who am i without my voice?
W: Um, wait what are these?
R: My vitamin supplements. I’m taking them three times a day. I’m exhausted. I even felt a tickle in the back of my throat and I never get sick.
W: I just don’t understand why you’re so tired all of a sudden
R: Because every song I sing in here is a solo.
R: As you know I have perfect pitch, which also means I have a very sensitive ear. None of them were singing.
R: I knew I needed proof so I had a little talk with Lauren Zizes, president of the AV club.
L: Bug the choir room? I’m almost offended by the simplicity of the request.
R: Just tell me you can do it, Zizes. The microphones would have to be hidden.
L: Who’s this guy? Who’s this guy? It’ll cost you two boxes of Malmars for me and Snickers Bars for my workers. Take it or leave it, Berry.
R: Here are the Glee club members who are not pulling their weight.
W: This is half the club!
W: I am very disappointed in you guys.
F: Can’t believe you narced on us.
R: Don’t get mad at me for exposing your laziness! I’m tired of carrying all of your weight. Regionals is in a month, guys.
W: I’m just trying to understand what’s going on here. Finn, why did you stop singing?
F: Cause you started giving all the male leads to Jesse. Kinda shook my confidence, you know?
S: Uh, what difference does it make? Everyone knows that my job here is to look hot.
Q: My baby hormones are making me moody.
B: There are so many lyrics.
W: Okay, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. A Glee club is about a myriad of voices coming together as one, alright? This ends now. Which is why your assignment for the week is for each of you to come up with a song that best represents how you see yourself, where you are in your lives, right now. Your voice. Then you’re gonna stand up here and sing your hearts out. All of you.
K: Solos? In front of everyone?
W: The Glee club has lost its voice. It’s time for us to get it back
W: Alright guys, let’s get things started.
R: As I was first on the sign up sheet, I’ll kick things off.
W: Okay.
R: I have chosen Miley Cyrus’s The Climb because it’s about overcoming obstacles and beating the odds. In my case the obstacle is you. My lackluster teammates who refuse to carry their own weight.
I can almost see it / That dream I am dreaming / But there's a voice inside my head saying / "You'll never reach it"
Every step I'm taking / Every move I make feels / Lost with no direction / My faith is shaking
But I gotta keep trying / Gotta keep my head held high
W: Rachel, I think you’ve lost your voice.
R: What if he says I’ll never sing again? I mean, who am I without my voice? I’m just this spoiled, annoying, only child.
F: Don’t say that. There’s like so many awesome things about you.
R: Like?
F: Look, he’s not gonna say you’ll never sing again.
D: Bad news, Rachel, you’ll probably never sing again. I’m kidding.
D: You have severe tonsillitis which has resulted in an inner ear infection. From the looks of things it’s not the first time. You should have had them out years ago.
R: Why should I let you butcher my throat when just resting my voice for a week and chugging down herbal tea will do the same job?
D: This is a very serious infection.
F: I think she’s worried about the surgery affecting her singing voice.
D: At least start by taking these antibiotics, unless you think they are going to adversely affect your dance moves.
R: What do you think I should do?
F: Maybe you should ask your boyfriend? Oh wait, you can’t. He’s not here.
R: He’s in San Diego on spring break with his friends from Vocal Adrenaline.
F: When are you gonna realize that he’s not into you like I am. You think he’s gonna stick around if you can’t sing? If you’re a vocal cripple?
R: Look, I know that you’ve always been jealous of Jesse. And even though he and I haven’t spoken since the whole Run Joey Run debacle you just have to accept the fact that I still care about him deeply. And I know he still feels the same way about me.
Jessie is a friend / Yeah, I know he's been a good friend of mine / But lately something's changed, it ain't hard to define / Jessie's got himself a girl and I want to make her mine
And she's watching him with those eyes / And she's lovin' him with that body, I just know it / And he's holding her in his arms late, late at night / You know, I wish that I had Jessie's girl / I wish that I had Jessie's girl / Where can I find a woman like that?
And I'm lookin' in the mirror all the time / Wonderin' what she don't see in me / I've been funny, I've been cool with the lines / Ain't that the way love's supposed to be / Tell me, where can I find a woman like that?
Like Jessie's girl / I wish that I had Jessie's girl / I want Jessie's girl / Where can I find a woman like that?
Like Jessie's girl / I wish that I had Jessie's girl / I want, I want Jessie's girl
W: Nice work! Now that! That's the kind of soul exposing song I was talking about. We should all be inspired by Finn's bravery. Good job, buddy.
P: Uh, Mr. Schue, can I sing my song now?
W: Yeah. Let's go for it, Puck.
M: What are they doing here?
P: I invited my brothers from the jazz band and their righteous horns to help me out with my song. Since I shaved my mohawk I started seeing things differently. Last week, I joined a black church. And I recently downloaded every song Sammy Davis Jr. ever recorded on iTunes. He was a black Jew, you know. And my inspiration. So without further ado, I give you one of Sammy's biggest hits.
She gets too hungry, for dinner at eight / She loves the theater, but doesn't come late / She'd never bother, with people she'd hate / That's why the lady is a tramp / Doesn't like crap games, with barons and earls / Won't go to Harlem, in ermine and pearls / Won't dish the dirt, with the rest of those girls / That's why the lady is a tramp / She likes the free, fresh wind in her hair / Life without care / She's broke, but it's ok / She hates California, it's cold and it's damp / That's why the lady is a tramp
W: Alright, let's get things started.
K: Mr. Schue, I would like to get us started. I believe I found a song that finally expresses my true voice.
W: Okay.
K: Gentlemen.
There's a black man, with a black cat, livin' in a black neighborhood / He's got an interstate runnin' through his front yard / You know he thinks he's got it so good / And there's a woman in the kitchen cleanin' up the evenin' slop / And he looks at her and says, "Hey darlin', I can remember when / you could stop a clock." / Ah but ain't that America for you and me / Ain't that America somethin' to see baby / Ain't that America home of the free, yeah / Little pink houses for you and me / oh baby for you and me
F: Are you like sleep walking?
R: You have to be able to sleep to sleepwalk. I am on my third day of antibiotics and I am not getting any better, which means I’m going to have to have that surgery, which means my life is over.
F: Don’t you think you’re being a little dramatic, I mean, even for you? God, I’m so sick of you feeling sorry for yourself.
R: Why don’t you get it? I am my voice.
R: I am like Tinkerbell, Finn. I need applause to live!
F: I got a friend I want you to meet.
R: Not another doctor. I’ve seen six already.
F: No, no he’s an old friend of mine.
I'm sorry that you / Seem to be confused / He belongs to me / The boy is mine
F: Hi. Mrs. Fretthold, this is Rachel
M: Pretty. I’ll tell Sean you’re here. I’m sorry it’s such a mess. I’ve been on the phone to the insurance company all day.
F: Oh no, that’s fine.
R: Is this him?
F: Uh yeah, we met at football camp a couple years ago.
M: He’s ready for you
S: Fab Five Finnster.
F: Fretter.
S: This the hottie you were telling me about?
F: Yeah, Sean Fretthold, Rachel Berry. Rachel, Sean.
S: Got a boyfriend, Rachel?
R: Um, sort of.
S: Sort of? Sounds like a got a shot.
R: I don’t understand. This isn’t funny.
S: Sorry, they make me see a shrink. He says I compensate with humor. Third game of the season, right after I met the Finnster, this yeti of a fullback breaks through the line. I hear a crack. Next thing I know I’m lying on the ground saying to myself, “get up, get up” but nothing was working, you know?
F: Sean was a C4.
S: Paralyzed from the upper chest down.
R: I’m so sorry.
S: Finn says your voice is messed up. Is it gonna come back?
R: I d- I don’t know.
S: Pissed off about what you lost? I was. Like real rage. I used to just lie in bed and scream.
R: Finn shouldn’t have brought me here. I’m so sorry.
F: Wait, wait, just... tell her about what happened when they gave you the chair.
S: They were all excited because I could drive it myself by blowing in that tube.
S: The second they left me alone, I drove it into the swimming pool.
F: His mom pulled him out when she heard the splash.
R: I don’t understand. Are you trying to tell me that you’re happier now?
S: Hell no. I’m miserable. I miss my body, I miss my life, I miss my friends, I miss girls but I’ve realized over time that I’ve got other stuff going on. I’m more than just one thing.
S: You know I’m good at math? Seriously, I flew through Calc 1 in like two months and I can sing.
F: He’s actually pretty good.
S: I used to sing in the shower, in the car. I didn’t have the balls to try out for my school’s club like Finn did. That pissed me off more than anything. What the hell was I afraid of?
M: Sorry, guys. Time for physical therapy.
F: Later, dude. I’ll come by in a few weeks.
S: I’ll be here.
R: Thanks.
S: For what?
R: Just, um, thanks.
S: Mom? Finn with you?
R: No, I came by myself. Is that okay?
S: Yeah.
R: I, um, I just wanted to say thank you. For showing me that just because I’m not good at anything other than singing doesn’t mean I’m not any good if I can’t sing. That sounded like a really bad greeting card.
S: No, it was cool.
R: Well, anyways, I just thought I could maybe return the favor. I thought I could give you singing lessons. It sort of seemed like an area of interest for you. I’ll come by like once a week or something and we could just see how it goes. I’ve helped almost everyone in our Glee club, some by brute force but-
S: So your voice came back?
R: Turns out that a heroic dose of antibiotics and a mysterious blend of herbal remedies and a vow of silence is all it takes to cure tonsillitis so, I’ll probably have to have my tonsils taken out eventually but I'm not scared anymore.
S: So, do you wanna give it a spin now?
R: Sing with you? Yeah, yeah, I’d be honored.
S: Come here.
S: Take my hand.
R: Can you feel that?
S: No, but it’s weird. I remember what it feels like and I can see it so it’s like I can.
R: I, um, I thought we’d do a little classic rock today. Finn said you might like that.
Is it getting better? / Or do you feel the same? / Will it make it easier on you now? / You got someone to blame / You say / One love / One life / When it's one need / In the night / One love / We get to share it / Leaves you baby if you / Don't care for it
Did I disappoint you? / Or leave a bad taste in your mouth? / You act like you never had love / And you want me to go without
Well it's too late / Tonight / To drag the past out into the light
We're one, but we're not the same / We get to / Carry each other / Carry each other
One / One
Love is a temple / Love is a higher law / Love is a temple / Love is a higher law
You ask for me to enter / But then you make me crawl / And I can't be holding on / To what you got / When all you've got is hurt
One love / One blood / One life / You got to do what you should
One life / With each other / Sisters and my brothers
One life / But we're not the same / We get to / Carry each other / Carry each other/ One
One / One / One
I ♥ Rachel Berry
(Even when she doesn't give a shit)