Playlist: Songs for Spring
Instead of sharing something work-related this month, in honor of the beginning of spring and the glimmer of hope for the future that comes along with it, I decided to share my totally biased, oddly specific playlist full of songs that capture the sun, light, and life of SPRING.
Hope you enjoy! Link to the Spotify playlist is HERE and it’s also embedded at the bottom.
THE BEATLES SECTION
1. The Beatles - Here Comes The Sun
I will let Eric Clapton do the talking on this one - here’s a quote from the documentary The Material World where he talks about George Harrison writing Here Comes The Sun:
"It was one of those beautiful spring mornings. I think it was April, we were just walking around the garden with our guitars. I don't do that, you know? This is what George brought to the situation. He was just a magical guy...we sat down at the bottom of the garden, looking out, and the sun was shining; it was a beautiful morning, and he began to sing the opening lines and I just watched this thing come to life." (LINK)
2. The Beatles - Dear Prudence
3. The Beatles - I Feel Fine
This song has nothing to do with spring, but listen to it while you’re walking around on a spring day and JUST TRY to be mad.
4. The Beatles - Till There Was You
This song always makes me think of spring, with the birds in the sky and the sweet fragrant meadows. This version is so upbeat and light, it always makes me picture lying on a hill in the spring looking at the clouds.
5. The Beatles - Good Day Sunshine
For years, I had this as my alarm on my phone in the morning. Just ask my old boss - once I left my phone at work and he came in the next morning to a phone blaring “GOOD DAY SUNSHINE” over and over and over. When I came in looking for it later, he said that he knew immediately it was mine because I was the only person in the world who would have that song as my alarm.
6. The Beatles - Sun King
Fun fact: The second half of this song is a mix of Spanish, Italian, and nonsense...and Google Translate informs me that the last line means “I obrigado so much that I can eat it carousel.”
7. The Beatles - Rain
I’ve always loved this song. It’s weird. It has backwards guitar. It has a music video where the Beatles frolic around in an English garden.
THE GRATEFUL DEAD SECTION
8. Grateful Dead - Box of Rain
Just like American Beauty, I’m kicking this section off with Box of Rain.
9. Grateful Dead - China Cat Sunflower
Sunflowers are a universal sign of spring, and everything about the pace, the beat, and the song makes me think of taking a walk in San Francisco on a sunny day.
10. Grateful Dead - Scarlet Begonias
It’s about flowers, and it’s great for blasting while you do some spring cleaning with the windows open.
11. Grateful Dead - Bird Song
Technically this is a Jerry Garcia solo song, but the Grateful Dead played it quite a bit live. It’s a pretty song with a slightly rough streak through it - I just recently learned that it was written as a tribute to Janis Joplin, so that’s pretty perfect. “All I know is something like a bird within her sang.”
12. Grateful Dead - Ripple
I love this song at any time of the year, but it’s so mellow it’s perfect for a nice relaxing spring day.
13. Grateful Dead - Here Comes Sunshine
You kind of have to ignore most of the lyrics for this song to really have a spring feeling. It’s got a happy, upbeat sound and pretty dark lyrics, except for the chorus. I love those kinds of sarcastic mismatches between lyrics and music...which brings me to the next song:
THE CLASSIC ROCK/OLDIES SECTION
14. The Velvet Underground - Who Loves The Sun
This is the song that introduced me to the sarcastic wonderfulness of Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground. I love the pessimism of the lyrics combined with the happy 60’s pop tune. For the spring days that you wish it was raining and want the birds to be quiet so you can sleep.
15. Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky
This song is just so happy and perfectly captures what it feels like to see the sun after a long cold lonely winter like Jeff Lynne’s pal Mr. George Harrison wrote about.
16. Tom Petty - Into The Great Wide Open
Another song that I love any time of year but it’s especially fun to listen to while driving around with the windows down and getting out into the world after being cooped up inside all winter. Please enjoy the video, featuring Tom himself as the roadie named Bart.
17. Tom Petty - Wildflowers
Yes! Flowers! Spring! Be free!
18. Simon & Garfunkel - The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)
This is the perfect song to listen to while walking around NYC (or anywhere) on the first nice day of the year.
19. Simon & Garfunkel - April Come She Will
20. Peter Paul and Mary - Early Morning Rain
A good one for mellow rainy April mornings.
21. Jimi Hendrix - The Wind Cries Mary
I’m not sure why this one makes me think of spring, but it always has. So enjoy.
22. Jimi Hendrix - One Rainy Wish
23. The Allman Brothers - Blue Sky
The Allman Brothers at their most upbeat.
24. Bob Marley - Three Little Birds
25. The Rascals - Groovin’
Because who doesn’t like groovin’ on a Sunday afternoon in the springtime?
26. The Rascals - Beautiful Morning
It’s too hard to choose one lyric - the entire song is an ode to getting outside on a sunny day, perfect for spring.
27. Tommy James & The Shondells - Crimson and Clover
28. The Foundations - Build Me Up Buttercup
Scream this song at the top of your lungs to get rid of the last of the winter blues.
29. Bobby Day - Rockin Robin
How can this song NOT make you think of spring? Robins! Spring!
30. Jimmy Cliff - I Can See Clearly Now
31. Stevie Wonder - You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
32. Lesley Gore - Sunshine Lollipops and Rainbows
33. BJ Thomas - Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head
34. Gene Kelly - Singin’ In The Rain
35. The Lovin’ Spoonful - Daydream
THE ‘90S SECTION
36. Len - Steal My Sunshine
37. Sublime - What I Got
38. Sublime - Scarlet Begonias
(I had to include both versions.)
39. Four Non Blondes - What’s Going On
Open your windows and SING IT.
40. Bush - Glycerin
This is here purely because everyone in my generation remembers the epic performance by Gavin Rossdale in the rain on MTV Spring Break.
THE JAZZ SECTION
41. Louis Armstrong - On The Sunny Side Of The Street
42. Louis Armstrong - La Vie En Rose
43. Preservation Hall Jazz Band w/Pete Seeger - Blue Skies
44. Thelonious Monk - April in Paris
(Honorable Mention to the Bill Evans cover as well)
45. Bill Evans - I’ll Remember April
46. Dave Brubeck - Spring in Central Park
47. Freddie Hubbard - Up Jumped Spring
THE DISNEY SECTION
48. All In The Golden Afternoon - from Alice in Wonderland
49. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah - from Song of the South
50. Let’s Go Fly a Kite - from Mary Poppins
Bonus: Because this one doesn’t fit into any of the categories I have above, consider it a bonus track #51: Lily Allen - LDN
If you have read all the way down here to the bottom, I hope you enjoy the playlist!
Tell me: what did I forget?! What’s your favorite spring song?