Audrey Rodriguez
Contributing Writer
The unprecedented weather has coincided with a busy quarter, and we are all ready for a break. Here are 10 songs to heal from winter and celebrate the vitality of spring!
“Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” by Creedence Clearwater Revival
The winter quarter began with historical rain and flooding across California. No matter if it is drizzling or flooding, locals can always be trusted to post pictures and videos of the rain on social media.
When images of downpours flood my social media feed, I always wonder, “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?”
“Winter Song” by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson
Let Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson “be your harvester[s] of light / [a]nd send it out tonight / [s]o we can start again.”
The winter season and belated Valentine’s Day can be wonderful or draining times depending on your outlook, so this song is a warm embrace. Trust that better times lie ahead!
“Spring Is Here” by Nina Simone
This song reaches the equally devastating and disinterested depth of feeling that only Nina Simone can properly deliver. The fuzzy sound quality, sparse piano, delicate strings, and bald lyrics all detail the pain of expecting a change in seasons to uplift everyone’s spirits; but still finding yourself still downtrodden.
If “[n]o desire no ambition leads” you, please remember that you deserve kindness and time to rediscover enchantment with life.
“Not Spring, Love, or Cherry Blossoms” by HIGH4 and IU
HIGH4 and IU offer the sweetest, most delightful melody as a backdrop to the realization that they are alone, despite the onset of spring is synonymous with youth and blooming love. Romantic love can be overrated. So, give this song a listen while you take yourself on a belated Valentine’s movie and dinner date!
“LILAC” by IU
What can we say, IU makes perfect spring songs that are as cheery as they are bittersweet! “LILAC” is a refreshing track that reminds us that goodbyes can also be beautiful and cherished.
As the gloomy weather lifts, ask the people (or situations) that no longer bring you joy to remember the more beautiful parts of your last moments together, and to “[l]ove me only till this spring” to ensure you have the most unencumbered year going forward.
“New Again” by Kanye West
Okay, enough of the doom and gloom – spring is a time of new beginnings! Kanye West tells us to “repent for everything [you are going to] do again,” so don’t worry if you missed a gym day or forgot to journal as part of your New Year’s Resolution. To be “New Again” doesn’t mean suddenly being perfect, it is just about trying to be newer again. Self-improvement is an unsteady and difficult journey, so be kind to yourself!
“High on Sunshine” by The Commodores
The rain has caused flowers to start popping up everywhere in preparation for this spring. Living in this idyllic beach town, it’s easy to feel like we are “[t]ripping on the life that [we’re] living,” so The Commodores seek to remind us that they hope we “see the storm that’s in the valley.”
Although they probably didn’t mean it literally, the fact that it has been snowing and hailing in Southern California is likely a sign that we should “open our minds” to our abuse of the environment and open our eyes to the blessing that is living here while listening to this salve of a song.
“Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” by The First Edition
With the return of the sun has come the return of sickness in Isla Vista I.V. You and your roommate might want to drop into Student Health “to see what condition [your] condition was in” because if your household and classes are like mine, that sniffling and cough you guys have had has been going on for a minute.
I.V. is a “ca-cough-ophony.”
“Después de la Playa” by Bad Bunny
Coachella, spring break, and a beachy Bad Bunny mambo track all spell out a wild beginning to spring. You might be asking your friends, “Dime donde vamo’ / [d]espués de la playa ([t]ell me where we’re going / after the beach),” and Bad Bunny has a few fun ideas!
Even if perrear is not typically your thing, it is literally next to impossible to avoid dancing during the Mambo break of this song in some fashion.
“Fresh” by Kool & the Gang
This is a funky staple for anyone who believes in love (or lust) at first sight. If there is someone you think is “[f]resh and lovely (fresh) like a dream come true,” like the spring season is, let them know.
Kool laying down the bass for Liberty X’s vocals might even be the perfect backdrop for a confession of love – or it could be pretty uncomfortable, so proceed with caution!
Whether you are recovering from rain, snow, hail, sickness, or just preparing for finals, these songs are sure to soothe and reinvigorate. This is a stressful part of the quarter, but remember, spring break is only a few weeks away!