“My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music and "7 Rings" by Ariana Grande use

the same music to convey two different messages to their audiences about their favorite

things. One song sends a message that focuses on things that don't cost money to make you

happy, while the other song verbally voices that money is the key to one's happiness. The time

in which these two songs were released, plays a huge role in how different the two songs are

while being similar in its particular ways. "My Favorite Things" released in 1965 and conveys

a soft and happy message to create a positive sound. "7 Rings" was released in 2019. This

version modernizes the music and the lyrics that were made popular by the star actress and

singer Julie Andrews. 

At the beginning of The Sound of Music's "My Favorite Things", the audience is given

a positive sound. The children in the scene of the video are scared of the thunderstorm among

them, Julie Andrews character (Maria) calms them down with a song. "Raindrops on roses,

and whiskers on kittens. Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. Brown paper

packages tied up with strings. These are a few of my favorite things" is referring to random

things this particular character finds happiness in. She begins to share these things with these

children to ease their minds from the outside world, also known as, the thunderstorm. As the

song continues, she lists more and more things that catch her eye in excitement. For the

listener, they can interpret that the children are listening to her and becoming more at ease

when they think of about all of the things that make them happy and excited. Blocking out

whatever storm is coming their way they can always think about the things that make them

happy. 
 The music is exactly the same within both versions, however, Ariana's version is

obviously more upbeat with a party like tempo. Ariana is also listing off things throughout the

song that make her happy, which is money. She is claiming that money can buy you happiness

and if you don't have money then you probably aren't happy enough. The difference here is

that regardless of Ariana's fame and fortune created into a music form the other version of the

song includes nothing about how money can make you happy. She is using her trauma that

she has gone through the past few years and claiming that the only thing she has that can

make her happy is all the things she wants to buy, so she simply just buys it. "Whoever said

money can't solve your problems? Must not have had enough money to solve 'em." This lyric

is referring to the fact that she buys whatever she wants in order to solve her problems in her

head, by blocking out the trauma and distracting herself. She may be happy, and buying things

that make her happy. However, she is using money as the source rather than other things in

her life. 

"7 Rings" out 54 years after "My Favorite Things", made for two completely different

audiences. "7 Rings" uses her own lyrics to enunciate her happiness for money, while adding

an upbeat tone, catchy lyrics, and a very colorful music video. Grande's song begins with her

explaining how money can buy you happiness. This interpretation of the song is a very cut

and dry version of the music. When you hear the 1965 version you think of things that make

you happy with a smile. Granite you may have a smile while listening to Ariana's version but

it doesn't give out that sincere feeling you should get through what makes you enjoy life.  

In the Ariana Grande version, the same message is being delivered, just in two very

different contexts. And although people enjoy both versions, the audience they are trying to
capture is an obvious change between versions. By adding an upbeat tune, diamonds, dancing,

and a very popular artist in this century, the song grew in popularity. And finally, The Sound

of Music's song grew more well-known because everyone had come to know the sound from

"7 Rings." 

Works Cited:

Andrews, Julie. The Sound of Music. "My Favorite Things" TM & © Fox (1965) Courtesy of
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGABqdbtQnA&t=26s

Grande, Ariana. "7 Rings" 2019, January 18.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYh6mYIJG2Y