "Jar Of Hearts" -- Christina Perri
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This one comes down to whether you're a fan of Michele's power vocals over a subtler treatment. I am.
3. "Chasing Pavements" -- Adele
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Adele is wonderful, but Melissa Benoist's voice is perfectly suited to this sad jam.
4. "When I Get You Alone" -- Robin Thicke
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Darren Criss and the Warblers turn this Thicke groove into an epic romance.
5. "What Kind Of Fool" -- Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb
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Technically this song never aired on the show, but it made it onto the Warblers album for a reason.
6. "Teenage Dream" -- Katy Perry
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Proof Katy writes a great song!
7. "What I Did For Love" -- A Chorus Line
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Lea Michele's voice.
8. "Cry" -- Kelly Clarkson
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Again, I say, Lea Michele's voice.
9. "Shake It Out" -- Florence And The Machine
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Look at the chills Naya Rivera, Amber Riley, and Jenna Ushkowitz just put on your forearms.
10. "Tongue-Tied" -- Grouplove
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OK, I admit part of the reason I love this song was that it was a perfect final moment for the original Glee cast.
11. "River Deep, Mountain High" -- Ike and Tina Turner
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It's honestly a shame that Rivera and Riley don't sing together more.
12. "Love You Like A Love Song" -- Selena Gomez
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Rivera's rasp is perfection.
13. "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" -- Cyndi Lauper
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Cory Monteith's greatest performance.
14. "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" -- Celine Dion
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Nooooooooooooooooooooow.
15. "Rumor Has It / Someone Like You" -- Adele
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Technically a mash-up, but this version takes the best parts of both songs and comes up with something even greater.
16. "I Feel Pretty / Unpretty" – West Side Story, TLC
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Delicate acoustic guitar + two thematically opposed songs + tender vocals from Lea Michele and Dianna Agron = yes, please.
17. "Without You" – David Guetta
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Suddenly you feel the loss and the want and the angst buried behind the EDM, all thanks to one Miss Rachel Berry.
18. "Landslide" – Dixie Chicks
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Gotta give Goop props for doing the best cover of a cover (it doesn't compare to the original but who cares).
Controversial picks ahead:
19. "Paradise By The Dashboard Light" -- Meat Loaf
The original version is a wonderful, rambling thing. But the Glee version is lovely and fun and showcases the brilliance of Jim Steinman while being... easier to listen to.
20. "Don't Make Me Over" -- Dionne Warwick
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Amber Riley was made for this song.
21. "How Will I Know" -- Whitney Houston
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This song perfectly — almost too perfectly? — melds four voices into the most beautiful a capella song ever performed on Glee.
22. "Poker Face" -- Lady Gaga
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This Idina Menzel/Marvin Hamlish arrangement is perfect.
23. "Smooth Criminal" – Michael Jackson
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There is something about that cello, y'all.
24. "If I Were A Boy" – Beyoncé
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I KNOW, IT'S BEYONCE. But Unique's downtempo drama beats Queen B's rage.