Hamilton winter has swung into action: students are trying not to slip when walking down the hill, salt buckets line the streets and walkways and temperatures are dipping below zero each night. While it may be annoying to bundle up every time you walk to class or to brush mountains of snow from your car every time you use it, there is some magic that comes with this weather. This week’s 13 Beats features a soundtrack to help you love the snow and embrace the winter wonderland in which Colgate University is set:
1. “White Winter Hymnal” – Fleet Foxes (2008)
Fleet Foxes layers vocal tracks and echoey instrumentals to create this dreamy song. “I was following the pack all, all swaddled in their coats,” Robin Peckold sings, evoking classic winter imagery.
2. “Awake My Soul” – Mumford & Sons (2009)
“Awake My Soul” features bright guitar and an upbeat melody to accompany the lyrics’ description of a spiritual awakening. Lyrics like, “Where you invest your love, you invest your life,” always inspire me to make the most of each day, even when it feels cold and dreary out.
3. “Wintering” – The 1975 (2022)
“I get home on the 23rd,” Matty Healy sings in The 1975’s take on a holiday song. The track describes family dynamics and quirks that often show up when home for the holiday season, which many Colgate students can relate to.
4. “evermore (feat. Bon Iver)” – Taylor Swift (2020)
Taylor Swift and Bon Iver perform another powerful duet in this slow track that always feels like the start of winter to me. “And I was catching my breath, barefoot in this wildest winter,” Taylor Swift sings about trying to find hope as the seasons change.
5. “Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!” – Dean Martin (1959)
“Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!” is always a great background for that first sip of hot chocolate. The flute and harp in the instrumental track gives the song a whimsical feel.
6. “That Moon Song” – Gregory Alan Isakov (2009)
The snow always has a special kind of glow when the street lamps shine on it at night, and this song is perfect to accompany nighttime sledding or “snow-gazing.” Gregory Alan Isakov sings about a lover making him feel complete, like a full moon.
7. “Halah” – Mazzy Star (1990)
“Before you close the door, I need to hear you say goodbye,” Hope Sandoval sings in this melancholy track about wanting to linger in the past with a lover. The soft guitar and easy melody make “Halah” perfect for a drive in the snowy hills of upstate New York.
8. “Banana Pancakes” – Jack Johnson (2005)
“Banana Pancakes” always reminds me of the joy of being young and waking up to learn it’s a snow day. “Maybe we can sleep in, I’ll make you banana pancakes,” Jack Johnson sings about enjoying the cozy little moments with who he loves.
9. “Winter Wonderland” – Bing Crosby (1934)
“A beautiful sight, we’re happy tonight, walking in a winter wonderland,” Bing Crosby sings in this snowy staple. Crosby’s voice, paired with the jazzy score, evokes feelings of a storybook winter.
10. “My Love Mine All Mine” – Mitski (2023)
Mitski sings about wanting to preserve the love she has to give to people and the world in this warm and reflective track. Lyrics like “Nothing in this world belongs to me but my love, mine all mine” emphasize how love can transcend material items and transient things that come and go.
11. “Holocene” – Bon Iver (2011)
Bon Iver paints a picture of how fragmented life can feel, even in the one “Holocene” or epoch we are living in. “Strayed above the highway aisle, jagged vacance, thick with ice,” Justin Vernon sings about feeling alone in the midst of a cold winter.
12. “Say Yes to Heaven” – Lana Del Rey (2023)
A simple guitar track is paired with Lana Del Rey’s airy vocals to create this beautiful confession of love. Del Rey repeats, “I’ve got my eye on you,” to make it known to her lover that she is thinking of him.
13. “Frosty The Snowman” – Ella Fitzgerald (1960)
“Frosty the snowman, he’s a jolly happy soul,” Ella Fitzgerald carols in this unmistakable tune about a friendly snowman who brings magic to the cold winter. Fitzgerald’s version of the track has her signature jazzy tone and is a great addition to your winter playlist.
