Cold Weather Songs to Prepare You for the Next Winter Blast

With spring still a month away, New York is still dealing with the lingering cold and snowy weather the winter season brings. As we remain bundled in our blankets and coats, one must embrace the cold-yet-cozy feelings of the season. Music is a good way to do that, as there are a plethora of winter-themed songs that are sure to make the cold feel just a little bit cooler.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look at some of these cold-weather tunes. From songs using the season as a metaphor for loneliness and reflection to those that aim to make you see the season’s beauty, here are five wintry tunes to help you get this latest bout of snowy weather.

1.       Mumford & Sons, “Winter Winds”: “Winter Winds” takes the cold weather of winter as a time for loneliness. The premise here is that the singer has found a girl to warm his lonely heart. But what his head is telling his heart is a good idea, his heart knows is not right. The latter part of the song is letting the girl down slowly, telling her that come spring she will find someone new. (video)

2.       Vampire Weekend, “Horchata”: With the snow and cold weather Winter provides, it can feel like you’ve known nothing else for the last three months. However, “Horchata” reminds us that even though the cold may be hard to take, soon we will be able to see the sidewalks again. (video)

3.       AFI, “Silver and Cold”: Not expressly about winter or weather, “Silver and Cold” refers more to coldness as a metaphor for sadness. Like much of AFI’s early work, there is this cold, sad, depressed element to the song, kind of like the Seasonal Affective Disorder many tend to feel at this time of year. (video)

4.       Simon & Garfunkel, “Hazy Shade of Winter”: “Hazy Shade of Winter” is a reflective narrative about the passage of time. The song finds the narrator reflecting on his life as it comes to an end, indicated by the winter’s brown leaves and hazy skies. As he remembers his sadness and regrets, he hopes to be remembered and urges his listeners not to lose hope as the seasons change. (video)

5.       Fleet Foxes, “White Winter Hymnal”: Frontman Robin Pecknold has said that the lyrics of “White Winter Hymnal” mean absolutely nothing. But that doesn’t mean that the vivid imagery of red scarves and white snow against the song’s sweet, choral melody doesn’t evoke a certain feelings. It’s a sound that truly embodies the season. (video)

As the latest layer of snow falls this afternoon, take some time to get cozy and embrace the wintry vibe with some cold-weather-themed music. Check out some of our favorites above and let us know what wintry songs you love in the comments below.

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Find music for all seasons at Vinyl Bay 777. As Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a variety of genres to suit most music fans. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia 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.

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.