10,000 Maniacs are, from lef, John Lombardo, Mary Ramsey, Jeff Erickson, Dennis Drew, Steve Gustafson, and Jerry Augustyniak. Submitted Photo

I was looking at my iPod the other day and saw how many different artists and bands I have stored in it for my musical enjoyment. With the holidays approaching, it occurred to me that there is plenty of music for them, and most of the time one can hear holiday music from early November to about the first 10 days of January give or take a day.

Holiday music sounds perfect for the holiday season, but that music sounds out of place in, let’s say, June. Would you agree with me?

So, I started to think.

Are there specific songs or compact discs that have more meaning during certain seasons of the year?

My answer is yes. Let me explain.

Here are some bands and songs that remind me of certain seasons of the year. This is a not an extensive list because there are so many bands and songs from which to choose. For space reasons, I only listed a few. You may or may not agree with my choices, and that is fine. If you would like, please email me your choices.

SPRING

Crosby Stills and Nash — “Wooden Ships,” “Teach Your Children,” “Ohio,” and “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes.”

These songs say Spring to me because of the lyrics and because of the way the songs sound. I wasn’t a fan of CSN until my mid 20s. Earlier, I thought CSN was a protest band, but as I listened more and I think of this band as singing about freedom and cost of it.

Neil Young — “Old Man,” “Heart of Gold,” and “Cinnamon Girl.”

When I listen to these songs, I hear a sense of longing and reflection of the narrator trying to find a missing element in his life.

Neil Diamond — “Solitary Man,” “Cracklin’ Rosie,” and “Sweet Caroline.”

These songs carry the season’s vibe with them. “Sweet Caroline” even mentions the season in the lyrics.

Human League — “Don’t You Want Me.”

I remember this song in the spring of my junior year of high school, and for that reason it reminds me of the season.

The Moody Blues — “Your Wildest Dreams,” and “The Other Side of Life.

Both songs remind me of someone searching for his soulmate, and after the snow has melted, the search begins in the spring.

Mr. Mister — “Broken Wings”

Listen to the lyrics. They are about healing.

Don Henley — “The Heart of The Matter”

The lyrics say, “It’s about forgiveness,” so spring may be one of the best times to forgive and move on.

10,000 Maniacs — “These are Days.”

I always think of this song in the spring because of how it begins. And of course the lyrics. “When May is rushing over you with desire…”

SUMMER

The Hollies — “Bus Stop”

You can’t argue with the lyrics. “Bus stop, wet day, she’s there, I say ‘please share my umbrella.’ She stays, love grows under my umbrella. All that summer we enjoyed it… .”

The Beach Boys — Virtually any song from this band. The songs may make you want to go to the beach, and stay there. Just listen to “Good Vibrations.”

The Monkees — “Last Train To Clarksville”

I remember watching the TV show, and it always seemed like The Monkees were living in a perpetual summer.

Squeeze — “Pulling Mussels (From the shell)”

The lyrics and the sound of Glen Tilbrook’s voice remind me of summer.

The Police — “Every Breath You Take”

This song may fit into any season, but for me, it fits into summer.

Journey — “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)”

It’s the video of this song that reminds me of summer.

Poco — “Crazy Love”

The lyrics say it all. “Count the stars in a summer sky, that fall without a sound, and then pretend that you can’t hear, these teardrops comin’ down.”

FALL

America — “You Can Do Magic.”

I first heard this song when I was senior in high school. The song, I believe, captures the spirit of the fall. It might be me, but this song sounds better when there is a light rain. Weird I know.

Rush — “Animate,” “Stick it Out,” “Show Don’t Tell.”

These songs took Rush in a different direction and have an edge to them that say fall to me. If you can listen to these songs when the leaves are gone, there’s a slight rain, the wind whips, and the landscape looks barren, and desolate.

Van Morrison — “Moondance”

“A fantabulous night to make romance, ‘neath the cover of October skies, and all the leaves on the trees are falling.” These lyrics paint a very good picture in your mind.

The Alan Parsons Project — “Eye In The Sky”

To me, this song embodies the season because, at times, it sounds gloomy.

Steely Dan — “Dirty Work”

The narrator wants to break free, but is trapped by his on-again, off-again lover, and he feels like a fool. The song fits because I can imagine this happening to the narrator during this time of the year.

10,000 Maniacs — “Like the Weather”

Again the lyrics have it. “Shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather. Quiver in my voice as I cry, ‘What a cold and rainy day. Where on earth is the sun hid away?'”

Yes — “Owner of a Lonely Heart.”

This reminds me of early fall because that’s when I first heard the song. Over the years, it has stuck there.

The Doors — “Riders On The Storm”

The beginning with the rain and thunder sound effects sets the mood. Then the keyboard kind of mimics the rain cascading. Jim Morrison’s voice sounds haunting. I first heard this song when I was about seven or eight, and I instantly got scared because of the lyrics.

WINTER

Paul Davis — “Cool Night,” and “I Go Crazy.”

“Cool Night” mentions holding someone close by the fire. Both songs also have a melancholy mood. You root for the narrator of the song and hope he gets back the woman of his dreams.

Dan Fogelberg — “Same Old Lang Syne”

The song has a somber tone set up by the oboe and piano in the introduction, very telling lyrics.

“Met my old lover in the grocery store. The snow was falling Christmas Eve.

I stood behind her in the frozen foods, and I touched her on the sleeve.

She didn’t recognize the face at first, but then her eyes flew open wide.

She went to hug me and she spilled her purse, and we laughed until we cried.”

Don Henley — “New York Minute.”

The music complements the sad lyrics. You feel for Harry and what he went through.