Top 5 Songs From Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1!

If you follow me on twitter, you will perhaps have noticed that over the past couple of weeks, I developed somewhat of an obsession with Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. While it took me longer than it should have to start it (so many shows, so little time), once I got past the first few episodes it was a classic binge-watching affair, not stopping to watch anything else with the exception of the PLL midseason finale (thoughts on that here), until season one was done.

If the show has managed to escape your attention until now, a brief overview - Rebecca Bunch is a kick ass lawyer in her late twenties, working a high pay/high pressure job in New York City and killing it. In the process, however, she is also killing her soul. A chance encounter with her summer camp boyfriend of over a decade ago, leads to an impulsive move from the Big Apple to the small town of West Covina, California, where, as the ever so catchy title song explains, she lands a new job, meets an interesting group of new friends, and begins an ill-advised quest to win back Josh Chan.

The show is incredibly clever, exploring serious issues such as depression and anxiety, in amongst the many laughs. The acting is fantastic - Rebecca, played by the incredible Rachel Bloom (who is also co-creator of the show), is a vibrant, flawed and complex character, and the group of friends she surrounds herself with are portrayed beautifully by a stellar ensemble cast. If you haven't watched the show yet, I'd suggest stopping reading here, popping on over to Netflix if you have it and getting started with episode one! If, however, you've had the joy of experiencing the entire season already, click that more button and I'll share with you my top 5 songs from season one!



1. Put Yourself First

"Don't think about it too hard, too too hard,
it's a wormhole, it's a mobius strip,
it's snake eats tail, it's the infinity sign."

GUYS. I wish I could explain how much I love this song, but I just don't think it's possible. It's like every conversation I've ever had about a Fifth Harmony music video rolled into one brilliant song. While the general premise of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend doesn't sound all that feminist, it's moments like this that make it clear just how clever this show is. I feel like I could write an entire blogpost thesis on the problematic way we view female sexuality in the media, and this song just sums it up. This is an issue I genuinely don't know how we can begin fixing unless we get more women in control behind the scenes in the music, advertising, film and television industries. But before I go down that rabbit hole, we could be here all day, I'll just say that although this list is in no particular order, this song may well be my very favourite from the whole season.

2. Getting Bi

"Now some may say,
"Oh, you're just gay.
Why don't you just go gay all the way?"
But that's not it,
'cause bi's legit.
Whether you're a he or a she,
we might be a perfect fit.
And one more thing,
I tell you what;
being bi does not imply that you're a player or a slut."

I actually paused writing this blogpost just to listen to this song for the millionth time. I absolutely LOVE it. Firstly, can we celebrate the fact that we have a show that includes a bisexual character and actually uses the word bisexual to describe them? So many shows skirt around bisexuality, but Crazy Ex-Girlfriend allows Darryl to figure out and explore his sexuality proudly, and, as the AMAZING lyrics above highlight, challenge a few negative stereotypes of bisexuality while he's at it.

3. Settle For Me

Oh Santino Fontana, how I love thee. I have to admit, part of the reason I love this song as much as I do is because I love Greg, and I think he has such a great voice. However, the old Hollywood style of this song, combined with the hilarious lyrics, made it a clear contender for my top 5. It is another comical way of exploring the difficulty in having feelings for someone who is in love with someone else, one of the main themes of the show.

4. You Stupid Bitch

I knew I liked this one a lot the first time I heard it, but it wasn't until I'd listened to it a few times that I really fell for it. It makes me laugh every single time, the diva/big ballad style is so on point. And haven't we all treated ourselves this poorly at some stage?!

5. I Give Good Parent

It took me forever to pick a final song for this top five, but I think it has to go to this one. For a start, some of the lines in here are absolutely AMAZING, but I think what really made me love it was the fact that it shows how versatile Rachel Bloom is as a singer and performer. She can tackle virtually any style and smash it.

Honourable mentions have to go to I Could If I Wanted To, Sexy Getting Ready Song, Face Your Fears, I'm the Villain and JAP Battle - they were all very close contenders!

Let me know in the comments, or tweet me - what is your favourite song from season one of Crazy Ex Girlfriend?! I can't wait to see what they come up with in season two!!