Don't stop believing & other Gleek songs

I cannot help it if I now think of the TV show Glee when I hear Don’t Stop Believing instead of Journey. I have even stopped asking if that is Steve Perry or Arnel Pineda singing whenever I hear the song played. Remember, the latest Journey album has Arnel singing lead vocals in new versions of the band’s early hits.

I am also sure I am not the only one who now thinks that way about the song. Given the popularity of the show, there are now a lot of Glee fans out there who give not a thought to Journey and who think of Don’t Stop Believing as a sort of Glee theme song.

It can rightly be. Don’t Stop Believing was the big song in the show’s first episode. It is also cut one in the Glee Season One, Volume One soundtrack album. In a way, it sets the tone for the set. It is not unlike the theme of the show which is now inspiring geeks all over the world to reach for their dreams.

That tone is all about believing in yourself, in the good in others, in rising above expectations and finding happiness, success or simply a moment to relish the amazing discovery that you can carry a tune.

Of course I thought of Glee when I saw this new album. The three-CD set is titled Don’t Stop Believing and the original version by Journey is cut one in the first disc. There are 18 cuts per CD and that means 54 songs in all. And not just any songs, the contents are original versions of big hits by famous stars. Then just like the Glee soundtrack these come from various eras and are of assorted types.

And I mean really assorted. I do not think any other collection can go as diverse as having Let There Be Love by Oasis in the same album as Whatever Will Be Will Be (Que Sera Sera) by Doris Day. That happens here and it is very like Glee where they have the kids performing Liza Minelli’s Maybe This Time and also Kanye’s Heartless.

Or what about something like Here Comes The Sun sung by the jazz legend Nina Simone alongside It’s Not Over by Daughtry. Or maybe My Favorite Things by Julie Andrews from The Sound Of Music with So What by Pink. So you wonder what on earth brought these songs together?

The one thing that all of the songs have in common is that they all have an inspiring message. That equally describes How To Save A Life by The Fray and Sunshine On My Shoulder by John Denver. And just like what the Savage Garden title says, every cut in Don’t Stop Believing is a positive Affirmation of all the good things that is our birthright.

Don’t Stop Believing makes for great listening. It is one great cut after another and because one is already primed for a lift of the spirit by the title song, you cannot help but get very energized as the songs continue to play. Believe you me, you will be ready to take on anything by the time you get to the dreamy When You Wish Upon A Star by Johnny Mathis.

Other songs included are You Are Not Alone by Michael Jackson; The Great Escape by Boys Like Girls; Over The Rainbow and What A Wonderful World medley by Aselin Debison; Flying Without Wings by Westlife; I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash; Larger Than Life by the Backstreet Boys; Beautiful by Christina Aguilera; Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by Wham; Ordinary People by John Legend and I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly.

Only a few among these have actually been used by Glee like Can’t Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon and Charlie Chaplin’s Smile sung here by Tony Bennett. But I have a strong feeling that given how inspiring these songs are, we will soon hear them done by Finn or Mercedes or Mr. Schuster or anybody in the cast of Glee soon.

So calling all you Gleeks out there. I believe Don’t Stop Believing was put together with you in mind. You now have three discs you can play alternately with your nearly worn Glee soundtracks. Enjoy.