Finally, the weather has started changing, and it is beginning to feel like fall. The chill in the air and the changing colors of the leaves have inspired me to share some songs that, to me, have an autumnal feeling. These songs may not outright mention the fall season, but they all have an overwhelming feeling that represents the fall.
Following the warmth and excitement of summer, and foreshadowing the cold and darkness of winter, autumn is a very in between time. Temperatures are tolerable, though sometimes chilly; everything is beginning to slow down but not to the often hopeless extent that the winter instills. To me, an autumnal-feeling song is more emotional, not too quick tempoed and if I had to assign a color palette, it would be made up of warm hues.
1. “Coffee” by Chappell Roan
Rating: 9/10
Favorite Line: “It’s better we leave it and give it some time / If I didn’t love you, it would be fine”
“The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” was the album that shot glittery pop singer Chappell Roan into stardom. The album is popular–and rightfully so–for upbeat tracks such as “HOT TO GO!”, “Femininominon” and “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl,” but between the Hot 100-charting tracks are some slower, more emotional songs, one of which is “Coffee.” Coffee features slow, emotional, beautiful vocals set to slow piano and guitar instrumentals. The lyrics explore a reconciliation between people who used to be in a relationship where both parties can admit still having feelings for each other, but they can also admit that a relationship between them isn’t for the best. The song has narrative aspects that I am drawn to as well as melodic vocals and instrumentals that make it a consistently enjoyable listen.
2. “Rubber Band Man” by Mumford & Sons and Hozier
Rating: 10/10
Favorite Line: “Nothing lasts forever, babe / You know it breaks my heart”
“Rubber Band Man” could not have possibly been released at a better time. Admittedly a last minute addition to my list, the Oct. 24 release quickly found a place in my heart. The song is a collaboration between two of my favorite artists, leading me to have high expectations for it upon the announcement of its release. The song is a perfect intersection of the two folk artists’ talents, and exceeds everything I had hoped for. The song gradually builds throughout its duration and comes together perfectly at the end. It has very quickly found a place in many of my playlists and is shaping up to be one of my favorite songs from both singers’ discographies.
3. “Coffee” by Beabadoobee
Rating: 7/10
Favorite Line: “The green in your eyes / Makes me feel warm inside”
I didn’t set out with the intention to pick two songs by the same title, but it felt wrong to exclude either of them, as both Chappell Roan and Beabadoobee’s “Coffee”s bring something completely different to the table. Beabadoobee’s debut 2017 single “Coffee” was made more popular when it was interpolated as Powfu’s 2020 single “death bed,” which features the original artist on the chorus. I find that I much prefer the original as it feels more authentic to the meaning of the song and is far more cohesive throughout. The soft, staticky audio almost gives the feel of listening to someone singing in another room. This gives the song an even more warm, cozy, personal feel that I adore and wholly relate to the autumnal months.
4. “Glycerine” by Bush
Rating: 10/10
Favorite Line: “Don’t let the days go by”
There isn’t a song on Bush’s 1994 release “Sixteen Stone” that I don’t love, but among the best tracks on the album is undoubtedly “Glycerine.” The track is one of the band’s most popular for good reason; it combines impeccable lyricism and stellar instrumentals to create a truly addictive earworm of a song. Gavin Rossdale’s vocals on the track convey the hurt described in the lyrics in a way I don’t know that any other artist would be able to. Uniquelly, the song features a string section, giving it another standout element from other songs by similar artists, and even from their own songs. The slower tempo of the song fits in well with the slower, shorter days at this time of year.
5. “seven” by Taylor Swift
Rating: 10/10
Favorite Line: “Love you to the moon and to Saturn”
Of Taylor Swift’s 12 albums, her 2020 release “Folklore” is undoubtedly one of my top three. The album is full of emotional songs and thoughtful songwriting, and many of the album’s 16 songs are more unplugged–using softer percussion and less electric instruments. Of these unplugged songs is “seven.” The song showcases Swift’s vocal abilities by setting slower vocals to largely piano and acoustic guitar instrumentals with additional support of soft percussion and strings. The imagery of the song is so vivid, allowing an especially relatable setting, as it is set in Pennsylvania.
6. “Don’t Follow” by Alice In Chains
Rating: 9/10
Favorite Line: “Say goodbye, don’t follow”
Alice in Chains’ 1994 EP “Jar of Flies” is one of the albums that is consistently gut-wrenching no matter how many times I listen to it. The EP is short, only running for a total 31 minutes from track one to seven, between which lies the sixth track of the EP, “Don’t Follow.” The song is one of my overall favorites from Alice in Chains and is one of the band’s slower songs. It features very stripped-down feeling instrumentals and slow, emotional vocals that aren’t uncommon throughout the grunge band’s discography but by no means are they the majority. The instrumental section lacks electric instruments, opting instead to set the tone of the song using unplugged instrumentals.
7. “Big Me” by the Foo Fighters
Rating: 9/10
Favorite Line: “But it’s you I fell into / I fell into / I fell into”
Repetition, when done right, is one of my favorite things a songwriter can include in their works. I can confidently say that Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl demonstrates a mastery of tastefully using repetition of lyrics in “Big Me” from the band’s debut self-titled album. “Big Me” is one of the band’s more slow, unplugged songs and shows a side of Grohl that, immediately following his Nirvana career, was largely unseen. More emotional songs are not uncommon among the discography of the Foo Fighters now, but in comparison to the majority of the time’s grunge music, it offers a refreshing contrast. The slow feel of the song and the slower feel of autumn days fit together perfectly, making it a fall favorite.
