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 special (41–50)
Blue Hawaiitota
This song depicts a faint summer romance.
Released in August 2022, it sets the unspoken, frustrating feelings toward someone you love to a warm band sound.
Some listeners may find themselves overlaying their own bittersweet memories of love onto the image of someone who feels the cicadas’ chorus is far louder than their own feelings.
Featured as an insert song in the dating show “Koisuru ♥ Shūmatsu Homestay 2023 Natsu” and used in a Kao “Essential” commercial, this track invites you to listen while basking in your summer memories.
Summer songs with great lyrics. Summer tunes to make your memories even more wonderful (51–60)
Everyday, KachushaAKB48
This is a quintessential AKB48 song created by the golden duo: multi-creator and lyricist Yasushi Akimoto and hitmaker Yoshimasa Inoue, who has worked on numerous 48 Group hits.
Although it was released in 2011, the entire 48 Group still treasures and continues to sing this track.
Fans love it, too.
The lyrics, told from “my” perspective about feelings of first love for a girl who looks great in a headband, evoke the timeless, sparkling youth that never fades.
With Atsuko Maeda shining brilliantly as center, it’s a highly recommended summer song!
Ponytail and ScrunchieAKB48
AKB48 groups often hold large handshake events in the summer, and fans eagerly look forward to the summer singles released each year to hype up those events.
Nicknamed “Ponishu” by fans, this song is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser at live shows! The lyrics, packed with the feelings of a boy with an unrequited crush on a girl with a ponytail, will make your heart flutter just by reading them.
The first-person “boku” sung by AKB48 always has a touch of bittersweetness, doesn’t it? If there’s a party full of girls, this is definitely a song you’ll want everyone to sing together!
beetle (specifically, a rhinoceros beetle)aiko
Singer-songwriter aiko became popular for lyrics that uniquely resonate with women.
When it comes to her signature songs, it has to be “Kabutomushi.” This love song portrays straightforward affection, comparing herself—drawn irresistibly to her boyfriend—to a rhinoceros beetle lured by a sweet scent.
Let yourself swoon with this summertime romance anthem.
Summer Love Lifeaiko
Aiko has produced numerous classic songs about summer.
Among them, Summer Love Life is one of the most heartrending.
Told from a woman’s perspective, it overlays the end of summer with the end of a romance.
Another highlight is the many seasonal images woven throughout.
From a karaoke standpoint, the song features plenty of scoops and slides, making it easier to sound like you’re really nailing the performance.
Sing it well and you might just amaze your listeners.
I remember youYUI
As summer draws to a close, it’s only natural to want to listen to one of YUI’s classic songs.
Released in September 2006, this piece is deeply connected to the film “Midnight Sun” (Taiyo no Uta), in which YUI herself starred.
It was produced during the film’s preview tour and is said to have been written with the image of a character reminiscing about a beloved person.
The unforgettable feelings for someone precious who can no longer be seen are sung with a heartrending melody that truly tightens the chest.
The song is also included on the album “CAN’T BUY MY LOVE,” among others.
How about it for a long autumn night spent basking in memories of summers past, or as a companion for a slightly sentimental drive?
Our DiaryME:I
It’s a wonderful track that brightens up sparkling summer memories.
Featured on ME:I’s single “Hi-Five,” released in August 2024.
Its gentle lyrics reflecting on summer days ride over a laid-back melody and really resonate.
Poetic scenes—like the pool and camping under starry skies—are vividly depicted, stirring the listener’s own memories.
Perfect for when you want to think back on time spent with someone special.
It’s sure to leave you with a warm, cozy feeling!