It’s World Environment Day today (5 June) — the right occasion to listen to songs that tell us we need to take a pledge to save this planet for ourselves and the generations to come. Here is a playlist of some upbeat vocals and instrumentals. Let’s listen to these seven songs and express the momentousness of being caring and gentle to our home.

1. Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell

Canadian songwriter and singer Joni Mitchell wrote the Big Yellow Taxi after her visit to Hawaii. A slight blend of rock and roll into country music makes this song a popular one. The song is an obvious metaphor on the beauty of the environment, and the significance of taking care of it, because you wouldn’t realize the value till something’s gone referring to industrialization and the effects of it on the environment. The striking chorus of the song goes like,

      “Don’t it always seem to go,

That you don’t know what you’ve got,

Till it’s gone      

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

And put up a parking lot”

2. Hole in the Sky by Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath known for their heavy sound range and also venerable for being the pioneers of heavy metal music gifted us with ‘Hole in the Sky’ which is perfect for us to shake our heads up and down to the great rock music with which the meaning of saving our environment comes along. The English band included this song on their famous album Sabotage. The singer elusively yet strongly tells us that the destruction of environment for development is futile. The best verse from the song goes like,

 “I have seen the stars that disappear in the sun,

But shooting is easy if you’ve got the right gun,

And even though I’m sitting waiting for Mars,

I don’t believe there’s any future in cars”

3.The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill

The most intriguing thing about this song is that it was composed after The Beatles’ trip to Rishikesh. While they were at the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, they met a wealthy young American named Rik who took great pride in killing a tiger. At this action, Lennon satirized Rik and composed this song along with his bandmates. This folk rock song is something you’d love to sing along to. The best part of the song goes like,

“Deep in the Jungle where the mighty tiger lies,

Bill and his elephants were taken by surprise,

So Captain Marvel zapped him right between the eyes,

All the children sing.” 

4. Don’t go near the Water by The Beach Boys

American Rock Band The Beach Boys composed ‘Don’t go near the water’ with a combination of surf and psychedelic music by delivering the message of how we are poisoning our water bodies. And the song goes like,

“Toothpaste and soap will make our ocean a bubble bath,

So let’s avoid an ecological aftermath,

Beginning with me,

Beginning with you”

5.No more walks in the wood by The Eagles

The Eagles brought in an environmental message with a slow beat and harmonized vocals in ‘No more walks in the wood’. The song strongly refers to the glory of nature that we’re starting to lose. And the song goes like,

“No more walks in the wood,

The trees have all been cut down

And where once they stood

Not even a wagon rut appears along the path,

Low brush is taking over”

6.Mercy Mercy Me by Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye known for his smooth R&B vocals composed the song ‘Mercy Mercy Me’. Through this song, he cries about the destruction caused. Its famed video includes famous celebrities like Stevie Wonder and David Bowie. And the lyrics are,

“Mercy, Mercy Me,

Things ain’t what they used to be, no no,

Where did all the blue skies go?”

7. Earth Song by Michael Jackson

Probably the most popular song on this list. This brilliant pop number has a visually charging video implying the need for concern for the environment. Michael Jackson has an amazing chorus backing his ranging vocals, screaming “What about us”. He pulls in the strings of how badly nature is treated.

“What about the flowering fields

Is there a time

What about all the dreams

That you said was yours and mine”