BTS - Spring Day

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I really like music videos to have a special ambiance. If I'm not transported while watching it, it's usually not worth my time. Now, if the video has dancing or some sort of performance, that's fine. But if it's just visuals, they've got to be something good.

The song I chose today I first fell in love with after watching the music video. Based on the lyrics and the video itself, it appears that the general theme is of loneliness and longing. Many of the scenes feature something cold or desolate, such as snow-covered train tracks or wide empty plains. I notice the colors blue and white are very prominent throughout the video, adding to that cold feeling the theme is trying to convey. I'm not the best at interpreting deep meanings of songs or cinematic works, so I'm limited in what I can explain to you about the video. You'd probably be better off watching for yourself and doing your own analysis of it. What I can tell you, however, is that I could definitely sense the emotional message of the lyrics without using the subtitles. Upon finally researching the translation, my guess about the theme was confirmed to be true. Here is a glimpse of the lyrics:

How long do I have to wait

and how many sleepless nights do I have to spend

to see you to meet you

Passing by the edge of the cold winter

until the days of the spring

until the days of the flower blossoms

please stay, please stay there a little longer

I really love these lines because it specifically mentions yearning for winter to turn to spring. The sequences of the video match as it jumps from a dreary landscape of ice and snow to soft waves on a beach and sandy open plains. Personally, I love the winter. Brisk, cold environments actually seem inviting to me. This is probably the reason I am drawn to the video, despite the fact it is portraying winter in a negative light. The scenes of the snow-covered world are just breathtaking, and it's nice to picture myself there as I listen to the relaxing melody of the song.

If you had never before heard this song, seen this video, or heard of BTS, that's alright! I hope you enjoy it for the first time and that it encourages you to check out more of what BTS has to offer. I could talk a while about BTS and how Korean Pop music is underrated, but that's a discussion for another day. For now, I have this song to present to you today and I hope it keeps your blues away!

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Redbone - Come and Get Your Love

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I would be lying if I said my blog theme wasn't at all inspired by Guardians of the Galaxy; it definitely was. The Awesome Mix cassette from the Marvel movie represented something pretty awesome: a mix of the best songs of the era. The concept of a mixtape is genius in my opinion. Hence why all my daily song choices are always so varied. So in honor of my inspiration from Guardians of the Galaxy, I picked a song from the soundtrack today.

All of the songs from Awesome Mix Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 are pretty amazing, so it's difficult to pick out just one. To make things easier, I simply chose the iconic song from the scene where Chris Pratt makes his first appearance in the movie. This song is just so perfect to jam to, it's no wonder that Starlord dances his way across the planet he's on, completely ignoring the dangers surrounding him. From the opening beat and the first notes of the guitar to the fading end of the song, you can't help but at least tap your foot or sway your head to the rhythm. "Come and Get Your Love" is definitely a classic. Enjoy jamming out to this song today!

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Fall Out Boy - Novocaine

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I'm going to be honest, I was not much of a Fall Out Boy fan until recently. I grew up with "Thnks fr th Mmrs" but that was the extent of my Fall Out Boy knowledge. It was not until the movie Big Hero Six came out that I really started to look into them more. The song "Immortals" was extremely catchy and I found myself singing it often. Around the same time, "Centuries" and "Uma Thurman" had started playing on the radio. Those songs were just as (or maybe even more) catchy. Before I knew it, I had downloaded almost every song from the album American Beauty / American Psycho. I still have not listened to many songs from their older albums, but I'm willing to give them a chance someday. I am not really into hard rock, so I think Fall Out Boy is just about as far as I venture into the genre of rock.

I chose the song "Novocaine" because I know the album it is from is famous, but the song itself is not. While I agree that the songs that did make it to the radio are great, I think this one is radio-worthy as well. It is very catchy and perfect to rock out to. I really enjoy the chorus when the lead singer begins at a low note and slowly reaches the highest note that he shouts out. I feel like this follows a very classic rock song style. If you have never heard this song, give it a chance and see what you think. If it's not for you, don't let that stop you from hearing the other album songs. There are some other good ones and they're all a little different. This one is just my personal favorite.

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Christina Perri - The Words

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Whether you're a Christina Perri or a Once Upon a Time fan, this song and video are guaranteed to captivate you. The video opens with a scene of a small cabin surrounded by dark pines and gray skies. The gentle notes of the piano immediately follow this somber visual. In less than a second of time, the mood is set and you are enveloped in this world. Despite its dreary elements, this setting is quite cozy. As Christina Perri sings the opening notes, her dramatic tone further emphasizes the sad atmosphere. It's beautiful and tragic all at the same time. Any video that is able to capture such emotion in such a short time is definitely worth while.

I actually found this song around the time I was watching Once Upon a Time because I had found out that the actor who plays Captain Hook was in the music video. I'm not sure about other fans, but I found it pretty cool to see this actor out of his fairy tale environment and in the real world. I think a few fans also wanted to imagine this song was made for the show. Whatever your thoughts are when watching the video or hearing the song, I hope you enjoy it! I highly suggest listening to it at home on a rainy day or on the road when it's cloudy.

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Zooey Deschanel - So Long

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When the credits roll on a wonderful movie, you only hope to hear a wonderful song. For the Winnie the Pooh (2011) movie, the credits song was just that. It was cheerful, sweet, and extremely catchy. The singer Zooey Deschanel sang not just this song, but several others throughout the movie including the theme song. It's difficult to remake a classic theme and not upset the fans, but Deschanel managed to pull it off just fine. Her jazzy-style voice gave the soundtrack a jazzy vibe that complimented the upbeat setting of the movie. The lyrics of the credits song "So Long" are especially appropriate for the ending: "Hate to say goodbye, goodbye; hate to see the end, the end...". Despite the lyrics describing a reluctance to say goodbye, the happiness of the song makes you feel okay with it being the end.  Wouldn't it be great if all movie endings made you feel like that?

The lyrics of this song may not be extremely deep or touching, but it surely puts a smile on my face whenever I hear it. With all that goes on in life and all the negativity that spreads through the media, it feels nice to hear a tune that can turn a frown upside down.  I chose this song today hoping to brighten the day of all who are hearing it again or for the first time. Maybe it will inspire you to make someone else's day, whether it's holding a door for someone or simply showing them a smile.  Hope this song fills you with the same joy that it does for me!

Behind the Scenes for the song: "So Long" Preview - Zooey Deschanel sings for Winnie the Pooh

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Coldplay - Yellow

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I must say it was extremely difficult trying to choose which Coldplay song to post for today. Somehow I arrived at the song "Yellow". I hate to choose such a well-known Coldplay song (I like to pick songs that the majority of people don't know), but this song really is one of the best Coldplay songs. I can't quite understand the reason it is the favorite of so many Coldplay fans; there's just something special about it. Maybe it's the even tempo and catchy drum beat that the song opens with. Or maybe it's the imagery in the lyrics that lets the listener create a work of art in their minds. Regardless of the reason, it is definitely worth listening to. If you haven't heard it until now, you can expect to be singing the word yellow for the next few days. That part tends to stick (how could it not?).

If this is your first time listening to the band Coldplay, then I'd like to thank you for giving them a chance and recommend that you explore their other albums. Each album has its own sound and style, so try to sample all of them before you decide if you like or dislike Coldplay. I have found that their music is best for listening to in all situations. If you're stressed, it's calming. If you need motivation, it's motivational. If you need to go to sleep, it's relaxing. If you need to do work, it helps you focus. Coldplay really is unique and I believe everyone should give them a chance. They are so much more than just "Viva La Vida".

A little story to go with the song: During the spring of last year, I traveled with my family to an area where the tree pollen season was at its peak. There was pollen on the cars, pollen on the grass, pollen on our shoes... and it was all yellow. So of course, the first day we arrived I played the song "Yellow" for my family and we all agreed it couldn't be more perfect. For the rest of the week, every time we'd encounter the powdery substance, one of us would start to sing the song. I'm not sure what inspired the band to write the song "Yellow", but I can't help but wonder if maybe he wrote it in the springtime. Perhaps one day, Chris Martin walked outside his house "and it was all yellow".

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Wynton Marsalis - Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra in D Major; II. Allegro Moderato

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What better way to begin a blog about music than to post a song in the genre of classical music. Although an instrumental piece is not usually considered a "song", I am not limiting this blog to just lyrical works of music. Therefore, I would like to post this wonderful composition as this blog's first song of the day in honor of a genre of music that existed far before the songs of today.

Please enjoy this selection titled "Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra in D Major; II. Allegro Moderato" composed by Leopold Mozart and performed by Wynton Marsalis. Wynton Marsalis is a famous trumpet player who plays multiple genres of music including classical, as you hear today, as well as swing jazz, blues, and more. This song is one of many from his classical album "Classic Wynton". I find it to be very soothing, yet uplifting and cheerful. Marsalis' trumpet playing is flawless as always. Each note sounds clear and smooth, and the high notes are especially pleasant.

While classical music today often has a negative connotation, I have managed to put that view aside and really appreciate each composition for the work of art that it is. I hope that eventually people will stop using the term "elevator music" to describe classical pieces. Not only does it continue to spread the negativity towards classical music, but it also acts as a blanket statement, making people feel that all classical music sounds the same. On the contrary, there are many different kinds of classical music, each with unique styles and tones to them. I think if everyone tried hard enough, they could find a style of classical music that best speaks to them and doesn't sound like "elevator music".

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