Day 24: Make a playlist for someone and exlpain your choices

My sister and I are very different. I mentioned that previously. Everyone in my immediate family knows this. I've noticed, however, that people looking in from the outside cannot seem to get over our similarities. And we do have our ongoing jokes, our shared mannerisms, near-identical complexions (minus the freckles on my part), and the same color of brown framing our faces.

Still, our personalities and tastes are often as different as night and day. Music is a big example of where we diverge. Sure, we have some mutual appreciations (I've developed a playlist for that in case we're caught in the same car together), but the majority of my music she calls "trash," and most of her music I dub "cheese."

My biggest problem with her musical preference lies not in someone she likes, but rather in a group she does not. She hates The Beatles. I cannot seem to get over that. Who doesn't like The Beatles? She's crazy. Her defense: She says they sound too whinny and rough. She doesn't like the choppiness of some of their music and calls is old.

Warning: This is not a list of great Beatles covers (although some of them are pretty great). This list is intended to be ones my sister would like.

*To start, surprisingly we both like The Muppets. They covered several, but I like the jokes before this one the best. I don't, however, understand why they felt the need to include all the dogs.

80'stees.com has this on a tshirt!

*Across the Universe did its best to cover so many songs, but my favorite was when they used Oh Darling as part of an argument. Although, I think she would probably prefer the ones sung by Jim Sturgess.



*You've Got to Hide Your Love Away doesn't seem to have many good covers of it. But I did find one from Keane.



*Pesonally, I prefer Johnny Cash's version, but the sis doesn't appreciate him either, so I found a version of In My Life covered by Jason Mraz (who has a voice she likes).



*She's still warming up to Belle and Sebastian, but Here Comes the Sun is easy to get right. Coldplay and Rob Thomas also sing it pretty well.



*I think I am moving farther away from the type of musicians she likes, but I love Robin Williams and Bobby McFerrin's cover of Come Together.



*Across the Universe has been covered by some great artists, but Fiona Apple's version was great - I still think about Pleasantville when I hear it.



*If I Fell is one of my favorites, and I found this version a while ago.



Well, it ended up being a short playlist and I doubt she will like many of these versions either. She tends to like only artists who are still recording albums. It's sad, but I'm in the mood to cater. Any suggestions?

Day 13: A band or artist who has gotten you through some tough times

Before responding I must voice a few concerns.

1. I'm not sure how many truly "hard times" I have faced. The hardest trial of my life so far has actually been watching other people face some tough realities and work their way through some difficulty.
2. Music is wonderful, but it's not going to be the difference between getting through a tough situation and giving up.
3. I listen to too many different artists and appreciate too many lyrics to give credit to just one. Therefore, I am going to make a list and I hope not to tread too much on the playlist topic still to come.

Music for when you're down:

Rachmaninoff - classical music filled with passion - I love getting lost in it. Just don't listen to Piano Concerto Number 2 - it will inevitably remind you of "All by Myself" which will defeat the purpose. Unless you wish to dwell, in that case, dwell away. This video is a humorous rendition illustrating some of his seemingly impossible chords.


Crooners - I don't know if it's because they included terrible puns in their lyrics, because they each had their own funny quirk, or because they loved to hear the sound of their voices too much, but I love them. Whether it's Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Mel Torme, Sammy Davis Jr., Bing Crosby, or any other names Wikipedia might include, when I need I lift - I often turn to them. Escapism at it's best.

Smile - My favorite song from any crooner, I felt the need to include Nat King Cole's version (all others fall short). Sometimes peppy music seems cliche when you're feeling somber. This song is real, it's honest, and it's beautiful.


Brandi Carlile - I don't know if I would call her music uplifting (well, some of it is), but I would say I have gained much perspective listening to the ideas she explores through music. I keep coming back and back to it. I would have included a song of hers, but I couldn't decide which one.

Be Ok - Ingrid Michaelson has a way of making me smile. Also, this song was recorded in an effort to raise money for cancer research. In that context it gains greater meaning, because when dealing with certain burdens the goal is not to feel happy, but just to feel normal.


Details in the Fabric - I feel ridiculously girly for including a Jason Mraz song, but whenever I start to feel overwhelmed (instead of counting to ten) I just recall to mind the simple, but soothing lyrics of this song.

That's Life - Michael Buble (yes, another crooner) singing an amazing song made famous by Sinatra. I love it. And don't worry, the image clears after a 15 seconds or so. It was hard to find a good version of the song on Youtube.

Day 2: Something you love about yourself

This topic was harder. I hit a wall earlier today. I gave up for a while, but now I'm back and hoping to finish in the next hour and 45 minutes, because that's all the time left before today turns into tomorrow. Clearly, I am much more comfortable with self-deprecation than self-love.

I did, however figure out something I love - my musical abilities. Before you set your expectations too high though, I should tell you I am no virtuoso. I have no intention of pursuing music as a career or even as a hobby. I can sing, but only in the shower, in a car, or in a choir. I play the flute, but not very often. And I can play around on the piano, but only when I'm alone. That's it. Musically, I would say I'm above average, but nothing to get excited about.

For a long time I wished to be more musically gifted. I daydreamed about having a high ranging soprano voice just perfect for the lead in The Phantom of the Opera, but in reality, I never made it out of the alto section. I was the first chair flutist (no laughs please) throughout high school, but never good enough to make all-state. I wanted to be skilled enough at the piano to at least play Jessica's Theme from The Man from Snowy River with ease, but could never do it justice.

But over the last year I haven't felt the need for more. I could never make it as a performer (I doubt I could make it through a karaoke tune). Sure, I like recognition and applause, but not from large audiences. What I do love is my ability to read music easily, carry a tune, improvise some harmony, and appreciate a variety of musical styles.

I haven't studied too much musical theory, but I can hold my own while conversing with a music major. I don't completely understand what Pandora means when it describes a song with the terms "extensive vamping," but I can recognize influences and identify chord progressions. I like the balance I have found in appreciating technical elements and just listening to music for fun.

I've met people who couldn't tell you the difference between a major and a minor key, or find middle C on the piano, and I've met people (like my dad) who can't appreciate a song if the singer's voice is too untrained. I think my musical abilities and limitations have given me a balanced appreciation for music. That is something I love.


*Oh, I looked up vamping. It's no longer a mystery.