The final weeks of the school year can be a bit of a nightmare. But as the middle of the semester comes and goes, at least the weather is occasionally above 60 degrees.
Being able to leave the house without a jacket just does it for me every time. It also makes walking to 9 a.m. classes exponentially better. So, here are some songs that feel like spring time to put a little pep in your step.
- “(You) On my arm” By leith ross
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This song is about having a massive crush on someone in a happy and giddy way instead of an all-consuming, delusional way. Leith Ross said it themself in a TikTok caption, “started writing this one awhile ago abt an intense crush. u could say this is a happy love song even. no sad songs 2day.”
- “knuckles” by critter
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Critter is an indie pop duo featuring Jake Weinberg and Quinnie, whom you probably know from her song “touch tank,” which blew up in 2022.
“Knuckles” is about letting go of fear imposed upon you by others. “I crack my knuckles ’cause I like to/Walk with no crosswalk cross the avenue/Why should I fear just ’cause they say to?/Roll in the grass, swim in the deep blue!”
- “say im ur luv’ by umi
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This is one of my favorite songs by UMI. It is fun and flirty and perfect for a spring playlist.
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- “Sagittarius superstar” by COIn ft. Faye Webster
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This song from COIN’s album “Rainbow Mixtape” is an adorable duet with Faye Webster, and it feels like driving down a winding road on a sunny day. The lyrics are graceful, heartfelt and a simple display of love and devotion shared between two people.
- “Julia” by sza
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“Julia” is from SZA’s third EP titled “Z.” It is dreamy, fun and full of yearning.
I highly recommend you give it a listen.
- “Love you for a long time” by maggie rogers
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As the cover art of this single suggests, “Love You For A Long Time” by Maggie Rogers feels like driving down the road, with the windows down and with someone you love as the sun sets.
Something I’m a huge fan of in songwriting is when artists describe their emotional state in heightened, poetic detail and then follow it with a simple line that captures the core idea or theme of the song. “Love You For A Long Time” describes a love that feels simple, easy and right, something that many spend years searching for.
Finding what Rogers paints a picture of feels like a huge relief, much like when winter finally becomes spring.
- “Be good” by pom pom squad
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“Be Good” is from Pom Pom Squad’s 2021 album “Death of a Cheerleader” and samples “Mr. Sandman” by The Chordettes.
The lyrics and dreamlike instrumental painting of that one person you can’t seem to get over, who you believe will find their way back to you.
- “Darjeeling” by barries
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The hypnotic and nostalgic “Darjeeling” was written by Barrie’s front-woman, Barrie Lindsay, after she moved to New York. She’s described this song as a collection of vignettes from her earliest memories of living in NYC and the honeymoon phase she experienced upon moving to the city.
- “sappho” by frankie cosmos
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“Sappho” by Frankie Cosmos is about a sapphic crush and subsequent queer panic and pining.
Lyrics like, “Is it cool when I don’t care? Can you feel me in the air,” and “I’m sorry if I have been a real bad friend/your face too close to mine to hear you talk” detail the kind of fluster that so often accompanies having a crush on a friend.
- “Paprika” by Japanese breakfast
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“Paprika” is the first song on Japanese Breakfast’s 2021 album “Jubilee.” The song was written as a reminder about finding joy in being creative and doing away with the idea of the “tortured artist.”
As we head into warmer days, I hope a song or two from this list will land in a playlist of yours. Happy listening!