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Loser Like Me

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Composition

"Loser Like Me" is a uptempo dance-pop song. The song features "pop-funk chicken-scratch guitars," and according to Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone, a hopped-up beat. The song is fronted by Lea Michele singing lead on the chorus and a verse, with Cory Monteith providing an additional verse. Other Glee cast members back the two up during the the verses, the chorus and a rap breakdown. It bares resemblance to then-recent Max Martin-produced singles, particularly "Raise Your Glass", which contains a similar guitar-intro. Robert Copsey of Digital Spy even called "Loser Like Me" a sequel to "Raise Your Glass." After the guitar riffs, Michele sings about becoming a future superstar, "Yeah, you may think that I'm a zero/ But hey, everyone you wanna be/ Probably started off like me." Other cast member lyrics include the lyric "I'm a freak show," responded by Naya Rivera with the spoken "I don't care."

The song features self-empowerment lyrics which revolve around revenge fantasies, such as in Monteith's lines - "I could be a superstar / I'll see you when you wash my car." According to Melinda Newman of HitFix the song is about "being a loser now, but turning in to a winner now who never, ever looks back." Aly Semigram of MTV News said the lyrics of the "peppy pop ditty" keep "in tune with the themes of the show."

Critical reception

Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone gave the song four out of five stars, calling it "predictably fizzy." Rosen said that the song was "belted out with bright-sided earnestness by Lea Michele and Cory Monteith, distills the show's theme: the mystical power of a good tune and a well-choreographed jazz hands routine to turn geeks into gods." Robert Copsey of Digital Spy said "Max Martin and Shellback chuck the Pinks, Ke$has and Katy Perrys into the kitchen sink and add a generous coat of gloss and shimmer (and Auto-Tune) to create what is ultimately an audacious, unabashed and, crucially, authentic pop stomper that remains true to what Glee is all about." Melinda Newman of HitFix liked the song, but said that it could have had "more of an edge." Newman also said "For any kid who’s ever been bullied or adult who remembers being bullied, it’s a bulls-eye." Newman wrote that that Michele, who opens the song, had a "classic voice" but it had no "grit" to it, and recommended that Pink cover it. Becky Bain of Idolator they song could have been a track for Pink or Avril Lavigne, two commmon artists who work with Martin. Bain said the song fit in with "Raise Your Glass," and better yet, Kesha's "We R Who We R."

In an album review giving Glee: The Music, Vol. 5 a total of two out of five stars, Andrew Leahey of Allmusic said that the new Glee songs "aren’t good enough to make much of a difference." Brett Berk of Vanity Fair gave the song four stars just based on lyrics, commenting the "tune sucked." Bill Lamb of About.com was unfavorable of the song, criticizing its lyrics, calling them "mean spirited and petty," and said they were "nowhere near as thoughtful" as the lyrics of recent mass empowerment anthems such as "Firework," "Born This Way," and "Raise Your Glass." Lamb commented that the song sounded like a Glee parody of one of Glee's own cover songs, and said that Martin and Glee belong on different paths, and show should stick to what they were doing before and not become "corporate."

Glee performance

"Original Song" first aired on March 15, 2011 and is the sixteenth episode of the second season of the television series. The episode's plot revolves around McKinley High's glee club, New Directions, decides to prepare original songs for the Regionals competition. In order to do better in the competition, due to Rachel Berry (Lea Michele)'s assistance the group decided to sing original songs. "Loser Like Me" falls in line after Rachel performs her solo ballad "Get It Right." In the performance the Glee club girls donned light-blue dresses tied with black ribbons, and black boots. The guys wore black dress shirts and slacks with black ties. During the performance, the group performs sectional and group choreography. Midway, it is received by a standing ovation led by Kurt (Chris Colfer). The performance ends with the club throwing slushie cups filled with confetti at the audience, alluding to the numerous slushie cups taken in the face by them earlier in the show.

Bobby Hankinson of Houston Chronicle said "It's fun and summery and it's all capped off with a confetti slushee attack to the crowd. Loved it." Erica Futterman of Rolling Stone said "It's a true anthem, and it ends triumphantly, with the New Directions tossing confetti-filled Slushie cups into the crowd — and then going on to win regionals." Brett Berk of Vanity Fair commented "the lovable dorks sing about being the lovable dorks we fell in love with (even if we often no longer recognize them as such)."

Get It Right

"straight-ahead" pop ballad. Becky Bain of Idolator said "This one, compared to the instantly catchy “Loser Like Me”, is a bit more underwhelming, though Lea kills it." Melinda Newman of HitFix said the song was "It’s lovely, but a bit dull."

According to Aly Semigran of MTV News the song's opening moments are similar to "Everytime" by Britney Spears, and features "fluttering piano and breathy vocals" that come "into its own as it builds."

Although she called it "boring" and said it was like every other reflection-ballad performed by Michele, Erica Futterman of Rolling Stone said that the song would fit in on Top 40 radio.

Jarret Wiselman of The New York Post said "Lea Michele's voice was on point throughout this soaring ballad, but without that secret ingredient, lyrics like "my best intentions keep making a mess of things" are best left to Rachel's diary."

Erica Futterman of Rolling Stone said the song "sounds exactly like every song she's ever covered on the show in a moment of reflection", but commented that "she nails it, but it's relatively boring and repetetive in the context of the show."