115 Best Spring Songs: Embrace the Season’s Renewal and Blossoming Beauty

If you are looking for the best songs about spring, you probably won’t have to look too far. It is a subject that is well-used by songwriters with good reason. And those songs are not limited to a particular genre. Even nursery rhymes have been included.

What is it about springtime? It is something that some people take for granted. My home country had a beautiful springtime. In many ways, it was the best time of the year. But, where I live now has no springtime at all. 

Here we have just three seasons, and one of those we call the “Rainy” season. Do I miss springtime? All things considered, I do, I suppose. It is a special time of year.

Why So Popular?

It’s probably because of the imagery spring represents. It brings warmth to the weather and the images of the summertime to come. Flowers and fruit trees bring forth their blossoms, and there is the promise of renewal of life.

It is a time of year that seems to cheer us up and make us happy. Maybe even the promise of a new relationship. But I suppose it is a season that brings hope for the future and new beginnings.

Songwriters have always used the imagery of springtime in what they do. So, let’s have a look at some of the best songs about spring and how it can mean different things in different situations.

115 Best Songs About Spring of All Time

1

Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year by Carly Simon

This is an interesting start to songs that talk about spring for several reasons. The song was written by Frank Loesser in 1943 for the 1944 film, “Christmas Holiday.” 

The song seemed to go under the radar for ten years before it suddenly reappeared in the mid-50s. It then became a popular Jazz and Pop standard, with plenty of people making covers.

A Different Approach

So, why do I say it is an interesting start? It is a song about springtime that has a slightly different approach in that the term is used as a metaphor with a sense of irony. 

Usually, spring is used as a description of rebirth, something new. Here it is used as a way of describing remorse or disenchantment.

The song describes how suffering a heartbreak will make you feel like winter – cold and lonely. And that this lack of any love will delay the arrival of the happiness of springtime. However, she also knows that it will pass and spring will one day arrive.

She sings it as a duet with Jimmy Webb… 

One of the great songwriters of our generation. Webb was responsible for such great songs as “Wichita Lineman” and “Galveston” by Glen Campbell. And, maybe one more from Glen, “By The Time I Get To Phoenix.”

Also, there is “MacArthur Park” by Richard Harris. But, for me, the best song he ever wrote was “The Highwayman.”

Carly Simon’s prowess we already know about. Put her with Jimmy Webb, and you have a talented partnership. Together they produced a great version of that old standard.

2

Spring Vacation by The Beach Boys

The story of The Beach Boys is a complex one. They started as a band, but before long, it was clear that Brian Wilson didn’t want to tour; he just wanted to write and record. 

I am not going to go into all the stuff that went on. Suffice it to say there were constant breakups, the death of two members, and plenty of animosities. They reformed to record in 1967 after a break, but even then, there were still the same old arguments. 

It is a miracle we got this song…

“Spring Vacation” was recorded in 2012. In some ways, it feels like a flashback to the past when you listen to the lyrics. Lines like “We used to get around” and “Good Vibrations” are included.

There are references to summer weather and getting back together. It all seems to be almost like it is a reminder of a glorious past and also an apology to fans and maybe each other. 

The only thing that is missing is those jangling Fender guitars. The backing track is “cooler” and much different than you might expect. Evidently, it was written in five minutes and talks about how spring always signals a new start.

3

Some Other Spring by Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday had a career that lasted over 30 years and, during that time, became a major influence on both Pop and Jazz singing culture. Her voice, with its silky smooth texture, adds a mournful sound to certain songs she sang, as was the case with this 1957 release.

A very complex jazz arrangement highlighting her extraordinary talent… 

The music is written by her songwriting partner Arthur Herzog and the lyrics by Irene Kitchings. The style is very late 50s jazz with great piano work by her longtime pianist Teddy Wilson.

She sings of lost love and the hope that next year she will love again. But, at the moment, her heart is cold like ice, and she cannot imagine the warmth a new love will bring. She is even unsure that she will feel any different when spring comes again.

A classic ballad about spring by “Lady Day” that answers any questions on how good she was.

4

Spring Is Here by Nina Simone

Forward in time now, but in a not dissimilar style to the great Billie Holiday, another great in Nina Simone. This is a haunting track recorded in 1966 but first published in 1938. It was written by Richard Rogers, with lyrics written by Lorenz Hart.

It’s a song with a big history in terms of who has also played or sung it. It has been recorded with a twelve-minute version by Miles Davis on his album, Live At Carnegie Hall. And by John Coltrane on his album Standard Coltrane. Plus, notable singers like Shirley Bassey and, of course, Ella Fitzgerald.

This is a song that demonstrates the soft side of Nina Simone’s voice… 

She wonders why she has none of the happiness associated with the coming of spring. Nina tells how she needs a partner and wants to be loved, and wants to do all those things people do in springtime. 

She wants to take walks in the evening, feeling the warm summer breeze and gaze at a star-filled sky. Don’t we all?

5

Daydream by The Lovin’ Spoonful

A song that doesn’t mention spring but always seems to be associated with it. I suppose it is because of some of the references in the lyrics, “It’s one of those days for takin’ a walk outside – I’m blowin’ the day to take a walk in the sun.”

It was written by band member John Sebastian and released in 1966 and taken from their album of the same name, Daydream. It brought success and recognition to a band that would seem rather unlikely at the time. But it was a breath of fresh air. It reached #2 in the UK and #1 in America.

This is a simple song dedicated to springtime, about spending time outdoors and just getting lost in a daydream. It is a very lighthearted tune and what seems like just a bit of fun.

6

Spring Rain by Pat Boone

This is a 1960 love song from songwriter, crooner, and early 60s heartthrob Pat Boone. It wasn’t a massive success commercially, only reaching #50 in America. However, it is typical of his style and material from the time.

In the song, he is comforting a girl who has lost her love. He compares her tears to the light rains you can get in springtime. And he tells her that this time will pass and she will soon find love again.

For young people, the loss of that first love can be a devastating experience. Maybe this song is about a parent offering some comfort and support. He is comparing her tears with the April Showers that can come so quickly but rarely stay for long.

7

April Love by Pat Boone

This is another Pat Boone “crooner.” This one, my older sister, played to a standstill. It was the song from the musical of the same name.

It is a rather typical song of the time. Released in 1957, the movie was a big hit, and the song went to #1 in America.

He sings this song to Shirley Jones, his love interest, about finding love in April. Most young girls at the time imagined he might be singing it to them.

8

When It’s Springtime in Alaska by Johnny Cash

This is a cover of a well-known country song written by Tillman Franks and Horton and sung by Johnny Horton. Cash’s version was taken from his album, Orange Blossom Special, and released in 1965.

Hardly what you would call a happy springtime song. He sings it with his partner, country singer June Carter, and they sing about how despite the change in season, it is still 40 below.

It tells the tale of a visitor who dances with someone else’s wife. That mistake cost him his life. There is a message in the song, though. While we may be expecting the sort of happy outcomes that a new spring can bring, life isn’t always like that.

9

It Might As Well Be Spring by Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra recorded this song on multiple occasions. It was first heard in his 1962 release, Sinatra & Strings. It was recorded again for his album, Days of Wine and Roses, Moon River, and other Academy Award Winners.

On the 1962 version… 

He is in a crooning mood despite it being a jazz-influenced arrangement. He sings about something many of us may have done. Wanting someone or something new in our lives.

The song is about someone who is feeling happy and optimistic despite there not being a reason. It was originally in the film “State Fair” from 1945. The song was written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. 

In many ways, it is a unique piece of work from those renowned songwriters. It was the only original film score they wrote together. Sinatra, of course, does “his thing” with the song and gives his usual impeccable performance.

10

April In Paris by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong

April and Paris are two words that can only mean one thing – springtime. And two other words mean excellence – Ella and Louis. Namely Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. With Paris, in springtime, the automatic association is being in love. That is what the song is all about.

Like so many other songs, this was written earlier in 1932 by Vernon Duke. It was written for the musical, “Walk A Little Faster.” 

And, like so many other songs, it was rediscovered in the 50s and became a jazz classic. This is the most well-known version. However, it was also recorded by others, including Count Basie in 1956.

Even without having lyrics… 

Basie’s Big Band gives you the feeling of spring in France’s delightful capital city. His version is jazzy and upbeat and swings along as you would expect from a Basie band.

The song is about a stroll around Paris on a spring day. Something that can be a great experience. And, without question, one of the best songs about spring.

11

Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most by Ella Fitzgerald

One more from Ella Fitzgerald. This is possibly Ella at her best, the “scatting” finale and all. It is a song written by Fran Landesman and Tommy Wolf and released in 1961. It was taken from her album, Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!

This is a song that takes the joy and anticipation of the oncoming spring and turns it around. It should be a time of excitement and looking forward to the future, but in this case, it isn’t. She sings, “Spring came along a season of sun – Full of sweet promise but something went wrong.”

The song was featured in the musical “The Nervous Set” in 1959. The song has been covered by a range of artists, but Ella’s is still the best version.

12

I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash

Using springtime as a time when there is hope for the future is a great track. The song was included on his album of the same name. It was released in 1972 and was the first Reggae song to reach #1 in America. It also reached #5 in the UK.

Nash recorded the song in London and had recently been working with Bob Marley. That may have influenced him a little in the way he wrote it. Having said that, the Reggae aspect of the song is there but not too prominent.

Written For A Reason

He wrote this song while he was recovering after an operation. Maybe he felt like he needed to cheer himself up. It does that with its promise of a bright sun-shiny day. Just what spring is offering after winter, some sunny days. Literally and metaphorically.

13

Blue Sky by ELO

I have to admit to not being a great fan of ELO. They were just a bit too electronic for my taste. However, they did write some good songs that were very successful, and this is one.

This is a song that relates the seasons to the days of our lives. The bad days are represented by stormy weather. But then, there are those glorious sunny days and blue skies that represent spring and a new beginning.

The song was taken from a studio album, Out of the Blue, released in 1977. The song was written by Jeff Lynne and was a part of the “Concerto for a Rainy Day” suite, which was included on side three of this double album. 

As a single…

It reached #6 in the UK and #35 in America and was certified as a triple platinum-selling album in both countries.

The song is full of positivity that is encouraged by a driving beat. In some ways, it became the band’s signature song. Nonetheless, it is one of the best songs about spring.

14

Waiting for the Sun by The Doors

The year 1968 was The Doors’ most successful period. This song is taken from the album of the same name. The album reached #16 in the UK and #1 in America and was their only chart-topping album. It also carried the song “Hello, I Love You.”

Why does it sound so familiar?

It had a riff that was taken from The Kinks’ song “All Day and All of the Night” from a few years earlier. Morrison first recorded this song in 1965, and the Kinks’ version was a hit in 1964. He later admitted that they had used the riff.

“Waiting For The Sun,” though, was an interesting track because it was unlike what the band had previously produced. It also has a positivity about the lyrics that were not commonplace in their music from this period.

It is about bringing happiness and joy and looking forward to the springtime sunshine that is to come.

15

The Lullaby Of Spring by Donovan

This is a 1967 song taken from his album, A Gift From A Flower To A Garden. The title makes it sound like it might be from a hippy folk album, and you wouldn’t be very far wrong. Just add a bit of psychedelia, and you are there. 

Donovan was a rather misunderstood singer-songwriter. When he first arrived, people unfairly labeled him as the “British Bob Dylan.” The only similarity was that they both played guitar, and they both played harmonica occasionally. But there it ended; the music was quite different.

This is a song about the coming of spring and all that it may hold. It is packed with imagery that describes the change from winter to spring.

16

Blackbird by The Beatles

One of the first signs that spring is on the way is when the birds start to sing in the mornings. And that is what you might hear and think from this track from The White Album.

But, then a closer look at the lyrics…

And you will see “Blackbird singing in the dead of night.” Not in the morning but at night, which gives an indication there is something else going on.

Whilst the sound of the Blackbird in the morning does herald the arrival of spring, this song is about racial discrimination in America. It is a symbolic use of the term. 

Its meaning is to hope that one day people of color and the indigenous peoples, the original inhabitants, of course, will one day be free. “Take your broken wings and learn to fly.”

17

Here Comes The Sun by The Beatles

Let’s stay with The Beatles for one more. Songs about spring are usually about dreaming of a bright new future. This song, whilst mentioning the sun that is about to appear, doesn’t use the word spring. However, the meaning in the lyrics is all there.

The song was written on a day that George had just had enough of the in-fighting and a particular someone’s ego. He got up and walked out and left the others to get on with it and went home and wrote this.

It was included on the album Abbey Road, and ironically, it became one of the most streamed Beatles songs. There are plenty of almost hidden references in the words that create an image of how he sees things.

“It’s been a long cold lonely winter”

Winter is ending, and spring is coming. The band will inevitably fall apart soon, and he will be able to do what he wants.

“The ice is slowly melting”

An end to the icy relationship they had all had with each other for the previous 18 months or so. Given his disillusionment, it is interesting that the song is so full of positivity about the future.

Whatever his meaning, it is one of his best songs. And it captures the excitement about the future as winter starts to turn into spring.

18

April Come She Will by Simon And Garfunkel

The most descriptive song about spring ever written? It could be. We heard it first on his album, Paul Simon Songbook, most of which was written in England in and around 1964. It then became a piece used in the film “The Graduate,” along with other Paul Simon songs.

“April Come She Will” is a particularly poignant song. He had fallen deeply in love with an English girl, Kathy, who he would include in some of his songs at later dates, such as “Kathy’s Song.”

She was excruciatingly shy…

And this was before he had even gotten close to the popularity and adulation he would later receive. Even at that very early stage, in England, where he was a popular folk singer, she just couldn’t handle it.

This song may have been written about her changing moods and views on the situation. He saw April and springtime as a time for a change, one way or the other. 

But, maybe he also knew the futility of the situation… 

Knowing that she would never be with him while he was as he was. And, as the seasons change through the song, so does their relationship.

• “April come she will – When streams are ripe and swelled with rain.”
• “June she’ll change her tune – In restless walks, she’ll prowl the night.”
• “August, die she must – The autumn winds blow chilly and cold.”

There is an expression that the best things come in small packages. That applies to this song. At just 1.5 minutes long, it is an absolute gem from a master songwriter.

19

April Come She Will by Simon & Garfunkel

20

Spring is Here by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong

21

The Circle Game by Joni Mitchell

22

Good Day Sunshine by The Beatles

23

The Sound of Sunshine by Michael Franti & Spearhead

24

April Showers by Al Jolson

25

Daydream Believer by The Monkees

26

When the Sun Goes Down by Arctic Monkeys

27

California Dreamin’ by The Mamas & The Papas

28

Spring Affair by Donna Summer

29

The Times They Are A-Changin’ by Bob Dylan

30

Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles

31

Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves

32

The First Day of Spring by Noah and the Whale

33

Dancing in the Street by Martha and the Vandellas

34

Joy to the World by Three Dog Night

35

In Bloom by Nirvana

36

Blossom by James Taylor

37

Walking in the Sun by Fink

38

No Rain by Blind Melon

39

Sunshine of Your Love by Cream

40

What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong

41

Spring Rain by The Go-Betweens

42

Stuck in the Middle with You by Stealers Wheel

43

The Boys of Summer by Don Henley

44

Green Onions by Booker T. & the MG’s

45

No More Rain by Kylie Auldist

46

Rockin’ Robin by Bobby Day

47

Endless Summer by The Jezabels

48

Waiting for My Real Life to Begin by Colin Hay

49

Brighter Than Sunshine by Aqualung

50

Rites of Spring by John McLaughlin

More 65 Best Songs About Spring

51. 51. Pocketful of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield
    52. A Hazy Shade of Winter by Simon & Garfunkel
    53. Wildflowers by Tom Petty
    54. Springtime by The Head and the Heart
    55. Rise Up by Andra Day
    56. Sugar Magnolia by Grateful Dead
    57. Seasons by Future Islands
    58. The Sweetest Thing by U2
    59. Sunshine Superman by Donovan
    60. Days Like This by Van Morrison
    61. Shower the People by James Taylor
    62. When The Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along by Bing Crosby
    63. I’ll Remember April by Frank Sinatra
    64. The Sweetest Thing (I’ve Ever Known) by Juice Newton
    65. Vivaldi: Spring from the Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi
    66. You Must Believe in Spring by Bill Evans
    67. It’s Spring Again by Peggy Lee
    68. A Little Bit of Spring by The Beach Boys
    69. I Can’t Wait For Spring by Dolly Parton
    70. Spring Symphony by Robert Schumann
    71. You’re My Spring by Sung Si Kyung
    72. Spring to Come by John Butler Trio
    73. Suddenly It’s Spring by Frank Sinatra
    74. Spring in Manhattan by Tony Bennett
    75. Early Spring by George Winston
    76. Spring Garden by Grover Washington Jr.
    77. The Arrival of Spring by Ramin Djawadi
    78. Spring Break by Luke Bryan
    79. Bloom by Troye Sivan
    80. All The Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands by Sufjan Stevens
    81. Lavender Fields by Vexento
    82. Springtime for Hitler and Germany by The Producers Soundtrack
    83. Spring Song, Op. 62 No. 6 by Felix Mendelssohn
    84. Spring Rounds by Alice Coltrane
    85. Spring, Spring, Spring by Dizzy Gillespie
    86. The Springtime It Brings on the Shearing by Sting
    87. A Little Spring Music by David Foster
    88. April in Paris by Count Basie
    89. Primavera by Santana
    90. Spring Again by Biz Markie
    91. In the Good Old Summertime by Les Paul and Mary Ford
    92. Hurry Spring by Paul McCartney
    93. Sunny Afternoon by The Kinks
    94. Crocuses by Aimee Mann
    95. Cherry Blossom Girl by Air
    96. Fleurs de printemps by Yann Tiersen
    97. March Winds and April Showers by Al Jolson
    98. Spring is Sprung by The Divine Comedy
    99. The Last Spring by Edvard Grieg
    100. Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year by Frank Sinatra
    101. L’Été Indien by Joe Dassin
    102. In the Spring (The Warblers Return) by John Denver
    103. Springtime in New York by Jonathan Richman
    104. The Promise of Spring by Pat Metheny
    105. Blue Skies by Irving Berlin
    106. A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum
    107. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons – Spring by Antonio Vivaldi
    108. Springtime Again by Duke Ellington
    109. An Old Fashioned Spring by Richard Rodgers
    110. Le Printemps by Michel Fugain
    111. Spring Madness by Ahmad Jamal
    112. Spring Ain’t Here by Roxy Music
    113. The March of the Toreadors by Georges Bizet
    114. Spring Will Come Again by The Pat Metheny Group
    115. A Spring Romance by Stan Getz

Looking for Great Songs About Seasons and Weather?

Well, take a look at our thoughts on the Best Songs About Winter, the Best Songs About Rain, the Best Songs About Snow, the Best Songs About Thunder and Lightning, and the Best Songs About the Sun and Sunshine for more great song selections.

Best Songs About Spring – Final Thoughts

“Did I live the spring I’d sought?” So wrote Mary Oliver. Do we always receive the promises that spring offers us? It is a time of year so full of promise, but as we’ve seen with some of these songs, we don’t always get what we want from it.

The term is used to describe various situations, many of them about relationships. And, where relationships are concerned, spring or not, we never have full control. Nor should we. Relationships are a two-way experience.

But, some of the experience of spring is down to you and how you view the future. George Harrison showed us that. So ask yourself the question, “Did I live the spring I’d sought?” It’s up to you.

Until next time, happy listening.