1

Bailey

Taylor Bailey

Lisa Cook

English 1201.508

12 February 2021

My Favorite Things

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

have the same basic musical elements but different lyrics, yet convey the same theme

—what makes them happy. However, the two artists’ ideas of what makes them happy

are quite different, quite unique. And while these differences are startling, they both find

a way to paint the same picture of what makes each singer happy.

Both songs have similar musical elements, but the era from which the songs

came out played a big role in the different beat and tone. “My Favorite Things” came out

in 1965 and has more of an older tone to it, while “7 Rings” came out in 2019 and has a

more modern energy to it and upbeat music to go with the lyrics. Therefore, “7 Rings” is

a more modern version of “My Favorite Things.” Both songs have the same subject,

which is discussing a list of things that make them happy. However, “7 Rings” has a

different mindset than what is said in “My Favorite Things.” Ariana Grande’s version

implies money can buy you everything, even happiness, while “My Favorite Things”

infers that simple things make you happy and they don’t cost you anything.

Many think “7 Rings” came out as proof that Grande was doing great after a

big breakup. In the song she says, “I’d rather spoil all my friends with my riches.”

Even better, “7 Rings” is a hip-hop spin on “My Favorite Things.” Grande introduced

the melody in her verses but with a saucy attitude. The Sound of Music story is based
2
Bailey

on Maria von Trapp's memoir, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, published in 1949

to help promote her family's singing group following the death of her husband Georg in

1947.

The meaning of both of the songs is the idea of what truly makes people

happy, or what people want. However, Ariana Grande has a completely different idea

of happiness compared to the ideas discussed in The Sound of Music. Grande states

that happiness comes from money and buying things. She has many expensive

things in the music video, including jewelry, clothes, and cars, to prove this point. She

basically suggests money can buy you happiness. On the other hand, “My Favorite

Things” talks about simple things that can make them happy. Things that don’t have

an expense or cost money, like nature, animals, the stars, etc. Grande’s meaning of

happiness is very different from The Sound of Music’s interpretation of happiness.

The message of Grande’s song is also very different from the message of “My

Favorite Things.” In “7 Rings” the message is hardcore and straight to the point. In

the video she simply states things she buys that make her happy and things she

wants that will make her happy. As the song progresses, she states more and more

things that make her happy, and then belts out the following lines:

I see it,

I like it,

I want it,

I got it.

These lyrics appear multiple times, as if to say, “I can buy anything I want,

even happiness.” Grande thinks happiness comes with a price tag and expresses this
3
Bailey

through her music video for “7 Rings.” In contrast, the message in “My Favorite

Things” is more of a calm message. As the song went on, it stated more things that

made them happy, just like Grande’s song does. Except the things Trapp and the

seven children were stating had a different meaning of happiness. Unlike Grande’s

list of things to buy to make her happy, Trapp and the children stated things that

occur naturally or don’t cost money to possess. The message in this song makes the

listeners think about the world and what it has to offer that doesn’t involve a price tag.

The message is how when one is down, what they can do or think about to cheer

themselves up.

Both songs use Pathos as their rhetorical appeal. “My Favorite Things” uses

emotion by expressing what makes them happy on a sad or rainy day. The song

encourages others to make even the toughest days cheerful. “7 Rings” uses emotion,

but in a completely different way. It plays on your greedy side, making you want

everything and taking nothing for granted. It mentions many fancy objects and

extravagant gifts throughout the video that Grande has bought and it also mentions

things that she still wants. In the video all the different props used are expensive or

fancied up in some way. Altogether, it plays on a very greedy side of your emotion.

The audience of the two videos are very different. Grande’s song is more for a

modern and hyped audience, everywhere you looked in the video had a modern feel

from lights, to clothes. While “My Favorite Things” has more appeal to an older and

relaxed audience.

The two songs are very different, they have slightly different tunes, completely

opposite lyrics and delivery, however they do have one thing in common—their
4
Bailey

overall message. While everything else about the two songs is different, the meaning

is practically the same—things that make you happy. Things you want or things you

like, anything that makes you happy. That is the true message of both songs, just

delivered in drastically different ways.

Works Cited

Andrews, Julie. “My Favorite Things.” The Sound of Music, Rodgers & Hammerstein,

1965, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IagRZBvLtw , 9 Feb, 2021

Grande, Ariana. “7 Rings.” Ariana Grande, Polar Records, 2019,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0ykb30g4s4 , 9 Feb, 2021