As we all know, the school season is coming to an end. Instead of waiting until June 3rd to get out of school, we now get out on May 27th, which is so exciting! Although it’s kind of a sad time for me, I’m not looking forward to being a Senior, I am super excited for late nights with my friends, life guarding, Six Flags trips, and just being free from all of the unit tests that teachers keep springing on us! For May Bops, I put together some songs that remind me of summer, or song that just deserve to be listened to in all seasons during the year. Let’s jump in!

1. Bailey- Valley 
2. I wonder- Bay Ledges 
3. Park Bench- Valley 
4. Dear April- Frank Ocean 
5. Purple Candy- New Friends 
6. Believe- Mumford and Sons   

1. Bailey-Valley

When I first heard Bailey by Valley, I loved it so much. My first impression that the song was obviously about a girl, Bailey. The song is so overwhelmingly positive and upbeat when you first hear it, and you can’t help but jam out. Note: I didn’t deep dive into the lyrics at first. The major lyric I just focused on was ‘Oh God Bailey’ and that was it. UNTIL, I actually listened to the lyrics of the song and let me tell you, Valley really called me out, I AM BAILEY AND SHE IS ME. Let me just give you the run down real quick:

The song first starts out with describing Bailey, as a girl who is just a little wanderer even in a big group of friends, which I resonate with. But anyone can resonate with feeling just a little floaty in social situations and in big groups of parties, especially when you don’t even like big parties or big groups of friends. Anyway. Then we move into the part that REALLY calls me out, the chorus. The chorus includes the lyrics of:

“(Oh, God, Bailey)
You think you’re funny but you’re not
When the look is all you got
(Oh, God, Bailey)
You spend your daddy’s credit card
Then complain that money’s hard
And your pictures compensate for the lack for your fun
And you wonder why you’re all alone
(Oh, God, Bailey)
You think you’re funny but you’re not
When the look is all you got, Bailey”

OMG, these lyrics kind of made me super sad because I am Bailey! I definitely have the look (hehe), but I don’t like fun and then complain that I’m not having fun! I also spend my parent’s money  (mostly my Mom’s, sorry Mom), while simultaneously complaining I’m so broke, and I recognize that my Instagram looks very fun, but it definitely is just taking up for the lack of social events that I go to, and end up dipping after 15 minutes of being there. In terms of the song, it’s one of my favorites! It’s surprisingly positive but has a calming vibe, and is definitely a song that you could jump and down to or just drive 85 miles an hour down a highway to. Not to mention, Valley is one of my new favorite bands that I’ve discovered recently, and they call me out on all of my crap! A beautiful group. <3

2. I Wonder- Bay Ledges 

I Wonder is such a calming and vibey song, that deserves all the streams heading into summer. The band kind of sounds like the group Portugal to some degree, and the song is incredibly calming but still reflective and positive all at once. I Wonder is a song about a guy just wondering how his ex is doing, after a major breakup, and the feeling of not knowing what the other person is doing and thinking is a feeling that he just “can’t get used to.” I love this song, and it is so summery but is a song about something that we can all relate to; always wondering what our other ex person is up to and how they’re going on with out us 🙁

3. Park Bench- Valley

Oh my lord, I love this song with all of my heart. It is so HAPPY and reminds me of all of my loved ones and all of my most loved memories that I’ve had recently. You know when you listen to a song and you just feel so happy and you just think of how beautiful the people who are placed in your life are? That’s Park Bench, for me. Park Bench reminds me of driving down the highway with my best friend Alahna on our way to tumbling which is our favorite thing to do together. Park Bench reminds me of going to Six Flags in the dead heat of the summer with my most loved best friends and my mom. Park Bench reminds me of blasting music during the summer at the rink, while skating with all of my best friends with no care in the world. I highly recommend Park Bench for a night that you and your fellow baes just go out for a drive together, it definitely has the euphoric and summery vibes.

4. Dear April- Frank Ocean 

Now I know this playlist is for hype summer songs to blast with your friends, but hey! Some summer nights are hard and some are filled with tears! Such as the last night of summer or your friends leaving for college and the last summer you spent with them has passed. Dear April, is obviously made by a GOD. Although Dear April isn’t necessarily about college besties leaving or sad times during the late summer nights, it’s still an utterly beautiful song to just listen to and cry. Frank Ocean’s voice is so calming and beautiful, and the song is so slow, but so nice paced at the same time. The song has a very dreamy aura, and Ocean’s voice almost seems to swirl around the guitars and reverb in the music, which is so cool and adds to the dreamy and euphoric effect. Dear April, is essentially Ocean’s story of going through an uncertain and undetermined future with his lover, but the song captures the fight between hope in love and the failure of love at the same time. I mean literally Frank Ocean could produce anything and I would rate it a 1000/10, but Dear April is definitely one of my favorites he’s ever produced especially with the cool reverb and the swirling of Ocean’s voice in and out of the song.

5. Purple Candy- New Friends 

Moving back to a more positive upbeat song, is Purple Candy! I recently discovered this song driving to school, and immediately liked it in one second. Sometimes I wanna listen to some happy songs, but not so happy that they are vomiting happiness in my face out of the speakers. Purple Candy is a perfect song that fits the criteria of not being overwhelmingly happy, but the song is a bit slower and still gives you that euphoric feel. I love Purple Candy because New Friends is relatively underground, but the song just exudes summer vibes with lyrics like:

“Take a rocket to the moon, spin our favorite 80’s tunes all night
Can you see it in my eyes, don’t you feel those butterflies tonight?
You’re my purple candy high and we’re falling from the sky tonight
Falling from the sky”

Another great song that is amazing and would feel amazing to blast on a cool, summer night!

6. Believe- Mumford and Sons 

I have always been a big lover of everything Mumford and Sons have produced, and I’ve always wanted to go to one of their concerts so BAD. I recently discovered this song, and fell in love with it. The song necessarily isn’t summery, but it still is so amazing. The song is somewhat slow, but it’s one of those motivating songs that kind of makes you all ready to conquer the world. Mumford and Sons is also featured in one of my favorite shows, Ted Lasso, and anything written by them reminds me of the show.

I hope you could find a song that you liked and that you can enjoy with your friends and loved ones during this summer!

Happy summer, and an extra happy summer to all of the juniors heading into their senior year!