We all have those songs we come back to for a bittersweet rush of nostalgia. Music holds the unique ability to capture vivid moments in our lives, whether the song is associated with a loved one or was playing during a core memory. Here are some songs that students said make them feel nostalgic.
“Doorman” by Bladee
Junior Casey St. Clair recalls listening to “Doorman” by Bladee after a long day of skating with friends. “We would always play that in the car,” St. Clair said. “Me and my friends would all sing along, and it was just great times. We would play it non-stop.”
Specifically, the song brings him back to driving home after a day skating in San Francisco with friends. “I just remember driving down the 280. The sun was setting, and we were all yelling it. It was just a beautiful moment,” St. Clair said. “We were all kind of connected.”
“Firework” by Katy Perry
“My most nostalgic song is probably ‘Firework’ by Katy Perry or just any Imagine Dragons song,” senior Jocsan Gonzalez said. “‘Firework’ reminds me of middle and elementary school gym teachers trying to amp you up,” he continued. “They’d constantly play those hype songs that would try to motivate people. I just remember listening to them and I was like, ‘Is this what people think children like?’”
“Say It Ain’t So” by Weezer
“It’s a mix of annoyance and nostalgia,” senior Zoe Gostyla said about her feelings on “Say It Ain’t So” by Weezer.
“My dad was in a band with his friends when I was in middle school, and they would just sing that really loud in my garage,” she said. Gostyla also recalled a funny instance she had singing the song with her dad. “All of the sudden, we heard his voice break in the middle of the song, and for the rest of the night, he just sounded really, really, really bad,” she said.
“Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash
When senior Anna Justice’s dad was teaching her how to use a CD player, “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash was one of the first songs she pressed play on. “This is one of the songs that my dad had on a CD that he would play in his office while I was reading books and working,” Justice said. “I feel happy and calm whenever I listen to it because it reminds me of good times, relaxing, and hanging out,” she said.
“California Dreamin’” by The Mamas & The Papas
When freshman Aiko Robinson was in the car with her dad, she used to listen to “California Dreamin’” constantly. “It’s a sick-sweet song,” she said.
“When I’m driving to horseback riding competitions really early in the morning and I just need some chill music, this song comes up a lot,” Robinson added.
“Window Shopper” by 50 Cent
“This song reminds me of New York. I have family in New York, and I usually go out there once or twice a year,” junior Carmello Knight said. Knight’s family—including his dad, his aunt, and his grandma—often listen to “Window Shopper” by 50 Cent.
“We all listen to it as a crew,” Knight said. “It makes us kind of connected.”
