100 Community Musical Moments Ranked From Worst to Best
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The post 100 Community Musical Moments Ranked From Worst to Best appeared first on Consequence.
This article was originally published in 2015, but we’re dusting it off in light of the news of the upcoming Community movie.
Community has always been streets ahead of the competition as a sitcom for pop culture mavens. There’s been plenty to enjoy for music lovers, too. In its first five seasons, the embattled show boasted cameos from Ben Folds, Sara Bareilles, and Sophie B. Hawkins, a co-writing spot from Adam Levine, and a huge group of great sampled and original tracks, including an entire episode dedicated to spoofing Glee.
This list takes a broad interpretation of what constitutes musical moments, so you’ll see clips ranging from Britta’s pizza dance in “Remedial Chaos Theory” to Ludwig Göransson’s compositions and songs performed by cast members.
In anticipation of the long-awaited movie coming to Peacock, let’s revisit these 100 classic scenes. There are hilarious lyrics. There are heartfelt moments. There are downright bizarre non-sequiturs. It may be hard to stop listening.
Above all, we hope this list awakens something in you. Enjoy!
100. “Green Daeye”
(“Environmental Science” S1E10)
The Dean’s ace in the hole to get attendees for the Green Week dance at Envirodale Greendale.
99. “You Made Me Like It”
(“Pilot” S1E01)
Another establishing moment in the Jeff/Britta relationship when Jeff tries to hit on her in the cafeteria.
98. “You Get What You Give”
(“Advanced Documentary Filmmaking” S4E06)
Chang changes Jeff’s opinion that Changnesia is real as the two seem to turn over a new leaf.
97. “Night Cap”
(“Interpretive Dance” S1E14)
An ode to the most fashionable headwear for sleeping.
96. “Party Where Your Heart Is”
(“The Art of Discourse” S1E22)
This song soundtracks another of Abed’s quintessential college experiences: a cafeteria food fight.
95. “Please Do Not Go”
(“Football, Feminism and You” S1E06)
Jeff and Annie reconcile their differences to support Troy as this Violent Femmes track plays.
94. “Heatstroke”
(“Early 21st Century Romanticism” S2E15)
This Magic Bullets track plays when Annie cheers up (and goes to kiss) Britta after Page ditches her.
93. “One Time Lover”
(“Early 21st Century Romanticism” S2E15)
The pretty librarian truly does turn out to be a one-time lover after she chooses Troy over Abed at the Valentine’s Day dance (mostly because Troy walks out on her to hang out with Abed).
92. “Fancy Footwork”
(“Early 21st Century Romanticism” S2E15)
Chromeo soundtracks the moment in the Valentine’s Day dance where Britta and Page discover that neither of them is actually a lesbian.
91. “More Than This”
(“Analysis of Cork-Based Networking” S5E06)
Annie gets in way too deep with the underground politics of Greendale and contemplates at what cost the cafeteria can get its cork board.
90. “Baby Fratelli”
(“Anthropology 101” S2E01)
The montage music for the study group members getting ready for year two at Greendale.
89. “Good Ol’ Fashion Nightmare”
(“Spanish 101” S1E02)
After making amends with Pierce over their Spanish project snafu, Jeff scores some brownie points with Britta for doing the right thing.
88. “Daylight”
(“Pilot” S1E01)
Jeff realizes that Professor Duncan offering crib sheets for Spanish exams was a ploy to get the jaded lawyer to — gasp — actually learn something. And so the study group is officially born.
87. “When I Say Thera, You Say Pist”
(“Cooperative Escapism in Familial Relations” S4E05)
Now we know where the theme music for Brooklyn Nine-Nine came from.
86. “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”
(“Pilot” S1E01)
The pilot was dedicated in John Hughes’ memory. This version is a cover by the 88, who also perform the Community theme.
85. “How You Like Me Now”
(“Social Psychology” S1E04)
Pierce’s ear-noculars clue him into all the hot gossip about him.
84. “Whistle for the Choir”
(“The Politics of Human Sexuality” S1E11)
Jeff takes a step toward becoming less shallow by changing Britta’s name in his phone.
83. “Creep”
(“Basic Intergluteal Numismatics” S5E03)
For some reason, Shirley’s sons sing this song while the Ass Crack Bandit runs amok.
82. “Chang Leaves Pierce”
(“Origins of Vampire Mythology” S3E15)
Who would’ve thought that the two most volatile characters going on a man-date would end in heartbreak?
81. “Love So Alike”
(“Aerodynamics of Gender” S2E07)
Jeff and Troy discover a new sanctuary on campus, which may or may not be run by a Nazi.
80. “Dungeons & Dragons Sex Scene”
(“Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” S2E14)
It’s a classic comedy trope — gesticulating some super explicit sex acts while innocuous music plays — but Alison Brie makes it work.
79. “We Are Not Alone”
(“Communication Studies” S1E16)
Community pays homage to The Breakfast Club’s dancing-in-the-library scene.
78. “Werewolves of London”
(“Physical Education” S1E17)
A hat tip to Tom Cruise in The Color of Money.
77. “Evil Woman”
(“Debate 109” S1E09)
Jeff’s singing of the ELO song doesn’t charm his way to bonus points with the judges. It’s a debate, not American Idol.
76. “Hit Me with Your Best Shot”
(“Modern Warfare” S1E23)
The original glee club members were sirens of the battlefield in “Modern Warfare,” luring unsuspecting victims into the line of fire with their sweet renditions of classic songs.
75. “Annie’s Song”
(“Romantic Expressionism” S1E15)
Hey! Hi! What’s up? Vaughn’s always had a way with words.
74. “Open the Door”
(“Basic Sandwich” S5E13)
Perfectly timed to the opening of the secret door.
73. “The Real World Audition”
(“Intro to Political Science” S2E17)
Sweet leather jacket, Jeff.
72. “Original Greendale Ad”
(“Documentary Filmmaking: Redux” S3E08)
Go Greendale, go Greendale go!
71. “La Cucaracha”
(“Introduction to Statistics” S1E07)
Everybody’s favorite neighborhood drug dealer, Starburns, hooks Pierce up with some pills, causing him to have a terrifying trip where he hallucinates skeletons singing “You’re an old man” to the tune of “La Cucaracha.”
70. “Fat Dog”
(“Analysis of Cork-Based Networking” S5E06)
IT’S A BEAR DANCE!
69. “Linger”
(“Anthropology 101” S2E01)
Abed ups the ante in Britta and Jeff’s sympathy war by having Jeff propose.
68. “Running Through Raining”
(“Asian Population Studies” S2E12)
In a nice little sleight of hand, Jeff dramatically runs through the rain to proclaim his love for… Rich.
67. “Ave Maria”
(“Course Listing Unavailable” S3E18)
Garrett honors Starburns’ memory with his beautiful singing voice.
66. “Alison’s Rap” (outtake)
(Season 3 outtakes)
Yvette Nicole Brown is digging Alison Brie’s freestyle.
65. “Abed’s Happy Community College Show”
(“History 101” S4E01)
Community takes a swipe at rote sitcoms when Abed struggles with the fact that change is upon the study group with graduation on the horizon.
64. “Home”
(“Debate 109” S1E09)
He was horny, so he dropped him. Man is evil!
63. “As I Lay Me Down” and “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover”
(“Herstory of Dance” S4E08)
Pierce saves the day by booking Sophie B. Hawkins for Britta’s dance and teaches Jeff a lesson along the way.
62. “Hard to Be Jewish”
(“Competitive Wine Tasting” S2E20)
Troy leads the production of Fiddler, Please!, the African-American take on Fiddler on the Roof.
61. “Pierce Playing Keyboard”
(“Home Economics” S1E08)
Try not to laugh while watching Pierce’s facial expressions.
60. “Jeff Winger — Hero at Law”
(“Repilot” S5E01)
In this Abed-directed clip, Jeff represents every questionable lawyer you see advertising with gimmicky imagery on subways and/or billboards.
59. “Kiss with a Fist”
(“Comparative Religion” S1E12)
Community definitely takes some cues from John Hughes (see: Abed impersonating John Bender in the pilot, as well as the use of “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” and “We Are Not Alone”). Anthony Michael Hall is nearly unrecognizable when he plays the mustachioed bully Mike Chilada, whose posse the study group fights to this Florence and the Machine track.
58. “O Christmas Troy”
(“Comparative Religion” S1E12)
From stuffing pencils in their mouths to trying to wear as many t-shirts as possible as well as this scene, Troy and Abed are always up to shenanigans in the credits.
57. “That’s an Adventure”
(“Intro to Felt Surrogacy” S4E09)
The group brainstorms trips to shake them out of the monotony of a routine. Along the way, they meet — and lose — their balloon guide (played by Sara Bareilles in a nice hat tip to sampling “Gravity”).
56. “My Most Terrible Secret”
(“Intro to Felt Surrogacy” S4E09)
In another instance of a major music star lending support to the show, Adam Levine co-wrote this sad song.
55. “Keytar Solo”
(“The First Chang Dynasty” S3E21)
Chang’s megalomania drastically increases once he’s in control of Greendale following his imprisonment of Dean Pelton. Dressed as Napoleon and protected by the Changlourious Basterds (his secret police of prepubescent “interns”), Chang performs an outlandish keytar solo dedicated to his twin sister Connie, who he claims he consumed in utero. Fun fact: Ken Jeong’s daughters are twins.
54. “Riverside High School Fight Song”
(“Football, Feminism and You” S1E06)
This fight song is GOP-approved.
53. “If I Die Before You”
(“Communication Studies” S1E16)
Another sweet composition from Ludwig Göransson soundtracks Britta helping Jeff to save his relationship with Slater and escape his incriminating drunk-dial voicemail.
52. “Come, Take a Trip in My Airship”
(“The Art of Discourse” S1E22)
It’s hard to imagine that Pierce is a hardcore Francophile, but alas here he is strumming away at the acoustic guitar while wearing a beret. At least until Abed smashes his instrument to smithereens à la John Belushi in Animal House.
51. “Merry Happy”
(“Interpretive Dance” S1E14)
Once the theater clears out, it becomes clear that not only Britta and Troy have dance skills.
50. “High as Hell”
(Multiple Episodes)
This brief rap snippet — “I’m as high as hell/ And you’re about to get shot!” — is the very first sound of the pilot. It also becomes the ending song for Leonard’s incredible YouTube video reviews of Eugenio’s frozen pizza and Let’s chips.
49. “Flower Duet”
(“Accounting for Lawyers” S2E02)
Chang dreams of being in the study group despite being abandoned for the majority of Pop and Locktoberfest.
48. “Ants Marching”
(Multiple Episodes)
“Ants Marching” by Dave Matthews Band (real fans call him Dave) appears multiple times throughout the show, usually in celebratory moments like when Greendale escapes a buyout from Subway.
47. “Elton Lil Jon Lennon”
(“Regional Holiday Music” S3E10)
The original glee club’s pop mashup before they get a cease-and-desist letter delivered by Chang.
46. “Reading Rainbow”
(“Intermediate Documentary Filmmaking” S2E16)
I just wanted a picture! You can’t disappoint a picture!
45. “Come on I’m Dean”
(“Course Listing Unavailable” S3E18)
Dean Pelton can’t stop doing his job — it’s his i-dean-tity.
44. “Ass Crack Bandit”
(“Basic Intergluteal Numismatics” S5E03)
In a brilliant parody of David Fincher’s grim style, “Basic Intergluteal Numismatics” introduced one of the greatest mysteries in Community lore: Who is the insidious Ass Crack Bandit? Ben Folds wrote and performed the song and had a cameo as the red herring botany professor. (Ruby Amanfu handles the backing vocals.) Fun fact: Childish Gambino name-drops Folds on “Sweatpants.”
43. “Glee (Flashback)”
(“Paradigms of Human Memory” S2E21)
The study group will do whatever it takes to get to regionals.
42. “Glee”
(“Regional Holiday Music” S3E10)
Mr. Rad is just too gleeful to not be a psychopath.
41. “Teach Me How to Understand Christmas”
(“Regional Holiday Music” S3E10)
Annie turns on the sex appeal in a shameless attempt to lure Jeff to rejoin glee club. “Boopy doopy doop boop, sex!”
40. “Come Sail Away”
(“Geothermal Escapism” S5E05)
In Troy’s heartrending departure from the show, he follows the instructions of Pierce’s will to sail around the world on his boat (the aptly named Childish Tycoon) while Styx plays in the background.
39. “Going Crazy”
(“Communication Studies” S1E16)
Before El Tigre Chino humiliates Pierce and Troy by making them wear colorful pantsuits, he shows off his incredible moves at the Valentine’s Day dance.
38. “Duncan’s Rap”
(“Pascal’s Triangle Revisited” S1E25)
Has anyone else noticed Professor Duncan hasn’t been around for a long time?
37. “Yi Shui Ge”
(“Modern Warfare” S1E23)
In the action-packed first paintball episode (“Modern Warfare,” directed by Fast & Furious’ Justin Lin), Dean Pelton enlists Chang to win the game. With only Britta and Jeff remaining, Chang struts into the study room like a gangster straight out of Infernal Affairs while this traditional Chinese poem plays in the background.
36. “Krumping”
(“Introduction to Film” S1E03)
Bask in the glory days of Troy, Abed, and Jeff’s incredible dance moves.
35. “Excel”
(“Introduction to Teaching” S5E02)
Wait, why is the Dean wistfully gazing into the study room while his thoughts are narrated in a French song about Microsoft Excel?
34. “Sensitive Night”
(“Comparative Religion” S1E12)
Let the soothing sounds of Shirley’s voice (and her nondenominational, PC message) discourage you from premarital sex, drug use, and other decidedly un-Christian activities.
33. “Shake Your Money Maker”
(“Contemporary American Poultry” S1E21)
Like all great mob movies, “Contemporary American Poultry” features a montage showing the dirty side of business, set to Elmore James’ “Shake Your Money Maker.”
32. “Pizza Dance”
(“Remedial Chaos Theory” S3E03)
Britta’s goofy dance when the pizza arrives is the true embodiment of dignity.
31. Other Songs from “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas”
(“Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” S2E11)
Leave it to the stop-motion episode to have things get real. Abed criticizes and eliminates various study group members from his imaginary world throughout the episode as he points out their flaws.
30. “Carol of the Bells”
(“Regional Holiday Music” S3E10)
Dean? Check. Chang? Check. Leonard making fart sounds? Check. Starburns? Check. It’s everything you could want in a Christmas tune.
29. “Getting Rid of Britta”
(“Home Economics” S1E08)
Vaughn’s takedown of Britta is a little hamstrung by the clunky acronyms (and network TV limitations on swearing) meant to imply she’s a “goddamn bitch.”
28. “Pierce, You’re a B”
(“Home Economics” S1E08)
Tiny nipples can’t hold him back — Vaughn comes at Pierce with a vengeance for leaving the band.
27. “Pierce’s Diss Track”
(“Home Economics” S1E08)
Sure, he may not have the flow or the creativity to come up with a rebuttal to “Pierce, You’re a B,” but Pierce certainly has the money to hire a rapper to defend his honor.
26. “Best of the Best”
(“The Psychology of Letting Go” S2E03)
Playing people out seems to be a recurring theme in the Hawthorne family. In her final message to Pierce, his recently deceased mother debunks Reformed Neo Buddhism before exiting to this booming hip-hop track.
25. “G.I. Jeff Intro”
(“G.I. Jeff” S5E11)
It’s pretty incredible that Community got G.I. Joe and Hasbro on board for the “G.I. Jeff” episode, which includes a nearly perfect, shot-for-shot parody of G.I. Joe’s original intro.
24. “Happy Birthday Jesus”
(“Regional Holiday Music” S3E10)
No teaching religion in schools? Not in Shirley’s world. The devout Christian simply can’t resist the cherubic children’s choir beckoning her to rejoin the glee club.
23. “Troy and Abed in the Morning”
(Multiple Episodes)
Whether it’s guest-starring Starburns and his turtle or Rich cooking up a fresh batch of kettle corn, Troy and Abed in the Morning always arrives with this signature jingle.
22. “ABBA Medley” (“Dancing Queen,” “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!”, “Fernando,” “SOS,” “Waterloo,” “Mamma Mia”)
(“Epidemiology” S2E06)
Between the dean’s voice memos and ABBA on loop, this was a Halloween to forget.
21. “Planet Christmas”
(“Regional Holiday Music” S3E10)
Abed sabotages the glee club by encouraging Britta to sing her heart out. Me so Christmas! Me so merry!
20. “His Name Was Alex: A Starburns Memorial”
(“Course Listing Unavailable” S3E18)
Starburns (his name is Alex!) was kind enough to film stock green-screen footage so Abed could compile a ridiculous power metal video in his memory. Choice visuals include punching a bank robber’s head off and lifting a car to save a baby and a bikini-clad babe.
19. “Somewhere Out There”
(“Environmental Science” S1E10)
A trifecta of triumphs: Troy and Abed’s friendship grows stronger, Shirley overcomes her fear of public speaking, and, in a humanizing moment, Chang wins back his estranged wife.
18. “Roxanne”
(“Remedial Chaos Theory” S3E03)
In each timeline decided by the die in “Remedial Chaos Theory,” Jeff insists on being the fun police when Britta plays this Police classic on her iPod. When Jeff gets the pizza in the prime timeline, he returns to find the study group letting loose and happily dancing to the track.
17. “Baby Boomer Santa”
(“Regional Holiday Music” S3E10)
Troy and Abed shamelessly pander to Pierce’s (and Baby Boomers’) haughty self-importance for their perceived contributions to the world. Of course Pierce can’t resist. You’re welcome! You’re welcome!
There’s a brief reprise of the song in “Curriculum Unavailable” when Troy, Abed, and Pierce are seen performing the song in straight jackets in Greendale Asylum.
16. “Hello”
(“Geography of Global Conflict” S3E02)
Britta and Chang help each other through their midlife crises by being adversaries. Britta reclaims her glory days of protesting by attempting (and failing) to kick over a garbage can that Chang is tasked with protecting as a security guard. This is flawlessly set to Lionel Richie’s “Hello.” Is it me you’re looking for?
15. “That’s What Christmas Is For”
(“Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” S2E11)
The study group comes together to save Abed in this final reprise. And … Christmas pterodactyl!
14. “Daybreak”
(Multiple Episodes)
This is the type of subtle recurring joke Community excels at pulling off in the long term. Abed introduces the jazzy Michael Haggins tune to the group during “Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps,” and you can see (and hear) it spread like a virus after he, Troy, and Annie become roommates.
13. “Gravity”
(“Paradigms of Human Memory” S2E21)
This scene was inspired by a fan video that intercut various interactions between Jeff and Annie with Sara Bareilles’ “Gravity” playing in the background. Dan Harmon paid homage to the original clip by making it into a soap opera-style montage in “Paradigms of Human Memory.”
12. “Pocket Full of Hawthornes”
(“Advanced Gay” S3E06)
Pierce is surprised to find that his ultra-conservative family’s signature product, Hawthorne Wipes, has been embraced by the LGBT community due to an uber-popular music video endorsing it by Urbana Champaign (portrayed by Shangela from RuPaul’s Drag Race).
11. “Kiss from a Rose”
(“Studies in Modern Movement” S3E07)
Among Jeff and Dean Pelton’s green-screen karaoke, Pierce’s fever dream from huffing paint fumes, Annie settling in with Troy and Abed, and Shirley and Britta dealing with the crazy hitchhiker, there’s a lot to love in this scene. Just make sure this doesn’t awaken anything in you.
10. “Wise Up”
(“Spanish 101” S1E02)
One of the major character arcs of Community is Jeff shedding his selfish personality to care for others. Sure, this Spanish project earned Jeff and Pierce an F and F-, respectively, and was “incredibly long and very confusing, and a little homophobic. And really, really, specifically, surprisingly, and gratuitously critical of Israel.” But it was also one of the early glimpses that Jeff could be a good guy.
09. “Anthropology Rap”
(“Anthropology 101” S2E01)
Who needs to remember Pierce’s mnemonic device (“Kevin Please Come Over for Gay Sex”) when you’ve got Prof. Bauer to rap with you? Betty White’s guest spot as a badass anthropology professor comes to a great finish with her joining Troy and Abed for a new rap in the study room. The transition to Toto’s “Africa” is an added bonus.
08. “We’re Gonna Finally Be Fine”
(“Biology 101” S3E01)
Community was always a bit too cheeky for network TV. Jeff’s daydream at the start of “Biology 101” sarcastically refers to the criticisms levied against the show in the prior season. A “mainstream dream” Community is not.
07. “Greendale’s the Way It Goes”
(“Advanced Criminal Law” S1E5)
Despite assuring Annie of his musical genius and playing her out of his “throbbing, cosmic womb of creativity,” it turns out that Pierce’s jingle-writing skills amount to little more than stealing others’ tunes. His original Hawthorne Wipes jingle ripped off “She’ll Be Coming ’Round the Mountain” and the anthem for Greendale clearly (and hilariously) plagiarizes Bruce Hornsby and the Range’s “The Way It Is.”
06. “101 Rap”
(“Spanish 101” S1E02)
It’s a simple rap of nonsense in Spanish during the end credits, but really this is the start of a beautiful bromance between Troy and Abed.
05. “Payday Apology Rap”
(“VCR Maintenance and Educational Publishing” S5E09)
Dean Pelton steps up his costume game to inform Jeff and Prof. Hickey that they’ll receive their salaries later. Along the way, he’s hit by a sudden burst of inspiration and drops a vicious freestyle.
04. “I Never Die”
(“Investigative Journalism” S1E13)
Leave it to Señor Chang to fake his own death so he could waltz into Spanish class while rocking stunner shades, pretend to eat Annie’s brains, and then blast a rap song about himself from a boombox. Of Jacques Slade’s rap contributions to Community, “I Never Die” is his finest effort — set to a blasting brass beat and chock-full of Chang’s limited Spanish vocabulary.
03. “At Least It Was Here”
(Multiple Episodes)
In binge-watching Community’s five seasons, it’s great powering through all the happy moments of the show, but also sad when you inevitably realize that the episodes will quickly run out. The intro song — performed by the 88 — works in a similar way. Sure, it sounds like a bubbly acoustic pop cut, but the more you hear the words (“I can’t count the reasons I should stay/ One by one, they all just fade away”) there’s a bittersweet sense of mortality and growing up.
Different takes on the theme music have also set the tone for some of the series’ best episodes: “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons,” the Law & Order-spoofing “Basic Lupine Urology,” the chiptune “Digital Estate Planning,” the stop-motion “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas,” and the Spaghetti Western “A Fistful of Paintballs.”
02. “Greendale Is Where I Belong”
(Multiple Episodes)
If Community has taught you anything through classical conditioning, your heart will flutter upon hearing this gentle tune. Ludwig Göransson did a fantastic job with Community’s music throughout the series, but “Greendale Is Where I Belong” is easily the most poignant moment. The song soundtracks all the sweet, feels-inducing moments of the show, from Jeff and Annie kissing to Abed retrieving Hilda from “Journey to the Center of Hawkthorne.” Fun fact: Göransson produced Childish Gambino’s Camp, as well as parts of Royalty, Because the Internet, and STN MTN / KAUAI.
01. “Christmas Infiltration”
(“Regional Holiday Music” S3E10)
Troy rapping about being “Jehovah’s most secret witness” is the crowning achievement of “Regional Holiday Music.” I can respect Community for not overusing Donald Glover’s MC skills so as to not confound Troy with a watered-down version of Childish Gambino. But this was the perfect opportunity for Troy and Abed to drop some bars — although Abed might have spit the most show-stopping, meta line: “If years were seasons, this December/ Would be the December of our December.”
100 Community Musical Moments Ranked From Worst to Best
Killian Young
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