The month of May is named after Maia, the Roman goddess overseeing growth. This month witnesses warmer temperatures as the season transitions to summer. It’s also the time when flowers bloom.
For those reasons alone, it’s worth celebrating May. And songwriters did not pass the opportunity to pen songs celebrating this time of the year.
There aren’t that many songs about May, but we were able to put up a decent compilation. Say hello to spring with 10 of the best songs about May.
1. ”The First Of May” By Bee Gees
To begin our list, let’s talk about a song with “May” in the title. We give you “The First of May,” a song from the Bee Gees‘ 1969 album Odessa. It was released as a single and peaked at #37 on the US Billboard How 100.
The date in the title is actually the birthday of Barry Gibb’s dog. Now, the song may be about the dog. But it’s written so that it can be about young love or first love.
A loving ballad, the song reflects on memories long gone while the singer wishes to rekindle a lost love. In the song, he mentions the power of love and how it can bring everyone together no matter how long it has passed.
2. “Month Of May” By Arcade Fire
If you want a simple song with an upbeat tune, listen to Arcade Fire‘s “Month of May.” The song was part of their album, The Suburbs.
The lyrics to the song were inspired by vocalist Win Butler’s experience while living in Montreal, Canada. According to him, the winters there were so intense that remnants of the cold months could be felt even in spring. Hence the line, “Kids are all standing with their arms folded tight,” to keep warm.
The singer says he wanted to remember how he felt during spring in 2009 and 2010. As we all know, during winter, people prefer to stay indoors. And when spring comes, they can’t wait to enjoy the outdoors again.
3. “End Of May” By Michael Bublé
Our next song mentions “May” to signify the end of the singer’s relationship. “End of May” was released as part of Michael Bublé’s 2010 album, Hollywood: The Deluxe EP.
The song with “May” in the lyrics is a slow and emotional ballad that takes on the theme of pain and loss. Just like the end of May, the singer’s relationship ended. And now he’s going through a tough time moving on following a breakup.
While wallowing in sadness, days seem longer. Some days he’s okay. Some days are not. But he must accept the fact that she’s gone from his life. The singer ends the song by saying that when they meet again, he’ll tell her it’s another ordinary day.
4. “The May Queen” By Robert Plant
Our next song, “The May Queen,” is the first track in Robert Plant‘s Carry Fire album. The singer indulges in retrospection as he sings about his feelings toward his love interest.
In his search for “love and glory,” he finds her, the woman who brings fire to his life. And this fire burns, with him surrendering himself to her light. What he finds in her is the love he yearns for, one “that never dies.”
The title is in reference to the time of the year when you feel like your life is opening up. Spring is an optimistic time, prompting him to “lay down in sweet surrender.”
5. “May 16” By Lagwagon
What makes a day essential or memorable to you? For Lagwagon, “May 16” was the time vocalist Joey Cape had a falling out with friends. This high-energy punk anthem came from the band’s album Double Plaidinum.
In this interview, Cape recalls that a misunderstanding caused the rift between him and his long-time friends. And when they got married, he wasn’t invited. Naturally, he felt brokenhearted. The wedding took place on May 16.
Cape wrote a song about it, with lyrics that say, “I will be proud from afar” and “I am…uninvited.” Finally, he ends the song by saying, “It’s just another Saturday,” as the wedding fell on a Saturday.
6. ”5 Days In May” By Blue Rodeo
Some of the best love songs are inspired by the songwriter’s own experiences. In the case of “5 Days in May,” Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo was inspired by how he met his wife.
This mid-tempo ballad follows how Cuddy met his wife in a shelter during a hurricane. It shows us the familiarity he feels, probably out of knowing she is the one. The five days in May symbolize the happiness the couple feels, especially at the beginning of a relationship.
The line “He wrote her name in the sand” was inspired by what the band’s sound engineer did whenever he was on the beach. He would write his wife’s name on the sand. Cuddy decided to include this in the song.
7. “Early Morning May” By Ronald Jenkees
Released in 2012, “Early Morning May” is an instrumental electronic track. This appeared on Days Away, an album by American composer Ronald Jenkees.
While an instrumental track, “Early Morning May,” evokes feelings of springtime and renewal. The upbeat keyboard melodies evoke good feelings and an optimistic view of the coming days.
Loved by critics and fans, “Early Morning May” is one of Jenkee’s most famous compositions. It shows his skill and love for different musical genres and is inspired by classical jazz, funk, and pop, among others.
8. “May Queen” By Liz Phair
American singer-songwriter Liz Phair recorded “May Queen” for her 1994 album, Whip-Smart. The song has pop flavors mixed with Phair’s distinct voice. She uses an upbeat tempo and catchy melodies to hook you into the song.
Listeners may have varying interpretations of “May Queen.” One of which is about the singer liking one guy for a very long time. After not seeing him for quite a while, they meet again, probably at a party, surrounded by women (“Girls in your arms”).
The title may refer to the guy being a show-off. The line “The changing of her majesty’s guard is truly amazing” says that he always has different women or partners.
9. “May Queen” By Heather Dale
Another “May Queen” is in the house, this time by Canadian folk singer Heather Dale. Here, Dale takes on the story of a young woman yearning to be the titular character.
In the song, the singer has been in love with this guy for a while. She says they love each other, but for him, it’s “a brother’s love.” He’s her true love, but now he’s going to marry someone else.
The singer gets to meet the bride, who everyone says is “lovely as the spring.” And she agrees with them, now seeing why the guy fell in love with the woman. But it doesn’t stop our singer from wishing the May queen was her.
10. “Maybe Next May” By Secrets
Our last song that mentions “May” is one with themes of loss and regret. Post-hardcore band Secrets recorded “Maybe Next May” for their 2013 album, Fragile Figures.
Here, the singer pours his heart out as he holds on to a relationship that’s about to end. He’s done everything he could to love her and to show her they have a future. But she keeps questioning his love for her.
Still, knowing she’s giving up, he’s still willing to make their relationship work. But if she walks away, he has to move forward without her.
Summing Up Our List Of May Songs
Just like the songwriters of the songs above, is May memorable to you? As you can see, May, just like the other months, is a good inspiration for writing songs. It references or symbolizes the changing seasons, renewal, growth, and even rebirth.
It’s also a good time to look forward to great things in the future. Or look back and reflect on the sadness of the past or the opportunities missed.
Either way, we do hope you like the compilation we came up with about this wonderful month of the year.
