The Ultimate Spring Playlist

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"Stick these songs on your iPod and we guarantee you’ll be full of the merriment of spring"

The sun is shining, daffodils are flowering and the days are getting longer, it can only mean one thing; spring is finally here! To celebrate the changing of seasons, we’ve compiled ten songs to soundtrack this time of new life, warmth, the smell of cut grass and soft breezes. Stick these songs on your iPod and we guarantee you’ll be full of the merriment of spring - even when the inevitable rain kicks in!

1. The Beatles – ‘Here Comes The Sun’ (1969)
The George Harrison classic is filled with the euphoria and happiness of spring from start to finish. The lyrics sum up the emotions of the song perfectly: “Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting / Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear / Here comes the sun, here comes the sun / And I say it's all right.” Bliss!

The Beatles - Here Comes The Sun

2. Jason Mraz – ‘I’m Yours’ (2008)
One of the most sumptuous love songs ever recorded, the reggae-tinged, feel-good pop hit is imbued with positivity and joy from the opening guitar riff to the closing cymbal crash. Like a warm breeze, ‘I’m Yours’ is a song that’s guaranteed to lift you out of the doldrums.

Jason Mraz - I'm Yours

3. Outkast – Hey Ya! (2003)
It has absolutely nothing to do with spring or the changing seasons, but Outkast’s ‘Hey Ya!’ is such a celebratory and funk-tastic tune that it perfectly complements that happy feeling at this time of year.

Outkast - Hey Ya

4. Len - ‘Steal My Sunshine’ (1999)
The sun-kissed anthem is a glorious coming together of pop, hip-hop and disco in four minutes of grin-inducing euphoria. Sadly the Canadian band failed to replicate the song’s success or radiance and ‘Steal My Sunshine’ ultimately became a one-hit wonder.

Len - Steal My Sunshine

5. Louis Armstrong – ‘What A Wonderful World’ (1968)
If you’re having a bad day or you’re feeling a bit blue, one spin of this spell-binding masterpiece immediately elevates your mood and you soon realise life is great after all. Put simply, ‘What A Wonderful World’ is a ray of sunshine.

Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World

6. Dario G – ‘Sunchyme’ (1997)
Crewe’s finest musical export Dario G (named after Crewe Alexandra manager Dario Gradi for you fact finders out there) came up trumps with this serotonin-tickling dance classic. An inspired concoction of steel drums, a delectable piano loop and a chanting sample from The Dream Academy’s ‘Life In A Northern Town’, ‘Sunchyme’ became the outfit’s sole hit single – but what a glorious one it was!

Dario G - Sunchyme

7. U2 – ‘Beautiful Day’ (2000)
The Irish supergroup scored one of the biggest hits of their glittering career with this rousing rock anthem. Musically harking back to their late eighties glory days, ‘Beautiful Day’ is simple in its sentiment, catchy-as-hell and, of course, best listened to when the sun is shining.

U2 - Beautifu Day

8. Eels – ‘Mr E’s Beautiful Blues’ (2000)
“Goddamn right it’s a beautiful day!” is the oft melancholy Mark ‘E’ Everett’s cheery refrain on this indie gem. A lovely track, it takes on extra gravitas when you factor in that it was written by E when he was coming to terms with the untimely death of his mum and sister. Poignant and highly affecting stuff.

Eels - Mr E's Beautiful Blues

9. Bill Withers – ‘Lovely Day’ (1977)
Despite being used and abused on a famous tea brand’s TV advert, ‘Lovely Day’ is still a heart-warming classic filled with the joys of spring. Funky, soulful and blissful, ‘Lovely Day’ is sheer musical perfection.

Bill Withers - Lovely Day

10. Super Furry Animals – ‘Hello Sunshine’ (2003)
Snow Patrol’s Guy Lightbody recently described the Super Furry Animals as our generation’s Beatles. Essential SFA’s ‘Hello Sunshine’ has the exact same sentiment as ‘Here Comes The Sun’ with a 21st Century twist. Again, the lyrics say it all: “In honesty it’s been a while / Since we had reason left to smile / Hello sunshine, come into my life”.

Super Furry Animals - Hello Sunshine