This post is the first in a series, which I'm calling Laney's Roundup!
Yes, it is like Woody's Roundup, which is the part my brother stuck on and wouldn't let go when I mentioned it to him.
Aside from the endless Toy Story references, I like my little clip art design and my series title! It took me forever to come up with on I liked that is original and unique.
It's hard to believe tomorrow is the last day of July! Where has the summer gone? To school and work mostly, but tomorrow I'm going to have a little fun at the beach! On that note, here's my roundup!
Chasing The Sun
Hilary Duff is back! Her new single, which is the first one since 2008 (it's been TOO long!), Chasing The Sun sticks to her sweet, pop sound, while also covering adult territory such as working all the time and wishing for an escape. The music video is adorable!
One of the writer's of the song is Colbie Caillat, and if you've listen to Colbie Caillat's earlier music you can feel her vibe. Certain writer/songwriters always have a certain musical vibe, even when they aren't singing the song.
This song will be my anthem for the rest of the summer!
I showed the video to my mom, and she said after the second time she listened to it, it grew on her. I told her how excited I am for a new cd from Hilary Duff and hopefully a new one from Taylor Swift! We reminisced about how the first concert she took me to was Hilary Duff's Most Wanted Tour.
Hilary Duff is and always will be my idol! I feel like Disney tried to copy the Hilary Duff formula with Miley Cyrus, but it went all wrong. No one will ever be as amazing as Hilary Duff. She's managed to age into adulthood, get married, have a baby, write a series of books and still be as amazing a lovable as she was during the Lizzie McGuire days.
It's been 2014 for fourteen days. I've spent the past three weeks thinking of what I want to accomplish in the next year. Some are simple goals, others not so simple. I did decide that I want to accomplish 21 different things before I turn 21. I've been contemplating what things I want to accomplish, some are ridiculous and highly unlikely, others quick and easy.
Here's my 21 before 21:
Finish Southern Charm
Do something all by myself. Whether it be going to a movie, a concert or dinner at Olive Garden. I gotta do it by myself. Don't ask why, it's just a weird thing I gotta do.
Go away for a weekend.
See the sunrise or set at the beach.
Go on a road trip.
Volunteer to help others.
Lose weight. A Lot.
Get back into ice skating.
Land a loop and flip jump.
Compete in two skating competitions.
Save $500.00 for my trip to Spoleto, Italy.
Plan a trip to Disney World.
Read 21 full books.
See a concert.
Complete 3 full series.
Do an internship.
Pay off my Macbook Pro (I have until October 31st to pay it off in full, or it will no longer be interest free).
Learn a skill. Whether mechanical, crafty or other. I will learn a skill.
Make a real effort towards deciding what I wanna do after graduation.
Keep up with this blog.
Fall in love.
The last one is a bit misleading. I don't mean to fall in love with another person, not that it wouldn't be nice to be in love again. I mean that I want to fall in love with myself. I want to be happy with who I am as a person. It's hard work, but I've come to the conclusion that to be able to love others, I must be able to love myself completely. This is a psychologically sound theory.
Today's post is about the growth of a song. Now I'm no musician, but this is one song I've seen grow. Taylor Swift wrote this song many years ago, way back in 2007, when she was 17. At the time it was one of her biggest unreleased songs. Taylor has many songs that she's written and performed that haven't been released onto an actual CD(my ultimate favorite being I'd Lie, which is also one of the few songs that you can find in a decent download) and Sparks Fly was one of her fan favorites since it was released.
When she announced last summer that Sparks Fly would be included on her next CD everyone was ecstatic! I hadn't heard the song before the CD came out, at least not a good copy, so when I heard Sparks Fly for the first time I fell in love! Sparks Fly is one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs, and my favorite overall off of her Speak Now CD. I didn't learn until I Googled the lyrics that she had changed the song. There are many changes from the early original version and the new studio version. The chorus is still the same, but the rest of the song has been changed.
The stories are almost the same, Taylor tells the story of a girl who falls in love with a boy, but she knows that this boy just isn't right for her and she's not suppose to feel this way about him. Still she is absolutely drawn to this boy, and she wants him, badly.
The main difference in these openings is that in the original the girl falls in love as soon as he says her name. Just his presence intoxicates her. In the studio version the girl is in a love with a boy and she knows she shouldn't be and this could be for any reason, from him being different from her usual type, or being a bad boy, or any other kind of reason. She knows that she shouldn't feel this way, yet she still can't shake the feeling of being drawn to him. Here's is the opening of the song. I've marked the original and studio versions.
Original Version
The way you move is like a full on rainstorm
And I'm a house of cards
You say my name for the first time, baby, and I
Fall in love in an empty bar
And you stood there in front of me just
Close enough to touch
Close enough to hope you couldn't see
What I was thinking of
Studio Version
The way you move is like a full on rainstorm
And I'm a house of cards
You're the kind of reckless that should
Send me running but
I kinda know that I won't get far
And you stood there in front of me just
Close enough to touch
Close enough to hope you couldn't see
What I was thinking of
The chorus is the romance book and typical girl dream of a boy just dropping everything and coming at the climatic moment when the rain is pouring down and not caring about the rain as he takes her in his arms and kisses her. That one kiss takes away all the pain of longing for him and waiting for him. The sparks fly is a common expression that fits this song well. There is chemistry between them and though they fight it, the sparks still fly between them. The last part of the chorus is her wanting him to leave her with a memory, a good one that she can hang onto when she longs for him and he is no longer there.
Chorus
Drop everything now
Meet me in the pouring rain
Kiss me on the sidewalk
Take away the pain
'Cause I see, sparks fly
Whenever you smile
Get me with those green eyes, baby
As the lights go down
Something that'll haunt me when you're not around
'Cause I see, sparks fly
Whenever you smile
After the chorus the versions change again. In the original, the girl is wide eyed and young. When the guy asks her to dance she's head over heels. Her hormones and emotions over take her, as does his presence. She wants him so badly, and she could wait for him, but she's dying to have him then.
In the studio version her mind is telling her that wanting him is bad, but a single touch blows her mind and all her sense too. This song is PG 13 at this part, and I'm assuming by what it implies things go far. But it could still be PG and just be referring to kissing. The girl also talks about being on guard with the world, but this guy gets behind her defenses, even if she tries not to let him.
Original Version
So reach out open handed
And lead me out to that floor
Well, I don't need more paper lanterns
Take me down, baby bring on the movie star
'Cause my heart is beating fast
And you are beautiful I could wait patiently
But I really wish you would
Studio Version
My mind forgets to remind me
You're a bad idea
You touch me once and it's really something
You find I'm even better than
You imagined I would be
I'm on my guard for the rest of the world, but with you
I know it's no good
And I could wait patiently
But I really wish you would
There is another round of the chorus after this part.
In the original version she wants him to give in to how much she wants him and how good they could be, even if it's just for one night. When he does, he takes her away and the reference to whispering soft and slow is a girl's dream of being wooed. She wants to hate how good he makes her feel, but he makes it so impossible. The feelings he makes her feel are comparable to fireworks.
In the studio version the girl still has the same feeling of want and trying to get him to feel the way she does. Their eyes are locked at the tension is building between them. Even though in her mind she knows it's wrong to want him so badly and to be with him, it still feels so right at the same time. He leads her up the staircase and it's every girl's dream of being swept away to a special place. He woos her and the way he wants her feels like a firework show. That burst of emotions that grow and grow.
Original Version
I run my fingers through your hair
And watch the lights go out
Just keep your beautiful eyes on me
Gonna strike this match tonight
Lead me up the staircase
Won't you whisper soft and slow
I'd love to hate it
But you make it like a fireworks show
Studio Version
I'll run my fingers through your hair
And watch the lights go wild
Just keep on keeping you eyes on me
It's just wrong enough to make it feel right
And lead me up the staircase
Won't you whisper soft and slow
I'm captivated by you baby like a firework show
The song ends with another round of the chorus.
My thoughts on this song are easy. 1). I love Taylor Swift 2). Sparks Fly is catchy and relatable. 3). It's a really well written song. 4). What's not to love?
Well I'll leave y'all with the videos to these songs. Have fun and enjoy!
