Can we PLEASE get the Manhattan Transfer on Glee?

While I’m not going to completely classify myself as a “Gleek”, I do love me some Glee.  The new season is just around the corner, and there are supposed to be upcoming episodes featuring music from the Rocky Horror Picture Show (swank!), as well as a Britney Spears episode (we’ll see how that one turns out).

Let’s put it this way. There have been fleeting attempts to produce a musical drama on network television.  Most of them have failed miserably – “Cop Rock” and “Viva Laughlin!” are scattered in the graveyard.  But Glee has found that mix of comedy, drama and musical performance – whether it’s interpretations of Broadway standards or stylized mini-music-videos of today’s pop hits, the show works on several different levels.

And last year, they pleasantly surprised me by pulling together a number based on one of the 1970’s cheeziest pop drama songs.

Here’s the original version, as performed by David Geddes – please try to ignore the stupid puppet show attached to this video. Just listen to the original song.

And here’s the Glee version.

Now if they can pull a one-hit wonder of “Run, Joey, Run” into an episode of Glee, how about putting together an entire musical episode featuring the works of one of my all-time favorite vocal harmony groups, the legendary Manhattan Transfer?

Since 1972, this group has put together one of the most diverse and well-loved musical catalogs – they’ve had pop hits like “Boy from New York City”, “Operator”, “Chanson D’Amour” and “Soul Food To Go,” their albums have topped the pop charts, they tour the country to sold-out performances – their stuff would be PERFECT for an episode of Glee.

Just for kicks, let me show you what I’m talking about.

Here’s Manhattan Transfer performing their song “Soul Food To Go (Sina),” from their 1980’s album Brasil.

And here’s an example of a choir – in this case, POpMLAD – performing “Soul Food To Go” in concert!

Here’s another choir performing “Soul Food To Go.”

Yes, it can work.

Here’s another example.

Here’s Manhattan Transfer singing their first hit, “Operator” – this clip actually came from their early 1970’s summer variety television series.

And again, POpMLAD, doing the same song.

And another choir doing a fantastic performance of the song.

Come on, can’t you just hear Mercedes belting out a version of this song? I sure can.

God, the possibilities are endless – Finn, Puck, Artie and Kurt belting out “Four Brothers” – here’s a Manhattan Transfer live version of the Woody Herman tribute song.

And someone could easily sculpt a routine for Quinn Fabray to belt out a version of Manhattan Transfer’s “Heart’s Desire.”

Let’s put it this way. Manhattan Transfer’s catalog could be used for an entire season of Glee, not just for one episode. There’s already a Facebook petition to get the group some love on Glee, click here to join up.