As September comes to a close, we notice the trees saturate to shades of cardinal red and blood orange. This only means we’re heading deeper into autumn. While you are surrounded by the changing environment with your pumpkin spice latte in hand and a spiced orchard candle crackling nearby, it is essential to have music fill the room, and I have the best songs for you to fabricate the perfect autumn playlist.
These songs correlate with autumn by evoking the same emotions this season brings. Feelings of nostalgia, melancholy, and comfort are all in tune with fall. The falling leaves provoke old memories, the conclusion of summer creates grief, and cuddling up in a blanket brings tranquility and coziness. That said, I have found the greatest songs to resonate with these themes.
- “Frances” by Role Model
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This first song is a must-have for your playlist. After having the privilege of seeing Role Model during UCF’s Pegasus Palooza Concert Knight, I have nothing but deep admiration for his music, especially this song. This song is about him reminiscing on a previous relationship with his ex-girlfriend Emma Chamberlain, whose middle name is Frances. It’s a beautiful song that shows just how much respect Role Model has for Chamberlain despite their relationship being over.
This song reflects all the emotions of a breakup: melancholy and nostalgia. By providing intimate details, Role Model reminisces about the fond moments of their relationship. Clearly, they had a special connection, and he missed her.
Role Model begins his song with, “Frances, She was amazing; she held my hand in times like this. She dances under the strobe lights. She called me handsome on nights like this.”
Ultimately, this is a beautiful song, as it shows the bittersweet emotions Role Model is confronting. He resonates with feelings of regret in the song, as he mentions he made some mistakes that are still on his mind. It is clear he still has some lingering feelings towards Chamberlain, but he is grateful to have had her in his life, even though they are broken up now.
- “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star
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This song is delightful during the autumn season. Despite never having a huge influence on any music charts, “Fade Into You” is arguably one of the top-used songs in film and television, according to Vulture. This is probably because of its slow melody due to the gentle tambourine echoes, which is excellent for sorrowful film scenes.
“I wanna hold the hand inside you, I wanna take the breath that’s true. I look to you, and I see nothing; I look to you to see the truth,” Mazzy Star sings.
In other words, Mazzy Star emphasizes her desire to connect with the person beyond physical touch. She wants to connect with their soul and hear their truths. She has a deep longing for them to open up to her.
The song concludes with tambourines amplifying reflecting themes of hope to better her connection with the other person. We can all relate to this hopeful feeling, whether it is by hoping to perform well on an upcoming exam or by hoping to have a pleasant semester overall.
- “Iris” by Ashes to Amber
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For the third song, I decided to add a more upbeat tune for a change of pace. “Iris” is a short, feel-good song, which investigates nostalgic feelings as time goes by. Similar to “Frances,” “Iris” reflects on a past relationship with gratitude towards his past partner, as he refers to her as his ‘iris.’
“She’s my iris; she’s my timeless; she’s my sitting wasting, killing patience. I’d love to count the days, But they just went by,” Ashes to Amber sings.
There is a sense of frustration in the song as the artist expresses his deep longing for time to slow down. Time continues to go by, which parallels his ex-partner feeling further out of reach. By the end, Ashes to Amber realizes that he needs to start letting go of his past. He emphasizes this by saying, “Maybe it’s time.”
Through his convoluted emotions, Ashes to Amber dwells on the passing of time, initially with irritation, followed by recognition and hope by the song’s conclusion.
- “1979 – Remastered 2012” by The Smashing Pumpkins
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“1979,” specifically the 2012 version, is an eminent song for any fall playlist. The band calls themselves The Smashing Pumpkins; of course, it correlates with fall. Being a coming-of-age song, “1979” perfectly contributes to feelings of fall by reflecting on nostalgic memories from when Lead Singer Billy Corgan was back in high school.
“That we don’t even care, As restless as we are. We feel the pull, In the land of a thousand guilts and poured cement,” The Smashing Pumpkins sing.
A common theme that comes with being a teenager is rebellion, which is why this song evokes feelings of angst. They have carefree and joyous spirits. However, they are aware that their time spent feeling young and free will come to an end soon. They will soon reach their 20s and start working in their adult careers.
- “Notion” by The Rare Occasions
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Similar to the other songs, The Rare Occasions reflects on the past in “Notion.” Lead Singer Brian McLaughlin describes how others would tell him he is going to Hell as a consequence of not believing in an afterlife.
“Oh, back when I was younger, was told by other youngsters that my end will be torture beneath the earth. ‘Cause I don’t see what they see when death is staring at me, I see a window, a limit, to live it, or not at all,” The Rare Occasions sing.
This evokes a carefree spirit, like the energy created by The Smashing Pumpkins in “1979.” McLaughlin demonstrates how he does not live by the restrictions involved with being religious. In the song, he claims religious beliefs to be “lies,” suggesting people only believe in a religion for the comfort that comes with it. Believing in a greater purpose after this is much more consoling than believing there is nothing past death.
- “Linger” by The Cranberries
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I decided to end my list with this upbeat track. “Linger” is a classic autumn song that, although it is often played, is a top-quality song nonetheless. Lead singer Dolores O’Riordan wrote this song about the heartache she struggled with after her breakup with her first boyfriend.
Everyone can relate to this song in their own way when they think about something or someone they’re not fully over and can’t get back. The thoughts of them continue to ‘linger’ in their mind. Maybe you can relate to it if you still miss the summer.
“Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger,” The Cranberries sing.
O’Riordan is frustrated with the way her feelings for him still linger. She has a deep desire for him despite their relationship being impossible. By repeatedly asking him why he lets her feelings linger, O’Riordan is questioning why he doesn’t just cut her off since their relationship is certainly over.
I hope you enjoyed these suggestions for your autumn playlist. In my opinion, these songs are severely underrated and should be listened to more. Some honorable mentions not listed include: “Forrest Gump” by Frank Ocean, “Coming Home” by Beabadobee, “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Ritcher, “What You Know” by Two Door Cinema Club, and “Karma Police” by Radio Head. At least one of these songs is bound to get you into the fall spirit.