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Songs for Spring: Top 10 Tracks That Will Grow on You

When Van Morrison moved to Northern California with his new wife in the early '70s, he invoked spring as a metaphor in his feel-good song 'Starting a New Life.' Because for songwriters -- and plants -- spring represents a time of rebirth, renewal and regrowth.

While summer is the songwriter's favorite season, the vernal equinox occasionally gets musical props, typically when the songwriter is entering a new phase in life or desperately hoping for one. With spring's promise of light and warmth upon us, here are our ten favorite songs that spring us forward.
10. 'The Roof Is Leaking'
Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Redferns / Getty Images
When the Genesis drummer started writing songs for his first solo album, he was still feeling the pain of his 1979 divorce. ("If I hadn't gotten divorced, I never would have written it," he told the Chicago Tribune in 1985.) This 1981 song reflects that dark time, using winter as a metaphor for tough times and the promise: "Spring will soon be here -- God I hope it's not late." Fortunately, for Collins, it didn't come too late. As happier songs like 'This Must Be Love' convey, he met what would become his second wife during the 'Face Value' sessions.
9. 'Half the Man'
Jamiroquai
Jamiroquai
Redferns / Getty Images
Lead singer Jay Kay has blamed his relationship problems on having to live life for two people since his twin brother died during infancy (he's into that sort of cosmic logic). The title 'Half the Man' seems to play on that, though it's not a song about twins. This 1994 tune about lost love begins with love's infancy, drawing on the visuals of blooming flowers and singing birds.
8. 'First Day of Spring'
Noah and the Whale
Noah and the Whale
Kristian Dowling, Getty Images
By the time this English folk band released its second album in 2009, something was noticeably missing: Female vocals. Former Whaler Laura Marling had broken up with both bandmate Charlie Fink and the band, going solo. In response, the band's next album,'The First Days of Spring,' represents a running narrative about the split. This lushly-arranged, melancholy tune invokes the spring metaphors from the get-go with its lyrics, "It's the first day of spring/And my life is starting over again/Well, the trees grow, the river flows/And it's water will wash away my sin."
7. 'Waiting for the Sun,'
The Doors
The Doors
Getty Images
It made sense for this song to pair with 'Summer's Almost Gone' and 'Wintertime Love' from the album 'Waiting for the Sun.' But when as the band prepared to put out the 1968 album, the song of the same name wasn't quite ready. So it was included on the 1970 album 'Morrison Hotel,' which also featured 'Indiana Summer.' This ambiguous song suggests that since spring has come, it's "time to live in the scattered sun." Spoken like a true lizard king.
6. 'Spring Affair'
Donna Summer
Donna Summer
Chris Walter, WireImage
Never one to shy away from a concept album, Summer's 1975 record, 'Four Seasons of Love,' told the story of a love affair, using the seasons as a metaphor. 'Spring Affair,' of course, signaled the launch of love. The LP included a calendar of Summer dressed appropriately for each season.
5. 'Love Ain't for Keeping'
The Who
The Who
Redferns / Getty Images
Songwriter Pete Townshend originally intended this as a hard rock number. But even as an acoustic song, there's an edge in Roger Daltry's raspy vocals that belies soft images of flowers and sun rays. A nod to domestic bliss via metaphors of rain and seeds, this 1971 tune ironically segues into John Entwhistle's 'My Wife,' a hard-driving rocker about a man on the run from his mad-as-hell wife.
4. 'Spring Rain'
The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens
Steve Pyke, Getty Images
These literary rockers, who also had a song titled 'First Spring Day,' never made much of a splash outside of their native Australia. But they managed to impress rock royalty, like U2, R.E.M. and Coldplay. This spring song from 1986 represents more desperation than hope, as the singer looks back on a lonely suburban past and asks, "When will change come, just like spring rain?" In 2006, that change seemed to have arrived for lead singer Grant McLennan, whom bandmates said had just had the happiest six months of his life, when he died of a heart attack at 48. His fiancee was among those who found him.
3. 'Another Spring'
Nina Simone
Nina Simone
Getty Images
The narrator in this song is an aging woman, feeling lonely during the winter as she reflects on her deceased spouse and grown children. But just as she ponders death, a tambourine and hand claps mark a dramatic shift in mood as she considers the hope that lie ahead with spring and the good memories associated with springs past. Shortly after releasing this 1969 song, Simone experienced a rebirth of her own -- but not necessarily a good one: In 1970, she left her husband, left the United States and encountered serious financial problems.
2. 'Spring Fever'
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
WireImage
By the time the King appeared in the 1965 movie 'Girl Happy,' Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello already ruled the summer beach movie genre. So this one took a shot at spring, featuring Elvis as a singer sent to Florida to keep tabs on his boss's daughter during spring break debauchery. This ode to spring invokes images of butterflies, honey bees and -- in a sanitized, pre-Woodstock kinda way -- Florida fun.
1. 'Here Comes the Sun'
The Beatles
The Beatles
Getty Images
After manager Brian Epstein overdosed in 1967, the Beatles were forced to handle more of their business affairs. Growing tired of this, George Harrison fled to pal Eric Clapton's house, where he borrowed an acoustic guitar and wrote this quintessential parting-of-the-clouds tune from 1969, which looks forward to spring after a "long, cold lonely winter." As Harrison wrote in the liner notes for 'The Beatles Anthology:' "It seems as if winter in England goes on forever, by the time spring comes you really deserve it."

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jglow

summer time - mungo jerry

April 30 2011 at 8:01 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Clair McRae

Spring Rain by Silvetti soooooooooooooooo much better than the one above.

April 30 2011 at 6:01 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Gordo

Can't hear "Sunny Days" by Lighthouse without thinking about the first few nice days of spring.

April 16 2011 at 3:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chris R

I appreciate a bit early too, but "seasons in the sun";
Looking forward to but also reminiscing about Summers gone": childhood relived.

Also a happy song, and Mr Blue Sky as suggested by Clair ; but the whole side of "Out of the Blue" dedicated to the Seasons: "Concerto for a rainy day"; sort othe equivalent to Vivaldi "Four Seasons".

April 09 2011 at 8:52 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Albert

I now it's early, but what about Summer Holiday - Cliff and THE SHADOWS. Something to look FOREWARD to.
Trust the current weather continues, after last winter. Here's hoping!!??. Just reminded me - The Sun Has Got It's Hat on etc. etc..
Finally, check out the album - Out Of The Shadows track nine Spring Is Nearly Here (Bennett - Welch) composition.

April 09 2011 at 5:40 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Andrew

'Here Comes The Sun' is also written about the fact George himself had a drug problem, he was arrested, he left The Beatles for a few days, originally with no intention in coming back.

The song in effect has absolutely nothing to do with the weather, it's a metaphor.

April 09 2011 at 5:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Clair McRae

ELO Mr Blue Sky, lovely happy song.

April 09 2011 at 5:12 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Classic Hippie

I am glad the Doors made it in this list! I agree with most of the songs on this list, even though my favorite spring/motivation get up and go song is Start Me Up by the Rolling Stones :D

March 30 2011 at 2:26 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jessica

4got 2 include Seasons in the sun & luv 2 luv u baby

March 29 2011 at 7:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MsBootheel

and of course there is "Summer Breeze" by The Isley Brothers

March 29 2011 at 1:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply