Oh, MAN, am I ever ready for springtime! I mean, granted, here in the Pac NW spring is still a continuation of grey rainy skies and cool temps, but at least we get these incredible blooming flowers to lighten the mood, eh? Also, my birthday arrives in the spring, which is celebrated throughout the season with fruity drinks and impulsive shopping jaunts. Feel free to join in! Anyway, I'm jumpstarting the loveliness by bringing you ten of my favorite songs with "spring" or "springtime" in the title -- please to enjoy!
1. "I Live In The Springtime," The Lemon Drops: I LOVE this song -- it's a perfect trippy amalgam of what 1967 sounded like. I can remember hearing this on the radio -- probably WLS or WCFL out of Chicago since The Lemon Drops were an Illinois band -- but it disappeared until the "Nuggets" compilation picked it up. I was ridiculously excited to hear it again.
2. "Sure As Spring," La Luz: Do you know our local Seattle band La Luz? You should! They've got the eerie/cool surf vibe down solid, and add a little Spector-style girl group thing over the top, and it's pretty, pretty great. Also, KEXP is pretty, pretty great and you can listen to it from anywhere, you know.
3. "Where Did The Spring Go?" The Kinks: Of course, from the pen of Ray Davies, the most DEPRESSING song about "spring" ever! The narrator is thoroughly bummed about aging and failed romance, and adds in overarching paranoia to boot! DANG, SON!
4. "I Got The Spring Fever Blues," Ella Fitzgerald with the Chick Webb and His Orchestra: Well, how adorable is 19-year-old Ella from 1936 here? You can hear the youth in her voice, which goes so nicely along with our theme.
5. "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most," Ella Fitzgerald: Fast forward a few years, and here's Ella with a richer, deeper tone, showing an absolute mastery of melody and phrasing. No one ever did this song better.
6. "Springtime Polka," Myron Floren with the Lawrence Welk Orchestra: I'm sorrynotsorry for including this, because as a Wisconsin native, I know the POWER of POLKA! Put this on and do some spring cleaning, ya!
7. "Magical Spring," Ride: These blooming sounds from '90s Brit 'gaze-pop band Ride seem sunny and sweet. I have an alliteration problem.
8. "Springtime in the Rockies," Gene Autry: My mom used to sing this to me when I was little (and not-so-little) so this makes me a touch verklemp.
9. "Can't Stop The Spring," The Flaming Lips: Vintage Lips! A cool fuzzy pop thing with that weirdo edge that once demands from Wayne and Co.
10. "Spring Fever," Elvis Presley & Shelley Fabares: And finally, nothing says spring like these two singing an under-two-minute ode to spring romance while pretending to drive convertibles. Top down, people -- spring's a-comin'!
© Copyright 2008- Marianne Spellman