Sonic Sunday: May Flowers

Since I just inundated you all with three Sundays of "April Showers," it's only right that I follow up with a big musical bouquet of May Flowers. I thought this might be hard at first because there doesn't seem to be as many flowery songs as there are songs about rain, but this was actually a lot of fun to put together. It's turned out to be one of my favorite Sonic Sunday mixes so far, so I hope you all enjoy it! (And don't worry, my next mix won't be about pilgrims.)

"Flowers in the Rain," The Move - Woke up one morning half asleep/With all my blankets in a heap/And yellow roses scattered all around/The time was still approaching/For I couldn't stand it anymore/Some marigolds upon my eiderdown/I'm just sitting watching flowers in the rain/Feel the power of the rain making the garden grow/I'm just sitting watching flowers in the rain/Feel the power of the rain keeping me good

I almost posted the Kaiser Chiefs version of this, but opted for the original instead. Even though I love the bass groove on the cover, there's just something cuter and peppier about the original version.

"I Picked a Flower," The Pastels (featuring Jarvis Cocker) - I found a rose in another man's garden/She was flowering all alone/Undervalued and unappreciated/I knew I had to take her home/And though she did not want to betray you/I knew that I had her in my power/And I drank deep of a sweet and heady nectar/And she opened beneath my hand like a flower

Jarvis Cocker as sexy lothario? You betcha! The lyrics to this song are brilliant. Don't be lazy, lovers!

"Famous Flower of Manhattan," The Avett Brothers - And I found a flower in a field/A field of cars and people/Rows of concrete, paint and steel/Manhattan is where it grew/And I thought to cut it from it's stem/And take it from the cracks between bricks that it lay in/And save it from city strife/Away from the city life

Apparently, this song was written about Regina Spektor, although I can't get a definitive answer about that. The people of the Internetz all have differing opinions on it.

"In Every Sunflower," Bell X1 - I wouldn't swap the pain/For never knowing you/I wouldn't swap the pain/'Cause it was worth it for the view/We're still watching your rainbow through the shower/And we still see you in every sunflower/We're still watching, I make days from the hours/And I still see you in every sunflower/Every screaming sunflower

This mix is supposed to be bringing us into spring, but this song is kinda depressing. *sigh* Oh well. It's still pretty though.

"Every Rose Has Its Thorn," Poison - Was it something I said or something I did/Did my words not come out right/Though I tried not to hurt you/Though I tried/But I guess that's why they say/Every rose has its thorn/Just like every night has its dawn/Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song/Every rose has its thorn

Get well soon, Bret Michaels!

"Wildflowers," Tom Petty - You belong among the wildflowers/You belong in a boat out at sea/Sail away, kill off the hours/You belong somewhere you feel free/Run away, find you a lover/Go away somewhere all bright and new/I have seen no other/Who compares with you

Apparently, this song was written about me. Or maybe I'm just trying to start another Internet rumor.

"Cherry Tulips," Headlights - I can't sleep in silence/Can't be pitch black in my room/I need some lights on, some distraction/So I won't move/And in the middle of the night when I have drifted off in sleep/I see a thousand cherry tulips lined up along my street/I want the sea/I want the whole sea/(And endless cherries)/For you and me

I stumbled upon this song recently and loved it instantly. It's just so darn cute. But I'm afraid it may get snatched up for a Target commercial soon, if it hasn't been already.

"Daisy," Fang Island - Hey yeah, something something, whoa-oh

Good luck figuring out the lyrics to this one! Actually, why bother? Just jump around.

"Dandelion," The Rolling Stones - One o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock, four o'clock chimes/Dandelion don't care about the time/Dandelion don't tell no lies/Dandelion will make you wise/Tell me if she laughs or cries/Blow away dandelion/Blow away dandelion

A happy, early Stones tune. For those of you wondering why "Dead Flowers" didn't make the mix: I'm trying to promote spring rebirth here, not heroin and death. But it still is a favorite of mine.

"Blue Orchid," White Stripes - You were given a flower/But I guess there was just no pleasing you/Your lip tastes sour/But you think that it's me just teasing you/You got a reaction/You got a reaction, didn't you?/You took a white orchid/You took a white orchid and turned it blue

The general belief is that this song is about Jack White's bar fight with Jason Stollsteimer, who supposedly exaggerated his injuries to get attention. I really don't care about these pasty-faced rockers and their pissing matches. I just like the song.

"San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair)," Scott McKenzie - If you're going to San Francisco/Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair/If you're going to San Francisco/You're gonna meet some gentle people there/For those who come to San Francisco/Summertime will be a love-in there/In the streets of San Francisco/Gentle people with flowers in their hair

Damn, dirty hippies!