Sing o' the Devils

"Glee." It's a television show about a group of high school kids who sing. Sounds cool, right? It's a shame real life isn't like that. Or is it?

That depends on whether or not you've been to Tufts for a Bubs concert. Ever since I started watching episodes of "Glee" with friends, I started to realize the importance of something I had long known but rarely paid attention to. You see, television may be nothing like high school...but it is like college. When I listen to The Warblers perform on "Glee," I think about college a cappella. Not because the Tufts University Beelzebubs sing like that, but because that's them singing. Yes, for those who missed the very old, very well-circulated memo, the Bubs sing for "Glee."

Tufts Beelzebubs on the show "The Sing-Off," 2009

As of 2010, the Bubs recorded two songs for Fox's hit show, Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" (earning a #1 Billboard single) and Train's "Hey, Soul Sister." Close your eyes, ignore the overgrown actors in costumes and makeup, and listen...to real students.

So that's pretty cool; people I saw on campus and in concert performed their songs for national television (well, they already did that, see: The Sing-Off) and radio. But it gets better. When "Bills, Bills, Bills" started up in an episode of "Glee" I recently saw, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had heard it before. Was it the Bubs?

Almost. While they didn't record it, I was right to recognize it...as their arrangement. In fact, according to trustworthy news-site, Wikipedia, the talented Jumbos have arranged quite a few songs for "Glee," including:

• Destiny's Child's "Bills, Bills, Bills"
• Robin Thicke's "When I Get You Alone"
• Neon Trees's "Animal"
• P!nk's "Raise Your Glass"
• The Beatles "Blackbird"
• Maroon 5's "Misery"
• Hey Monday's "Candles"

Well, there you have it. College students arranging and performing music for national television. And their concert tickets are still only a couple bucks...on campus, anyway. So whether you watch "Glee," attend Tufts, or happen to be in the area, be sure to add the Bubs to your to-do list for next semester.

And while you're at it, patronize a few other Tufts student groups. Like Mock Trial. 'Cause while the New Directions can't seem to place in their fictional competitions, TMT clinched 3rd in the nation. We actually went to Nationals. In the real world. And placed. High. Stay posted for tryout information, because while "Glee" is just a teenage dream, real Jumbos are performing live...without auto-tune.