Here is chapter 2. Hope you enjoyed the story so far. How was my intro into Blaine's father? Now the story continues at the choir room as Blaine sings this Tina Turner classic. If you want to listen to the song, you can find it on YouTube. I strongly suggest you listen to the live version, as Tina has proven her live performances eclipse the studio recordings. I also suggest you do that for the rest of the story. Enjoy...
Blaine asked Mr Shue at the beginning of glee if he could sing a solo today and granted his request. Although the song is about a sensitive and not-so-school appropriate topic, he still loved the song and promised Mr Shue he would sing it in a different context, closer to the way the original artist interpreted it. But what really sold it for the glee instructor was when he mentioned it was Tina Turner's classic hit Private Dancer. In a way, the words interpreted the way he felt, plus he could dance to it; which was key to any Tina song. At first, wearing a black fedora hat with a red band, to match his black shirt, red polka-dotted bowtie and red pants, he was sitting in a chair, very poised and debonair, as he began to sing Tina's lyrics…
All the men comes in these places
And the men are all the same
You don't look at their faces
And you don't ask their names
The glee kids sit watching Blaine's performance, intrigued by the hypnotic low tone in his voice.
You don't think of them as human
You don't think of them at all
You keep your mind on the money
Keeping your eyes on the wall…
Blaine looks up at his fellow classmates, a few of them like Kitty, Ryder and Marley has confused looks on their faces, while Unique, Artie, Sam and Jake look on with a somewhat shocked expression. Either they have never heard the song before and don't know the artist or they know the song and are shocked because of what the subject is about. But Blaine isn't singing about prostitution, he's singing about not having complete control over his life. Having to always do what his father demanded, and not having the freedom to make his own choices, to achieve his dreams, to be himself. That was how he connected with the song, and he thought, that's perhaps how Tina sang it on stage every night as transformed into a rock n roll ballerina, swaying and twirling holding a feather boa or handerchief. He starts moving robotically along, as if he is being pulled on strings like the people in the music video of the song. Then, he sings the chorus…
I'm your private dancer
A dancer for money
I'll do what you want me to do
I'm your private dancer
A dancer for money
And any old music will do…
He gets up moving his chair, dancing to the slow medley, pretending as if he had a partner to dance with, as if Kurt was dancing with him. Everyone, even Mr Shue is watches in amazement as Blaine puts his heart into his performance. Guess those few dancing lessons with Jake payed off, but he already was a pretty good dancer, his performances at Dalton was prove of that. That's what felt like all the time, having to prove everything. Prove his talent, prove his love, prove his friendship, prove his value. To the Warblers, to his parents, to the New Directions, to Cooper, to Kurt. He sits back down in his chair, channeling another dancer's pose. Using the lyrics of the songs, he begins to list his goals, his dreams. His dream to not just be famous, but to be a singer, an entertainer. To have a better life then he has now, to be able to marry the love of his life and have kids; even if he doesn't love him back anymore
I want to make a million dollars
I want to live out, by the sea
Have a husband and some children
Yeah, I guess I want a family…
Finn came in this week to co-coach the New Directions along with Mr Shue. They were on good terms again after Will forgave him for kissing Emma. As he watches Blaine sing the Tina Turner song, he couldn't help but depict a slight sadness. Not just in his voice, but in his demeanor. Ever since his break up with Kurt, Blaine started to withdraw. Not completely, just a little, so nobody would pick up on it right away; and Finn, as usual would be the last to pick up on it, well, maybe after Brittany. But this time, it seems that no one else has noticed it, not even Will. But he has.
All the men come in these places
And the men are, all the same
You don't look at their faces
And you don't
Ask their names…
Blaine starts dancing in his chair, to the claps to the beat from the other students.
I'm your private dancer
A dancer for money
I'll do what you want me to do
I'm your private dancer
A dancer for money
And any old music will do…
Blaine gets up from his chair, tossing his hat and starts dancing as if he is dancing with Kurt, he could almost hear Kurt's laughter in his head as he repeats the chorus again in a higher octave.
I'm your private dancer
Dancer for money
Do what you want me to do
Just a private dancer
A dancer for money
And any old music will do…
Blaine marchs over into the seats of the students, dancing ferocious and elegantly, as they make cat calls and wolf-whistles at the cheer him on
Deutschmarks or dollars
He makes a counting money signal with his hands facing Kitty, and then moving over to Artie and Tina, who are giving him his full attention. Mr Shue shakes his head in awe. The kid was talented.
American Express will do
Nicely, thank you!
He slides in between Marley and Jake. As he moves down, he turns to Unique, who is using a pink colored Chinese fan to fan herself over the hotness of his performance.
Let me loosen up your collar
He swipes the fan from Unique's hand, facing the class with his back turned, posing a sly grin on his face
Tell me,
He starts to shake his butt as he says the line
You wanna see me do the shimmy again
The cheering increases, mainly from the girls, and Tina, who he knows, loves to stare at his butt. He sits back down and opens Unique's fan with a flourish, with his legs crossed. Half of his face is covered. As the guitarist starts playing his solo, Blaine goes back into the crowd and starts dancing with the girls, first Marley, then Tina, and Unique and finishing with twirling Kitty, he repeats the chorus once again in the lower range and once more in the higher octave, now dancing with himself again, emulating Tina's moves from her performances of the song…
I'm your private dancer
A dancer for money
I'll do what you want me to do
I'm your private dancer
A dancer for money
And any old music will do…
I'm your private dancer
Dancer for money
Do what you want me to do
I'm your private dancer
A dancer for money
And any old music will do…
I'm your private dancer
A dancer for money…
I'm your private dancer
A dancer for money
And any old music will do…
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh!
Mmmmmhhhh…
He ends the song with a modest bow. The New Directions clap, enjoying the song. Mr Shue shouts in praise, "Nice work Blaine!".
Blaine smiles, grateful for the approval of the teacher. "Thanks, Mr Shue"
Finn stands up from the rows and ask Blaine, curious of the reasoning behind the song choice. "That was great Blaine, but why did you choose that song?"
Artie adds to Finn's question, "I'm curious myself because, if I remember correctly, wasn't that song about a prostitute?" All the kids look at Blaine in shock. Blaine was expecting that to happen.
"Oh Blaine, please tell me you aren't thinking of leaving us and joining White Chocolate over there and becoming back up strippers from Magic Mike." Kitty's deadpan response makes Ryder, Unique and Jake laugh, while Sam replies, looking a bit insulted, "Hey! I am not ashamed of it, I made some good money for my family."
Tina comments, "Mr Bowtie, calling it as your stripper name." Everyone looks at Tina in confusion.
Blaine chuckles to himself. "Guys!", He shouts. "That may be how the writer wrote it, but that not how I interpret it." He takes a breath before continuing, "To me, the song is about a person, who doesn't like the current situation he or she is in. They daydream about living a better life, achieving their dreams. But they keep getting knocked down by live and the people around them." He starts to frown a bit, thinking about his dad. "I'm sure we can all relate to that somehow." They nod in agreement. Finn notices that frown, a red flag going on in his head, something might be wrong with Blaine.
But then Blaine smiles and turns to Mr Shue, "Also, it's one of my favorite Tina Turner songs." Will smiles back at Blaine. Will admired his love for music and entertaining. Artie and Finn share a look, remembering the moments when they last performed a Tina Turner song, but the one that sticks out, was when they did the rock legend's version of the Credence Clearwater Revival classic Proud Mary, all in wheelchairs to support Artie. Ryder raised his hand embarrassingly, grabbing Will's attention.
"Yes, Ryder?" Ryder ask the essential question for some of the members. "Uh, who is Tina Turner?" Unique, Artie, Blaine, Jake, Sam and Finn look at Ryder wondering if they heard him correctly. Jake is the first to respond. "Really dude?" "What, is it a crime? I don't know who Tina Turner is, how big is she?" Ryder cracks back, a bit agitated, while Jake holds his hands up in mock surrender.
Unique takes the lead in quizzing her fellow glee member, as she stands up, walking over to Blaine to snatch back her fan for fun, she whips it open as she says, "Only queen Beyonce's musical godmother, child. Miss Tina Turner nee Anna Mae from little ol' Nutbush is a true lady of rock." Ryder eyes open a little wider, interested.
Blaine continues where Unique left off, "Tina Turner has been a pioneer for many female artists today. She has a career spanning 5 decades, eight Grammy awards…"
Artie rolls into the center to face the group, "James Brown said that she was the only artist to rival him onstage!"
Jake adds into the mix of Tina trivia, "Well no wonder he said that, Tina's sold more concert tickets than any other solo performer, and holds that record to this day."
"Wow, I need to go see her! When is her next tour?" Ryder exclaims. Tina turns in her seat to face him, a sad look on her face. "Unfortunatly, none of us will get to see her perform, she retired from touring 4 years ago." Ryder frowns a bit after hearing the news. He just learned about this singer and now he's never see her in group laugh at his sudden heartbreak,
Will looks on, amazed that a lot of his students know about this extraordinary artist. Kitty knows a few Tina songs, but she knows the ugly truth about the singer's past and she feels everyone is skirting around it. So, she puts in her two cents,"Isn't she, like, the postergirl for domestic violence?" A hush swims across the room. Kitty looks around. "I-I mean, she stayed in a relationship with a man who used her like a human punching bag, then a movie is made about her where she goes from victim to heroine for women everywhere? She sounds pretty stupid to me." Marley looks at her, completely appalled.
"Oh I know this pixie chick didn't come for rock n roll royalty. Best pump your brakes Ms Wilde.." Unique verbally throws out to Kitty.
Blaine walks a little closer. "Yes she was in an abusive relationship with her musical partner Ike Turner, who gave her stage name and gave the opportunity to begin a career in music, but it was her talent and star power that made him jealous and become abusive-"
Marley stands up and walks up to Kitty, "She couldn't leave, she was afraid to. She had four kids to take care of, their touring schedule was constant and she had nowhere to go! She was a small town girl from Tennessee, abandoned by her parents and moved to St. Louis with her mother and sister in her teens. When she met Ike performing, she thought that was her only chance to become a star. She didn't know what to do, Kitty. And I think it is wrong to judge her for that."
Artie looks at Kitty and says, "But Tina never saw herself as a victim, she knew that one day, she would be able to leave him and venture out on her own. And that, she did. Sure she only had 36 cents in her pocket, but when she found a way out, she ran for it, literally."
"A psychic told her, that she would become the biggest of stars, while her partner, would fall away like a leaf from a tree-" Everyone laughs at Blaine's statement, even Kitty joins in. "And that's exactly what happened, it took nearly a decade before she made it back on the charts with her Private Dancer album and at the age of 44, she showed the music industry, age, race or gender doesn't matter. Tina Turner is one of the prime examples that you can make your dreams come true!" Blaine talks animatedly.
Will walks towards the board. "You're right Blaine. Tina Turner made a difference by not letting anything keep her from achieving her goals. In a way, her music can even tell her own story, and the stories of countless others. I can see why you admire her." Blaine smiles at his teacher. Will turns to face his white board, and picks up a marker. The glee club watches in anticipation on what is next week's lesson plan. As he writes down the lesson plan, he continues to speak, "Thanks to you Blaine, I found found next week's lesson."
Everyone cheers as Mr Shue writes in big black letters "TINA". Blaine shines a huge grin on his face, glad he will contribute to the lesson plan, for he is a true Tina fan.
"I want everyone to start this weekend to find a Tina song that resonates with you at this moment. Whether it makes you happy or sad, have the song tell you what you feel inside. Also pick a energy inducing song to help you guys prepare for Nationals. Like Tina, you gotta give your all, not just your heart, but your power. Grab the audience's attention, treat them like you a would a pep rally. Tina Turner is most known for her high voltage shows, and she never slouches a show." Will points out to each of his kids. For this week, they will not only learn about Tina, but they will prepare to perform, not just like Tina, but as Tina would, with energy, passion, soul and fun.
The kids start talking amongst themselves figuring out what songs to perform. Blaine grabs his seat and sets it back in his spot in the rows to join in the conversation. After he sits down, he turns in the direction of Marley who was sitting behind him. He signals her attention by calling her name, "Hey Marley, maybe we could do a duet?" He never performed a song with Marley before since her arrival and he did think she had a beautiful voice that could match well with his.
Marley thinking about for a moment before responding, she smiles at the short boy and replies, "Sure Blaine, we can practice at my house. I'm not sure what song to pick though. My mom might have a Tina cd." Blaine thinks about it, of course he'd have to ask his dad, and he was already dreading that argument. Hopefully he won't be as bad as he was last night, hopefully. "Sure, and don't worry, I have plenty of cds to look through. He says smugly, with an expression to match the tone. Marley laughs back.
The bell rings, and all the kids scatter to go to their next classes. Finn and Will pack up their bags and head on down to the teachers lounge. "This is going to be a long week, huh Mr. Shue?" Will shakes his head and chuckles, out of high school, co-teaching with him and he still talks to him as a student.
"Well Finn, at least you won't be the ones dancing, or rolling." Will makes a motion of swimming, mimicking the iconic dance moves of Tina's version of Proud Mary. The two men laugh as they walk out the door.
On the other side of the classroom, out through the closed door's window, is one Sue Sylvester, annoyed at Will Scheuster and his dopey musical henchmen. They just won't quit, will they?
glee
End of chapter 2 and first Tina song. Please review
