Here are the songs Modesto Bee reporters are listening to this spring
After weeks of a gray winter in Modesto, an early heat wave had skies clear even before the first official day of spring. As we officially shift into the new season, here are the songs that The Modesto Bee and Merced Sun-Star reporters are listening to this spring.
“Silver Springs” - Fleetwood Mac
About two years ago, I was getting ready to graduate from UC Santa Barbara and I was seeing someone “casually.” My feelings for them grew to be anything but and I consider it the first time I fell in love. We promised each other that we’d part ways amicably when we officially graduated. But as we got closer to the graduation date, the promise felt more like a punishment. So I’d get in my car and blast “Silver Springs” and tell myself that even if time eroded what we had, it would never erase it.
Time cast a spell on you, but you won’t forget me
I know I could have loved you but you would not let me, was I just a fool?
I’ll follow you down ‘til the sound of my voice will haunt you, give me just a chance
You’ll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you, was I just a fool?
I’ll follow you down ‘til the sound of my voice will haunt you, haunt you, give me just a chance
At the end of May, we’ll be celebrating our two-year anniversary. Now, the song reminds of the threshold of uncertainty we overcame.
— Atmika Iyer, education reporter
“Les Fleurs” - Minnie Ripperton
The song’s buoyant, simple melody slowly brings you out of the darkness of winter and builds you up to a sort of rebirth with the orchestral chorus that blooms like the titular flowers. You cannot hear Minnie Ripperton’s beautiful five-octave voice as it swirls around you in layers and not feel it lift you. I’m not religious, but music gets me pretty close, and this song is no less than a prayer:
Ring all the bells, sing and tell the people
Everywhere that the flower has come
Light up the sky with your prayers of gladness
And rejoice for the darkness is gone
Throw off your fears let your heart beat freely
At the sign that a new time is born
Turn it up and feel the bliss.
— Carlos Virgen, Editor
“I Was Made For Sunny Days” – The Weepies
After the rain and the unending Tule fog of winter, I think that this song captures the joy to be found by finally seeing the sun after weeks of gray.
I got you a winter jacket
That our baby wears around,
And we chase him through the springtime
When the sleeves drag on the ground.
And every hour we’re working,
And work and play are bound.
And every day is Sunday,
‘Cause the sun comes dancing down.
I say, ‘I was made for sunny days
I made do with grey, but I didn’t stay
I was made for sunny days
And I was made for you’
— Kathleen Quinn, Civics and Democracy Reporter
“Beautiful Day” - U2
It’s a beautiful day
Don’t let it get away
It’s a beautiful day
Not all the lyrics sound uplifting, but the song feels uplifting because it compares life’s downs with life’s ups. It’s a great song for rolling down the car windows and blaring the volume -- even though that’s pretty annoying for other drivers.
— Pat Clark, Entertainment Writer and Editor
“Here Comes the Sun” - The Beatles
John Lennon and Paul McCartney get most of the credit for writing The Beatles’ best songs, but George Harrison wrote some great tunes, too. This song, off the group’s 1969 album, “Abbey Road,” is simple yet sophisticated. It’s more than just a song about the sun, but about coming out of a dark time and into the light.
— Jim Silva, Associate Editor
“Paradise” - Sade
I’d wash the sand off the shore
Give you the world if it was mine
Blow you right to my door
Feels fine
Feels like you’re mine
Feels right, so fine
I’m yours, you’re mine
Like paradise
One of Sade’s many great songs, off their third album, “Stronger Than Pride.” I love the lush, groovy, tropical vibe of this track. Sade could sing a shampoo label, and I’d still listen. Though more summery than spring, the early heatwave in Modesto makes it necessary to put this on.
— Julietta Bisharyan, Equity Reporter
“Nothing But Flowers” - Talking Heads
Until the lyrics register, this bouncy song seems like a companion to Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi.” But David Byrne’s character in this 1988 cut comes down on the other side, mourning the loss of technology and modern conveniences as nature reclaims dominion over Earth from man.
I miss the honky-tonks, Dairy Queens and 7-Elevens ...
I dream of cherry pies, candy bars and chocolate chip cookies ...
We used to microwave, now we just eat nuts and berries.
This was a discount store, now it’s turned into a cornfield ...
Don’t leave me stranded here,
I can’t get used to this lifestyle.
Mind you, don’t read too much into my selection. I just love Byrne’s odd humor, I don’t want to pave paradise and put up a parking lot. I will admit, though, that as a teen and young man on multi-day hiking trips, I would yearn for a 7-Eleven to be over the next ridge.
— Deke Farrow, Local News Editor
“Grigio Girls” - Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga wrote this song about getting together with a friend over pinot grigio to cry about another friend Sonja’s battle with cancer without her so they wouldn’t cry in front of her. Still a tribute to Sonja and Lady Gaga’s relationship, it evolved to place you in those memories of careless joy and sorrow only shared within sisterhood. The song reminds me of spring in college, cheap pink wine, and the friends who became family.
So when I’m feelin’ small, I toss that cork and call
On the Pinot, Pinot Grigio girls
Pour your heart out, watch your blues turn gold
All the Pinot, Pinot Grigio girls
Keep it real cold, ‘cause it’s a fired up world
— Atmika Iyer, Education Reporter
“Seashore” - The Regrettes
Seashore is a resounding F you from young women who haven’t been taken seriously because of their age or gender. The lyrics are unapologetically candid, and at times coy, as the first verse begins with, “You’re talkin’ to me like a child. Hey I’ve got news, I’m not a little girl. And no I won’t give you a little twirl.” Though the band broke up in 2023, when The Regrettes debuted, it was a group of women under 20, and the song almost seems like an unabashed dig at their critics. Their punk rock sound evokes the ‘60s, but something about the sound or lyrics screams 2016. As we come out of winter hibernation, the song reminds me that spring isn’t just about flowers and pastels, but for taking space unapologetically as you grow.
You’re talkin’ to me like I’m dumb
Well I’ve got news, I’ve got a lot to say
There’s nothing you can do to take that away
You’re talkin’ to me like I’m hurt
At least I’m not six feet in the dirt
And I’ll still kick your ass even in my skirt
You’re talkin’ to me like a child
— Atmika Iyer, Education Reporter
“I’m Only Happy When it Rains” - Garbage
I won’t go as far as frontwoman Shirley Manson and say I’m happy only when it rains, but I will say I’m happiest when it rains. I love a good walk in anything from a drizzle to a downpour. Give me my Modesto Bee umbrella or a rain slicker and point me to the door. And, yes, I know I’m not living in the right place for someone who relishes a good rain. I also should note that I’m not a misery lover, like Manson’s character in the song: “You know I love it when the news is bad, And why it feels so good to feel so sad.” But I do, as she sings, love to “listen to the sad, sad songs.”
— Deke Farrow, Local News Editor
“Steal My Sunshine” - Len
This song evokes the carefree, fun-loving feeling of spring and summer. It came out in 1999; I was in high school, and friends had just gotten their driver’s licenses. We cruised through town with the windows down, our hair flowing in the sun, as we blared this poppy hit. Sometimes there is a twinge of pain when recalling our youth, but this song awakens no sadness. Maybe it is the sample from another favorite song of mine, “More, More, More” by Andrea True Connection, used in the opening and carried through the song, that just propels the listener into a carefree dreamstate where anything is possible as long as you keep shining.
— Maria Figueroa, Workforce and consumer trends reporter
“National Anthem” - Lana Del Rey
A Lana song appears on any playlist I am asked to contribute to. The moment I heard “Video Games,” I was a fan. As a true millenial, I even walked down the aisle to that song. “National Anthem” is off her no-skips album, “Born to Die,” and while I could have picked any song from this album for this list, this one is a standout. Although it is supposed to reference the assassination of JFK and Americana themes, there is an ethereal quality about it that feels relatable as she jumps from singing to speaking throughout the song. There are so many great lines, “He said to be cool but, I’m already coolest,” and “Money is the anthem of success. So put on mascara and your party dress” are some of the most memorable. It always makes me feel powerful and beautiful, and it just sounds great.
— Maria Figueroa, Workforce and consumer trends reporter
“Never Too Much” - Luther Vandross
Imagine releasing a tune this flawless as a debut single. The moment the first few notes hit, you just have to vibe out. As soon as Vandross comes in with his smooth voice, climbing in excitement as he sings, “A thousand kisses from you is never too much.” I first heard this song as a child when my mom put it on while cooking in the kitchen, and she would take a break to hold my hand while dancing and singing it to me. Now, when I play it, my husband will come sauntering and snapping into the kitchen as we take a dance break for the entirety of the song, often forgetting about the pasta as it boils over.
— Maria Figueroa, Workforce and consumer trends reporter
“Brazil” - Declan McKenna
Oh, Lord! What have I become?
I’m the face of God, I’m my father’s son
I’m not what you think you see
I know you can’t eat leather, but you can’t stop me
Why would you lie, why would you lie about how you feel?
I’ve got a mission and my mission is real
Because you’ve had your chances, yeah, you’ve had enough
I’m gonna burn your house down to spread peace and love
Every spring/summer, my family and I will make a trip up to Lake Tahoe. I always have this song in our playlist for the drive. The song is funky, upbeat and just has this fun, carefree energy that perfectly matches the scenic drive and lake vibes.
— Angela Rodriguez, Service Journalism Reporter
“Can I Call You Tonight?” by Dayglow
So can I call you tonight?
I’m trying to make up my mind
Just how I feel
Could you tell me what’s real?
I hear your voice on the phone
Now I’m no longer alone
Just how I feel
Could you tell me what’s real anymore?
‘Cause I wouldn’t know
My husband and I met in the spring many years ago. This song always takes me back to that time. It reminds me of a simpler season in our lives – before kids and the weight of everyday responsibilities – when it felt like it was just the two of us against the world. We were young, still figuring things out and everything felt new in the way spring always does. There’s something about the song’s dreamy, nostalgic sound that takes me back.
— Angela Rodriguez, Service Journalism Reporter
Folding Chair - Regina Spektor
Maybe one day you’ll understand
I don’t want nothing from you but to sweetly hold your hand
‘Til that day, just
Please don’t be so down
Don’t make frowns
You silly clown
Come and open up your folding chair next to me
My feet are buried in the sand, and there’s a breeze
There’s a shadow, you can’t see my eyes
And the sea is just a wetter version of the skies
It’s my first summer in the Central Valley and I’ve been delighted by the warmer weather and blossoms everywhere. As I shake off the sluggish winter feeling, I’ve been listening to this Regina Spektor song often and found it to be a nice reminder of how grounding and refreshing it can be to notice my surroundings and feel a breeze on my face. I’ll be listening to this at all the nearby lakes this year.
— Aysha Pettigrew, Merced Sun-Star reporter
Rhinestone Cowboy - Glen Campbell
The way everything is springing to life has me strutting around to this song as I move through my days.
When I do, I always think of El Daña, iconic drag king of the Central Valley — and the oldest drag king in the country — who performed to the song in Fresno in 2023.
— Aysha Pettigrew, Merced Sun-Star reporter
This story was originally published March 20, 2026 at 7:17 PM.