Samcedes Episode Analysis: 2.12 Silly Love Songs
by Akilah
Mercedes: "Guys, I want you to pick a partner and you're going to sing to them what you think is the world's greatest love song," Mr. Schue says, giving out that weeks assignment. Mercedes rolls her eyes and throws her head back in exasperation. She has no interest in this assignment. Mainly because shes single and it probably makes her feel alienated within the glee club, who all are in and out of love triangles with each other. Especially now that Kurt is gone, Mercedes feels more left out and lonelier than ever and Mr. Schue's assignment is not helping. But Mercedes also has no interests in the assignment because she probably thinks love songs are "silly." The assignment to her seems trite and pointless. Shes not in love with anyone, so love songs don't have very much significance to her. Mercedes may not like being single, but shes not exactly open to love, or love songs, either.
Finn tells the glee club that he's going to set up a kissing booth for charity so he can raise funds for the glee club. Mercedes makes a face, obviously insulted that she and the rest of the glee club are Finn's "charity." She then reads him, "Don't even act like you want to help this glee club out, you just want to kiss a bunch of girls." Exasperated, she waves her hand and then finger combs her hair in diva like fashion. Santana chimes in, "I've kissed him, and can I just say, not worth a buck." Mercedes is the only one who laughs at Santana's remark. We see that these girls have a certain connection. They understand each other in a way that no one else in ND does. They have both called Finn (the ND leader) out on his crap.
Santana and Mercedes aren't exactly friends yet, though. Santana takes her joke too far and the rest of ND give her a taste of her own medicine, calling her a bitch, and repeating some of the mean things she said to and about other people. Mercedes watches it unfold in amusement. She doesn't participate. She quitely enjoys watching the show, as she undoubtedly watches the usual ND drama, including the love triangles, cheating and scandals that plague the glee club. Mercedes takes all of it in and probably feels above it all, as well as left out.
Mercedes is at a slumber party with Rachel and Kurt. The three of them sit on the bed. Mercedes is at one end, Kurt is at the other. Rachel sits between them. This is visually symbolizing the distance that has grown between Kurt and Mercedes. Kurt and Mercedes have lost a certain amount of communication with eachother, but Rachel is able to bridge this gap. Kurt is able to communicate with Rachel in a way that he doesn't with Mercedes. We see that in episode 2.09 when he came to Rachel to help him choose a solo, and then later the two had a private conversation at the Regionals competition. Mercedes is able to express things to Rachel that she doesn't with Kurt. We see that in upcoming episodes, 2.17 and 2.20. Rachel bridges the gap in communication between the two. This is the closes Kurt and Mercedes will come to being alone for the rest of the season, and it involves Rachel Berry.
Kurt discusses his situation with Blaine and realizes that the two aren't acutally dating. "Don't worry, we've all been there. I know I have, with you," Mercedes reminds him of the time she thought the two of them were dating in season one. Here, we see Mercedes slowly letting her guard down, opening up about love and romantic feelings. She is showing some vulnerability. Rachel then goes on a tirade about her and Finn. Mercedes reminds her that they are there to talk about Kurt. "You two are so boy crazy, look at me. I don't have a date for Valentines day and I could give a rip," Mercedes says with her best diva face. Mercedes has opened up a bit, but now she returns to her defense mechanism of deflection. She uses that statement to show that she doesn't care about being single on Valentines day, but really, she feels a bit rejected.
"Look at our idols [...] they all became stars while they were single. They took all the pain and loneliness and they put it into their music. People can relate to it. Everyone feels lonely at times." Here, Mercedes finally admits to feeling lonely and being in "pain." What's interesting is that while she says this, her back is facing Kurt and Rachel. She's looking away from them and out into space. They can not see her face, so there is no need for her diva mask. When she speaks, her face is open and you can see the longing in her eyes as she stares off into the distance. Mercedes may not be ready to admit that she wants someone in her life, but admitting that she does in fact feel loneliness and pain is a step in the right direction. In episode 2.07 she couldn't even admit that much to herself.
"Sometimes you have to choose between love and talent." This statement appears to be foreshadowing for all three of them. Perhaps they will all have to make that choice by the end of season 3. It will be interesting to see what happens with these three characters and their respective love interests. "As far as I'm concerned, we all need to fly solo for awhile," Mercedes as well as Rachel and Kurt embrace their single status with the hopes of finding love someday soon.
There is a song playing in the background of this scene. Its called "Tell Him." Lets look at the lyrics.
"I know something about love/ You've got to want it bad/ If that guys got into your blood, go out and get him/ If you want him to become the very part of you/ That makes you want to breathe/ Here's the thing you've got to do/ Tell him that you're never gonna leave him/ Tell him that you're always going to love him/ Tell him, Tell him, Tell him right now."
"Tell Him," is about expressing your feelings in order to get what you want when it comes to romance. What's interesting about this song is that Mercedes doesn't find love until she is willing to say that she wants it. She admits her desire for love and romance in episode 2.20, when she tells Rachel exactly what she wants, and she ends up getting it.
Mercedes and Rachel sit next to eachother in most of the choir room scenes, signifying their new alliance. They are both single divas and friends with Kurt. It may not be a very deep friendship, but its one that works for both of them for now. Rachel decides to sing a love song to herself, "Firework," and Mercedes joins her at the end. The two of them hold hands and sing aloud before the other girls of ND join them.
"Do you ever feel already buried deep/ Six feet under screams but no one seems to hear a thing/ Do you know that there's still a chance for you/ 'cause there's a spark in you that you've just got to ignite the light and let it shine/ just own the night like the 4th of July/ come one let your colors burst/ make them go oh, oh, oh/ you're gonna leave them falling down."
These are the lyrics that are televised. Rachel is singing the song to herself but also to her single friends Kurt and Mercedes. Mercedes feels ignored (buried deep) and no that one notices her (six feet under screams... no one seems to hear a thing). But the song tells her that she will have to embrace who she is (spark in you that you've just got to ignite) and run with it. When she does that she will be impossible to ignore. Really, all the power is within Mercedes already. She has love inside of her, she just has to be willing to show it and embrace it. When this happens, someone will notice and start "falling" for her.
Later, Mercedes joins Rachel, Tina and Mike at a Valentines day concert the Warblers are hosting at Breadstix. During the peformance, Kurt comes over and hugs both Mercedes and Rachel. All three are "single with hope," as Kurt put it. And the hope part is important. Mercedes now has "hope" that she will find someone. It was more than she had in the first arc of season 2.
The song that the Warbler's perform is "Silly Love Songs."
"You'd think that people would have had enough of silly love songs/ But I look around me and I see that isn't so/ Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs/ And what's wrong with that/ I'd like to know, cause here I go again/ I love you/ Love doesn't come in a minute/ Sometimes it doesn't come at all/ I only know that when I'm in it/ It isn't silly, no love isn't silly at all."
Love songs seemed silly to Mercedes in the beginning of the episode, but by the end, she has embraced both Rachel's and Blaine's love songs. Just like the songs, Mercedes is taking one step closer to embracing love.
by Akilah
Mercedes: "Guys, I want you to pick a partner and you're going to sing to them what you think is the world's greatest love song," Mr. Schue says, giving out that weeks assignment. Mercedes rolls her eyes and throws her head back in exasperation. She has no interest in this assignment. Mainly because shes single and it probably makes her feel alienated within the glee club, who all are in and out of love triangles with each other. Especially now that Kurt is gone, Mercedes feels more left out and lonelier than ever and Mr. Schue's assignment is not helping. But Mercedes also has no interests in the assignment because she probably thinks love songs are "silly." The assignment to her seems trite and pointless. Shes not in love with anyone, so love songs don't have very much significance to her. Mercedes may not like being single, but shes not exactly open to love, or love songs, either.
Finn tells the glee club that he's going to set up a kissing booth for charity so he can raise funds for the glee club. Mercedes makes a face, obviously insulted that she and the rest of the glee club are Finn's "charity." She then reads him, "Don't even act like you want to help this glee club out, you just want to kiss a bunch of girls." Exasperated, she waves her hand and then finger combs her hair in diva like fashion. Santana chimes in, "I've kissed him, and can I just say, not worth a buck." Mercedes is the only one who laughs at Santana's remark. We see that these girls have a certain connection. They understand each other in a way that no one else in ND does. They have both called Finn (the ND leader) out on his crap.
Santana and Mercedes aren't exactly friends yet, though. Santana takes her joke too far and the rest of ND give her a taste of her own medicine, calling her a bitch, and repeating some of the mean things she said to and about other people. Mercedes watches it unfold in amusement. She doesn't participate. She quitely enjoys watching the show, as she undoubtedly watches the usual ND drama, including the love triangles, cheating and scandals that plague the glee club. Mercedes takes all of it in and probably feels above it all, as well as left out.
Mercedes is at a slumber party with Rachel and Kurt. The three of them sit on the bed. Mercedes is at one end, Kurt is at the other. Rachel sits between them. This is visually symbolizing the distance that has grown between Kurt and Mercedes. Kurt and Mercedes have lost a certain amount of communication with eachother, but Rachel is able to bridge this gap. Kurt is able to communicate with Rachel in a way that he doesn't with Mercedes. We see that in episode 2.09 when he came to Rachel to help him choose a solo, and then later the two had a private conversation at the Regionals competition. Mercedes is able to express things to Rachel that she doesn't with Kurt. We see that in upcoming episodes, 2.17 and 2.20. Rachel bridges the gap in communication between the two. This is the closes Kurt and Mercedes will come to being alone for the rest of the season, and it involves Rachel Berry.
Kurt discusses his situation with Blaine and realizes that the two aren't acutally dating. "Don't worry, we've all been there. I know I have, with you," Mercedes reminds him of the time she thought the two of them were dating in season one. Here, we see Mercedes slowly letting her guard down, opening up about love and romantic feelings. She is showing some vulnerability. Rachel then goes on a tirade about her and Finn. Mercedes reminds her that they are there to talk about Kurt. "You two are so boy crazy, look at me. I don't have a date for Valentines day and I could give a rip," Mercedes says with her best diva face. Mercedes has opened up a bit, but now she returns to her defense mechanism of deflection. She uses that statement to show that she doesn't care about being single on Valentines day, but really, she feels a bit rejected.
"Look at our idols [...] they all became stars while they were single. They took all the pain and loneliness and they put it into their music. People can relate to it. Everyone feels lonely at times." Here, Mercedes finally admits to feeling lonely and being in "pain." What's interesting is that while she says this, her back is facing Kurt and Rachel. She's looking away from them and out into space. They can not see her face, so there is no need for her diva mask. When she speaks, her face is open and you can see the longing in her eyes as she stares off into the distance. Mercedes may not be ready to admit that she wants someone in her life, but admitting that she does in fact feel loneliness and pain is a step in the right direction. In episode 2.07 she couldn't even admit that much to herself.
"Sometimes you have to choose between love and talent." This statement appears to be foreshadowing for all three of them. Perhaps they will all have to make that choice by the end of season 3. It will be interesting to see what happens with these three characters and their respective love interests. "As far as I'm concerned, we all need to fly solo for awhile," Mercedes as well as Rachel and Kurt embrace their single status with the hopes of finding love someday soon.
There is a song playing in the background of this scene. Its called "Tell Him." Lets look at the lyrics.
"I know something about love/ You've got to want it bad/ If that guys got into your blood, go out and get him/ If you want him to become the very part of you/ That makes you want to breathe/ Here's the thing you've got to do/ Tell him that you're never gonna leave him/ Tell him that you're always going to love him/ Tell him, Tell him, Tell him right now."
"Tell Him," is about expressing your feelings in order to get what you want when it comes to romance. What's interesting about this song is that Mercedes doesn't find love until she is willing to say that she wants it. She admits her desire for love and romance in episode 2.20, when she tells Rachel exactly what she wants, and she ends up getting it.
Mercedes and Rachel sit next to eachother in most of the choir room scenes, signifying their new alliance. They are both single divas and friends with Kurt. It may not be a very deep friendship, but its one that works for both of them for now. Rachel decides to sing a love song to herself, "Firework," and Mercedes joins her at the end. The two of them hold hands and sing aloud before the other girls of ND join them.
"Do you ever feel already buried deep/ Six feet under screams but no one seems to hear a thing/ Do you know that there's still a chance for you/ 'cause there's a spark in you that you've just got to ignite the light and let it shine/ just own the night like the 4th of July/ come one let your colors burst/ make them go oh, oh, oh/ you're gonna leave them falling down."
These are the lyrics that are televised. Rachel is singing the song to herself but also to her single friends Kurt and Mercedes. Mercedes feels ignored (buried deep) and no that one notices her (six feet under screams... no one seems to hear a thing). But the song tells her that she will have to embrace who she is (spark in you that you've just got to ignite) and run with it. When she does that she will be impossible to ignore. Really, all the power is within Mercedes already. She has love inside of her, she just has to be willing to show it and embrace it. When this happens, someone will notice and start "falling" for her.
Later, Mercedes joins Rachel, Tina and Mike at a Valentines day concert the Warblers are hosting at Breadstix. During the peformance, Kurt comes over and hugs both Mercedes and Rachel. All three are "single with hope," as Kurt put it. And the hope part is important. Mercedes now has "hope" that she will find someone. It was more than she had in the first arc of season 2.
The song that the Warbler's perform is "Silly Love Songs."
"You'd think that people would have had enough of silly love songs/ But I look around me and I see that isn't so/ Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs/ And what's wrong with that/ I'd like to know, cause here I go again/ I love you/ Love doesn't come in a minute/ Sometimes it doesn't come at all/ I only know that when I'm in it/ It isn't silly, no love isn't silly at all."
Love songs seemed silly to Mercedes in the beginning of the episode, but by the end, she has embraced both Rachel's and Blaine's love songs. Just like the songs, Mercedes is taking one step closer to embracing love.
Sam: Finn decides that he wants to win Quinn back from Sam. “Game on,” he says. This is another game for Finn, an Sam is going to be playing along whether he wants to or not.
“You're boyfriend's boy,” Finn says to Quinn at his kissing booth. He's not completely wrong. Sam is not a man yet and still has a lot of growing up to do. Sam sees the two of them talking and becomes suspicious. He questions Quinn, who denies it. She tells him that she is looking for a classic love song to sing to him for that weeks assignment. Its interesting that she doesn't already have one in mind. If she loved him then she wouldn't have to look so hard.
“Everyone thinks I'm dumb,” Sam says. Quinn hesitates, “Not... everyone.” Quinn clearly thinks he is. Its evident by her hesitation. Also evident by her belief that she can keep him from discovering that she kissed Finn. Finn also thinks Sam is dumb; he tells Quinn that Sam “will believe anything you tell him.” What we learn here is that Sam is insecure about his intelligence. This insecurity most likely stems from the fact that he is dyslexic and has a learning disability. Sam isn't really dumb, but he can't always see people's ulterior motives. He can't “read” them, due to the symbolic relationship dyslexia he suffers within the narrative. Unable to “read” people, Sam takes them at face value. But he is growing and learning, and he's starting to understand that Quinn isn't all that shes cracked up to be.
Quinn is no longer a Cheerio. She wears street clothes instead of her cheer leading uniform, meaning she can no longer play the role of “head cheerleader.” Her true self is starting to be revealed, and Sam is finally able to see her for the first time. “You play it cool, but you're ambitious. You like being the queen bee and you think that being with the star quarterback is going to put you up there, whether you're wearing a Cheerios uniform or not.” He reads her pretty well, but he fails to realize that its more than that. That Quinn actually has feelings for Finn that she never had for Sam. “I'm pretty but I ain't dumb,” Sam says, revealing that he knows more than he lets on. Perhaps he's been willfully ignorant, to a certain extent, within his relationship with Quinn.
Sam wants Quinn to kiss Finn in front of him and she agrees. Sam wants her to do so because he still needs things spelled out for him. He thinks if he sees it first hand then he will know the answer. The two kiss, they share a small peck, but its their facial expressions after that give it away. Sam only focuses on the kiss an misses the chemistry and look of lust the two share after separating. “Satisfied,” Quinn asks. “Yup,” Sam replies. They walk off but Quinn turns and runs back to Finn. She uses the excuse of leaving her purse. Sam scratches his head in confusion. He doesn't realize that his girlfriend just made a date to cheat on him with Finn.
When Finn and Quinn meet, Quinn tells Finn that she “thinks” she loves Sam. Finn tells her that if she did she wouldn't be there with him. Quinn does not love Sam and never has.
Santana, the opposite of Sam, can read people like a book. She takes it upon herself to spell it out for Sam. Explaining in the choir room that Mono is passed through kissing, especially when “tongue” is involved. Both Finn and Quinn have mono symptoms. “It was only a peck,” Sam says. He still doesn't quite get it, but Santana will be there to explain it all to him in the next episode.
At the end, Sam is left alone at the Warblers concert. He is the only single guy in the audience. Puck has Lauren, Artie has Britney, Mike has Tina. There are three single girls, Santana, Rachel and Mercedes, all lined up in a row, sitting next to each other. There is a wall between Santana that separates her from Rachel and Santana, visually suggesting her isolation, at least Rachel and Mercedes have each other. Santana looks around and sees Sam sitting alone. Quinn may not have much use to Sam in her life any longer, but Santana does.
Samcedes: In Rachel's song “Firework,” we get this verse:
Maybe your reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will glow
And when it's time, you'll know
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will glow
And when it's time, you'll know
Really, this song could be about both Sam and Mercedes. Mercedes is alone and feels isolated, “doors are closed” in her life when it comes to love. Sam is in a relationship that's leading to a closing door. But its because they have yet to find “the perfect road,” that leads them to each other. And when they do cross paths, an “when it's time,” they'll both “know” that they were what they have been looking for all along.
But more importantly in this episode, we see guarded Mercedes starting to open up a bit, and we see completely open Sam starting to become a bit more guarded and suspicious. These two are like opposites. They aren't on the same “road” yet, but they're getting there.
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