Straightforward here. I was going to go with a Summer list (for reasons I will get to... don't want to spoil anything!) but, surprisingly, there are so few songs for other seasons popping up when I look into it that I'm just gonna bunch 'em up. I'll tell you right now: All I did for this list was type in each season as a search, including both "Fall" and "Autumn", and that's where the list comes from. If I wanted to put a few extra hours into it, I could probably dig deeper to songs about seasons that have titles that don't contain the season. (For example, Walking Barefoot by Ash would be near the top of my Summer list.) I have one exception, though, which you'll see soon enough. Here we go...
10) Fountains Of Wayne - It Must Be Summer
We'll ignore the fact that they were nominated by the Grammys (*grumble*) for Best New Artist in 2004 when, really, they'd been a pretty popular band since the late 90's. I guess the guideline for that award can be debatable when it's stated as, "For a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist."
Anyway, It Must Be Summer is from their sophomore album, Utopia Parkway. It's a perfect example of the genius pop rock crafting that is the songwriting team of Collingwood/Schlesinger. (Schlesinger did, after all, write the title track to the 1996 Tom Hanks film That Thing You Do!)
Here's a good live performance of the song.
9) The Rolling Stones - Winter
In all honesty, I actually only got into this track in the last year. I've been a diehard Stones fan the vast majority of my life (man, that's weird to say) but for whatever reason, I just never got that into Goats Head Soup. But with last year's re-releases of the Virgin label albums, I found myself listening to it a lot more and listening more to this track, which is a deeper cut on the album. This is the kind of track I love from my favorite era of the Stones, kind of like Moonlight Mile or Memory Motel. Listen to it here.
8) Travis - Midsummer Nights Dreamin'
I was just talking to a friend last week, trying to prove I'm not a Kool-Aid drinker for all my songwriting idols. I named off some songs I hate by all my favorite bands. When I got to Travis, I actually drew a blank. This track was the best I could do for a song I hate, but I don't even hate it. It's one of the only Travis songs I skip most of the time, though. It's just so first album type material and nothing like anything else by them. We all know my love of first albums...
7) JJ72 - Algeria
Here's the exception I brought up earlier. I have a JJ72 poster on my wall. I'm willing to bet I am the only person in the United States that can say that. In fact, I have two. One makes no reference at all to JJ72, just a 12" x 36" poster with a black background and the words "Why won't it snow?" (first line of the chorus of Snow) in white. I fucking love it. Brilliant in its simplicity. The other poster is a normal sized 24" x 36" poster with the JJ72 logo and "Spring - Summer - Autumn - Winter" underneath. The chorus of Algeria, "Spring it dies, Summer arrives. Summer dies, Autumn arrives. Autumn dies, Winter arrives forever and ever."
Have I ever told you how much I miss JJ72? *sniff*
Here's an official vid. In case you forgot my last JJ72 rant... Hilary Woods is still pretty much the most gorgeous person ever. I should've proposed when I met her. You never know.
6) Manic Street Preachers - Die In The Summertime
Now here's a happy track. But what do you expect from The Holy Bible? (Another poster I love, by the way.) It's not exactly the happiest album.
Here's a video with lyrics in the info section. And with anything from The Holy Bible, the lyrics are the money. God bless you, Richey.
5) The Vines - Autumn Shade
I feel like I should include Autumn Shade II and A.S. III since they're really all like family. But Autumn Shade started it, so it gets the nod. The worst thing you can do with The Vines is think of them as a band that just does stuff like Get Free, Ride, and Outtathaway. They have recorded some of the most unbelievably beautiful songs I know. True As The Night from the Melodia album is a prime example of that. Six minutes of HEAVEN. Autumn Shade isn't far off that mark (nor are its brothers). The acoustic sounds so amazingly rich. This is one of the most underrated bands in history, if you're askin' me. And you are.
This video for the original Autumn Shade is so cool, I can't tell if it's fan created or not... (It most likely is.)
4) Manic Street Preachers - Autumnsong
Poppy MSP? Wow. Now that's a catchy guitar riff. I had to limit myself to one song from Send Away The Tigers. I never realized until making this list that they cover three seasons with this one album. Winterlovers is ok, but took a long time to grow on me. Indian Summer is one of the album's highlights, but still nowhere near as good as Autumnsong.
Check out the official video here, even though it's easily my least favorite MSP video.
3) Feeder - Summers Gone
I have a very special place in my heart for Comfort In Sound. So many of the songs fit me like a glove. The title track alone is one of those songs that just fixes things. Contrarily, though, this is probably the most depressing song on the album; musically if not lyrically, anyway. I bought this album for an ex-girlfriend (a generally happy girl) and this was the first track she loved, though. Weird. Listen to it here.
2) Taking Back Sunday - One-Eighty By Summer
So this is an example of a song where I have no f'ing clue what the title has to do with the song. Taking Back Sunday has that tendency. I mean, sure, it makes sense if you read into it, but where the hell do they come up with their titles? Anyway, this is one of the most played songs in my music library so it'd be ridiculous to ignore. I love the bitterness. I hate to say it this time, but it's another one with lyrics that fit like a glove. It's also great to actually play on guitar; one of those songs I always naturally go back to when I'm just messing around on my guitar at night.
Here's another homemade video by somebody, but hey, you're getting to listen for free, so quit your bitchin'. Big kudos to whoever made it on synching the lyrics. Impressive. Most impressive.
1) Charlotte Hatherley - Summer
As much as I miss Charlotte in Ash, her solo albums have been incredible. This song is one of my absolute favorites and, especially this time of year, always gets played to death. Thus my original comment about a Summer list. This was going to top no matter what. From beginning to end, the lyrics are so fucking perfect for me. The music is catchy as hell. And best of all, she looks GORGEOUS in the video (clicky to viewy). Bonus! I wish she'd let her hair grow back to its natural color and length. I miss it oh so much. (I did propose to her. Shameless.)
10) Fountains Of Wayne - It Must Be Summer
We'll ignore the fact that they were nominated by the Grammys (*grumble*) for Best New Artist in 2004 when, really, they'd been a pretty popular band since the late 90's. I guess the guideline for that award can be debatable when it's stated as, "For a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist."
Anyway, It Must Be Summer is from their sophomore album, Utopia Parkway. It's a perfect example of the genius pop rock crafting that is the songwriting team of Collingwood/Schlesinger. (Schlesinger did, after all, write the title track to the 1996 Tom Hanks film That Thing You Do!)
Here's a good live performance of the song.
9) The Rolling Stones - Winter
In all honesty, I actually only got into this track in the last year. I've been a diehard Stones fan the vast majority of my life (man, that's weird to say) but for whatever reason, I just never got that into Goats Head Soup. But with last year's re-releases of the Virgin label albums, I found myself listening to it a lot more and listening more to this track, which is a deeper cut on the album. This is the kind of track I love from my favorite era of the Stones, kind of like Moonlight Mile or Memory Motel. Listen to it here.
8) Travis - Midsummer Nights Dreamin'
I was just talking to a friend last week, trying to prove I'm not a Kool-Aid drinker for all my songwriting idols. I named off some songs I hate by all my favorite bands. When I got to Travis, I actually drew a blank. This track was the best I could do for a song I hate, but I don't even hate it. It's one of the only Travis songs I skip most of the time, though. It's just so first album type material and nothing like anything else by them. We all know my love of first albums...
7) JJ72 - Algeria
Here's the exception I brought up earlier. I have a JJ72 poster on my wall. I'm willing to bet I am the only person in the United States that can say that. In fact, I have two. One makes no reference at all to JJ72, just a 12" x 36" poster with a black background and the words "Why won't it snow?" (first line of the chorus of Snow) in white. I fucking love it. Brilliant in its simplicity. The other poster is a normal sized 24" x 36" poster with the JJ72 logo and "Spring - Summer - Autumn - Winter" underneath. The chorus of Algeria, "Spring it dies, Summer arrives. Summer dies, Autumn arrives. Autumn dies, Winter arrives forever and ever."
Have I ever told you how much I miss JJ72? *sniff*
Here's an official vid. In case you forgot my last JJ72 rant... Hilary Woods is still pretty much the most gorgeous person ever. I should've proposed when I met her. You never know.
6) Manic Street Preachers - Die In The Summertime
Now here's a happy track. But what do you expect from The Holy Bible? (Another poster I love, by the way.) It's not exactly the happiest album.
Here's a video with lyrics in the info section. And with anything from The Holy Bible, the lyrics are the money. God bless you, Richey.
5) The Vines - Autumn Shade
I feel like I should include Autumn Shade II and A.S. III since they're really all like family. But Autumn Shade started it, so it gets the nod. The worst thing you can do with The Vines is think of them as a band that just does stuff like Get Free, Ride, and Outtathaway. They have recorded some of the most unbelievably beautiful songs I know. True As The Night from the Melodia album is a prime example of that. Six minutes of HEAVEN. Autumn Shade isn't far off that mark (nor are its brothers). The acoustic sounds so amazingly rich. This is one of the most underrated bands in history, if you're askin' me. And you are.
This video for the original Autumn Shade is so cool, I can't tell if it's fan created or not... (It most likely is.)
4) Manic Street Preachers - Autumnsong
Poppy MSP? Wow. Now that's a catchy guitar riff. I had to limit myself to one song from Send Away The Tigers. I never realized until making this list that they cover three seasons with this one album. Winterlovers is ok, but took a long time to grow on me. Indian Summer is one of the album's highlights, but still nowhere near as good as Autumnsong.
Check out the official video here, even though it's easily my least favorite MSP video.
3) Feeder - Summers Gone
I have a very special place in my heart for Comfort In Sound. So many of the songs fit me like a glove. The title track alone is one of those songs that just fixes things. Contrarily, though, this is probably the most depressing song on the album; musically if not lyrically, anyway. I bought this album for an ex-girlfriend (a generally happy girl) and this was the first track she loved, though. Weird. Listen to it here.
2) Taking Back Sunday - One-Eighty By Summer
So this is an example of a song where I have no f'ing clue what the title has to do with the song. Taking Back Sunday has that tendency. I mean, sure, it makes sense if you read into it, but where the hell do they come up with their titles? Anyway, this is one of the most played songs in my music library so it'd be ridiculous to ignore. I love the bitterness. I hate to say it this time, but it's another one with lyrics that fit like a glove. It's also great to actually play on guitar; one of those songs I always naturally go back to when I'm just messing around on my guitar at night.
Here's another homemade video by somebody, but hey, you're getting to listen for free, so quit your bitchin'. Big kudos to whoever made it on synching the lyrics. Impressive. Most impressive.
1) Charlotte Hatherley - Summer
As much as I miss Charlotte in Ash, her solo albums have been incredible. This song is one of my absolute favorites and, especially this time of year, always gets played to death. Thus my original comment about a Summer list. This was going to top no matter what. From beginning to end, the lyrics are so fucking perfect for me. The music is catchy as hell. And best of all, she looks GORGEOUS in the video (clicky to viewy). Bonus! I wish she'd let her hair grow back to its natural color and length. I miss it oh so much. (I did propose to her. Shameless.)
"One soft infested summer, me and Terry became friends ..."
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