I’m writing this on a day where the temperature reached 70 degrees in Boston, so it’s officially time to start thinking about the warmth of spring and summer! Here are ten songs to enhance that mood:
- Summer Skin (Death Cab for Cutie)
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The first one here is a pretty obvious contender. The lyrics get you in the mood for summer outright by saying “squeaky swings and tall grass/ the longest shadows ever cast,” reminiscent of those times when you were a kid and you’d play outside until the sun finally set at 9 pm.
- &burn (Billie Eilish, with Vince Staples)
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Another song with an allusion to summer in the title, (although it’s about having someone ‘make your heartburn’), &burn sounds summery because of Billie’s soothing, warm, and kind of deep voice. The lyric “I’ll sit and watch your car burn” also reminds me of summer because first of all, it’s so hot a car could burn, but secondly, it’s nice enough outside that the speaker of the song can sit outside indefinitely to watch the car burn without worrying about the weather.
- Gooey (Glass Animals)
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This song really just reminds me of the humidity of summer. The title already sounds familiar to how sticky being in humidity feels, but the synth-pop sound of it also sounds really heavy and pervasive, like the heat of DC (where I’m from).
- Beach House (HOAX)
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This song references a “beachier summer” (for obvious reasons) as opposed to just being super-hot and humid. The opening notes are played by a xylophone-sounding instrument you’d find at the beach (despite many Google searches, I can’t find the name). Halfway through the song, the speaker sings “I keep losing to a moment/ when I’m with you I just can’t focus” which I think is very fitting for summer because you tend to get caught up in moments and indulgences because of less responsibility.
- California (Childish Gambino)
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This is a really fun-sounding, kind of quirky song that nevertheless belongs on this list because of the title and the way the lyrics are sung. California, of course, is known for its warm, year-long summer weather. But also, the way the Childish Gambino sings this song in a super staccato way helps the warm vibe along because it’s chirpy and happy (despite the condemning lyrics).
- Goodnight Baby (Tarune)
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To me, this song sounds a lot like what it feels like to be quietly, sleepily, lying in bed with someone with the windows open in the late afternoon when the sun is about to go down. The opening strums of guitar sound muffled, which add to the dream-like quality. The cover art for the song is a bunch of clouds in the setting-sun sky, which I think add to this image. Finally, the speaker sings “goodnight winter, how cold you are inside/ goodnight autumn, leave the leaves behind” clearly referencing the beginning of warm weather.
- City Heart (LEFTI)
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While a lot of the other songs on this list are referencing a more nature-driven summer, LEFTI have a specific summer vibe to them sometimes, like in this song. It’s upbeat and the singer croons about having a missed connection with someone during “forgotten nights” and “late-night scenes” which reminds me of being outside in a city on summer nights when the weather is finally good enough to stay out for longer than normal.
- Cherry Wine Live Version (Hozier)
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Despite the heavy implications behind this song (he’s singing about a physically and emotionally abusive relationship), it has the appearance and sound of a sweet, warm love song because the main instrument is an acoustic guitar and Hozier sings low and really soft. Also, the cherries referenced in the title remind you of the fruits grown in summer. Finally, there are also bird-chirping sounds throughout the song, making it sound as if this song is playing on someone’s patio during a low-key summer dinner party.
- Sunflower (Rex Orange County)
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Like Gooey, this song opens with an interesting muffled sound that makes me think of humidity. This song is on this list because of the title, as well as the constant references to the sun throughout.
- Just the Same (Empress Of)
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This song is on the list because it’s light and happy, talking about the beginning of a relationship. Empress Of sings in a really high-pitched, soothing voice that sounds almost like a breezy summer day.
I can’t wait until it’s hot enough to wear shorts outside, so I’m going to keep listening to these songs until that time is here. Happy listening!
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