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Samira Pashayeva

Tim Waggoner

ENG 1201 Section 513

July 28, 2020

“My Favorite Things” vs. “7 Rings”

“My Favorite Things” is sung by the actress, Julie Andrews, from the 1965 film version of

Sound of Music. In the scene, the actress is singing about things that make her happy and fill

her mind with when she is experiencing hardships. Ariana Grande’s song “7 Rings” was released

in 2019 and is a remake of “My Favorite Things” with vastly different lyrics. Grande with her

remake is displaying a friendship anthem while also listing thing that make her happy. “My

Favorite Things” by Sound of Music and “7 Rings” by Ariana Grande share the same theme of

listing things that make people happy, however, the two versions have different lyrics that

appeal to different audiences. “My Favorite Things” focuses on things that are not required to

be bought with money, while on the other hand, “7 Rings” focuses specifically on things that

require money. 

“My Favorite Things” from Sound of Music is demonstrating how people can make

themselves happy with inexpensive things. Julie Andrews is demonstrating this by stating, “If

anything bothers me and I’m feeling unhappy I just try to think of nice things.” Thinking about

things that makes a person feel happy does not require any money. She further continues to

demonstrate how money is not needed to make a person happy by listing things that she

believes are nice and cheerful. For example, a few of things she lists are included in the

beginning chorus of the song, “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. Bright copper
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kettles and warm woolen mittens. Brown paper packages tied up with strings. These are a few

of my favorite things.” These are simple things that can make a person happy. Julie Andrews is

trying to say that a person does not need to physically own things to be happy, his or her

imagination can be successful in up bringing his or her mood. This can be seen when she sings

“When the dog bites, When the bees stings, When I’m feeling sad, I simply remember my

favorite things, And then I don’t feel so bad.” People get upset when something harmful

happens to themselves, so she is suggesting for people to think about things that make them

happy. All in all, “My Favorite Things” claims that people can make themselves happy with

inexpensive things, such as just the process of thinking about those things.

Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings” is demonstrating a similar theme as “My Favorite Thing”

however, her song focuses on things that require money and displays an action that goes on

further than just thinking about nice things. The theme is shown in Ariana Grande’s music when

she sings, “I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it” and “Buy myself all of my favorite things.” The

difference with “My Favorite Things” is that Ariana Grande is always referencing to spending

money on things that make her happy. For example, “breakfast at Tiffany’s […] Lashes and

diamonds, ATM machines […] my receipts, be lookin’ like phone numbers” are all referring to

having money and spending them on expensive things. Further, she also mentions that she

does not need anyone else other than herself and her money to make herself happy. The

chorus “Wearing a ring, but ain’t gon’ be no “Mrs.” Bought matching diamonds for six of my

bitches. I’d rather spoil all my friends with my riches” display this. She is not interested in

relationships and finds enjoyment in spending her money on herself and her friends. As

mentioned, Ariana Grande references to money and how it makes her happy when she is able
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to spend it on things. This is clearly demonstrated when she sings, “Whoever said money can’t

solve your problems. Must not have enough money to solve ‘em […] Happiness is the same

price as red bottom.” She believes that money can bring a person happiness because he or she

can own whatever he or she desires. Overall, in Grande’s version she claims that people can do

things that make themselves happy, such as buying things by using a similar theme as “My

Favorite Things” to list all the things that make her happy.

Both of these songs use pathos to appeal to the listener’s emotions and make a

connection with the lyrics. Children and a cozy setting are used in “My Favorite Things” to

create an emotional connection with the audience. In the music video, the use of pathos helps

to invoke memory and shared experiences. For instance, in the music video Julie Andrews is

comforting the children when they become afraid of the thunderstorms by talking and

distracting them from the sound. She navigates them to think about things that make them

cheerful when they are feeling upset. The use of the thunderstorms to make the children

become afraid is a scene that many people have probably experienced in their lives. This setting

helps the listener create an emotional connection. Ariana Grande uses pathos in “7 Rings” to

also create an emotional connection with the listener. In the music video, there are a lot of

adult activities, such as drinking and partying that can create a connection with the listener.

People who have had a similar experience to what is being portrayed in the music video will be

able to understand what is going on and relate to it.

Many people can enjoy both versions of the song even though they are very different

from each other, however, each version does have an intended audience. The Sound of Music

version appeals to children because Julie Andrews is sitting on a bed surrounded by six children
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and sitting the song like she is telling a bedtime story. For example, in the background the

sound of thunderstorms can be heard, and the children are covering their ears and holding

their heads down. However, once Julie Andrews being to engage with children, they rise into a

seating position and have all their attentions on her. On the other hand, Ariana Grande’s

version targets young female adults because throughout the music video only young females

are shown. In the music video the girls are drinking, partying, and twerking.

The two versions are similar in their themes and claims, to a certain point, even despite

their differences. Both of the versions are basically claiming that people should do things that

make them happy. In Sound of Music’s version, Julie Andrews beings the scene by stating, “If

anything bothers me and I’m feeling unhappy I just try to think of nice things” and then goes on

to list to those things that make her happy. In Arian Grande’s version, she displays the same

claim by repeatedly stating, “I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it” and “Buy myself all my favorite

things.” Even though Ariana Grande sings about buying all the things that she wants, and Julie

Andrews sings about thinking about inexpensive things, they are both demonstrating that a

person can do something to make themselves happy whether it is to think about those things

or to physically buy them.

To conclude, the two version “My Favorite Things” sung by Julie Andrews from Sound of

Music and “7 Rings” by Ariana Grande have the same theme and claim that people should do

things that make themselves happy. However, other than the theme and claim the two versions

are vastly different. Ariana Grande’s version is more hip hop and R&B, whereas, “My Favorite

Things” is more musical. Also, Grande’s version focuses on expensive things that can be bought
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with money, whereas, Julie Andrew’s version focuses on inexpensive things that can be thought

using a person’s imagination.

Works Cited

Grande, Ariana. “7 Rings.” YouTube video. Posted by Ariana Grande. 17 Jan. 2019,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYh6mYIJG2Y. Accessed 27 July 2020.

“My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music.” YouTube video. Posted by Rodgers &

Hammerstein. 11 Dec. 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IagRZBvLtw.

Accessed 27 July 2020.