Spring is the season of regeneration. There’s warmth in the air, everything around you is bright and vibrant and everyone seems to be in a better mood. One of the best part of springtime is seeing everything in full bloom. It may seem like flowers are cliché, but you just can’t avoid them in music. Throughout all of time, flowers have had significant symbolism in the way they’ve been used in stories and the connotations they have surrounding love and relationships. Without being overly romantic, here’s a compilation of some more unconventional songs to celebrate the coming of spring.
- “Iris” by The Goo Goo Dolls
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The Goo Goo Dolls are an American rock band from Buffalo, New York. The band is formed by members Johnny Rzeznik (vocalist and guitarist), Robby Takac (bassist and vocalist) and George Tutuska. In 2012, “Iris” ranked number one on the Billboard Top 100 Pop Songs 1992-2012 chart and stayed on the chart for almost twelve consecutive months. In their 33-year career, The Goo Goo Dolls have released 11 studio albums. Some of their other more noteable singles have been “Name,” “Slide” and “Better Days.”
“Iris” is both the most recognizable Goo Goo Dolls song and one of my personal favorites. The song is an incredibly intimate look at vulnerability in a relationship. Its opening line “And I’d give up forever to touch you” is an incredibly striking phrase that immediately grabs a listener’s attention. The thing that makes this statement so shocking is that the speaker is not even requesting for the person to be his or to be in his life for any extended period of time, he could only just want for the comfort of a small physical exchange. There is a certain level of self-awareness to this speaker that is not often shown in music. He knows that he is something indefinable and so he says “I don’t want the world to see me, ‘cause I don’t think that they’d understand.” He knows he can only trust this one other person with his true self. He’s finally coming to terms with opening himself up to someone else.
- “Sunflower (feat. Steve Lacey)” by Vampire Weekend
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New York rock band Vampire Weekend has been making music since 2006. Joined together by their mutual enrollment at Columbia University, Ezra Koenig (vocalist and guitarist), Rostam Batmanglij (multi-instrumentalist), Chris Tomson (drummer) and Chris Baio (bassist) bonded over their shared interest in punk rock and African music. They released their first album, Vampire Weekend, in 2008 that stood out due to its extensive use of international musical influences. They are scheduled to release a fourth album, Father of the Bride, later in 2019.
The use of the “Sunflower” throughout this song is a metaphor for someone who seems to be questioning their positioning in the world. As depicted in the lyrics, the sunflower is “standing in the garden” due to its rather long stem and its aptitude to grow anywhere from 10-20 feet on average. While it’s above everything else, it also has a harder time holding itself up because of its top-heavy nature. The sunflower referred to in the song seems to be trying to prove its strength as the lyrics say “No power can compel you.” The speaker is noting that whomever they are referring to is resisting giving into “the daylight.” It seems as though this person is troubled and is trying to hold themselves together at any cost.
- “Carnation” by Yumi Zouma
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New Zealand-based pop band Yumi Zouma consists of Christie Simpson (vocals, keyboards), Charlie Ryder (guitar, bass guitar, keyboards), Josh Burgess (guitar, bass guitar, vocals, keyboards) and Olivia Campion (drums). They first started playing together in Christchurch, New Zealand, but it was not until after the earthquake in Christchurch that the band began writing their own music. Since several of the members had moved abroad, they mostly collaborated over email. They later got picked up by the record label Cascine and released their debut album, Yoncalla, in 2016.
“Carnation” serves as a song about unintentionally hurting someone. From the lyrics, the audience gets the sense of a character who does not want to be seen. The opening lines of the song reflect a need to hide oneself as it goes “Pull the sheets over your head, not a minute more until the hope is dead.” Not only does this person want to avoid the other people in their life, but they also feel like they are on their last legs. In the second verse, the speaker tells the other person to “taste the blood enter [their] teeth.” In this instance, this character represents a danger in their maliciousness. Blood in one’s teeth likely refers to the idea of having a taste for blood, meaning that one seeks vengeance upon one’s rivals or enemies. While the person in the song at first seemed shy, we now get the sense that they have a darker side to them. The speaker clearly cares about this person, but maybe it’s best if they keep their distance.
- “Geranium” by Coast to Coast
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Coast to Coast is an English rock band fronted by vocalist Kei Hyland. The remaining lineup consists of guitarists Josh Taylor and Alex Edge as well as drummer Darius Walters. The band released their debut EP Dwell in 2016 which set the tone for their pop punk/pop rock sound. Some of the band’s greatest musical influences have been Blink 182, Goldfinger and New Found Glory. Besides their music, Coast to Coast has been noted for their self-proclaimed title as the “#dadbodsquad” which took off on Twitter. In October, 2018, they released their EP The World Doesn’t Work.
The song “Geranium” encompasses the pain of going through a hard life-lesson. The speaker has recently been left alone and now has to reflect on their past mistakes. In the first verse, he discusses the idea of being “selfish.” After having seen the way it has affected his relationships with the people he loves, he’s decided he’s better off without that trait. He seems to sing to a certain kind of regret when he says “You left the light on when you knew I weren’t coming home” because he knows that he let the other person down. He could have had lasting relationships with people, but he instead chose his own interests over what was important for them. Now, he has to live with those consequences and the constant reminder of the “geranium.”
- “Daffodils & Daisies” by Cotes
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Cotes is a 21-year-old musician from Ogden, Utah. He uses his hip-hop style and unique lyricism to promote positivity. He has been invested in making music since he was only nine years old. Cotes is a firm believer in creating music from the soul, highlighting the importance of meaning behind the music. In 2019, he released his newest album Eden.
“Daffodils & Daisies” is a look into Cotes’ desires for someone who is going to be straightforward with him. He’s in love with this girl, but he needs to know that she’s going to be the person he thinks she is. He sings “Everybody keeps on saying [sh*t] about you lately. It’s shady, I’m praying what they say is a joke they faking.” Hearing these rumors, he can’t believe that these accusations are true of the person he claims to know. He wants to get to the bottom of it. Even though everyone else is warning him against it, he only seems to have eyes for this one girl. He tells us “these other girls just bug me” because this girl is the only one who can make him feel “sentimental.” Let’s hope for his sake that those rumors aren’t true.
- “Peonies” by Hendrik.
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Hendrik. is 21-year-old indie-pop/rock musician from Vienna, Austria. He describes himself as just being a “regular dude,” but enjoys what his music does for him. He prides himself on the diversity of his musical style and plans to change things up in the future. So far, he has released one EP titled Breakups Are Just Temporary Heartaches and How to [F*ckin’] Fix Yourself.
Hendrik.’s song “Peonies” is an insight into heartbreak. He’s gone through a difficult breakup and now feels the need to take out his frustration. In the first verse, he sings “Ripped out the peonies in my garden ’cause I know how much you loved them.” They act as a painful reminder of what he’s lost and he can’t even stand to look at them anymore. In fact, it seems like he barely knows what to do with himself now. He’s been stuck in the routine of a relationship for so long that it’s hard for him to readjust. He says “I know it’s time to ban all the stupid habits from my life” because he wants to be able to move on and not constantly be reminded of his failed relationship. Ultimately, he does not want to get rid of everything because he’s still in love with this other person, only making everything more painful.
- “Cherry Blossom” by Horrorshow
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Based in Inner West Sydney, Horrorshow is an Australian pop duo. Producer Adit and vocalist Solo have made four albums together. Alongside their comrades Spit Syndicate, Joyride and Jackie Onassis, Horrorshow is a part of the group known as the One Day Crew. This duo helped to create the genre known as “Aussie Hip Pop.” Their latest album, Bardo State, was released in February of 2017.
“Cherry Blossom” is a song about cherishing your partner. As a matter of fact, the speaker feels so much for his girlfriend that he wishes to “fill up these pages with things [he loves] about [her].” It’s refreshing to see a song about something so wholesome that isn’t just talking about being in love or being heartbroken over love, but about celebrating the person that you’re with. Throughout the song, he describes all of the places he wants to take his partner (like on vacations to the tropics) and how much he truly appreciates every time he talks to her. He even says that he would “spend the day, make her a mixtape.” I don’t know about you, but pouring hours into curating a select playlist for someone else feels pretty romantic to me. He just wants to keep showing her just how much he appreciates her and all she’s done for him too.
Flowers aren’t always romantic. Flowers can be reminders of grief and pain, but they can also be gifts. They are both offerings and celebrations. They can be decorative and meaningful. Next time you pass by that rose bush, maybe stop and appreciate it for a little while.
You can listen to the full playlist here!