For the third installment of Thank You for the Music, we looked toward the sunlight of spring at the end of the dark and miserable tunnel of winter (and finals), and one of the most recurring themes of the season is rebirth. Spring is a promise—a budding flower, a dewy morning, a ray of light through the crack in the door. It’s a season for dreams, a feeling Felix Gonzalez captured in the hazy cloud motifs dispersed throughout our words. We all chose songs that remind us of spring, of rebirth, of release, of hope, and exchanged them with peers in the hopes of spreading those jolts of sonic serotonin as we slowly emerge from a brittle and lonely winter.

Ashley Fung’s pick: Milky Chance, “Blossom”

I pride myself on choosing one of the band’s lesser known songs to recommend. Although “Stolen Dance” seemed to be everyone’s stepping stone away from mainstream pop and into the genre of soft rock, some would say it’s on the cusp of being a bit too overplayed. “Blossom” is none of that. To put it simply, “Blossom” is an underrated feel-good song. It’s a song best listened to with good company. If you haven’t already, I recommend experiencing the beginning with a pair of headphones because the intro was edited in a way that magically makes the notes jump from one ear to the other. And oh boy, I can’t wait till you reach the twenty-six second mark and feel the power of the most subtle of bass drops.

The vocalists of Milky Chance are among the many modern artists that pride themselves on a complete lack of enunciation. While this technique might make it more difficult to absorb each song’s lyrics, it also forces you to focus on every other aspect that tends to go unnoticed. I’ve had this song as a go-to for quite some time now, and haven’t bothered to fact-check the lyrics until now, but if you are in desperate need of some clarification then Google away. In my opinion, the song lyrics connect to the idea of spring quite literally. It’s all about seeking discomfort and remaining hopeful about the possibilities. With “Blossom” you’ll get a perfect blend between beat, bass, and vocals. Enjoy it in the car, at the Point, or on a walk in this decently warm Chicago weather.

Andrew’s take:

Like Chicago springs, Milky Chance’s “Blossom” takes its time, then starts in the middle: “‘Cause I’m tired of all this talking,” Clemens Rehbein warbles. The crux of the song lies in the refrain “‘Cause all I need, is to see you blossom out, blossom out, blossom out.” The rest of the lyrics are… we'll call them impressionistic. But the music conveys all they need, as the synths bottom out and a simple, quiet acoustic guitar gives the chorus room to breathe, leaving room for it to grow.

Grace Lee’s pick: Maggie Rogers, “Back In My Body”

Honestly, it's hard to think of a Maggie Rogers song that doesn't remind me of renewal. For me, her music constantly brings up imagery of water and its cleansing properties. But "Back In My Body" definitely stands out the most as a song that connects to themes of spring and regrowth. The joy that Rogers feels in this song is palpable: she sings the chorus with such conviction, and there is an audible sense of relief throughout the song.

Perhaps the beauty of "Back In My Body" is how relatable and adaptable it is. We've all, at some point or another, experienced what it's like to finally feel like yourself again after a long struggle, a feeling of renewal that seems to come most often at the beginning of spring. Rogers perfectly encapsulates this experience through "Back In My Body" and provides us with a powerful anthem of regrowth. As she sings throughout the song, "this time I know I'm fighting. This time I know I'm back in my body," it's hard not to sing along and feel the healing effects of these lyrics. It's an experience that's all at once refreshing and empowering.

Felix’s take:

I love songs that talk about moving or being in different locations. I find that I too often downplay the effect of being in a new space, and the importance of making your mind a safe home. “Lost you in the border town of anywhere / I found myself when I was going everywhere” highlights this process of self-realization despite the chaos around you. This song reminds me of “Fight Song” but with a little more lyrical nuance to sink my teeth into. On that note, I really enjoy the heavy drums of the chorus. They certainly give this song a lively spirit that reminds me of the sense of upward mobility that comes with spring. I’ve heard only good things about the record this song comes from, so I will definitely be hearing more of Maggie!

Felix Gonzalez’s pick: Florence + The Machine, “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful”

In another song called “South London Forever,” Florence sings, “There’s a special kind of sadness that seems to come with spring.” “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful,” the titular track on her third (and my favorite) album embodies perfectly the limitless spirit of change that comes with spring. “Oh, what are we gonna do?” she asks a lover that is increasingly distant, “We opened the door now, it's all coming through.”

The track builds and builds its momentum, backed by a joyful acoustic guitar and spurts of trumpets. I love the “whoo’s” and Florence’s classic belts as she sings about the vastness of the sky, skylines, and love. The bridge is a much-needed contemplation—like that which comes as the flowers begin to bloom and you look ahead of what has survived after a long winter. As the song fades into a chorus of trumpets, it feels like the sky itself is widening, growing with cautious hope at the warm days ahead.

Ashley’s take:

I’ve probably known about Florence + the Machine since middle school. I remember the group’s style being a bit daunting to me at the time. Too “rock” for my twelve-year-old brain. Even so, it didn’t take much for me to recognize Florence Welch’s natural talent and ability to make you feel at ease. My background knowledge of the band’s work is by no means expansive. “Dog Days Are Over” and “You’ve Got The Love'' were among the first songs I added to my PCH playlist—dedicated to my home state’s Pacific Coast Highway, naturally—four years ago. Both cheery, both upbeat, and both listed as Florence + The Machine’s most streamed songs on Spotify. “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful,” however, doesn’t fall into any of these categories.

During my first listen, I wasn’t totally convinced. The song felt sad and reflective, like it wasn’t gonna be anything to smile about. But there was most certainly a turning point. Too quick to judge, I felt the wave of Florence’s lifted emotion right when she recited the song’s title “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful.” What can I say, alliteration is a weapon. In the context of spring, I can see how, in a lot of ways, this song can represent a new beginning. The repeated line “what are we gonna do” towards the middle of the song immediately caught my attention. I can’t help but be reminded of how so many of us found ourselves asking the same question this past year. While the song is not your stereotypical springtime bop, it certainly has a lot to offer. The move from lyrical to instrumental right around the middle of the song is the kind of transition you only hear in movie scores. It took a couple of streams for it to grow on me, but it’ll definitely be worth your while.

Nadya Osman’s Pick: Walk the Moon, “Anna Sun”

What made me choose this song is the opening bright melody that plays in the background. It’s so hard to describe in a technical way, so I’ll leave it at this: it immediately places you on a field populated with blooming daisies as you spin in circles with your arms out and throw your head back to beam into the sun. The lyrics further set the scene: “Fire-crackers in the east my car parked south / Your hands on my cheeks your shoulder in my mouth…We got no money, but we got heart.” It’s about having a good time no matter your situation—there are so many ways to have fun without money, just being with one another.

It’s also clearly a spring song, hence the line, “Wait for summertime.” I discovered this song in middle school during my emo days, and it takes me back to an era where I was completely carefree and relaxed. As we head into spring quarter, that’s what this song brings for me and what I hope others take away from it—relax and enjoy the time we have here!

Danya’s take:

At first I couldn't understand how this song reminded someone of spring because I kept thinking how dilapidated his house was and how his relationship was falling apart. But then I realized that the speed, energy, and whimsy of Walk the Moon does remind me of the freeing acceleration that spring brings after a repressive winter. The song really has a killer beat that is very original and well-composed; Walk the Moon excels with the right energy and are a rare group whose distinct color comes through in their music. I was obsessed with their songs “We are the Kids” and “Portugal” because their drums and rhythms are immensely enjoyable. It's been a long time since I've listened to Walk the Moon, but I can imagine them hosting the best outdoor concert in spring or summer because their drums and energy exactly matches a fresh outdoor hangout.

Eleni Wah’s pick: Aries, “RACECAR”

I recently noticed that I tend to spend most of winter listening to sad music, with the exception being all of December when I listen to Christmas music exclusively. This year, I am blaming my seasonal sadness on Taylor Swift for dropping Evermore before I had even marginally recovered from Folklore, but now that winter is over, I’m temporarily trading in Champagne Problems for something more mentally sustainable. Songs like “RACECAR” are the opposite of what I’ve been listening to for the past few months; instead of feeling emotionally targeted by Taylor, listening to this song actually gives me a surge of dopamine (or maybe it’s serotonin?)—especially with headphones.

Even though I normally enjoy trying to understand the meaning of lyrics, “RACECAR” appeals to me largely because it doesn’t demand my attention at all. The constant flow of vocals that often overlap with each other and the fact that there are hardly any breaks between verses makes it a very trancelike song– it doesn’t require me to think as I listen, which I find both relaxing and energizing. Again, I’m not entirely sure what most of the lyrics mean, but I get the idea that the girl Aries is singing about is ready for change, which is exactly how I feel when spring hits, more than any other time of the year. Most relatable line: “With her bad lungs, running back to ‘em.” Because I really do have bad lungs.

Alexandra’s take:

I had never heard this song before, so I Googled the lyrics and yes, as Eleni validates for me above, they don’t make much sense. But what I can garner from them is a spirit similar to the song I picked below, which is the spirit of relief. The contrasts in the crescendos and the monotonous moments in the music give me the feeling of someone who really needs to break free.” Freedom is also something I associate with spring (though to a drastically smaller extent this year…), as everything seems to come to life and out of hiding. This spring, I’ll definitely be searching for the smaller (read: COVID-safe!) ways to find my own “RACECAR”-esque escapism.

Danya Wang’s pick: Kacy Hill, “Porsche”

I found this song through Instagram, when a creative cool dancer was sporting “Kacy Hill” on a shirt. I thought the art on the shirt was really cool so I searched her name up and found her song Porsche, which is a really striking memorable song because it's so light. Her consistent high notes and the bells after the first verses take you up to rest in a field of clouds; you can imagine being surrounded by cupids. The sound of the song seems timeless and has a kind of vintage groove.

The emotions are timeless, although I'm sure the vocabulary of self-love was largely exempt from mainstream music’s consciousness until the late 2010s, making her message of getting out of your head timeless but spoken with a modern vocabulary. Hill's feelings in this song are as clear and kind as her voice, light but still compartmentalized—like being on a Paris balcony with some white wine, or walking into open space surrounded by the blue sky, bright sunshine, and lush trees. In her voice, I could hear that feeling spring exudes that says life is stable.

Grace’s take:

Listening to "Porsche" for the first time, I was immediately struck by how jubilant the instrumental opening made me feel. It reminded me of the opening of one of my all-time favorite songs, "Everywhere" by Fleetwood Mac, but most importantly, it beautifully captured the feeling of renewal. The song seemed to encourage me to relive some of my favorite peaceful memories from springs past: soaking up the ever-so-welcome sunshine during long car rides, going on walks and observing all of the flowers that had regrown, and just finally feeling blissful again after a rough winter.

This feeling is echoed by the song's lyrics, which are simple but hauntingly beautiful and a much-needed reminder. Kacy Hill sings over and over again, "Baby, you got it. And everybody loves you." It's a truth that we can forget all too often, and Hill reminds listeners of the support systems we have around us. The song is filled with other important reminders and advice, such as "Don't take it personally if things don't work out the way you thought." Overall, "Porsche" makes for an incredible, feel-good listening experience. It feels like sunshine and like lying in a warm bath of positivity.

Alexandra Fiorentino-Swinton’s pick: Erykah Badu, “Window Seat”

There’s something inherently wistful and romantic and promising about Erykah Badu and neo-soul in general. I think it has something to do with the tendency to take inspiration from the past and fuse it with the present, which screams “spring” to me. We leave winter a little brittler and dimmer than we were before, but we eagerly lean into spring with the knowledge that we’ll enjoy the sun all the more for it.

Miss Badu perfectly captures the gentleness and haziness I associate with spring, what I consider to be the airiest and least intense of seasons. It waffles between chilly and balmy, easing us from one extreme to the next. Similarly, Erykah seems to be at a crossroads as she travels alone, just wanting “a chance to fly / A chance to cry / And a long bye bye,” and who among us can’t relate? It’s a song about release, and as the ice melts away and the coats get shelved till fall, there’s no other song I’d rather soundtrack my spring.

Nadya’s take:

As soon as I pressed play I knew this was the perfect spring song. It’s the light, rhythmic piano in the back that does it for me. I also love the idea of the song in general: the window seat is where the most elite daydreaming happens. It’s the place where you can settle in your own thoughts and breathe, and I believe spring brings us the chance to do this. Spring gives us the chance to take a little time to ourselves and step back to observe the world we live in. After this pandemic, I think we could all benefit from this outlook and I challenge you all to incorporate it into your daily lives, maybe by sitting on the Quad and playing this song!

Andrew Stahl’s pick: David Bowie, “I Can’t Give Everything Away”

David Bowie died for the last time on January 10, 2016. Previous deaths, including one famous rock ‘n’ roll suicide, always held the promise of reinvention; this time Lazarus couldn’t escape himself (“Everybody knows me now” he sings). There are signs of defiance: “I’m dying to / Push their backs against the grain / And fool them all again and again,” but the first line soon proved to be more double entendre than bravado. The elegiac closer to Bowie’s career, “I Can’t Give Everything Away,” completes his final reinvention as an artist who no longer plays a character.

The song sounds like an attempt to sum up his life. It begins with the harmonica line from “A New Career In A New Town”—written in exile in Berlin after his most controversial death—which transforms into a haunting saxophone refrain (his first instrument). “This is all I ever meant / That’s the message that I sent,” he sings. There is a tinge of regret, perhaps because his life with his second wife has been cut short—the title might refer to not being able to give it all up, knowing that he was dying from cancer. But it also indicates that he’s not willing to give up the game entirely, that even after dropping the masks his music still holds secrets. David Bowie died his final death on January 10, 2016, but his music continues reinventing itself.

Eleni’s take:

This song resonated with me particularly strongly from the first time I listened to it. It was Sunday night and I had just submitted a paper that I had spent the whole day working on, and I had that restless energy Bowie emanates here, which is fueled by the almost chaotic instrumentals of the song. Maybe I was just projecting my own feelings about my current situation onto the song, but I felt like there’s something desperate in the way he sang “I can’t give everything away”—as if someone was actually demanding everything from him. At the same time, there is also a kind of empowering sentiment about setting boundaries that strikes me as relevant heading into this spring.

I’ve always found that winter can be an especially draining time of the year, and while spring might bring a new, revitalizing energy, it also seems like a time where things start to become a bit clearer, allowing us to reflect on the darker days of winter. This song feels like dragging yourself out of a lifestyle or situation that you know is unhealthy or is taking too much from you; even if you need to repeatedly affirm the statement to convince yourself of it (“saying no but meaning yes”), the message is still clear that you deserve the right to save some of yourself, only for yourself.