Happily Melancholic Favorite #7: Silver Sorrow by Azure Ray

I have Drawing Down The Moon! I Actually received it about 11 days before the CD actually released. It's amazing, of course it is because it's Azure Ray. Out of the 13 songs the top five I loved the most were:

1. Silver Sorrow
2. Don't Leave My Mind
3. On & On Again
4. Lonely Girls
5. Make Your Heart

I loved this album so much that I even listened to the album on sunny days. God, I love Azure Ray!
Here's Silver Sorrow by Azure Ray.

The Goddess of Happily Melancholy - Akino Arai

The Goddess of Happily Melancholy - Akino Arai

A Goddess is one that explores the elements, one that is not always in the public eye, one that's humble, nice, and recognized for their strengths. Akino Arai fits all these qualities. But why a Happily Melancholic Artist you ask?
Listen to "Voices[Video]" or "Wanna Be An Angel[Video]" and then rethink that question. Ok, if you're still wondering why, I understand. Those songs to me are not her ultimate best ones but they're the most popular songs.
To me she really broadcasts the sense of Happily Melancholy in pretty much all of her good songs. The balancing of the two polar opposite emotions, the vocals, melodies, lyrics, sounds, feelings, all of it is so powerful and needed for recognition.
All of her songs are either, other-worldly, down-to-earth, melancholic or happily melancholic.
This Goddess has really gotten in touch with the earth and the beauty of life, nature, love, and the universe. I don't know what Akino Arai does to make such great songs but I'd love to know her secret.
The first song I loved from her was, "Tsuki No Ie", in 1999
I thought that I was listening to an Angel singing. Later in time, I then found more songs by Akino Arai and heard more recent songs. I was blown away by her songs. I still am each time I find a new songs I like by her. It's so hard to really narrow down the songs that are happily melancholic because about 75% of them are Happily Melancholic! Ok, Her album, VHMusic, is filled with a few songs that are really soothing and are Happily Melancholic like, "Blooming Spring", "Little Dream", "Trance Transistor Table Radio (VH Version)" and "Princess of Winter". The rest are soothing songs like, "Yellow Star", "I'd Love To See U", "It's Snowing" and "An Angel Is Smiling".
On Her Album, Eden, Happily Melancholic songs on their are, "New World", with an other-worldly feeling, and "Kamisama no gogo". Soothing/ Melancholic songs are, "Nijiro no wakusei", and "Roundabout Drive". I love Roundabout Drive and New World because Roundabout is so filled with a "weathered" emotion, while New world has that feeling of flying high and motivation.
Then on her other album, Furu Platinum, there's only two songs that really stands out and it's, "Garukei no Raken", a song filled with a "weathered" and "Orange Noel", a down-to-earth track.
A B-side that I really love is called, "Forou Mii", which is a Happily Melancholic track. It builds up from a really quiet beginning to a really upbeat ending. It's great.
The Kakusei Toshi Single was filled with down-to earth songs. Just like the song "Kakusei Toshi", with "Tasogre Wa Mirai De Matsu" and "Pouriinu Pouriinu" the single can put you to sleep if you're not used to really soothing songs.
Luckily, "Kimi e Mukau Hikari", is a pretty upbeat, Happily Melancholic song.
Next up her album, Kouseki Radio, I love this album. There's two Happily Melancholic songs on this album, "Satellite Song", and "Kirei Na Kanjou". Up next is "Sakasami no niji", is probably the most isolated feeling song in her collection. I love it so much.
From her most recent album, "Sora no Sphere", her songs are similar to flying around in the air or hanging around in the nature of the world. I love it.
"Haleakala", the first track on the album, is a great entrance to a wonderful album of Akino's. The build-up, the feeling, all of it gives you a feel of flying. A song to listen to when you're walking around at 5 am. When the morning blue skies are out. I love "Monday, Tuesday", because of the chill melody, and the sounds that makes it feel like an everyday song. It's nice. "Terminal", is great, because it's so upbeat and interesting to listen to.
"Wings of Blue", is the most upbeat song on the album. The backing vocals and the melody as if you're going out to sea. It's cool.
Now the final song I'm going to talk about is, "Natsukashii Umi", because this song is the most happily melancholic song Akino Arai has made so far.

-I love Akino Arai-

*please note that the free downloads are in the paragraphs*

The Empress of Happily Melancholy - Dido

The Empress of Happily Melancholy - Dido
In the beginning of her career she had some pretty melancholic demo love songs on her unreleased first album, Odds & Ends, then with her official studio album, No Angel, she really showcased her talents of balancing Happiness and Sadness in "Thank You" and presented, spooky ethereal sounds on "Here With Me" while also showing a vocal attitude on "Hunter". With her first album it had a feeling of sad love and spooky sounds.
Then with her second release Life For Rent, songs like, "Sand In My Shoes", "This Land Is Mine" and "See The Sun" were Happily Melancholic songs. They balanced that Happiness and Sadness in a song. While other songs like, "Life For Rent" and "See You When You're 40", have more of a feeling of realizations and growing up. I love that.
Then her recent third release, Safe Trip Home, took a turn of melancholy with the melodies, lyrics, and vocals, Dido offered on the album. But there's still a small feeling of understanding in some of the songs. Like, "Quiet Times", "Look No Further" and "Us 2 Little Gods".
While other songs are purely melancholic like, "Summer*", "For One Day*", "Grafton Street", "The Day Before The Day" "Let's Do The Things We Normally Do", and "It Comes And Goes".
While the rest were about love and moving on, "Don't Believe In Love", "Never Want To Say It's Love" and "Burnin' Love".
I've noticed that with her ethereal voice and her creative melodies, her songs can be from purely melancholic to happily melancholic. It's as if Happily Melancholy is in her voice. Luckily with that wonderful voice it makes her songs very powerful.I think that's she's an Empress because of her vocals, melodies, and lyrics. She's a really happily melancholic woman. She's growing fast personally, and she's going through the death of her father. That shows great honors of being the Happily Melancholy Empress.
Free Download
Everything To Lose
*the rest of the free downloads are in the paragraphs.*

The Queen of Happily Melancholy - Sally Seltmann

The Queen of Happily Melancholy - Sally Seltmann
Sally Seltmann was more Happily Melancholic as New Buffalo than as herself in her recent album, Heart That's Pounding. Mostly with her first album, The Last Beautiful Day, it was so full of happiness, sadness, isolation, and distant feeling that it was a purely happily melancholic album. New Buffalo is the only artist I know that has the most happily melancholic songs in one album.
Songs like, "Recovery", "It'll Be Alright", "Inside", and "While You're Away" are all happily melancholic songs to me. Practically half of the album was happily melancholic while the rest were melancholic love songs and lullabies.
She showcased her balancing skills again on "Cheer Me Up Thank You" and "Harmony To My Heartbeat" but right now I don't know if she's going to be bring back anymore Happily Melancholic songs for me.
But to me she'll still be the Queen of Happily Melancholy.

The Princess of Happily Melancholy - Maria Taylor

I know it's been a while since I've posted anything but I'm done with finals and High School, officially graduated! I'm a High School Grad now! Now I have some free time before I go to my Cruise on June 5th.
There are three royal musicians, that are and remind me of the meaning and definition of being "Happily Melancholic".
*please note that the free downloads are in the paragraphs*
The Princess of Happily Melancholy - Maria Taylor
In all things said, Maria Taylor is kind of a beginner with Happily Melancholy genre. Her first two albums were pretty calm and soothing, more folk and folktronica oriented sounds.
Then she released her third album, Ladyluck and she proved her skills of being a Happily Melancholic Songwriter.
With songs like, It's Time, Green Butterflies & 100, 000 Times, you have to give her credit for her creative ways of balancing two polar opposite emotions in a song.
I hope to see more "HM" songs from her.

My Favorite Song: It's Time by Maria Taylor -Personally Explained-

It's Time*

Love Me Bad Idea Oh No Flashback.
Personally for me it's more, "Don't love me, cause I'll just push you away".
Whisper I Barely Hear Okay Now Come Back.
For me it's "Inner voice I barely hear, please come back.
Hold (Let Me Down) Myself Up (Let Me Down)
For Each Let Down.
For this line it's a long story, basically to sum it up, I hold my head up high while people let me down all the time.
It Aches (Let Me Down) But It Feels Good (Let Me Down)
A Mistake (Let Me Down) Is Understood Now
At times in my life, when I am very sad I feel pain that aches and to me it feels good because I'm never able to feel sadness all the time. Most times in my life it is held in. Also, most times in my life I understand the mistakes I make or do.
It's Time, Can You Feel It? I'm Making A Change
There's A World I Need To Know
I feel the changes I'm making in my life and the changes of life itself, while I also want to see the world and do something better for the world too.
It's Time, Can You Feel It? I'm Making A Change
I Learned To Let It Go
I'm learning to let things go more, to free myself of the bad and focus more on the good.
I Don't Know You, But I Want To Now Oh No Flashback
This line is more about me my inner self and how I don't know much about me, myself because I've put myself aside to please people all the time. To see they're smiling faces, to put on that Seven Day Smile.
Careful, I'm Barely Here Okay, Now Come Back
Basically saying that my true self is barely shown and at most times it will go away whenever I'm around people afraid of what they might think if I show them my true self.

Hold (Let Me Down) Myself Up (Let Me Down)
For Each Let Down.

It Breaks (Let Me Down) But It Feels Good (Let Me Down) Separate (Let Me Down) I Knew It Would Now
This basically describes my friendship with people that took advantage of me cause I'd help them all the time. Our friendship would break and we'll eventually separate cause they weren't friends with me just my "helpful" side.

It's Time, Can You Feel It? I'm Making A Change
There's A World I Need To Know
It's Time, Can You Feel It? I'm Making A Change
I Learned To Let You Go

This last part is expressing my feelings of letting the people I "love" go, because why keep being with them when all they do is let me down and they just expect me to repay them with kindness or respect when I don't really get a break and when I do I don't even ask for it. I have to do a lot of things by myself so if I have to go alone I'll be fine with that.

7th Happily Melancholic Song: It's Time by Maria Taylor

After 18 years of listening to music, I have finally found my favorite song. It's Time by Maria Taylor. Every line I hear from the song hits me at the right spot, the melodies speak to me and makes my soul fly and my smile grow wide, the hushed vocals tugs at my heart and motivates me to feel the emotion I have inside me. Every little thing about this song is perfect. I just love it.
I remember that I was listening to this song when I thought up of Happily Melancholic. The song has everything that's personal to me. It's Melancholic with an upbeat melody also it's about personal strength. I really love this song. If I didn't have this song in my collection I probably would still be the passive guy that I used to be.
Here's It's Time by Maria Taylor

6th Happily Melancholic Song: It Doesn't Feel Like Christmas by Sam Phillips

I'm sure some of you have heard of Sam Phillips infamous Long Play deal she's got going on this year. Basically she's giving subscribers a year of free music for 52$! 5 Digital EPs, Bonus Tracks/Rarities, Outtakes, Blog, Journal, Radio Talk, and so much more. Plus, she's giving her subscribers a free full-length digital album of her upcoming album. Set to release this fall. I know that it's a little late to post a Christmas song. But, you know what, I was broke during Christmas so I couldn't subscribe. I subscribed Thursday night and I feel like I've gotten my money's worth. Sam Phillips are so generous. You know, I've noticed that it's usually women that offer their music for free more than men. That's why I check on my female artists before the males. They don't give you much unless it was promoted on TV. Then they'll start giving a song(s) away.
ANYWAYS................On with the song.
It Doesn't Feel Like Christmas makes me smile but makes me feel really sad at the same time because.....Well, if you ever watched Gilmore Girls and you heard Sam Phillips vocalizing to a melody. For example....

I love that la la.
Well the songs reminds me of Gilmore Girls which makes me happy. (You know, I sometimes think that the only reason why I really like Sam Phillips is because her voice reminds me of Gilmore Girls.) I miss that show. It was supposed to have 8 seasons, not 7! Anyways, the reason why it makes me so sad is because it reminds me that even though I had a good Christmas last year it'll be bad this year. I just feel it in my bones. Plus the lyrics are so sad and yet the vocals are so sweet. Especially the vocalizing parts. Sam Phillips really knows how to hit home sometimes.
Here's It Doesn't Feel Like Christmas By Sam Phillips

5th Happily Melancholic Song: Harmony To My Heartbeat by Sally Seltmann

Dreams They Come & Go, This Is One I've Had Forever I Know.

I don't know how Sally does it. She just writes a song with hope and happiness mixed with uncertainty and sadness. She's the Happily Melancholic Queen. I loved her work as New Buffalo and now she's releasing her next album with her real name. She may have changed her name but her music, lyrics, and vocals are still just as heavenly as before. She's mixed the sounds of piano and acoustic guitar (Main instruments used for the Somewhere, Anywhere album as New Buffalo) with her Casio keyboard and synth and lo-fi sounds (Main instruments for The Last Beautiful Day). She's grown so much since her first release About Last Night. I love this artist.

I've Found The Lock In The Key, Now I Can Be Everything I've Wanted To Be

Harmony to My Heartbeat from Sally Seltmann on Vimeo.

Harmony to My Heartbeat. Directed by Antuong Nguyen at

Moopjaw.

I've Got A Little Dream That's Become A Friend For The Melody

Here's Harmony To My Heartbeat by Sally Seltmann
I Hope This Song Makes You Feel Better About The New Year Like It Did For Me.
Thank God For Arts & Crafts.

4th Happily Melancholic Song: Ghost by Gregory & The Hawk

I love this song. When you hear it you either feel the anger, the sadness, or the happiness in the song. Or all three! This song is moving, goofy, powerful, and dynamic.
Hope You Enjoy Ghost by Gregory & the Hawk.

Music Video
Myspace

3rd Happily Melancholic Song: Fallen Snow (The Age Of Rockets Remix) by Au Revoir Simone

"We both know it's going to be another long winter."

The melody is upbeat and sweet. The vocals are cute with a subtle sense of sadness. This song is perfect for sunny winter days. I actually noticed that no one really posted this song for a download. I really love the remix way more than the original. The remix kind of completes what the song means. Andrew Futral does a really good job with this remix.
I really hope you enjoy the song.
Fallen Snow (The Age of Rockets Remix) [Bonus Track] by Au Revoir Simone

Myspace

2nd Happily Melancholic Song: While You're Away by New Buffalo

I love New Buffalo! Her Album The Last Beautiful Day is one of the best Albums I've heard in 2007. I bought it in 2007 and was amazed. To me, that album is the best of 2005. Hands Down. One of my favorite songs from the Last Beautiful Day album, "While You're Away is so greatly happy with an upbeat melody and yet with sad or upset lyrics. This is the kind of song you should listen to when alone at home, venting about an ex or a person who upset you today.
Hope You Enjoy While You're Away!

I'm Happy I'm Sad. I'm Happily Melancholic.

In this blog I will post songs that are really happy and songs that are pretty sad. I'll have some of the great songs on the blog that will truly be "Happily Melancholic". So bear with me if I don't always post a song with a happy melody filled with sad lyrics.

1st Happily Melancholic Song: Green Butterflies by Maria Taylor

I love this song. It's so heavenly and melodic. The lyrics are sad yet the song is pretty joyful. So upbeat and dance-worthy. As if it's an Indie Pop Hoedown! Anyways....
Here's Green Butterflies

Debut of Happily Melancholic

It is a possibility to be happy with sadness. Music shows us that it's just as easy with one song to start the feeling and the crowd follows. Welcome to Happily Melancholic. I hope you enjoy the songs.