Medley of the Day: Short songs I could listen to over and over

1. "J’y Suis Jamais Alle" by Yann Tiersen. This is part of the Amelie soundtrack and the only song that uses this theme. It's a sweet melody that sounds and feels like a carousel. Plus, it's hard not to be charmed by the accordion.

2. "Song for the Asking" by Simon & Garfunkel. Paul Simon could always write songs that sound nostalgic. It just sounds like memories. This song is full of such sincere yearning it's heartbreaking.

3. "Golden Slumbers" by The Beatles. There is an inordinate number of Beatles songs that are less than a 2 minutes, but this one I always want to be longer. Wedge between "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" and "Carry that Weight" on Abbey Road, this pseudo-lullaby shows up. The words say sleep, Paul McCartney's vocals scream passion. Nothing is more darling than Paul trying to put soul in his voice.

4. "Aquarium from Le Carnaval des Animaux" by Camille Saint-Saëns. This instrumental piece is nothing but magical. I was first introduced to it in the film Days of Heaven which adds a fairytale air to a sadly realistic film. Early trailers of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button used it, fooling me into thinking the film would be just as magical as the song or as beautiful as Days of Heaven. Turns out, just the song added the magic. Enjoy.

5. "Bookends" by Simon and Garfunkel. Here's Paul Simon again, crafting gorgeous pieces of music into small packages. If only I could harness the poetic melancholy of this song to a full album.