8 Songs for Fall

When I start to see school buses again, the leaves start to change color and the morning air has that bit of a cool bite, my thoughts turn immediately to autumn. Fall is my favorite season of the year. Here are my picks for a music mix that is sure to get you in the mood for high school football games and bonfires.

1. Wake Me Up When September Ends - Green Day. This is one of those songs that is mellow and screams of fall. The song has been linked to 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, but it is actually a tribute to the late father of Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong.

2. Scarborough Fair - Simon and Garfunkel. This is another melodious song that can put you instantly in the mood for warm cocoa and a fuzzy sweater. There are many versions of this old English song, but Simon and Garfunkel's version is the best that I've heard.

3. See You in September - The Happenings. You can't pass up lyrics like, "See you in September, See you when the summer's through," when it comes to a great autumn mix. The idea of a relationship making it through a summer and the possibilities of summer loves is as true of a fall theme as you can find.

4. Autumn in New York - Ella Fitzgerald. This is a jazz standard that has been recorded and sung by a virtual who's who in the music world. The first line of the song is, "It's time to end my holiday and bid the country a hasty farewell." Then the song goes on to describe the new beginnings that await one in the fall.

5. November Rain - Guns 'n Roses. This is a rare ballad by the hard rock band known for stadium standards like Welcome to the Jungle. You can actually feel the biting touch of the freezing rain that falls in late fall during guitarist Slash's solos.

6. Autumn Sweater - Yo La Tengo. This is a superbly satisfying song that just floats on the ears like warm pumpkin spice and vanilla.

7. September - Earth, Wind and Fire. Rarely is there a song that will get your feet moving at those street festivals and homecoming parties like September. "On and on - say that you remember, on and on - dancing in September." You will remember dancing with this funky tune.

8. Pale September - Fiona Apple. Apple's voice is like sweet caramel as she sings, "The autumn days swung soft around me, like cotton on my skin." This is definitely one of those songs that is overlooked and underrated. I would recommend downloading this one now.

These are just my picks. Please let me know what songs get you in the mood for pumpkin picking and snuggling in flannel sheets by commenting below.