We Are Young

If you’re a “Gleek” (Glee + Geek) you already know from reading the title of this post that Glee performed this song a few episodes ago (well, maybe more than a few.) If you didn’t know that, and you’re now thinking to yourself, “Not another Glee post!” I’d just like to say that this post isn’t about Glee, it’s about how awesome this song is...... and that Glee just happened to sing it (lol).

I will admit that the first time I heard “We Are Young” was the night the episode aired on TV. I was visiting my parents one Tuesday, and like every other average family, they have their share of favorite television programs that they watch during dinner. That night was Glee. (I’m not an adamant follower of the show, but I do enjoy watching it every now and then for the music.) We caught the second half of the episode during dinner, and when in the end they performed this song, it instantly became one of my favorites. I’ve YouTubed it on multiple occasions since.

It’d been awhile since I’ve listened to it though.... up until a few days ago. Someone posted on Facebook a status about catching up with Glee on Hulu the other night, and I automatically thought of this song. It didn’t really stick with me until the next day though, when I thought about the song again and decided to listen to it a few times on YouTube. Then, a pretty common thing happened. That night, I went to a wedding reception and the original version of this song started playing! (This tends to happen to me a lot. I’ll be singing a song, and next thing you know, it’s playing on the radio.) After my (drunk) co-workers and I started singing to it, I decided that I HAD to write about this song this week. I mean, it pretty much followed me around begging me to. And anyway, it’s just one of those feel good songs. I mean look at the lyrics and just listen to the way they sing it at the end of this post: 

Give me a second I,

I need to get my story straight,

My friends are in the bathroom getting higher than the Empire State

My lover she’s waiting for me just across the bar

My seat’s been taken by some sunglasses asking bout a scar, and

I know I gave it to you months ago

I know you’re trying to forget

But between the drinks and subtle things

The holes in my apologies, you know

I’m trying hard to take it back

So if by the time the bar closes

And you feel like falling down

I’ll carry you home

Tonight

We are young

So let’s set the world on fire 

We can burn brighter than the sun

(x2)

Now I know that I’m not

All that you got

I guess that I, I just thought

Maybe we could find new ways to fall apart 

But our friends are back

So let’s raise a toast

’Cause I found someone to carry me home

Tonight

We are young

So let’s set the world on fire 

We can burn brighter than the sun 

(x2)

Carry me home tonight (Nananananana)

Just carry me home tonight (Nananananana)

Carry me home tonight (Nananananana)

Just carry me home tonight (Nananananana)

The moon is on my side

I have no reason to run

So will someone come and carry me home tonight

The angles never arrived

But I can hear the choir

So will someone come and carry me home

Tonight

We are young

So let’s set the world on fire 

We can burn brighter than the sun

(x2)

So if by the time the bar closes

And you feel like falling down

I’ll carry you home tonight

Aren’t the words invigorating? (. . . okay, maybe not the first verse, but the rest is!)

Now a little about the song: “We Are Young” is a “grandiose alternative number, built on theatrical orchestration and a propulsive, immediate chorus that beams with inspirational effect” (huh? lol, jk). It was originally composed and performed by the band Fun, featuring Janelle Monae. Fun is an American Indie Pop band from New York that was formed by Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost, and Jack Antonoff. They’ve released two albums so far: Aim and Ignite in 2009 and Some Nights in 2011. At first, “We Are Young” only received online media attention. But after airing on the show Glee, the song gained popularity, propelled the band into mainstream success, and peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

Now for the video: I was debating over whether or not I should put the Glee version or the Fun version as the main vid in this post, because I really do like both. In the end, I decided to put the Glee one up only because I absolutely love the harmonies in it... it’s where I first heard the song from... and it’s nice to hear female vocals rather than just male vocals too. Makes it even easier for me to sing along :)

I guess this post turned out to be about Glee more than I thought it would... I stand corrected :P