Day 1358: A Tale as Old as Time

As far as Mondays go, this was a pretty bad one. 

It was just one of those days where nothing seemed to go right. I found out early on in the day that my computer science class has exams outside the class period, which is annoying in itself, but even more annoying when you have a full schedule and you won't be able to take the exam with the rest of the class at the scheduled afternoon time. 8:00 a.m. exam here I come. 

Then it was off to conducting, where we've been stuck on the same lesson for the last three weeks and it's getting kind of frustrating, and so by the time we got to my favorite class of the day - jazz band - I was ready to find a cup of tea and a nice warm bed. Things just sort of got worse from there until I finally returned home after 8:00 p.m, the sky outside already dark and the air cool as we head into fall. 

But there was one bright moment of my day, and it has everything to do with Angela Lansbury singing "Beauty and the Beast." As we approach the official 25th anniversary of the classic film, the celebrations continue, and this one might just be my favorite yet. Honestly though, if you're part of the population that has yet to watch this video, do yourself a favor and watch it right now because it will bring you directly back to your childhood and will brighten your day considerably. 

And did I mention Alan Menken is on piano? 

Have a magical day!

Day 1264: Bringing People Together

I always thought that the Disney Parks were the best way to bring people together, but after spending a week with the kids at this summer's band camp I've realized that there's something even better...and it's still Disney related! 

That's right. It's Star Wars. 

Over the past week, it occurred to me that there, in one room, there were almost three generations of people and we could all bond over the fact that we love Star Wars. The students worked incredibly hard all week on this piece, which included selections from The Force Awakens, and while they didn't play the entire thing (really they left out some of the best parts), it still sounded amazing, and in complete honesty, it was the piece that improved the most over the week they've been with us. 

That's right. Here's a group of middle school students that have never played together before, and by the end of the week they actually played something that resembled Star Wars. This one piece brought them together in a way that I don't think I've seen before, because they were all just so dedicated to a common goal. 

And when you see people come together like that, that's real magic. 

Have a magical day!

Day 1217: Overwhelmed

Things are pretty crazy around here. My laptop has been acting up again, which means I can hardly take it anywhere these days, and with finals and the end of the year approaching I seem to have less time than ever. On all accounts, I'm incredibly overwhelmed, and that means that I'm living the motto I shared last semester in this video: to find little ways to incorporate Disney into your day even when you're actually too busy to do anything remotely awesomely Disney! 

I'm off to do more homework, but have a magical day! 

Day 1204: One-Sided

Disney fans, unlike the title of this blog post, are very obviously not one sided. I mean, just look at the picture! You don't see that side of me all that often! As in my right side...

Alright, alright, in all seriousness, we're not talking about physical sides of us Disney fans. No, we're talking about the various...fandom sides. I suppose that's what you'd call it since there isn't really a better term for all of the various obsessions we have. And then we have our different moods on top of it, and really, Disney fans become quite difficult to figure out unless you're a fan yourself. 

For instance, there's the Disney Parks Side, which has us all excited to head to Florida. Split that up and you get three areas: Waiting to go to Disney, At Disney, and Leaving Disney. Waiting to go to Disney is how we spend most of our time, constantly wondering if there's anything else can do to plan, making lists of every shape and size, and making countdown crafts. When we're actually at Disney we're usually at our happiest, with Mickey or Minnie ears on our heads and a smile on our faces as we head out into the parks to experience our favorite attractions and foods for the 18 zillionth time. It never gets old for us. Remember that. And then there's the absolute worst part of every Disney fan's life: leaving Disney. We get uncontrollably sad, we may cry, and will also immediately start planning another trip. That's just how it works. And then the cycle repeats. 

Back home, there's the Movie Fan Side of us. The part that's perfectly content to curl up on the couch with some Mickey Waffles and watch every single Disney movie until we can no longer keep our eyes open. It's the side that rushes to the movie theater when a new film comes out, or, likewise, rushes to the store to buy the latest DVD. We end up collecting everything relating to our favorite films, and then proceed to argue with others about which Disney movie is obviously the best. Although, in the end, we all pretty much agree to disagree because they're all awesome. 

There's the Musical Side of every fan, and I don't just mean the Disney Broadway Musicals. No, the part of us that constantly sings along with every recording of every Disney song ever created, because obviously we learned the lyrics to "In a World of my Own" from Alice in Wonderland years ago. We tend to annoy others with this habit, but really they're probably singing along with us. 

There's the Foodie Side, which would give anything to have a Dole Whip during the long months between trips, and longs to go to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival every fall. The Obsessive Side, which refreshes the page every two seconds during the D23 Expo and other fan events, looks up all the possible information about our favorite animators, actors, characters, and films, and memorizes every line in our favorite films. There's the Historical Side, which researches Walt Disney, Disney films, and the parks like our lives depend on it, and the Calm Side, which rarely comes out for a visit.

But most importantly, there's the Dreamer Side, which makes us all believe that anything is possible and that our dreams really can become a reality if we pursue them with hard work, dedication, and a bit of pixie dust. One side alone wouldn't make up a Disney fan, and I'm sure there are plenty of others that I can't even remember to list, but the important part is that every side of a Disney fan helps make up the unique combination of our fandom, and I wouldn't want anything else. 

Have a magical day!

Day 1151: Hours and Hours

When I get really behind on blog posts there's only one thing for me to do: bunker down in some comfortable clothes with plenty of food and good music until I somehow manage to catch up everything that I've missed. However, finding the motivation needed to write for hours and hours on end is pretty difficult, even when it means I do get to talk about Disney the entire time. Really though, as every college student knows, you can only write for so long before you just get really, really bored of sitting in front of your computer typing out some combination of 26 letters. 

Which is why I've gone back to some of my roots in Disney on the internet, including Disney Parks music that's kept me working for years now. Unforunately, Live365 recently shut down, meaning that I have to go elsewhere to find my recorded Disney music. Thankfully, YouTube has a wealth of options in regards to Disney music, and this time I went back to Dan Gooding's Disney Park Mixes, which is definitely a fan favorite. His combinations celebrating various parks really just bring the magic of Disney Parks Music to life, which is why I could probably listen to these videos for hours. 

I added on the Hollywood Studios Mix above, but you can check out his entire channel HERE, and it's filled with tons of great Disney Parks Music celebrating Disney all over the world! 

Have a magical day! 

Day 1121: Trailer Music

It should be no surprise that, as a music major, I tend to jam out to whatever song Disney has come up with to feature in the newest movie trailer, and since we're entering the Twentieth Century and more modern music in my music history and theory course this semester, it felt like the perfect time to share some of my favorite trailer songs!

Inside Out | Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith

If we're talking about trailer music, then we'd better mention Sweet Emotion by Aerosmith that's featured in the trailer for Inside Out. I remember crying the first time I saw this trailer simply because the sadness part got to me. I think it probably got to all of us (the Toy Story 3 and Up portions especially).

Cinderella | Aeon - Nick Murray

Easily one of my favorite movie trailer pieces, I used Aeon for a segment of the band trip video last year, and while a lot of times I end up hating the piece after using it for video editing, I still adore this one! It's elegant and emotional and simply perfect for the trailer to Disney's 2015 live action remake of Cinderella. 

Big Hero 6 | Top of the World - Greek Fire

Big Hero 6 had a lot of awesome music surrounding it, which came as a pretty decent surprise to me. I wasn't really enthused about the idea of Big Hero 6 to begin with, but it grew on me, and now I'll watch the adventures of Hiro and Baymax any day, and I think a lot of that has to do with "Top of the World," which caught my attention in the trailer! 

Saving Mr. Banks | Lost and Found - Katie Herzig

Similar to "Aeon," the piece used in the trailer for Saving Mr. Banks caught my attention, as though I wasn't already completely emotionally invested in the film. The music in the film as a whole is certainly one of my favorite soundtracks, but then again, the fact that it's one of my favorite movies probably has something to do with that. 

Wreck-It Ralph | Good Feeling - Flo Rida

The trailers for Wreck-It Ralph had a lot of great music, including the one featured in the teaser trailer, "Good Feeling," but also "Some Nights," which was used in the trailers that followed. What do I love about it? It's upbeat, it's catchy, and it certainly gets stuck in your head. If that's really a good thing I'm not quite sure, but we'll say it is.

I could probably go on forever about my favorite music in Disney Movie Trailers, because almost every time a new trailer comes out I end up with a new favorite song to listen to all the time. I have realized how dangerous this is though, because now I want to go and watch all these movies (Wreck-It Ralph especially...it's been too long). Alas, I'll have to postpone such movie watching for a later date! 

Let me know in the comments below which trailer songs you love! 

Have a magical day! 

Day 1073: A Computer Here, No Laptop There

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, more frustrating than taking a blogger/YouTube creator and pairing them up with a laptop that decides to stop working randomly. Don't get me wrong, I love my laptop, and amazingly enough, HAL9000 has been through some interesting adventures, but that doesn't make finals week any easier. 

Luckily, I have some wonderful people in my life kind enough to share their computers with me when mine fails and the library is too full of people to get any work done. In total, by the end of finals, I figure I worked on somewhere around 8 different computers (or was it 9?), which were made up of a mix of Windows of various versions and Macs, which I've only begun to understand. Honestly, I had to look up how to turn one on when I was faced with a black screen that was obviously just shut off. I HAD TO LOOK IT UP! 

The point here is this: even when you're faced with a non-working computer and a bunch of finals, there's still time for Disney. How did I manage to work it in? Music, for the most part, took on that role. After all, it's fairly simple to throw on a Disney playlist while I'm studying, and much of the music I'm working with in Music Theory and History at the moment has found a home in the Disney Parks over the years. 

Planning for Disney played a small part too, mostly in the realm of video ideas, which are promptly collected in a notebook to come back to later. The same can be said for blog posts, which have titles listed on a spreadsheet in Google Drive so, even if I don't have time to throw together a blog post at the moment, I can come back and write the appropriate post later (much like I'm doing right now). 

A word of advice though: if you plan on starting a daily blog, being an English major, a YouTuber, or really, a college student in general, get yourself a laptop that works...and then keep all of your files either backed up or online. You never know when they might decide to disappear. 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on December 23).

Day 1068: Bringing It Back

Go on, hit play on the above video so you can have some theme music for this blog post! 

A couple of years ago I blogged about playing Sleigh Ride with my high school band and wind ensemble, especially how it always reminds me of the Disney Parks because the song continuously plays throughout them at the holidays. Because I tend to visit Walt Disney World during the holiday season, I always end up hearing Sleigh Ride. 

Well, Sleigh Ride is back. 

For the second year at St. Norbert College since I've attended, we played Sleigh Ride. Honestly we all kind of expected it to happen for some reason, and when I noticed Sleigh Ride on the pile of music for me to copy for the group, I couldn't help but laugh. It's only been two years, and actually, you can read about the last time HERE. 

Long story short, I felt the need to bring back Sleigh Ride for another celebration this Christmas around...even if it does make me miss home even more! On the bright side, our Festival of Christmas concert went really well this year! So that's good! 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on December 25).

Day 1059: The Good Dinosaur

I've been on a roll this year with seeing Disney films on opening day. Earlier I saw Tomorrowland and Inside Out on opening day, and when I had a chance to see The Good Dinosaur, it felt like the right option!

Overall, I thought The Good Dinosaur was a pretty good (haha) movie, although it's certainly not my favorite of the Pixar films. In fact, without giving away any spoilers, I kind of felt like it was the same movie as Inside Out, just for a different group of people. After all, so many of the same themes were present and it just felt like Inside Out...with Dinosaurs.

Either way, I thought the animation was brilliant, and the characters were definitely unique. That's actually one of the things I love most about Pixar - their ability to take characters we think we know and flip them on their heads. That certainly happens multiple times in this film, whether it be with Spot or a T Rex.

Honestly, I don't want to give too much of the film away if you haven't seen it yet, so let's just finish with the trailer for the movie!

I'm also in love with the music in this trailer, which is pretty usual for me haha! Disney does a spectacular job with soundtracks, especially in their trailers! 

If you haven't had a chance to see The Good Dinosaur yet, go as soon as you can and see the magic for yourself! 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on December 26).

Day 1048: Spotify

I listen to music day and night. Literally, it's hard to come up with a time when music isn't involved other than when I'm actually sitting in class, and even then things seem to play more than a few notes (although I suppose that's just a part of the music major life). Working on homework usually means music is playing, as does working on the blog or editing a video. If I'm sitting in the music lobby, the music library, or the caf, there's usually music playing somewhere, and even walking to class, you'll find me with earbuds in more often than not. On the plane when I'm traveling, and in the Disney Parks. It's everywhere. 

As you can imagine, I'm always looking for new ways to listen to this music, and recently I discovered the magic that is Spotify. People have been raving about it for ages, but I never really realized how amazing it is until recently. Plus, there's a student rate so having premium isn't even terrible. The best part is that, with premium, you can listen to anything off line by downloading it to your phone. In other words, I've been listening to the soundtrack for The Force Awakens for weeks, and when you throw a little bit of this and that in there too, you end up listening to all kinds of things. 

The question now is what I'll listen to next. I usually pick a soundtrack to listen to on repeat while I'm traveling. In January it was 1989 by Taylor Swift, and Disneyland brought me back to Owl City. I could just do Star Wars, but I'm already listening to that on repeat, so I'll need something new. Maybe something Disney related, or maybe the Beatles? Granted, it's certainly even easy to relate the Beatles to Disney...have you seen the shop in the UK Pavilion at Epcot? 

Leave your suggestions for what I should listen to next in the comments below and then head over to spotify and find something new yourself! 

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on December 30).

Day 1040: Obscure Disney Music

I had someone a while back ask me about some of my favorite obscure Disney music, and truth be told, I think I listen to more of the obscure stuff than I do mainstream Disney. Don't get me wrong, I definitely know the lyrics to pretty much every famous Disney song (a la "Colors of the Wind," "Part of Your World," "Beauty and the Beast," etc), but that's not really what I listen to on an everyday basis.

But instead of just writing a blog post on the topic like I usually might, I headed to YouTube, and yes, you may even hear me sing...

As I mention in the video you can find all of the songs I talk about on a Spotify playlist, and for your convenience, here's a list of everything I talk about in the video: 

And here are all the songs I talk about:
Welcome (Brother Bear)
Out There (Hunchback of Notre Dame)
Life's a Happy Song (The Muppets)
The Incredits (The Incredibles)
Everybody Wants to be a Cat, Volume 1
IllumiNations 25
Makin' Memories
Impressions de France
Welcome Medley
Space Mountain Soundtrack (Disneyland)
Suitcase and a Dream

Let me know what some of your favorite Obscure Disney songs are in the comments below!

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on December 30).

Day 1024: Life is a Highway

Roadtrips. They can certainly be a hassle, but they can also be super fun, and since we were headed on a shorter one, about four and a half hours, my roommate and I took it upon ourselves to create the perfect roadtrip playlist for our drive to the Twin Cities. Of course, there were a lot of options to consider here, because after all, we all like different music. I do believe, however, that we did an excellent job!

You have to have some classic roadtrip songs on your list, of course, like I'm Shipping Up To Boston, Eye of the Tiger, Greased Lightning, Bohemian Rhapsody, and of course, I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles). From there we branched out into a few favorites, like We Are Here to Change the World...because you've got to have some Michael Jackson and Captain EO in here. We had to have some Christina Perri...because Christina Perri, and I made sure to include plenty of The Enemies, since, after all, we were heading to see Colin O'Donoghue's new movie.

But we're also Disney fans around here, and if you're in the car with me for more than an hour, you can pretty much guarantee that there's going to be Disney thrown in there somewhere. A few of my favorites? Definitely the Star Wars songs (Main Title, Han Solo & The Princess, and the ever popular Cantina Band), Music from Brave (which I've really been into lately), Frozen, a bunch of music that I came across through Mad T Party out at Disneyland, and pretty much every other awesome song I could find on my iTunes. Ultimately, the playlist levels out at 129 songs and 7 hours and 57 minutes, perfect for our trip to and from the Twin Cities...but you'll hear more about that later.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on December 1...because college).

Day 994: Song of the Day

I'm always trying to find new ways to bring little bits of Disney into my daily routine. After all, that's what this blog is all about! Well, I'm happy to say that I've found yet another way for Disney to make an appearance, and this time it occurs pretty much every morning on my walk to class! This year, I'm lucky enough to not start any of my classes until, at the earliest, 10 each morning. It provides a little extra time to get work done, whether it is filming a video, working for one of my on-campus jobs, or catching up on homework on practicing, AND means that I can take my time heading to my first class of the day.

To make life more interesting, I've started doing #DisneySongOfTheDay, in which I play a different Disney song everyday, take a screenshot of it on my phone, and then post it on Twitter with the hashtag! So far it's been a ton of fun picking various songs, and it's an awesome way to go through the music library on my phone!

Here's a few of the songs I've included so far:

I would love to see some others adopting the Disney Song of the Day into their routine too! I throw in some earbuds and listen on my two-three minute walk to class, but maybe you listen during your drive home, while making dinner, working on homework, or even taking a shower! Let me know some of your favorite Disney songs in the comments below too! 

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on September 26 due to a tight schedule).

Day 885: Change of Tempo

It seems that just about every year we all come up with these grand ideas to add exercise into our lives. Whether it be at the beginning of the year as a New Year's Resolution or in the middle of the year like me, more as a summer project, it always ends the same way.

We do it for about three days and then give up or forget about it.

But for once, I've actually somewhat kept up with one of my goals: direct through a few pep band songs every night. It's probably good to keep my arms moving anyway, and since conducting in high school made me probably the most fit I've ever been, it seemed like a natural way to keep up with things. So that's what I've been doing: directing pep band songs that my brother has saved to his computer. And for the most part, it's been working.

Every night I have him pick a few different songs, surprising me with whatever it is he's decided to have me conduct that particular day, but there's one song in particular I generally have him play before I finish for the night: Illuminations.

That's right, there's a pep band arrangement of the song, but apparently, as I just now discovered, it even goes beyond just Reflections of Earth! I just came across the full show and to say that it's a life goal to conduct these doesn't even describe it. You can listen to the recording here:

Yeah, I'm pretty much in love with this piece. I have a need. 

We'll see if I blog about any other of the Disney Pep Band pieces in the future, but there's a ton of them! 

Have a magical day!

Day 878: The Disney Tag

When it comes to YouTube videos, I've tried to do the Disney Tag several times and it never works. The good thing? I finally realized why! I'm an English Major and there's just too many words for me to say them all in a short enough amount of time! So instead of filming a video, I've combined a few different Disney Tags for a total of 50 questions, which I'll now attempt to answer in as short of a period as possible. Also, since we all know I love Star Wars and OUAT as well, there may or may not be a few answers from those fandoms in here as well. They're all sort of connected, right?

1. Favorite Disney Movie?

We’ve been through this, but if I have to pick just one, it’d probably be Tangled.

2. Walt Disney World or Disneyland?

Walt Disney World.

3. Favorite Disney Character?

Flynn Rider for Disney Movie, Han Solo for Star Wars, and Hook on OUAT.

4. The FIrst Disney Movie You Remember Seeing in Theaters?

I think Brother Bear, but I know I saw ones before that. That’s just the first one I remember clearly.

5. What type of Disney item do you collect the most?

Probably Spaceship Earth Memorabilia or Mugs.

6. Favorite Disney Song?

Out There from Hunchback of Notre Dame

7. Favorite Attraction in the Parks?

Spaceship Earth at EPCOT.

8. Dream Job at Disney?

In the Parks? I really want to be a Jungle Cruise Skipper. Overall, I’d love to be an Imagineer.

9. Character you never want to miss in the parks?

Flynn Rider. I met him once. It was amazing.

10. Most treasured Disney item?

My Epcot Starbucks You Are Here Mug.

11. Disney Voice Actor You’d like to Meet?

Does Ginnifer Goodwin count even though her movie hasn’t come out yet? Otherwise Ellen I think.

12. If You could say anything to Walt Disney right now, what would you say?

Thank you.

13. Favorite Disney movie that’s not famous?

The Great Mouse Detective.

14. Favorite Snack in the Parks?

Churro, Dole Whip or Turkey Leg. Don’t make me choose just one.

15. Favorite Parade/Show in the Parks.

Illuminations: Reflections of Earth for Show, Festival of Fantasy for Parade.

16. Flounder, Sebastian or Scuttle?

Max. I pick Max.

17. Favorite Disney Memory?

Marching down Main Street U.S.A. with my High School Band.

18. Favorite Pair of Mickey Ears?

I actually...can’t find them…

19. What “forgotten Princess” would you add to the lineup?

Maid Marian from Robin Hood or Meg from Hercules.

20. Favorite Disney Princess Outfit?

I’m in love with the red ballgown Emma Swan wears in the Season 3 finale of OUAT.

21. Favorite Disney Soundtrack?

I’m a music major...this is hard...but I have a deep connection to the music of Epcot, if that counts.

22. Genie, Abu, Carpet or Rajah?

Carpet all the way.

23. Favorite Disney Restaurant?

Be Our Guest in the Magic Kingdom  or Citricos at The Grand Floridian.

24. How’d you first discover the magic of Disney?

Going to the parks with my family.

25. First attraction when you go to the parks?

Spaceship Earth, always first and last.

26. Favorite “iconic” moment?

Cinderella running from the ball.

27. Saddest moment in a Disney film?

The beginning of Up or like half of Fox and the Hound. That movie is sad.

28. Best Disney kiss?

Flynn and Rapunzel probably, at the end, but can we talk about CaptainSwan and OutlawQueen on OUAT?

29. What “Disney World” would you like to live in?

I’d love to live in Storybrooke.

30. Favorite Disney musical?

Mary Poppins.

31. Which Disney Princess has the best sidekick?

Mulan. Mushu is freaking awesome.

32. What would your theme be for a Disney party?

Star Wars! I’d love to have a Star Wars party!

33. Are you the only one obsessed with Disney in your family?

Oh no...not by a long shot.

34. Lumiere, Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth or Chip?

He’s just a chipped cup!

35. Top 5 Favorite Disney Blogs?

I expanded a bit...DisneyBound on Tumblr, MrCheezyPop on YouTube and everyone from Thingamavlogs on YouTube. Yes, I know that’s 7. Too bad.

36. If you could choose the plot/adaptation for the next Disney movie, what would it be?

How about a CaptainSwan movie? Just kidding. While that’d be great, I’d love to see something based on little known fairy tales.

37. Favorite Disney Hotel?

Old Key West is my home resort! DISNEY VACATION CLUB!

38. What Disney movie do you turn to when you’re sad?

When I have a really bad day I always watch my Millennium Celebration VHS from Epcot.

39. The Aladdin or Little Mermaid show?

Indiana Jones. I don’t have to follow the rules. This is my blog post.

40. Do you plan to Honeymoon at Disney?

I do, yes. Or at least in some Disney-inspired way.

41. Favorite piece of Disney/clothing accessory to wear?

*puts on Monsters University hat slowly*

42. A Picture of yourself that’s Disney related?

Ummm...if you haven’t already had enough pictures of me... here...

43. Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck?

It’s like picking a favorite child...but I always favor Donald a little bit.

44. Favorite Disney Couple?

Flynn and Rapunzel, Hook and Emma or Han and Leia. Hands down.

45. Favorite Disney Villain?

Hades if we’re talking classic, but I obviously have a soft spot for Captain Hook.

46. If you were stuck on a Disney attraction, what would you want it to be?

Spaceship Earth.

47. Which Disney movie, even if it’s not your favorite, will always have a special place in your heart and why?

The Hunchback of Notre Dame because it’s one of the films I really grew up with.

48. If you could experience any scene from a Disney movie, what would it be and why?

The lantern scene from Tangled. It’s just absolutely beautiful.

49. First time you went to a Disney park?

I don’t remember it, but I was 15 months old when my parents took me to Disney World.

50. What Disney character has your personality or dream personality?

I really identify with Tiana because of her hard work and Rapunzel because of her love of life.

There! We made it! I think I did a pretty good job with keeping things short, right? If you haven't done any of the Disney tags before, pick a couple of the questions from above and answer them in the comments below! I'd love to hear some of your answers!

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on June 4 due to Computer Issues).

Day 870: Immortals

Because I'm absolutely a music major and definitely addicted to this song, I figured I would do a quick spotlight on one of my favorite songs at the moment: "Immotals" by Fall Out Boy. And you know what that means, time to listen while we chat!

I remember watching the trailer for Big Hero 6 and just loving the music, which is actually a completely different song ("Top of the World" by Greek Fire), but for some reason, "Immortals" has really stuck out to me over the past few weeks since seeing the film. 

And really, I think this is a theme we've seen with Disney over the past number of years. Whoever is behind choosing the music from pop culture to go into these films and trailers is doing a spot on job. I fall in love with just about every song they use, one of the huge reasons that I'm actually thrilled to see Paint the Night when I head to Disneyland in August. For those of you that don't know, the entire parade is based on the song Owl City recorded foe Wreck It Ralph, "When Can I See You Again." It happens to be one of my favorite songs, as Owl City is one of my favorite artists, so to have my worlds collide once again is pretty awesome. 

But until August, I'll be avoiding full recordings of Paint the Night and instead sit here and enjoy some more Fall Out Boy. 

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on May 24 due to computer issues).

Day 832: Rhapsody in Blue

Remember a few blog posts ago when I told you there would be several focusing on music? Well, here's another of those posts! I went to a piano recital today, as one does, and, oddly enough, there wasn't just one Disney reference...there were two!

First, as part of a piano duet, there was a performance of Nuages, the first movement of Nocturnes by Claude Debussy. I didn't realize it at first, but in the middle of the performance I was sitting in the audience just trying to figure out why I knew what notes were supposed to come next and why it all felt so familiar. It didn't take me long to figure out that, of course, that movement is in Impressions de France, just like all the other songs in the world seem to be. 

However, that wasn't the biggest Disney reference of the recital. As a finale, there was a grand performance of a new arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue featuring many of the musicians from here at St. Norbert College. Of course, Rhapsody in Blue was featured as a segment in Fantasia 2000, something Tanner even noted in the show notes in the program, which brought a smile to my face! The segment in the film depicts New York City through music, some of which you can watch in the clip below! 

If you want to catch the whole performance of Rhapsody in Blue in Fantasia 2000 you'll have to check it out yourself! Fantasia grows on me more and more everyday, probably because I'm a music major, but also because each segment is a beautiful representation of the world of music and is worth a look by everyone! 

Have a magical day!