7 Quick Takes, Vol. 24: Favorite Music Edition

Since I've had some pretty heavy blog posts lately I've decided to end this month with a fun post. It's been almost 8 months since I last did a 7 Quick Takes post so why not now?

I often joke that music was my first love because I can't remember a time when I wasn't surrounded by it. When I was a tiny gal, I used to strum on my mom's guitar and then run away, laughing, out of sheer joy of making a sound. I was in the school chorus in elementary school and did a choir after school elective in junior high. I learned how to play part of "Fur Elise" the summer between elementary school and junior high (have since played it in full a number of times) and I eventually picked up the acoustic guitar in my late teens. I was even majoring in Jazz Studies prior to settling on Religious Studies. Oh yeah, and St. Cecilia is my adopted confirmation saint. I can tell you which songs and albums are associated with what times in my life. Most people in my life have a song associated with them. Need I go on? ;)

If you check my last.fm account, you'll see that I'm pretty much always listening to music. To narrow the list to my top 7 was hard but I think I've got my top 7... maybe. At least these are my top 7 in the jazz and classical genres since those are the ones I most gravitate towards.

-- 1 --

"Georgia on My Mind" by Ray Charles. 

No song will make me sigh and swoon as much as this song. It and "Dream a Little Dream" are quite possibly my favorite songs of all time.

-- 2 --

"Dream a Little Dream" by Pink Martini & The Von Trapps. 

I love "Dream a Little Dream" in all its various incarnations. I'm usually partial to the Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong version but this version by Pink Martini and the Von Trapps is my current favorite.

-- 3 --

"Being There" by the Tord Gustavsen Trio. 

I've been a fan of this trio -- which is now an ensemble -- since my reversion. I actually associate the reversion with the trio's The Ground album and this song is my favorite of the album. Warning: it's jazz and has no lyrics.

-- 4 -- 

"Feeling Good" by Michael Bublé.

I have a lot of wonderful memories attached to this song... and the video is still awesome, a decade later. Fun fact: my Jazz in American Culture professor while I was at Santa Monica College, Prof. Keith Fiddmont, was one of the professional musicians who played on the It's Time album. Great memories all around.

-- 5 --
"Thais: Meditation" by Jules Massenet

Sometimes I just want to turn off the lights in my room at night, open the blinds, and look at the stars while this song plays. Have I ever mentioned I'm a closeted hopeless romantic? No? Has my taste in music given me away yet? ;)

-- 6 --

"Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin

It's 16+ minutes of classical/jazz hybrid goodness and the song most of my friends associate me with. I have yet to watch it performed live but it's my dream and I will undoubtedly cry. lol. If you want to skip to my favorite part, it's between 10:37 and 12:26. At around 11:40 is when I start to really swoon. lol.

-- 7 --

"Ave Maria" by Franz Schubert.

I saved the best for last. This song will never fail to make me cry. Every. Single. Time. It fills my heart with love and joy. I've also dreamt of myself singing it... a lot. In a powerful voice.


Anyway, I don't expect anyone to like all the songs but that's okay. These are my songs. Which are yours?

And now I'm off to the E.R. to get the site of the former abscess looked at. Fun! lol.

I hope y'all had a great week and have a good start of the weekend. :D

As always, thanks for reading and God bless! :D