"Haven't Met You Yet" - Michael Buble

I love the optimism in this song....  It's as though any day - maybe tomorrow - you could meet the love of your life!
[click here for the Official video (embedding not allowed)]
An unofficial video....

"The Girl I Mean to Be" from The Secret Garden - Marsha Norman and Lucy Simon

On the one occasion where I auditioned for a school musical, this is the song I sang.  I love the simplicity of the lyrics and how they convey a young girl's wish for a place of her own.

"Just a Kiss" - Lady Antebellum

A sweet pop-country song.  The group Lady Antebellum has such a warm, real sound that gives a feeling of sincerity to their music.

"African Alphabet" - Sesame Street

Another favorite from Sesame Street - amazing how these stick with you for so long!

"Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal" - Alice Parker

This energetic sacred hymn is one of many traditional American hymns that anticipate the next life with joy.

(My recording is from BYU Singers, and is slightly different.)

"My Shepherd Will Supply My Need" - text Isaac Watts

This hymn has such comforting and faith-filled words, it's no wonder that there are multiple beautiful arrangements of it.  This first (Virgil Thomson) uses consistent harmonies across the verses, yet the moving parts give momentum throughout.  The second (Mack Wilberg) is a beautiful arrangement that adds harp and oboe, and varied harmonies that build until the climax in the final verse.  And, I was going to put a third, but I can't find a recording of it - maybe on a future post....

the GUM YouTube playlist

Hello fellow GUM lovers - just in case you haven't noticed previously, there is a YouTube playlist on this page (upper right :)

One of the great things about this playlist is that you can play it on your own computer by clicking the "YouTube" icon on that frame.  You can also bookmark that page when you get there.  Right now the playlist has almost 3 hours of GUM!

My cousin also suggested I look into Spotify, so I'll check that out, too!  (I'd been planning to make this post today, it just happened to coincide with your suggestion!  Thanks :)

As always, enjoy!

Recommendations: Week 2 ("Song for a Winter's Night" and "Reach")

Thanks for the recommendations, everyone!  (sorry for not posting yesterday!)
This week we have a sweet romantic song and another "I can do it" song.  Enjoy!

"Song for a Winter's Night" - Gordon Lightfoot

"Reach" - Gloria Estefan (from the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games)

After a week of cello... ("Roman Carnival" and "Cello Wars")

It's been a busy week with a lot of cello!  Here are two light-hearted pieces, one that I've heard a lot of this week, and another, just for fun!  Enjoy!

Berlioz: Roman Carnival Overture - Stokowski/Philadelphia

Cello Wars (Star Wars Parody) Lightsaber Duel - Steven Sharp Nelson

"It Takes Two" from "Into the Woods" - Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine

After struggling to find the ingredients to reverse a witch's curse, a baker realizes he needs his wife's help.  And Sondheim's clever lyrics and Lapine's mixed ballad-patter melody take it from there!

"I Have a Dream" - ABBA

A classic "I-can-do-it" song, with that characteristic ABBA sound.  I suppose the guitar is meant to hint at harps?  You can decide that one....

(Bonus!  Pictures of polar bears!  ...and a seal.)

"Downtown" - Petula Clark

This upbeat song never fails to bring a smile to my face.  A few years ago I sang it as I walked to Downtown Disney, which Miss Petula Clark would really think is the happiest place on earth!

"I Don't Want to Live on the Moon" - Sesame Street

This is my all-time favorite Sesame Street song!  It has such a sweet sentiment, and the simple melody adds a feeling of innocence.  Here are two versions, the original, and the duet with Aaron Neville (both are official).

"Our Children" from the musical "Ragtime" - Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty

Ragtime is a fantastic musical about the turmoil of the early 20th Century, with a fantastic variety of moving ballads and fun patter songs.  The second act is quite a bit darker than the first act, but still has great music, including this song, "Our Children," where the wealthy widow and immigrant widower are watching their two children play.  Check out the Wikipedia page for more about this great musical.

"From Western Woods To Beaversdam" from Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - Harry Gregson-Williams

A beautiful subdued piece that paints a picture of a new world opening up to the travelers.

"The Promised Land" - arr. Ronald Staheli

A beautiful American song - I love Staheli's arrangement, especially the descant, and the cool harmony that is at 2:55 in this video.  (The song ends at 3:22.)

(My recording is from BYU Singers.)

"A Prayer of King Henry VI" - Henry G. Ley

On Sundays, I will post "sacred" pieces (as opposed to "secular"), in honor of the Sabbath.

This is one of my all-time favorite choir pieces, which was introduced to me at the wedding of two friends.  The song has a slow tempo, lending a thoughtful feeling to the humble prayer.

Translation:

Lord, Jesus Christ,

who created, redeemed and pre-ordained me

to that which I am,

you know what you would make of me;

make of me according to your will

with mercy.

Amen.

Recommendations! Week 1 ("Aguas de Marco", "Where the Green Grass Grows")

After the "Good, Uplifting Music" blog's premier week, there have already been some recommendations for songs that should be shared!  Each week, a few of the recommendations will be selected to be posted in the weekly "Recommendations!" post.  Enjoy, and keep sharing!

"Where the Green Grass Grows" - Tim McGraw

(Bonus: see the entire line of John Deere tractors in this video!)

 "Aguas de Marco" - Elis Regina

A Brazilian song recommended by a friend who wrote, "One of my favorite happy songs is this one. I hope you enjoy it!"

English translation:
Waters of March

A stick, a stone,
It's the end of the road,
It's the rest of a stump,
It's a little alone

It's a sliver of glass,
It is life, it's the sun,
It is night, it is death,
It's a trap, it's a gun

The oak when it blooms,
A fox in the brush,
A knot in the wood,
The song of a thrush

The wood of the wind,
A cliff, a fall,
A scratch, a lump,
It is nothing at all

It's the wind blowing free,
It's the end of the slope,
It's a beam, it's a void,
It's a hunch, it's a hope

And the river bank talks
of the waters of March,
It's the end of the strain,
The joy in your heart

The foot, the ground,
The flesh and the bone,
The beat of the road,
A slingshot's stone

A fish, a flash,
A silvery glow,
A fight, a bet,
The range of a bow

The bed of the well,
The end of the line,
The dismay in the face,
It's a loss, it's a find

A spear, a spike,
A point, a nail,
A drip, a drop,
The end of the tale

A truckload of bricks
in the soft morning light,
The shot of a gun
in the dead of the night

A mile, a must,
A thrust, a bump,
It's a girl, it's a rhyme,
It's a cold, it's the mumps

The plan of the house,
The body in bed,
And the car that got stuck,
It's the mud, it's the mud

Afloat, adrift,
A flight, a wing,
A hawk, a quail,
The promise of spring

And the riverbank talks
of the waters of March,
It's the promise of life
It's the joy in your heart

A stick, a stone,
It's the end of the road
It's the rest of a stump,
It's a little alone

A snake, a stick,
It is John, it is Joe,
It's a thorn in your hand
and a cut in your toe

A point, a grain,
A bee, a bite,
A blink, a buzzard,
A sudden stroke of night

A pin, a needle,
A sting, a pain,
A snail, a riddle,
A wasp, a stain

A pass in the mountains,
A horse and a mule,
In the distance the shelves
rode three shadows of blue

And the riverbank talks
of the waters of March,
It's the promise of life
in your heart, in your heart

A stick, a stone,
The end of the road,
The rest of a stump,
A lonesome road

A sliver of glass,
A life, the sun,
A knife, a death,
The end of the run

And the riverbank talks
of the waters of March,
It's the end of all strain,
It's the joy in your heart.

"Take a Back Road" - Rodney Atkins

Another great country song to help refocus amid the busy-ness of life.  The fun rhythm makes you want to get up and move :)

(Official music video is cute, but has a suggestive moment.)

"Man Who Can't Be Moved" - The Script

Most of the songs on the GUM blog about relationships will be "happy-in-love" songs, but this is an exception about unrequited love.  The reason I still find it so uplifting is the (admittedly excessive) devotion the singer shows to his lost girl, and the way the music highlights the sincerity of his love.

"Go, Lovely Rose" - Eric Whitacre

This is my favorite Eric Whitacre song.  Whitacre is incredibly effective at incorporating rich harmonies and intricate moving parts to convey the feeling of the poetic lyrics.

"Everything" - Michael Buble

Sweet lyrics, with Michael Buble's modern-crooner style :)

"Nation Shall Not Lift Up A Sword Against Nation/Glory To God In The Highest" - Ralph Vaughan Williams

Amazing, powerful choir piece.  I love the way it builds into a triumphant climax.  The lyrics are so faith-inspiring, too - they give me hope for good things to come!

(My recording - which does not have the Dona Nobis Pacem at the end - is from the Luther College 2008 Christmas broadcast on PBS - a great album!)

"One Step at a Time" - Jordin Sparks

Another "you-can-do-it" song!  I like the high-heel clicks at the beginning, suggesting a busy business woman heading out for the day.

(Official video has too much immodesty for the GUM blog.)

"Hello world" - Lady Antebellum

This beautiful country ballad is about taking a step back and refocusing.

The official video is a tear-jerker, but here it is if you want to watch it!

"Perfect World" - Peter Cetera

Sweet, sincere lyrics with a great message!

"Forbidden Friendship" from "How to Train Your Dragon" - John Powell

I've listened to this piece about a hundred times or more.  It is the music that plays in the movie "How to Train Your Dragon" when the boy, Hiccup, is taming the dragon.  I love the way the piece slowly builds, beginning by dancing around the melody and then finally reaching the full realization of the theme.  If you haven't seen the movie, "How to Train Your Dragon," I highly recommend it!  That scene is just one of many highlights.

"The Way You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra - Vocal Point

Vocal Point does such a great job at keeping the listener engaged in this classic crooner's song.  I love the variety in style, and the singers' smooth voices.

"Copperline" - James Taylor

I love the warmth and sincerity of this song.  The timeless, nostalgic lyrics always make me think of little kids running through the woods....

"One Semester of Spanish Love Song" - runawaybox.com

While the music quality may not be as great as the other songs posted so far, the comedic value is high!  Enjoy!

"Halo" - Beyonce

This is a great "happy in love" song, as I call them.  It's all happy statements about a relationship, with a strong rhythm that intensifies the emotion of the song.

(The official music video is sweet and beautiful, but has some immodesty and so is not posted here.)

"Close to Home" from "Children of Eden" - Stephen Schwartz

This touching song is from the musical "Children of Eden," with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (of "Wicked" fame).  A dear friend of mine introduced me to this musical, which retells the stories of Adam & Eve and the flood.  In this song, Adam and Eve reflect on their life after leaving the Garden of Eden.

"The Isle of the Dead" Opus 29 - Sergei Rachmaninoff

Don't be put off by the name of this piece - it is gorgeous!  I heard this performed at the Houston Symphony Orchestra last week, and it was this piece that inspired me to finally create this blog.  This was one of few Rachmaninoff works that was "more than just music," as Maestro Graf put it on Friday - it was inspired by a version of Arnold Bocklin's painting, shown in the YouTube videos below.  One of my favorite elements of the piece is the 5-beat rhythm - suggesting the movement of the oars in the water - that begins and ends the piece.

Part 1 (as divided by the YouTube poster):   It starts quiet - turn your volume up :)

Part 2:

"Seek Him That Maketh the Seven Stars" - Jonathan Dove

9/23/2012:  UPDATE!!  Someone has posted the recording I have of this song!  (I prefer it to the recording posted previously. : )

Don't you just love that?  Aahh. : )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Original Post: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I first heard this song at The 100th Annual Christmas Carol Services, performed by the Harvard University Choir.  (For the purists - it isn't strictly a Christmas song, so you can listen to it in January!)  I was stunned by the beauty and majesty of the music.  There were so many parts that I loved then, especially the "aa-ah"s in the phrase that begins at 3:30 - they sounded as though light was flooding the chapel in waves, from a great fountain.  As I have listened to it repeatedly, I have fallen in love with the successive repetition of "that maketh the seven stars" by each part (beginning 4:21).*

And speaking of falling in love, this song actually helped me reconnect with the love of my life, whom I married the following year :)  It reminded me of music by Eric Whitacre, a favorite composer, so I e-mailed a link to a recording of it.  My gesture kindled the hope that we could get back together, and we did just that a week later!

* In my recording of this song, which is from the Salisbury Cathedral Choir, some of these parts are sung by soloists.

ThePianoGuys - "Peponi" [Coldplay's Paradise, African Style (Piano/Cello) Cover - ft. Alex Boye]

Incredible music and video.  ThePianoGuys do it again!  I love the beautiful music combined with Alex Boye's intensity and powerful voice.

OneRepublic - "Marchin On"

I love this song for it's "we can do it" attitude, as well as the harmonies, "oowohs" (that's the technical term, I'm sure), and vocal rhythms.

This Collection

After lamenting how challenging it is to find Good, Uplifting Music (GUM, we'll call it), I decided to begin this blog to gather the GUM that is out there, wherever it may be.

So, welcome to this new blog, a venue to share music that is both uplifting and good-quality!

By "uplifting," I mean that you feel better because you listened to it.  You feel happier, the world seems like a better place, or you are simply left in awe of the beauty of the music.  This also means that there will be no offensive or suggestive lyrics, and only family-friendly videos will be embedded here.

By "good-quality," I mean that the music is moving, interesting, well-composed, and/or otherwise better than the average music that you might pull off the shelf or Pandora might pull out of the box.

There will be lots of variety, and when I say variety, I don't mean what radio stations mean ("We play everything from this-kind-of-pop to that-kind-of-pop!").  I believe that there can be good music in every genre, so this is really, truly, a variety station!  ...Though I confess I do have favorite kinds :)

There will be music from country

("This" - Darius Rucker)

to hip hop

("Miss Independent" - Ne-Yo)

[The official video is quite fun, but there is enough immodesty that I didn't embed it here.]

to a'capella

("Club Can't Even Handle Me Right Now" by Flo Rida - Dartmouth Aires)

to orchestral

("The Lark Ascending" - Ralph Vaughan Williams)

To the extent possible, the title and artist will always be listed, along with a recording of the music (from YouTube, upon which I will depend for legality of the recording!).

Enjoy, and I look forward to your comments!