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tuiyla · 2 years ago

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Ranking Santana’s solos based on importance to her character, part I

I can never make up my mind when it comes to ranking GCVs based on taste. On most days, I can’t even do a solid top 3 because it changes all the time. And in the case of Santana solos, where it’s banger after banger that task becomes even harder. So like I’ve done before for Pezberry duets, I’ve decided to do a different type of ranking. One where we’re not judging the song itself or the vocal but rather the role it plays in Santana’s journey as a character. Does it represent a huge character moment? Is it more subtle in showcasing one of her traits but symbolizes an aspect of her nonetheless? These are the important questions.

Of course, just as ranking based on how much I like listening to the songs, this one will be subjective as well. It’s according to how I see Santana and what beats in her story I deem more important than others. And it’s also all in good fun and more so a semi-serious overview of all her solos rather than an exhaustive character study through song. The girl is in 99 episodes and sings in 108 songs - can you imagine how long that analysis would be?

Alas, out of 108 we’ll only be considering the 14 solos Santana had in the series. This excludes Santa Baby as it was a cut scene and frankly, is a can of worms on its own. Also not included is Silent Night, the album-only solo that would have made Glee, Actually much more bearable. Before we get started with the 14, I wanted to shout out the two songs that, had they been Santana solos, would surely be high on this list. The first is Constant Craving, which by all accounts should have been a solo and, in-universe, even was one. But because this is IKAG and we can’t have nice things, Santana shares the spotlight in her own coming out story with student-fucker Shelby Corcoran. The other song, one that does an even better job of capturing the tension of Santana’s story is the Troubletones classic Rumour Has It/Someone Like You. This one’s perfect as is and wouldn’t work unless a group number, but I wanted to shout out what a tremendous character piece it is anyway. But you don’t need me to wax poetic about that particular mashup because I already have.

So, without further ado, the bottom 7 of said list. Only half of it because part two is coming to you very soon with even more reaching and more to say on each and every solo.

14. Science Fiction Double Feature

Starting us off is the obvious choice for last place. SFDF might be Santana’s very first solo but it’s also one that barely even exists in-universe, only acknowledged as something that truly happened in a throwaway 3x04 line. The song has so little to do with Santana that the confusion about who was even singing was (Entertainment) news-worthy back in 2010 and that should tell you about how inconsequential Science Fiction Double Feature is on a character-level. Don’t get me wrong, the vocals are on point but this is not about that. And it’s not like it’s unique in that on this list full of Santana solos, as vocal excellence is just the universal truth of every one of her songs. As far as character beats are concerned, though? The Lips will have to contend with 14th place.

13. Back to Black

I consider this to be a severely underrated Santana solo so it pains me to rank it so low on here but audition songs are what they are. Now, we’re far from the zero importance of the previous entry but there’s no denying that Back to Black as a solo has little to do with Santana’s character. The song choice itself anyway; it’s little more than an opportunity to capitalize on the immense success and popularity of Valerie. And don’t get me wrong, giving Santana another Amy Winehouse song to sing was the right choice and I’m grateful for it. But does Back to Black have much to do with Santana Lopez as a person and her character development? That’d be a no.

With this song I can at least make an argument for the context, which is to say that the song itself might not be important but its existence is. In the context of 2x21 Funeral and the race for a Nationals solo, Back to Black has a rather big importance and it’s something Science Fiction Double Fiction couldn’t deliver. Santana is in-universe acknowledged as a great soloist on par with the previous big three of the Glee Club, Rachel, Kurt, and Mercedes. And if we consider her growth from Sue’s spy to someone who grew to care about the club, or the out of universe importance of Naya’s increasing role in the show, that’s huge. Not only is Santana an actual voice within the club they consider and count on, but she’s among the now big four who are even considered for a task as big as a Nationals solo. True, Santana’s had a Sectionals solo before, much like Rachel before her, but you’ll see in my section on Valerie why that’s somewhat diminished in my eyes. Here, however, through her performance of Back to Black Santana’s acknowledged as the powerhouse she is and officially enters the ranks of the Glee Club’s best. The ones with the voice and, importantly, the ambition to want more.

12. Nutbush City Limits

Everyone’s but Tina’s favourite diva delivers on this one, no doubt no doubt, but much like Back to Black, Nutbush CIty Limits is little more than a song chosen because Naya Rivera had proven she sounded amazing covering the artists’ tracks. Like Back to Black, most of what we can take form this solo in terms of Santana’s character comes from context rather than content.

Nutbush being a Glee Club performance rather than an audition wouldn’t automatically put it one place higher but the emotional stakes of 4x13 Diva do. Nutbush gains its narrative relevance not from being Santana’s big return to Lima - after all, girl returned every two weeks for a while there in season 4. Though this particular return carries a similar status symbol to being part of the big four as it is Santana the Glee Club invites back for diva week and Santana who blows their minds. But that aside, the real selling point of Nutbush is the reason behind Santana’s return.

Granted, even with the Bram drama and Santana’s jealous scheming this solo isn’t all that juicy. Yes, it’s essentially her way of making Brittany jealous and an entrance worthy of Santana’s dramatics but Nutbush as a song is divorced from the episode’s storyline. As a song, it has nothing to do with Brittana or Santana’s journey in season 4. If we tried really really hard we could maybe reinterpret the lyrics to fit Santana’s Louisville life, which she says permanent goodbye to here, but even I think that’s be a stretch. So as is, here we have Nutbush City Limits coming in at 12th. Some contextual relevance thanks to the drama of Diva and an opportunity for Santana to further showcase her talents but not much else going for it.

11. Valerie

I debate each and every ranking with myself and the placement of Valerie is no different. See, if only it wasn’t so iconic and so obvious when we talk about Santana’s solos I’d have half a mind to place it lower. The same thing I said about the previous two entries can be said here and in fact, even what I said about Science Fiction Double Feature not being acknowledged in-universe save for a throwaway line in 3x04 kinda applies. Granted, Valerie absolutely is performed diegetically and also referenced in 5x12 100 when Brittana reprise the song. But still, I can’t help but feel like Valerie isn’t as appreciated within the world of the show as it should be and that fact keeps it out of the top 10.

Look, Valerie is obviously a big deal for Santana. I’d be willing to bet that if you asked fans, causal and hardcore Gleeks alike, what Santana solo comes to mind Valerie would be it. In the top 3, at the very least. And with good reason, as not only is Valerie the first proper Santana solo (sorry, SFDF) but also among if not the most iconic one. Everyone knows and with good odds loves Valerie. And it is significant that Santana becomes the second ND member to sing a competition solo with it, preceded only by Rachel and followed only by Tina. That’s a short and significant list to be on. And, since Sancedes were snubbed during 2x04 Duets, it’s the first time Santana’s singing talents are truly appreciated in the club. If her auditioning for a solo with Back to Black was a big deal then actually getting one certainly is.

But… we never talk about it. Not in the show we don’t, save for those very small references. A big deal is made out of Fabrevans getting the duet and even Bike’s dance showcase, but Valerie comes and Santana knocks it out of the park without so much as a “wow, Santana!” Or, “thanks, Santana,” or, “you’re getting the solo, Santana!” And really, Santana’s or rather Naya’s strange utilization throughout season 2 is a separate topic I could go on about, but you get what I mean. The song itself doesn’t even have to have significance because a competition solo is a big enough deal on its own and doesn’t need to have further meaning - Rachel’s DROMP being the outlier. But the thing with Valerie is, it gets so much more recognition beyond the constraints of the show than within it. For that reason, I cannot in good conscience place it any higher.

10. Love You Like a Love Song

I haven’t yet attempted to read much more into songs that were mostly there for performance value rather than character significance but I think it’s time we change that. And what other song to do that with if not, Love You Like a Love Song, the Santana solo everyone… just kinda forgets about, if I’m honest. In fact, you might be thinking: there’s no way this song is more integral to Santana’s character than freaking Valerie. Hear me out, my friend.

Context is key and for the first time on this list I can argue that the particular song choice is, too. Okay, maybe not as much as later entries will be but Love You Like a Love Song fills the purpose of, well, a love song. Crucially, and I’m kinda building my entire argument on this, it features one of Glee’s handful of pronoun changes. In Santana’s version, we can hear “constantly, girl you play on mind like a symphony” and that single change is elevated to a new level in the context of the performance itself. That being, Santana singing this solo at prom, that she went to with her out and proud girlfriend and where they’re up for prom king and queen.

I did tell you I would read into it but we have nine more songs to go, of course there will be a little reading into things. I’m aware that the significance of Love You Like a Love Song beyond being a generic prom performance exists solely in my head but, hey, maybe it exists in yours now too. Because isn’t that beautiful to think about, in terms of Santana’s journey? That she went to junior prom with her beard, miserable and deathly afraid, that she couldn’t dance with the girl she loved. And now here she is, a senior who might have been forcibly outed but survived and kept her head high, and now she’s proud and full of love. She wholeheartedly enjoys her senior prom with Brittany by her side and doesn’t even really care about prom queen anymore because she has love. A love she can sing about, with her girlfriend doing backup and with her changing the pronouns during a school performance because that’s who she is and who she loves. Girl, now that plays on my mind constantly.

9. Trouty Mouth

Yes, the joke song comes in at ninth. You think it should be lower? I think it should be higher but I didn’t dare. Even ninth place feels pretty audacious for an original song that was purely meant to be a joke, a joke about a cast member’s physical appearance at that. But Glee’s shittiness aside, I’m here to defend Trouty Mouth as a Santana solo. Put some respect on its name? Maybe not, but grabbing the shovel and giving a little depth to it at least.

So Trouty Mouth, in Santana’s own words, is an awesome heterosexual song she writes for Sam. How genuine she thought it was is another matter but we all know that at this point in the story, 2x16 Original Song, she’s fresh off from a semi-rejection from Brittany after she poured her heart out. So Santana, defensive as always and lashing out, doubles down on her own heterosexuality by writing her assigned original song to/about her boyfriend. And yes, sure, it is a joke. The joke here is that Santana is making fun of Sam’s mouth like she makes fun of so many people’s attributes, physical or not.

But here’s the thing, if we were to consider Trouty Mouth in earnest and examine why is it, exactly, that this was the best Santana could come up with, I think we reach an interesting answer. That being, that beyond insults being Santana’s MO she also has a history of making fun of guys’ physical appearance, particularly after being involved with them. Less so with Puck but her way of asking Finn out is already by insulting him and then she spends the rest of their interactions in the series really hammering the point home. And like with Sam, it’s the writers being asses about a cast member’s actual body and appearance, but putting that aside it’s Santana other MO of doubling down and going way too far. She makes a point of not only exaggerating Finn’s features but of highlighting just how unattractive she finds him. And though what happens with Sam is slightly different, it’s Santana hyperfixating on a physical aspect of a guy she’s involved with and making fun of it.

The way I see it, there are two main ways of looking at it and both circle back to the idea of comphet. One, Santana’s being genuine in her hyperfixation, at least with Sam because she’s desperately trying to make herself be interested in any part of this man. Even in this genuine attempt, if it turns into comedy then so be it, Santana does love insults. And if she’s being deliberately mean about it from the get go, like she is with Finn, then we can see it as an attempt to put these boys down in order to justify her own lack of attraction. See, no one could possibly be attracted to Finn, it’s not her fault. See, Sam’s mouth is ridiculous and therefore her own lack of feelings towards him despite dating is justified. So raw and confused immediately after the event of Sexy, Santana is reaching and coping in her own harmful ways. And if she makes fun of Sam in the process of trying to make herself feel better, so be it.

I told you we were gonna reach and I fully acknowledge this is way, wayyy more thought than the writers ever put into Trouty Mouth or indeed any of Santana’s body-shaming comments. And I’m not trying to exonerate her with this interpretation because she clearly made Sam uncomfortable and her relentless shaming of Finn was never okay. But doesn’t this make for a more compelling narrative, where it’s not just a joke? It’s Santana’s inability not to turn her attraction to men, or lack thereof, into a joke, because maybe then she’d have to contend with the fact that she is in fact gay. But no, she must still be straight because it’s these boys that are the problem, see. And so we have Trouty Mouth placed so high, relatively. But since I know this is a wild wild reach, I’ll contend with relatively high.

8. Don’t Rain on My Parade

Remember a few entries back when I said Rachel’s DROMP was the exception to the competition solo significance rule? Well, that comes back to bite us, bite me at least, as I struggle to place Santana’s version. This was originally not at the halfway point but placed fourth on my list that I jotted down back in April. Why for, I could not tell you now.

Well, I mean. There’s an argument there that DROMP is significant to Santana’s character, even if not as significant as it is to Rachel’s. But maybe that comparison and Santana’s complicated relationship with Rachel are the key to understanding Santana’s version. Season 5′s Don’t Rain on My Parade is an imitation of season 1′s version, where Santana basically retraces Rachel’s steps and, I’d argue, recaptures the Sectionals solo’s magic but does so by reinventing it. This more pop-sounding arrangement makes it clear that this is Santana’s version now and she’s going to leave her on mark on Rachel’s signature song.

Based on this, DROMP signifies several things for Santana. One, it’s an extension of Back to Black in that it firmly grounds Santana as one of the big players, now not just at McKinley but out in the real world, on Broadway. She makes an entrance and she does it well, matching Rachel’s talent to the point of scoring the understudy position. Two, because it establishes a potential career path for Santana, in a somewhat contradictory manner it also highlights how lost she truly is in the New York era and how desperate for a firmer sense of identity. Auditioning comes off as a rash decision and one she makes knowing full well it can jeopardize her relationship with Rachel. But Santana feels so stuck, so unwilling to be known as the Yeast Girl for the rest of her life that she barges in and barges in with DROMP, of all songs. Which leads us to three, Don’t Rain on My Parade (Santana’s Version) representing her intense and precarious friendship with Rachel.

Rather, the song choice represents it. The conscious decision Santana had to make to not just audition to be her roommate’s understudy, but to do so with a song that Rachel has such heavy baggage with. And look, I’ve seen several different interpretations of Santana’s performance. Some say it was meant to be insulting, intimidating towards Rachel. A call for war, even, since we’re talking about these two dramatic bitches. Some say imitation is the highest form of flattery, and it’s not like Santana’s attempts at bonding haven’t been misguided before. Some say she didn’t give the choice and indeed the audition itself much thought at all. I disagree with the last one and won’t decide between the other two today. The point is, it’s a layered choice and a layered situation between Pezberry. Throwing in the big question of what Santana should do career-wise, an arc throughout the New York era, we have a song that contributes… something to our understanding of Santana Lopez as a character. What, exactly, I’ll leave it to you to decide, but there is something there that’s worthy of closing our list of the bottom seven.

End of, for now

Aaaand that’s the list, for now. I promise this won’t be another situation where there are months and months in-between parts, I’m planning on doing part two this weekend. I just felt this post could use a break between the first and last seven entries as it’d be a looong long post all in one. If you agree/disagree with the bottom 7, feel free let me know, and I’m taking bets on the order of the top 7.

#glee #santana lopez #santanalysis #brittana #science fiction double feature #back to black #nutbush city limits #valerie #valerie s2 #dromp s5 #love you like a love song #trouty mouth

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