This article details the best songs with a color in the title!
Color is suggestive. Even though we experience it every day, hearing colors in song lyrics automatically helps us to conjure up images in our minds.
Artists, songwriters, and lyricists routinely use colors to give their music a much-needed visual punch. Below, we will list the 33 best songs with colors in the title. Let’s see how musicians use color to share messages with their listeners:
1. “Yellow Submarine” — The Beatles
I don’t think there’s a better way to kick off our list than by mentioning this singalong classic from The Beatles. Widely considered one of the best Beatles songs and released in 1996, Paul McCartney wrote the song to critical acclaim. He wrote it with the lead drummer Ringo Starr in mind. History has shown that Ringo Starr always got a moment to shine in every album released by The Beatles.
Next: Easiest Beatles songs to learn on guitar
2. “Red” — Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift has made a name for herself in the music industry through her extraordinary songwriting prowess. Her inspiration stems from her heartbreak experiences and romantic entanglements. In writing “Red,” Taylor sought to describe it as an intense color. A color commonly associated with confusion, love, frustration, and jealousy.
Next: Best breakup songs of all time (our list)
3. “Purple Rain” — Prince
You have to agree with me that this list wouldn’t have gone any further without mentioning a classic from this legend. Prince released tons of classical hits during his lengthy career, but “Purple Rain” was and will always remain a special song.
Purple Rain tells a story of love and loss, to which many believe there is nothing more potent in music.
Next: The best 80s songs from the decade
4. “Green-Tinted Sixties Mind” — Mr. Big
As far as songs with colors in the title go, this is a personal favorite. I like it because of the guitar playing and chord progression. In this song, Mr. Big sings about a girl with a haunted past. The green tint referenced in the title refers to movies produced in the 60s. It appears most of the movies produced at the time had a shade of green tint.
5. “Yellow” — Coldplay
Traditionally, yellow tends to have negative meanings, e.g., yellow journalism, yellow fever, yellow cards in soccer. But in this case, Coldplay uses this color to talk about showing devotion to a single person. Chris Martin, their lead singer, says that you can interpret it to mean someone you look up to in life. It doesn’t have to imply romantic feelings.
Next: Best songs about missing somebody greatly
6. “Blackbird” — The Beatles
Blackbird by The Beatles is yet another example of great songs with a color in the title. It’s a classic that’s revered for its beautiful message and harmonic tune.
The song is not only inspirational, but it also stands out from most other songs in this list due to the birds chirping in the background. If you listen closely, you will notice that it also has a political meaning that touches on the civil rights struggles of the 1960s.
Next: Top songs about peace
7. “Pink” — Aerosmith
I am pretty sure that this is one of those songs I don’t have to explain what it’s about, particularly to the older generation. For the younger generation who don’t know what it means, all I can say is that they will find out before it’s too long. Released in 1997, it’s a song that many will agree that it features among the best pop-rock songs from that era.
Next: Top funny songs ever recorded
8. “Black Magic” — Little Mix
Little Mix uses this song to encourage and empower women to go after the men they want. The term “potion” features a few times in the song, which one can take as a metaphor for attracting men. You can see the meaning in the official video, where four nerdy-looking girls become transformed into strong women who go after the school bully for revenge purposes.
Next: Best love songs for him (songs for boyfriends)
9. “Welcome to the Black Parade” — Chemical Romance
If you’re a true rock fan, then this song is for you. It’s one of those songs you can’t help but fall in love with, especially due to its anthem style. My Chemical Romance uses this title to deliver a one-of-a-kind moving collection. They start slow and steady before building up into an upbeat rock classic. You get to feel every drum beat and guitar stroke. What’s more, the message in the song talks about carrying on the memories shared with past loves.
Next: Best family songs of all time
10. “Red Red Wine” — UB 40
Anyone who has ever felt sad after a breakup with a lover should easily relate to the message contained in this song. The narrator talks about consuming large amounts of wine to help them drown out their sorrows. In terms of composition, Red Red Wine is a slow and lighthearted tune influenced by the reggae genre. People love it because it’s easy to relate to and dance to.
Next: Top reggae songs through the years
11. “White Horse” — Taylor Swift
White Horse from the 2008 album Fearless is yet another Taylor Swift hit with color in the title. She wrote this song to show her fascination with understanding the difference between fairy tales and reality. It talks about the fairy tales of thinking you’re in love, only to realize at a later date that this isn’t the case.
Next: Best songs with a hidden meaning or deep messages
12. “Black Widow” — Iggy Azalea
Black Widow is among the most recent releases on this list. The upbeat pop song has a unique flare worth listening to, especially if you like songs released by modern female rappers. The title references the black widow spider known to have a highly poisonous bite. Using the lyrics, Iggy asserts that her love is no different from that of the black widow spider.
13. “Brown Eyed Girl” — Ivan Morrison
No song captures the feeling of being in love and spellbound by a beautiful person than this 1967 release by Ivan Morrison. It uses the song’s first verse to paint a picture of two lovers enjoying their time in paradise. The narrator uses the following verse to reminiscence the time he shared with the brown-eyed girl. It’s a simple song, but one that’s highly recognizable.
Next: Best love songs ever made (our top list)
14. “Green Light” — Lorde
Green Light serves as the first solo release from the Melodrama album. From a musical perspective, the single belongs to the electropop genre. Lorde released this song at the ripe age of twenty. She uses it to describe what she went through after experiencing her first real heartbreak. She uses the phrase “green light” as a metaphor for how long she had to wait before getting back on her feet and continuing with her journey.
Next: Best songs with figurative language incorporation
15. “Ebony and Ivory” — Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney
The blockbuster team-up of Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney led to the release of one of the greatest hits of 1982. Both music legends get to duet on this mid-tempo song. McCartney uses the lyrics to suggest that white and black folks should coexist harmoniously, just like the piano keys.
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16. “Black the Sky” — King’s X
Though not many people know this grime rock goodness of 1994, Black the Sky definitely deserves a mention in this list. The lyrics appear to describe the struggles that dUg Pinnick, the singer, and bassist endured in an attempt to try and fit in with others. It explicitly talks about situations where others placed certain expectations on him.
17. “Evergreen” — Will Young
If I were to use a single word to describe this song, I would use “nostalgia.” The chances are that you have heard this song before but by a different artist. Or should I say, boy band? Westlife, the Irish boyband, originally recorded the title. Will Young later released his version in the form of a double A-side together with the single “Anything is Possible.” The title implies that true love always remains as fresh as when it first began.
18. “Black” — Pearl Jam
This moody ballad composed by the Seattle quintets in 1991 received enormous airplay throughout the country, even though they didn’t release it as a single.
Eddie Vedder, the vocalist, uses a brilliant vocal to talk about doomed first relationships. Most people tend to assume that the lyrics imply an unwanted pregnancy, which isn’t the case.
19. “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” — Elton John
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, released in 1973, is not only an incredible song, but it’s also a direct reference to The Wizard of Oz. Its lyrics talk about a desire to leave a life of fame and fortune behind in favor of a simpler lifestyle.
Next: Best songs of all time (top songs ever)
20. “Lady in Red” – Chris De Burgh
According to Chris De Burgh, he got the inspiration to write Lady in Red after observing his wife dancing amidst a crowd of people inside a club. The lyrics reminded him of their first encounter. However, Chris quickly noted that the song wasn’t mainly about his partner but about how we should appreciate those around us. Lady in Red was a global hit that topped the charts in 25 different countries.
21. “Blue Monday” — New Order
New Order, a British synth-rock quartet widely popular in England, rose from the remnants of Joy Division. Joy Division was a legendary post-punk band.
Released in 1983, Blue Monday went on to become one of the most influential songs in British pop history. You can easily identify the song through its signature hook and opening drum pattern, which makes it an instant dance-floor filler to this day.
Next: The best songs with “blue” in the title
22. “Purple Haze” — Jimi Hendrix
The song has all the hallmarks of a Jimi Hendrix rock classic. If you didn’t know, Hendrix’s influence helped make Rock music what it is today. His influence transcends his music and exists in every renowned guitar player. Many people assume that Purple Haze lyrics are all about substance abuse. However, Hendrix got the inspiration from a dream he had, which showed him walking underwater.
In his dream, he got engulfed by a purple haze before Jesus came along to save him.
Next: Best classic rock songs ever made
23. “Bluer than Blue” — Michael Johnson
This pop breakup song was released in 1978. Michael uses blue as a color depicting sadness. It’s the feeling that most people experience after getting dumped. Its verse describes a brighter side that comes after the blue feeling has subsided. But this doesn’t last long, as Michael soon goes back to experiencing a “bluer than blue” feeling at the chorus. The lyrics imply that even though tons of things can make Michael happy after his lover leaves, none of them manages to bring him relief.
Next: Best sad songs of all time (songs to cry to)
24. “Pink Turns to Blue” — Husker Du
Husker Du was a cult favorite that helped in inventing the genre known as indie rock. Pink Turns to Blue featured in their platinum-selling album Zen Arcade. Although loud and brush, the song talks about a fatal love affair that ends with a substance overdose. I found its lyrics a bit grim, but the music’s a bit uplifting.
25. “Fields of Gold” — Sting
Although the title may sound a bit vague, anyone who has tuned into easy listening radio must have this song at one point or another. The lyrics point to a love triangle story, though Sting insists he got inspiration from the barley fields in England. He thought the fields were romantic the moment he first saw them. In his mind, he could see lovers using them as a meeting spot.
26. “Black or White” — Michael Jackson
The songwriting efforts for Black and White were a collaboration between Michael and producer Bill Bottrell. Its lyrics help to awaken racial equality awareness. Michael used the songwriting process to express his opinions about racism and how racial equality affected those around him.
27. “Orange Crush” — R.E.M
An American number one hit and a soaring anthem in 1988, Orange Crush helped usher in an era of Georgia college rock favorites.
Its lyrics contain subtle references to a defoliant (Agent Orange) extensively used during the Vietnam War. Younger and more innocent listeners may mistake its lyrics to imply a popular soft drink that shares the same name.
28. “Back to Black” — Amy Winehouse
Released in 2006, Back to Black is among the most acclaimed Amy Winehouse songs. As is the case with most of her recordings, the song talks about a troubled relationship. Even though I mostly prefer her jazz-influenced songs to this particular number, I have to admit that it does have its moments.
29. “Black and Yellow” — Wiz Khalifa
In an interview with the Journal, Khalifa stated that he wrote this song with his hometown of Pittsburgh in mind.
Its hip-hop-y rhythm and the repetition of black and yellow throughout the song helped the audience get into it.
I find that the song mainly appeals to listeners who lean towards the pop-rap genre.
30. “The Angels Want to Wear my Red Shoes” — Elvis Costello
Released as the first single of his first album, My Aim is True, this single helped propel Costello into a fan favorite, with many loving his story-telling style. The lyrics talk about Costello trading his favorite red shoes for immortality. After the trade, he heads to the club to inform his girlfriend. It turns out his girlfriend isn’t impressed at all and instead dumps the singer before leaving with another guy. Depending on how you look at it, you could argue that the singer got the better deal.
Next: Best songs with great storytelling
31. “Back in Black” — AC/DC
Back in Black got released in 1980 and went on to become an instant AC/DC anthem. It came on the heels of their lead singers’ death. After the death of Brian Johnson, the group could have opted to call it quits but instead chose to find another lead singer. It signified much more than getting back to the singing arena.
32. “Old Yellow Bricks” — Arctic Monkeys
“Old Yellow Bricks” is a song that must feature on any list that talks about songs with a color in the title. It’s a song that will have you tapping your feet from start to finish. For me, the highlight is the collaborative performance in the middle of the song between the drum set and the guitar strings. The lyrics at the song’s end, “Dorothy was right though,” were based on the Wizard of Oz film.
33. “Moody Blue” — Elvis Presley
It served as the King’s last recording in the U.S and went on to put a decent performance in the top 40. Many fans believe that this song lacked the punch associated with his best works. However, it does prove that the King still had the willpower to deliver the goods this close to the end. Mark James penned “Moody Blue” and “Suspicious Mind,” another hit from the King.
As the Head Editor and Writer at Music Grotto, Liam helps write and edit content produced from professional music/media journalists and other contributing writers. He works closely with journalists and other staff to format and publish music content for the Music Grotto website. Liam is also the founding member of Music Grotto and is passionate in disseminating editorial content to its readers.
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