Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Five Songs to Get You in the Autumn Mood


Summer has officially come to an end, as the Autumnal Equinox took place this weekend. The change of season has already seemed to sneak into effect, as pumpkin spice everything has taken over shelves and an instant new air of cold weather has taken over almost overnight.

A while back, we gave you a list of contemplative songs about the fall season. But there are a lot of songs that ditch the fall imagery and present the season’s feelings in new and profound ways. These are songs that embody the cool weather, changing leaves and, in many cases, the sullen realization of life’s cyclical nature.

In honor of the new fall season, Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look at songs to get you in that autumn mood. From the songs to warm you up in the cold weather to the downright melancholy songs about the passage of time, here are five tunes to get you ready for everything the season throws at you.


1.       The Neighbourhood, “Sweater Weather”: With its slow, almost lustful feel, “Sweater Weather” brings a sort of loving warmth to the colder months. Implying the sharing of body heat by staying close (who are we kidding, more than “staying close”), there is something comforting about the way the song makes you feel. It’s kind of like a warm cup of apple cider. (video)

2.       Josh Ritter, “Change of Time”: Somber in nature, “Change of Time” reflects the fall season’s motif of endings. The song depicts a narrator that is drifting directionless at sea, possibly dealing with what might be his imminent death. Just like this, autumn is often seen as a time where things come to an end, (such as leaves changing color and falling to the ground and cold weather preventing things from growing). It’s a rainy day song, contemplative and chilly like the weather. (video)

3.       Pete Seeger, “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season)”: Fall is a time for reflection and “Turn! Turn! Turn!,” written by Pete Seeger and made famous by The Byrds,  is all about that. One of the only popular songs to be cut almost completely from bible verse, the song speaks of the world turning with there being a time in life for everything. It’s a great metaphor for the changing of the seasons and the song’s solemn-ness seems appropriate for this time of year. (video)

4.       The Shins, “New Slang”: As much as fall is about cold weather and endings, it is also about change. “New Slang” finds the narrator lamenting about how people change over time. Seeing how quickly he has grown up, he wonders about how he would have done things differently if he had known how short life was; climbing trees and dancing like no one was watching. It’s the kind of cerebral melancholy that The Shins do well and it’s the kind of theme and melody that feel like you’re contemplatively watching the leaves falling around you. (video)

5.       Fleetwood Mac, “Landslide”: Another song about time passage, “Landslide” has become one of the quintessential songs on the topic. Though it more mentions “snow covered hills” than it does falling leaves, the sentiment is perfect for the contemplative nature of autumn and reflecting on life’s cyclical “seasons.” The song has been covered multiple times, but most versions I’ve heard opt to keep the original’s somber feel. (video)


Autumn is a very contemplative season, as most people associate it with change as the cold weather slowly drifts in. The songs above, while not expressly about fall, portray the feel of the season, giving the listener a mental image as strong as if it were mentioning the falling leaves. Check these songs out and let us know what songs remind you of autumn in the comments below.

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Find more music for your fall playlist at Vinyl Bay 777. As Long Island’s favorite new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a variety of genres to suit every mood. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

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