Summer songs with great lyrics. Tracks that make your summer memories even more wonderful.
Great lyrics enhance the tone and add even more color to a song, don’t they? Works that take a literary approach as well as a musical one often become classics.
This time, I focused my research on summer songs with outstanding lyrics! Of course, “good lyrics” can mean many things: lines that move you to tears, words that tug at your heart with bittersweet emotion, or lyrics that sparkle with a touch of humor.
From masterpieces that artfully paint summer scenes with words to one-summer love songs, we’ve got them all.
Be sure to find your favorite lyrics!
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Summer songs with great lyrics. Summer tunes to make your memories even better (71–80)
Summer NudeMagokoro Burazāzu
“Summer Nude,” a classic summer song released in 1995 by Magokoro Brothers.
It’s been covered by numerous artists, and in 2013 a drama inspired by the song, “SUMMER NUDE,” aired and became a hot topic.
While the song doesn’t have the kind of mood you might associate with the word “bittersweet,” as you’ll notice when you listen to the lyrics, it’s actually quite a poignant, aching song.
It’s like being confronted with a harsh dose of reality just as summer is about to hit its peak.
It may be a track that especially resonates with men.
ultra soulB’z
Just hearing the guitar intro makes me go “whoa!” and gets me pumped.
When I looked up the release year, it turned out to be 2001! Even though it’s from quite a while ago, it doesn’t feel dated at all.
It’s well-known as the theme song when the World Aquatics Championships are broadcast on TV Asahi.
The lyric “By winning and losing over and over, people can keep shining forever” feels like it fires you up before a competition or an important match.
And when the song title “ultra soul” is shouted at the end, it leaves you feeling refreshed! Give it a listen whenever you notice your energy’s running low!
Waiting for the windGRAPEVINE
When you feel like taking a breather from days that rush by, GRAPEVINE’s “Kazamachi” is just the thing.
Released in 2001, this song is perfect for those slightly sentimental summer moods.
Sometimes it seems like everyone else is living life better than you, or you find yourself looking back at the past, and people start to feel like a different species altogether.
Summer makes everything look lively and fast-moving, and your eyes can’t help but follow that pace, which can leave you feeling down or oddly out of sorts.
The song captures that hazy, hard-to-pin-down restlessness.
When not just your body but your heart feels tired, put this track on and cool down.
Because of the summerRADWIMPS
RADWIMPS is a rock band active since 2001.
Their 2020 release Natsu no Sei features a floating, beautiful melody that differs from the raw sound of their early days.
Centered on piano, it subtly blends in the band’s sound, giving it a rich flavor.
If you’re looking for a song with a mysterious charm that’s different from a typical poppy summer tune, this one is a top recommendation.
And with its calm tone, it might also be perfect as BGM for those sleepless summer nights.
Summer HydrangeasSexy Zone
A love song that likens a beloved person to a hydrangea blooming in the rain, “Natsu no Hydrangea.” Released in 2021 by the idol group Sexy Zone, known for performances that make the most of their sweet looks.
The song was written and composed by Motohiro Hata, resulting in a heartwarming sound.
Its poetic lyrics evoke scenes of rainy summer days and feel romantic.
Paired with their emotional vocals, the song will gently resonate.
Why not let yourself be soothed by its sweet, tender message that’s sure to make your heart skip a beat?
AwakeningSuperfly
A song that blows away the summer heat and those sudden rain showers is Superfly’s “Kakusei.” Released in 2019 as the B-side to the single “Ambitious,” this track was chosen as the theme song for the animated film Promare.
As you’ll notice when you listen, most of the lyrics are made up of mysterious, chant-like words.
These words are said to be what vocalist Shiho Ochi repeats when she meditates.
By repeating what seem like meaningless incantations over and over, the song evokes a feeling that wishes might come true or that you yourself might change for the better.
In the spirit of blowing away the heat and the rain, why not try chanting this spell yourself?
fireworksaiko
When you think of summer, this is the song that comes to mind! aiko’s 1999 release “Hanabi” (Fireworks).
Although it’s often seen as a summer love song, it actually expresses the loneliness aiko felt when, soon after her debut, she was so busy that she couldn’t attend the annual fireworks festivals she used to go to with friends.
The distinctive lyrics in the chorus describe her wish that she could watch the fireworks like that.
But of course, interpretations vary! You can hear it as a love song about wavering over whether to move forward, or enjoy it while lamenting being too busy to have fun the way you want.