May Week 3: Jazz, Rock, Soundtrack, Electronic, Celtic, and Alternative

Here is week 3 of May! I picked several How to Train Your Dragon songs this week because it is definitely a favorite movie of mine and I find the music (both instrumental and lyrical) to be fantastic. Hope you enjoy!

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Monday: Beyond the Sea - Robbie Williams

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Tuesday: Composure - Real Friends

Special thanks to @nicolep.photography on Instagram for the song idea! 😊

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Wednesday: Touch the Sky - Julie Fowlis

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Thursday: Tidal Wave - Owl City

The other day I was feeling a bit down and so I decided to play this song. I remembered that the lyrics were hopeful, but this time around I really appreciated the line "help is on the way". I thought of the psalm 116 verse: "I love the Lord because he hears my prayers and answers them. Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I breathe!" It reminded me that any time you need help, you need only call upon the Lord. He is always ready to listen. "The LORD is near to all who call on him..."

~Psalm 145:18

I hope that this image serves as a reminder, to anyone who feels helpless, that there is hope ♥️ Give the song a listen if you get the chance. May it inspire you as it did for me!

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Friday: Sticks & Stones - Jónsi

This song never gets old ♥️ and neither does the movie 😆

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Saturday: Where No One Goes - Peter Hollens

Don't get me wrong, the original song by Jónsi is really great. But I just love the extra lyrics Peter Hollens added and the way he arranged the song. And Hollens has a great voice of course! If you have the chance, check out the music video. It's so cute!

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Sunday: Song of the Day: Together from Afar - Jónsi

This song is so bittersweet...

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May Week 2: Soul, Soundtrack, New-Age, and K-Pop

Here is week 2 of May! Enjoy the tunes and photographs.

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Monday: Kiss from a Rose - Seal

This song is so beautiful and mysterious 🥀

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Tuesday: This is Where I Belong - Bryan Adams

One of my favorite songs from one of my favorite movies

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Wednesday: The Dreamcatcher - Ron Allen

My best memories with today's song involve Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort and all the stars in the sky. I was introduced to the album "Secrets of the Dreamcatcher" at the Disney resort and I absolutely fell in love with the soundtrack. After purchasing it, I found myself playing it every cold winter night when the skies were clear and I could see every star. 

Because of those fond memories, I needed a matching photograph of the time of evening when the stars appear, as well as the type of scenery surrounding the Wilderness Lodge. The image I chose was taken when I visited Yosemite National Park. The sun had just set and the sky could be seen glowing brilliant colors through the trees. It was enchanting! I couldn't have found a better match for the enchanting flutes of Ron Allen's "The Dreamcatcher".

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Thursday: Answer : Love Myself - BTS

I'm very grateful for a band that feels so strongly about empowering the community. I hope that their campaign Love Myself is able reach all those who listen to BTS's music and help make the world a better place 💜

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Sunday: Mama - J-Hope

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers of the world! ♥️ Whether you speak Korean or read the translation, the lyrics of this song are truly touching. I thought it would be an appropriate choice for today's song of the day because of the theme. It's an extremely catchy song and definitely worth listening to for the meaning as well as the rhythm!

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May Week 1: Electronic, Pop, Instrumental, and Musical

Hello readers! I am so sorry for leaving for so long. If you read my announcement from last year, you know that my format has changed. However, that doesn't explain why I stopped posting altogether. It is a lot more difficult posting so frequently than I expected. I do still enjoy creating these images with these songs so much! I just don't always feel motivated to do so because I need the right inspiration for it. I also can't be too busy with real-world stuff. Therefore, I think the best thing I can do is to simply create pictures whenever I'm inspired, for however long the inspiration lasts. So for now, hope you enjoy this time of inspiration. Thanks to everyone who visits my blog! Please enjoy the following summary of this week's posts! I made sure to include the YouTube player for each one in case you haven't had the chance to hear these songs before (or in case you just wanna jam out to them as you usually do). Happy listening!

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Wednesday: Angels - Owl City

One of the most awe-inspiring trips in my life was when I visited Kennedy Space Center for the first time. Since then, I've had this newfound love for all the galaxies and planets and stars in the universe. I definitely believe astronauts have a wondrous view of our galaxy from up there...

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Thursday: Somewhere Only We Know - Keane

Special thanks to a friend for creating this image 😊

midnyghtmadnes.tumblr.com

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Friday: Lost in the Wild - Jerry Goldsmith

The main theme from "The Edge" is one of the most captivating musical scores. The melody reflects both the beauty and the danger of the great Alaskan wilderness. Jerry Goldsmith did a wonderful job creating the ideal ambiance for this 1997 thriller.

The photograph I chose to complement today's song choice was taken in Alaska. While on a trip to that beautiful state, I found myself in awe of the vast, untouched landscape. Playing "Lost in the Wild" while surrounded by all this truly enhanced the experience. I highly suggest listening to this track the next time you find yourself immersed in the beauty of nature.

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Saturday: Luke and Leia - John Williams

Shout out to all my fellow Star Wars fans out there! May the 4th be with you!

And also a shout-out to one of the greatest composers of all time, John Williams: Thank you for creating the most wonderful soundtracks for all these classic movies! Hope I will be able to attend a concert of yours one day!

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Sunday: Rainbow Connection - The Muppets

Who doesn't love this classic Muppets tune!

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December Week 2: Holiday, Instrumental, Rock, Country, Movie Soundtrack, and Disney

Hello there! Sorry for the delayed post. If you are following my Instagram and Twitter, I post there even if I miss a day here. This week I picked some more obscure Christmas tunes and 4 different movie songs. Tuesday is from The Muppet Christmas Carol (one of my favorite Christmas movies), Wednesday is from Annabelle's Wish (an adorable and yet very melancholy movie), Friday is from Tarzan (gotta love that Disney classic), and Saturday is from Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (the first Christmas movie I see every year). As for the song "A Mad Russian's Christmas", if any of you ever got to see the Hollywood Studios (MGM) lights, you've probably heard this tune played to an amazing light show. If you never got the chance to see that, I suggest looking it up. If not, just close your eyes while you listen and imagine a cold wintery night with snow falling and Christmas lights flashing to the melody. Hope you enjoy listening to these songs! Have a great week.

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Monday: Christmas in My Home Town - Charley Pride

Tuesday: It Feels Like Christmas - The Muppets

Wednesday: The World From Way Up Here - Alison Krauss

Thursday: A Mad Russian's Christmas: Trans Siberian Orchestra

Friday: Two Worlds - Phil Collins

 Saturday: All Alone on Christmas - Darlene Love

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Jenny Lewis - Barking at the Moon

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I'm not a huge fan of the movie Bolt, but I definitely did enjoy watching it. My absolute favorite scene was when Bolt and Mittens are traveling across the country and Bolt is experiencing what it's like to be a normal dog. In this sequence, the song "Barking at the Moon" plays in the background. As they move from place to place, the scenes show famous American landmarks and use a roadmap as a transition to show where they were and where they are headed. For the viewer, it is almost as if they have taken a road trip with the two characters. It's a classic example of the phrase "focus on the journey, not the destination". Seeing the characters enjoy their time hopping from city to city made me wish they could keep journeying forever. The song is also so enjoyable, I wanted it to play longer in the movie.

"Barking at the Moon" isn't just a song for Bolt; it matches in any situation where friends or family are spending time together and enjoying the journey of life. I personally love it for my family road trips or for the season of fall. When autumn comes around, the cool weather inspires me and my family to head outdoors and visit the park, go for a hike, or have a picnic. And if we can all get off time from work or school, we'll take a road trip. That is why I chose the song "Barking at the Moon" to be this week's autumn song. As always, you'll find it on my autumn playlist on Spotify. Have a wonderful day and happy autumn once again!

Get the song of the day: https://amzn.to/2R1d3jy
Get the soundtrack: https://amzn.to/2PK44mR
Get the movie Bolt: https://amzn.to/2R6tlb7

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Hikaru Utada - Hikari KINGDOM Orchestra Instrumental Version

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Be prepared to be blown away by today's song choice. If you've noticed, today's genre is video game, but don't let that deceive you. This instrumental piece may be from a Play Station game, but it is quite the masterpiece. The first few notes start the song with a gentle, magical tone. Yet in a matter of seconds, the orchestra sound grows and it becomes a complex epic melody. Whether you relate this song to the game or not, it is still an inspiring piece that brings emotions of joy and hope, with a tinge of melancholy.

As I've mentioned before (in my first post), I feel very strongly about the significance of instrumental and classical music. People underestimate the power of instruments. An orchestra can easily evoke any emotion in the emotional spectrum simply with a change of key, tone, rhythm, note, or instrument. This track from the Kingdom Hearts soundtrack is one of the many examples of how instrumental music can be so moving. In fact, almost the entire soundtrack has that same quality. I highly recommend you give it a chance.

The composition of this song was a result of two talented people: Kaoru Wada (who arranged it) and Hikaru Utada. Hikaru Utada created the original song from which this track got its theme from. The original song is called "Hikari" and contains lyrics in Japanese. Another version that was created is a remix with English lyrics called "Simple and Clean". I recommend listening to those two versions as well. They may not be as beautiful from an artistic perspective, but they are still very catchy and fun from a musical perspective.

I know this is a music blog, but I'd like to also add my thoughts about the video game Kingdom Hearts. I have several family members and friends who are big fans of the franchise. I myself am also a fan. And while I am not the best at playing video games, I really enjoy playing this one and following the storyline of the series. It has a lot more depth to it than you would think and contains many beautiful, philosophical thoughts and quotes. My favorite quote is the one I chose to include in the image for today. If you're a Disney fan, this is also a great game because you get to interact with all your favorite characters and visit the places of all your favorite movies. If you own a game console (or are willing to purchase one), I think you should consider giving Kindom Hearts a try. It's a wonderful experience for the whole family. And so you know, I am not saying this just to try and convince you to buy it. I genuinely do love this game and wish to keep supporting it because I really want Disney to keep the series going.

I hope you enjoy hearing this surprisingly beautiful video game instrumental piece. May the melody motivate you today in work, school, or anywhere you listen to it. Have a wonderful day!

Purchase Today's Song: https://amzn.to/2q3fXJi
Full Kingdom Hearts Series Game Link: https://amzn.to/2Cu1v4r <-- (includes all games for a much better price)
First Kingdom Hearts Game Link: https://amzn.to/2CV8ogk

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John Powell - Test Drive

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I first watched How to Train Your Dragon in theatres in 2010. I didn't know too much about the movie beforehand, but I was invited to see it so I was willing to give it a try. My first impression of the film was that it was entertaining, funny, and interesting; however, I didn't walk out of the theatres extremely eager to see it again. It was a nice movie, but it wasn't the best movie I had ever seen.

A few months later, I found the soundtrack in my local library and decided to rent it and see what it was like. I played it while doing some work around the house and was completely surprised by what I heard. The music was... beautiful. As each track played, I fell more and more in love with the album. The compositions had so much depth and meaning to them. It was not too soon after I heard the album that I got it for myself and was listening to it all the time. By doing so, I slowly got my family to like the soundtrack as well and they became hooked on John Powell's incredible movie score.

I have heard many movie score soundtracks in the past and have always enjoyed doing so. Yet I only ever end up keeping the main themes and a few extra tracks because everything else is simply background music that doesn't have much substance to it (because it's meant to be subtle in the movie I assume). When I got into the How to Train Your Dragon soundtrack, what surprised me the most was that I liked every single track. No part of the music felt unnecessary or boring. Even in the quietest, simplest tracks, the main theme was somehow implemented in a creative way and it still sounded interesting! John Powell managed to do something not too many other movie composers can do, and he deserves much credit for that.

Once I had memorized every track in the soundtrack by both title and sound, it was time for me to watch the movie again. I watched it the second time with a more open mind, paying close attention to the songs I knew so well. As a music lover, I am aware that music is extremely powerful and can change the way you see something. Despite knowing that, I was still baffled at how different I perceived the movie now that I had learned how wonderful the movie score was. The tempo of each track matched the emotion of the scenes perfectly with anything from suspense to serenity. The instrument choice accurately reflected the Scottish culture of the movie setting. And of course, the main movie theme created that epic feel that movies of grand scale always have. Powell's writing for this movie truly made it a masterpiece. That's not to say that the movie itself (without the music) isn't good. Instead, I'm saying that the score compliments it in a way that takes the movie from a great movie to one of the best animated films of all time! I would love to say thank you to the talented animators of DreamWorks for choosing to work with the wonderful composer John Powell. They understood the power of music and used it to its full potential.

That being said, I am sure you can guess that How to Train Your Dragon has become my favorite animated movie since then. I can't count how many times I've watched it or heard the soundtrack. The movie and music are both equally amazing and they have inspired me to follow the series all the way, from the television episodes to the film sequel. And now I am very excited to see the third installment of the series. I have high hopes that with John Powell and DreamWorks teaming up for the third time, this is going to be a great conclusion to the series! I look forward to seeing it in theatres in February of 2019.

"Test Drive" is the track I chose to share with you because it contains the main theme of the movie. It has the epic quality of a hero's theme and is quite memorable. The opening notes played by brass and followed by strings immediately gives a powerful feeling to the melody. As I listen to it, I can imagine the feeling of being in the sky, moving at high speeds over the beautiful Nordic landscape that is Berk. I hope your experience listening to this song (and hopefully the whole soundtrack) is just as magical and that it convinces you to become a fan of the series if you aren't already.

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Camille - Le Festin

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The more time has passed for my blog, the more you will begin to notice how much I love different cultures. While I mainly post American music, I have so many different languages in my iTunes library that you will be seeing plenty of foreign songs posted throughout the year. I just post more American songs because, in comparison, the number of American songs I have far surpasses that of other-culture music. What I appreciate about American music is that it has so many different genres, it creates subcultures within American music. For example, indie music and rap music are completely different in style, rhythm, instrumentation, and even lyrics. They may originate from the same country, but each seems to have invented its own culture. It truly is amazing. I believe the variety makes it much easier for people to find an American music genre that fits them. There's plenty to chose from!

Despite having so many genres within America, I still feel it is necessary to venture out into other countries' music and hear what they have to offer. Besides the overall style which often reflects traditional sounds of that country, hearing a song in another language is an amazing experience. When you don't speak or understand the language, it is almost as if you are hearing instrumental music. You appreciate the melody, the rhythm, the instruments, but the meaning behind the song is up to your imagination (until you look up the translation of course). While you are hearing it, you should also pay attention to the pronunciations and the words themselves. Sometimes you may find words from your own language that are the same. Another benefit of listening to foreign music is if you ever plan on learning that language, listening to the music can help you; as you sing along, you are practicing with a native speaker and improving your skill. There are plenty of languages out there and plenty of songs that include them. Try picking a country one day and see if you end up liking a language or style you have never heard before!

Today's song is a French song called "Le Festin". It is a very upbeat, happy song sung by French singer Camille. It has a modern feel but is also mixed with classic French instrumentation. I always found French to be a very nice, yet difficult language. But because I like to give all languages a chance, I challenged myself to learn the lyrics of this song a while back; I succeeded, for the most part, and to this day it's the most French that I can speak. Part of my ancestry can be traced back to France, so it is nice to know when I am singing "Le Festin", I am speaking the language of part of my heritage. I challenge you to find a song that relates to your heritage and learn to sing in that language (if it is different than your own). And if your ancestors have always spoken your language, then maybe just find an old folk song that means a lot to your culture and learn that. It is a wonderful experience to connect to your past through the magic of music!

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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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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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