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 that make your memories even more wonderful (101–110)
GarnetOku Hanako
This is the theme song of the animated film “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,” a track where Hanako Oku’s vocals resonate deeply with the heart.
It captures the sparkle of days gone by and an unchanging feeling for someone precious—listening to it might just make your heart ache a little.
Released as a single in July 2006, it further heightened the film’s emotional impact.
Try listening to it on a summer evening when you want to sink into a slightly sentimental mood or when you’re remembering old friends.
It’s a song that will surely stay gently by your side.
End of SummerShimizu Shota
As the end of summer draws near, you get that distinctive, aching tightness in your chest, don’t you? In those moments, Shota Shimizu’s timeless ballads gently stay by your side.
They make you feel the memories of a summer romance spreading through your heart like the gradations of a sunset.
The unspoken loneliness the protagonist must be feeling, and the tenderness for days that won’t return, come through vividly in his emotive vocals.
This song is lovingly included on his March 2014 album ENCORE, and is cherished among fans as a hidden gem.
It’s perfect for the threshold of autumn, when the lively season bids farewell and a touch of sentimentality sets in, or for a quiet night spent alone, lost in memories.
If you savor each lyric as you listen, you’ll be drawn even deeper into its world—no question about it.
Please enjoy it that way!
Wake Me Up!SPEED
A summery dance song, “Wake Me Up!” is also recommended.
This track, released by SPEED, leans heavily into hip-hop elements.
Even so, their vocals convey a soft, girly vibe.
The lyrics are upbeat, singing about hope for the future and the refreshing spirit of youth.
It’s sure to get everyone hyped at karaoke.
There are also call-and-response sections, so you can have fun getting everyone to join in.
sparklingaiko
A love song with delicate lyrics and melodies that capture snapshots of summer.
With aiko’s characteristically unique turns of phrase, it conveys both the heartache and the hope of a lost romance.
Everyday moments and memories are depicted with a warmth that resonates and invites empathy.
Released as a single in August 2005, it was also used as the theme song for a Fuji TV drama and in a Toyota commercial.
It’s perfect for anyone who has experienced a summer fling or a breakup, a song you’ll want to listen to while gazing up at the summer night sky.
Why not let aiko’s voice envelop you and sink into nostalgic memories?
AspenKuramubon
Aspen is also recommended for those who want to try a ballad with a relaxed vibe.
This song is by the three-piece band clammbon.
It depicts a quiet summer night, and its lyrics are crafted with a distinctly poetic touch.
As you read into the words, you can sense the protagonist’s emptiness, vulnerability, and affection for someone close.
The sound is kept simple, creating a somewhat dreamlike atmosphere.
It’s perfect for cooling down at karaoke, too.
Summer songs with great lyrics. Summer tunes that make your summer memories even more wonderful (111–120)
Mahoro in SummerHarukamirai
This is a song you’ll want to listen to on a hot summer day, the kind that makes you suddenly drift into memories of the past.
Images of summer heat, a baseball field with white balls zipping through the air, and the 5:00 p.m.
siren evoke the sweet-and-sour memories of youth, giving you the courage to walk toward the future, tinged with a touch of regret.
The track appears on the album “THE BAND STAR,” released in July 2020, and its music video—based on the December 2019 live performance at Makuhari Messe—also leaves a strong impression.
It was selected as a recommended song by the music channel MUSIC ON! TV.
Whether you play it as background music on a summer drive or belt it out at karaoke, those fiery feelings from back then are sure to come rushing back.
Give it a listen!
Our Summer DreamYamashita Tatsuro
This is a song by Tatsuro Yamashita that evokes a nostalgic feeling, like a summer evening.
The beautiful melody woven by piano and strings makes it feel as if you’re watching a film from start to finish.
The lyrics seem to carry images of Japan’s lost pastoral landscapes and a gentle wish for the future, and listening to it may slowly warm your heart.
It’s a track with a warm theme that conveys bonds with loved ones and a sense of hope.
Released as a single in August 2009, it moved many people as the theme song for director Mamoru Hosoda’s animated film “Summer Wars.” It’s perfect for a summer drive with the windows down, feeling the breeze, and just as fitting for nights when you want to sink into a slightly sentimental mood.
Sing it at karaoke, and it’s sure to resonate with everyone.