The word orange is well known for being hard to rhyme. Thankfully, musicians wanting to use this word in songs have found a way. Here are the best songs with orange in the title.
1. “Something in the Orange” by Zach Bryan
Song Year: 2019
Folk music can be tricky in that sometimes, the lack of background music means that the lyrics have to do much of the heavy lifting. For Zach Bryan, it works.
In “Something in the Orange”, Bryan explores themes of identity, change, and self-discovery, with the color orange representing the unknown. It’s an intimate and personal song.
It stands as one of the stronger songs on Bryan’s debut album DeAnn.
2. “Orange Crush” by R.E.M
Song Year: 1988
“Orange Crush” addresses the catastrophic effects of the use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. The song’s title refers to a popular soda drink in the United States, but the lyrics contrast this with the harsh realities of war.
There’s R.E.M.’s signature driving guitar and Michael Stipe’s singular vocals and a powerful message that resonated with audiences. From 1988’s Green, “Orange Crush” became one of R.E.M.’s most popular tracks, reaching the top ten in several countries.
3. “Orange Moon” by Erykah Badu
Song Year: 2000
Erykah Badu released “Orange Moon” as part of Mama’s Gun, her second studio album. The song describes a woman’s emotional journey as it deals with her sense of self-worth.
The titular orange moon refers to the changing nature of life, with the moon representing the cyclical and ever-changing nature of existence. It is similar to how Juliet asked Romeo not to swear on the moon since it was inconstant. It’s a timeless neo-soul classic.
4. “Evolution Orange” by Earth, Wind & Fire
Song Year: 1983
Another instrumental track, “Evolution Orange,” is funk music from a group claiming the genre’s throne legitimately.
The rhythm section is as tight as a wet boot, and the bassline is a pulsing monster. No words to carry the melody? Who cares? There’s a trumpet that will make you believe in the afterlife.
The title comes from the band’s interest in tech and science fiction, themes that appear throughout their music.
5. “Orange Heart” by Headhunterz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrxuDaIkC3s
Song Year: 2019
Headhunterz isn’t a group of savages but instead one Dutch DJ. It’s an example of hardstyle, so it’s got a driving beat. It’s hard not to move at least some part of your body when it plays.
The breakdown features a soaring vocal sample before the song returns to the energetic chorus.
The song’s title probably refers to the Dutch national color.
6. “Orange Colored Sky” by Nat King Cole
Song Year: 1950
Cole didn’t write “Orange Colored Sky,” but he turned in an iconic version of the jazz standard.
The song describes falling in love, with the bright orange sky acting as a metaphor for the overwhelming feeling of love and desire. It’s upbeat and playful, capturing those feelings we all have in the first flush of love.
7. “Orange Julius” by Joyce Manor
Song Year: 2011
“Orange Julius” was the first track on Joyce Manor’s first album. The band (it’s not a woman named Joyce) brings bright pop-punk sensibilities to its work, and this song, short and sweet, is a solid representation of what they’re up to.
The lyrics are a mix of nostalgic reminiscing and poetic wordplay, capturing the energy usually associated with punk rock. It’s a catchy, fast-paced track and a memorable punk anthem.
8. “orange show speedway” by Lizzy McAlpine
Song Year: 2022
Lizzy McAlpine juxtaposes her delicate acoustic guitar at the beginning with more driving sounds later in the song to demonstrate the emotional upheaval of falling in love with someone else’s partner at the racetrack.
The events of the song take place several years ago, and the narrator has returned to the titular speedway, which causes her to think back over simpler times. The song also reflects on the fleeting nature of life and the beauty of living in the moment.
9. “The Orange and the Green” by The Irish Rovers
Song Year: 1968
Traditional Irish folk music isn’t the most common source of material for rock bands. Still, The Irish Rovers put “The Orange and the Green” on their album The Unicorn, and it’s a pretty fun ride.
It tells the story of a man born to a Protestant mother (represented by the color orange) and a Catholic dad (represented by the color green). It’s about the cultural clash between the two sides of his heritage, and it’s quite funny.
The narrator has fun with his parents’ places of origin, as his mom hailed from Kilkenny, and his dad came from Killarney.
It’s got a fiddle and a tin whistle, so it’s a pretty darned Irish song.
10. “Orange Blossom Special” by Johnny Cash
Song Year: 1965
The Man in Black does a terrifically fun version of the country classic “Orange Blossom Special.” It tells the story of a train by the same name, a luxurious passenger train that ran between New York City and Miami, Florida, during the twentieth century. It’s one of many classic songs about trains.
The lyrics describe the train’s journey from Florida to New York, passing through various states and landmarks along the way.
Cash’s rendition of “Orage Blossom Special” features his distinctive bass voice, and it became one of his signature songs.
11. “Orange Airplane” by Screaming Trees
Song Year: 1991
When Screaming Trees released Uncle Anesthesia in 1991, “Orange Airplane” wasn’t released as a single, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t a shin-kicking song.
It’s essentially a psychedelic rock song, so the surreal lyrics are somewhat cryptic. You know, to go along with the psychedelia. The band also uses some experimental guitar sounds, making for a trippy atmosphere. It’s actually quite hypnotic.
Screaming Trees always brought unique sounds to the table, and “Orange Airplane” remains an enduring alt-rock classic.
12. “Agent Orange” by Depeche Mode
Song Year: 1984
“Agent Orange” holds the distinction of being the first song on the list that’s an instrumental, and it’s also our first B-side. Back in the day, singles came out on vinyl 45s, and the song you wanted was the A-side. The B-side was often a track not found on the album. Sometimes they were filler garbage, and sometimes they were hidden gems.
“Agent Orange” ain’t garbage. It’s pretty haunting.
Depeche Mode put it as the B-side of their 1984 hit “Master and Servant,” and like a few other “orange” songs; it refers to the detrimental effects of Agent Orange.
13. “Orange Rolls, Angel’s Spit” by Sonic Youth
Song Year: 1992
Sonic Youth isn’t a band known for its instrumental tracks, though they do interesting things with their instruments. So maybe it was fate that they’d record “Orange Rolls,” an instrumental track. How better to show off than with something that doesn’t have to compete with a singer?
From the soundtrack for the independent film The Golden Boat, the song has a slow, repetitive guitar riff that gradually builds in intensity, backed by sparse percussion and feedback noise (it’s Sonic Youth, after all).
It’s an exercise in minimalist instrumentation and experimentation.
14. “Things That Rhyme With Orange” by I Set My Friends On Fire
Song Year: 2011
Don’t tell the guys in I Set My Friends On Fire that nothing rhymes with “orange.” They’ve already demonstrated how badly they treat their friends. Who knows what they’d do to the bearer of bad news?
Screamo vocals, metalcore guitar riffs, and electronic beats make for a chaotic sound that backs lyrics about the concept of finding a rhyme. The word “absurd” comes to mind, and not as a rhyme.
If nothing else, it’s a testament to the band’s irreverent and playful approach to songwriting.
15. “Blue Burns Orange” by Hawthorne Heights
Song Year: 2006
Hawthorne Heights makes post-hardcore music, and “Blue Burns Orange” comes from their second studio album, If Only You Were Lonely.
It’s got catchy pop-punk melodies and emotionally charged lyrics that focus on love and loss. From the title, blue represents the sadness of loss, while orange covers the burning pain.
The chorus has an anthemic vibe to it, making it the kind of song to belt in the shower or with a group of rowdy friends.
16. “Orange Peel” by Reuben Wilson
Song Year: 1972
Jazz organist Reuben Wilson kills it on “Orange Peel,” wielding his Hammond B-3 like the Hammer of Thor. Backed by a syncopated bassline and a drummer who’s funkier than a gaggle of geese doing the funky chicken, he shows off his skills, and it just sounds like he’s having fun doing it.
While there are jazz and soul elements to the song, its bones are built from funk, and the wah-wah pedal allows the guitar to funk it up, too.
17. “Skies of Orange Fire” by Judd Starr
Song Year: 2016
Judd Starr isn’t a folk singer, but “Skies of Orange Fire” has some folk elements despite that driving drumbeat. As part of his 2016 album Echoes of Nirvana, the song sports Starr’s fingerpicking style beneath a haunting melody.
The lyrics address loss and hope, and orange represents a world consumed by flames.
It’s an emotional song that showcases Starr’s songwriting skills and can be heard in several films and TV shows.
18. “Orange Hoodie” by Angus Maude
Song Year: 2021
“Orange Hoodie” is about, well, an orange hoodie.
You know how, after a breakup, you sometimes have to get a piece of your clothing that your partner appropriated for their own use? That shirt or jacket holds sentimental value for both of you, but it’s ultimately your property.
Angus Maude has written a heartfelt song about holding onto things that bring us comfort and joy.
19. “Orange Street” by Prince Buster
Song Year: 1967
You might recall, in the 90s, the wave of white American kids playing ska music. Some of it was good, a lot of it wasn’t, and all of it owed a great debt to Prince Buster, a Jamaican singer whose work laid the groundwork for many reggae and ska artists.
“Orange Street” is a classic these days, and it sings the praises of Prince Buster’s neighborhood, Orange Street. It’s got the horn arrangements typical of ska, a smooth vocal delivery, and catchy melodies.
20. “Orange Amber” by The Vines
Song Year: 2011
“Orange Amber” is a track by the Australian rock band The Vines. While the band is known for its energetic and raw sound, this track is a little more reserved and polished. It’s not a ballad by any stretch, but its mid-tempo, laid-back feel is something of a departure from other things we’ve heard from this Aussie quartet.
As for what the song is about, well—that’s anybody’s guess. There’s something orange in the sun, and the narrator has been looking for something. Who knows? Still a cool little song.
21. “Once an Orange, Always an Orange” by Al Stewart
Song Year: 1972
An exciting crossover happened in the 1970s as prog-rock and folk music began merging into some bizarre, futuristic-sounding Renaissance music. It was cool, but it was weird, man.
Case in point: “Once an Orange, Always an Orange.” Al Stewart brought his acoustic and electric guitar chops to this one, and while you can imagine some hobbits having a party to this music, you can also imagine people playing it at their parties on earth in the year 3000.
Top Songs With Orange In The Title, Final Thoughts
Yes, we’ll admit that there are some obscure entries. But there’s nothing weak here. Maybe you’ll discover a new artist to love for many years all because they wrote a song with orange in the title. There are others, but these are pretty orange-tastic, and we feel good about it.