Song Beneath the Song

Since Grey's Anatomy began, series creator Shonda Rhimes had planned to produce a musical episode. She first discussed the idea during filming of the pilot episode, when the program was as yet untitled.[1] Rhimes felt that seasons 6 and 7 were the right time for the crew to "try anything and everything [they had] always wanted to do," and explained that she "finally [had] the right idea and the right talent to make [a musical episode] happen."[2] Filming began 7-and-a-half years after Rhimes initially raised the idea.[1] The episode was shot in approximately 2 weeks.[3] Though cast member Dempsey jokingly referred to the episode as Glee M.D.,[4] Rhimes intended for it to differ from other musical television episodes.[2] She called it the opposite of "Once More, with Feeling," the "all-out, show-stopping," musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as she aimed to "do something that was musical without being a musical."[2]

Rhimes said she had difficulty getting the network's permission. She added: "I begged the studio people. I begged the network people. I took these people to dinner and begged. I jumped out at these people in bathrooms and begged. And they all smiled politely but what they were clearly really thinking was, 'This woman is an idiot.'"[1]

Rhimes also told about delays in producing this episode:

Explaining what the heck took us so long is too complicated to go into here. There are a lot of reasons – I was busy telling other awesome stories at Seattle Grace, [...] I was raising my tiny human, my musical talent involves oboe-playing and nothing else, the network thought it was the dumbest idea they’d ever heard of and refused to do it.[1]

The script was written by Rhimes in November 2010. She centered the episode around Ramirez's character, Callie, and stated that the storyline would have developed regardless of whether it involved musical performances.[2] Sara Ramirez used the opportunity to launch their career as a singer-songwriter; an alternate version of "The Story" is included on their debut EP, released four days prior to the episode's premiere.[5] In this episode, Mark and Arizona improve their relationship. Capshaw said, "The traumatic circumstance leads to them having a greater understanding of each other and then appreciation, and then need for each other and desire to be in each other’s lives. They come to care, I think, for one another."[6]

Ramirez (pictured) was the episode's primary vocalist.

Rhimes, executive producer Betsy Beers and director Tony Phelan selected songs that had become well-known by their use in Grey's Anatomy, and chose "the most iconic ones, the ones that best suited [their] singers, and the ones that made the most sense."[2][7] The multiple cover versions include the program's theme tune, "Cosy in the Rocket" by Psapp.[4] The primary vocalists are cast members Ramirez, McKidd, Leigh and Chandra Wilson.[8] The soundtrack also includes "How to Save a Life" by The Fray and "Running on Sunshine" by Jesus Jackson, performed as ensemble pieces by Ramirez, McKidd, Leigh, Daniel Sunjata, Scott Foley, Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers, Raver, Dane, and Capshaw.[7][9] Ramirez, McKidd and Wilson also perform together on Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars."[4] Ramirez is the lead vocalist on "The Story" by Brandi Carlile,[7] and "Grace" by Kate Havnevik, which also features the other female cast members, including Leigh and Sarah Drew on the chorus.[4][9] Capshaw duets with Ramirez on KT Tunstall's "Universe & U."[7] Wilson is the lead vocalist on "Wait" by Get Set Go, McKidd on "How We Operate" by Gomez, and Leigh on Anna Nalick's "Breathe (2 AM)."[7][9]

Leigh said that some actors were not "excited" about singing but still could participate in the episode.[11] "There were certain ways in which the scenes were written, even if there was a song in there, that perhaps a line was spoken instead of sung," she said.[11]

A vocal coach was enlisted to help the cast.[10] Music director Chris Horvath was recruited to arrange the selected songs for the cast. The arrangements took around two months, with vocals recorded over four days in February 2011.[7][12] Horvath praised the cast's response to the episode, noting that only four performers had "serious vocal talent," while some had "barely sung in the shower" before.[7] Those with professional singing experience include Ramirez, who won a Tony Award for their role in the musical Spamalot, and Wilson, who appeared in the Broadway production of Caroline, or Change.[7] Cast members' reactions toward the episode varied. Pompeo initially deemed the idea "crazy," but changed her mind following the first read-through.[4] Recurring cast member Sunjata stated that singing was "a bit out of [his] comfort zone," but found it an "interesting challenge,"[13] and McKidd deemed it "very exciting to do something that's completely out on a limb for the show."[12]

Critical response prior to broadcast was mixed. TVLine's Michael Ausiello assessed that the episode would "either be a show-stopping triumph or a spectacular failure," with no possible middle ground.[14] William Keck of TV Guide initially had "serious doubts," which were allayed by a visit to the set, during which he listened to the soundtrack. Keck likened it to the "much-beloved early seasons of Grey's, when music played a vital role on the show."[4] Entertainment Weekly's Dan Snierson predicted heavy use of Auto Tune,[15] though fellow EW writer Jennifer Armstrong was optimistic that the episode would be a success, commenting: "I have faith. I like musicals, I like Grey's. I'm rooting for this to work."[16]

During its original broadcast, "Song Beneath the Song" was watched by an average of 13.09 million American viewers. It attained a 4.9/13 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic, making it the second highest-rated program of the night, behind only American Idol on the Fox network. The rating was the second-highest of the seventh season until that point, and a 30% increase from the previous episode, "This is How We Do It," which was watched by 2.4 million fewer viewers.[17]

In Canada, where the episode also aired on March 31, 2011, it was watched by 3.18 million viewers. Viewership again increased on "This is How We Do It," which attained 2.63 million viewers. However, while the preceding episode was the most-viewed scripted show for the week of its original broadcast, "Song Beneath the Song" ranked second, behind The Big Bang Theory.[18][19]

Following the first minutes of the drama, reactions on Twitter were polarized.[20] Nicole Golden from TV Fanatic gave the episode 4.5 stars out of 5.0. She found that "overall, the concept worked since music really has always played a big part in the show. Some songs were more appropriate and/or better performed than others, though." She also wrote the concept worked in part because it was new but noted "the format would probably not have the same effect if used in future episodes."[21] Even though Boston Herald's critic Mark Perigard was not a fan of the concept, saying "the Grey's Anatomy event proved how tricky it is for an established show, especially a drama, to pull off a musical episode," he did like several actors' performances. He wrote: "Chandra Wilson and Chyler Leigh (whom I never have anything good to say about) delivered some impressive vocal work. Eric Dane did some of his best acting of his career last night as an anxious father-to-be terrified he would lose his best friend."[22] Lyneka Little of The Wall Street Journal wrote, "If Glee and ER had a baby it would be tonight’s episode of the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy titled 'Song Beneath the Song'."[20] In his review of the episode Alan Sepinwall of HitFix wrote "Like Grey's Anatomy as a whole, some parts were unintentionally silly, others were surprisingly powerful, and it was rarely dull, at least."[23]

Patrick Dempsey admitted that the musical episode might not have been showrunner Shonda Rhimes's best idea. He explained: "It's very difficult to keep it fresh when you're doing 24 episodes a year. Shonda Rhimes has a lot of ideas, and she is in a position where she can take more chances. Sometimes that works, sometimes it does not. Last year we had the singing episode, which I think was a big mistake. But you have to try."[24]

In 2011, the episode was ranked #19 on the TV Guide Network special, 25 Biggest TV Blunders 2.[25] It was included in TV Guide's list "The Worst Of 2011" saying, "Sara Ramirez has powerhouse pipes, but what this episode desperately needed was a better playlist."[26] BuddyTV, however, ranked it #43 on its list of 2011's 50 Best TV Episodes and it also appeared on Digital Spy's shortlist of "TV's Best Musical Episodes."[27][28] Supervising Music Editor Jennifer Barak and Music Editors Carli Barber and Jessica Harrison were nominated in the Best Sound Editing: Short Form Musical in Television category at the 2012 Golden Reel Awards for their work on the episode.[29]

[30]

Grey's Anatomy: The Music Event debuted at #24 on the Billboard 200, with 19,000 copies sold.[31] It reached #2 on the U.S. Soundtracks chart, and was #5 on the Independent Album chart.[32] "The Story" entered the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at #69,[33] and the Canadian Hot 100 at #72.[34]