May is a month of blooming flowers, warmer days, and a sense of renewal as spring transitions into summer. This collection of songs looks at the month through various lenses, from the joy of new beginnings to realizing that time is moving forward.
Be sure to listen to the Songs About May Playlist at the bottom of this page.
Best Songs About May
1. “First of May” – Bee Gees
Lyric Sample: “We used to love while others used to play.”
This 1969 ballad is about two people who loved each other when they were young and innocent, and what it feels like to look back at that time, knowing neither of them can get back there.
2. “Month of May” – Arcade Fire
Lyric Sample: “Gonna make a record in the month of May.”
“Month of May” is a 2010 indie rock tune about the explosive energy that takes over Montreal when the winter finally breaks in May.
3. “End of May” – Michael Bublé
Lyric Sample: “Golden haze, another morning feels like yesterday.”
Bublé’s 2010 ballad uses the turning of the month as a metaphor for a relationship ending, the season closing out the same way something important has ended.
4. “May 16” – Lagwagon
Lyric Sample: “No more waiting on them, as you rise inside new rooms.”
Lagwagon’s punk rock classic is about the gut-punch of seeing a friend’s wedding you weren’t invited to.
5. “May Queen” – Liz Phair
Lyric Sample: “Where have I been? Got any what? Who have I seen? I spy a May queen.”
In “May Queen,” Phair sings about running into someone she’s wanted for a long time and realizing what kind of person he is and what that says about her taste.
6. “First of May” – James Taylor
Lyric Sample: “First day of May, things are beginning, our side is winning.”
Taylor’s 1988 track is a cheerful song about spring finally arriving and the joy that comes with warmer weather and someone to share it with.
7. “5 Days in May” – Blue Rodeo
Lyric Sample: “They met in a hurricane, standing in the shelter out of the rain.”
“5 Days in May” is about two people who meet during a hurricane and spend five days together that feel more meaningful than most long relationships.
8. “One Morning in May” – James Taylor
Lyric Sample: “To see the waters glide and hear the nightingale sing.”
In “One Morning in May,” Taylor sets a tender, short-lived romance against the backdrop of a May morning, the season itself a reminder that what’s blooming now won’t last forever.
9. “Third of May / Odaigahara” – Fleet Foxes
Lyric Sample: “Light ended the night, but the song remained.”
Lead singer Robin Pecknold wrote this 2017 folk tune about the distance that had grown between him and guitarist Skyler Skjelset in the years after touring for their second album.
10. “Maybe Next May” – Secrets
Lyric Sample: “This heart is yours, so take it as you please.”
“Maybe Next May” is a 2013 rock song about holding on past the point where holding on makes sense, and still trying to prove something to someone who has already made up her mind.
11. “This Sweet and Merry Month of May” – William Byrd
Lyric Sample: “This sweet and merry month of May, while nature wantons in her prime.”
Easily one of the oldest songs on any list I’ve made on this site, Byrd’s 1590 classic is a celebration of May as a season of beauty and renewal.
12. “The Lusty Month of May” – Julie Andrews
Lyric Sample: “That darling month when everyone throws self-control away.”
This 1960 show tune from the musical Camelot celebrates the arrival of spring as a time when everyone feels a sudden, restless urge to misbehave.
13. “Then Came the Last Days of May” – Blue Öyster Cult
Lyric Sample: “Three good buddies were laughing and smoking in the back of a rented Ford.”
“Then Came the Last Days of May” is a 1970s rock ballad that tells a tragic story of betrayal and violence. Set against the backdrop of late spring, the song is about three friends whose plans take a devastating turn.
Conclusion
May is a month of contrasts, balancing the freshness of spring with the approach of summer. Songs about May often describe this balance, whether through the excitement of new beginnings, the beauty of nature, or moments of contemplation.
Check out more of our Songs About the Months of the Year lists!
