There are a lot of songs about clouds. Some are about rain, some are about daydreams, and some are about seeing the silver lining. Whatever your mood and the weather, there’s a song that fits the moment.
There’s something about clouds that inspires songwriters. Clouds are more than just a little water vapor in the sky. They can create beautiful scenery and wonderful moments. However, many songs about clouds are also somber, exploring loss or sadness.
When it comes to songs about clouds, not all of them will make you feel like you’re walking on air, but they might inspire your own creation if you like to write songs or poetry. Or, perhaps these will motivate you to pay more attention to the skies next time you go outside just to see what cloud formations are happening at any given moment.
Below is a collection of songs inspired by clouds — either the presence or the absence — that you can enjoy on your own or share with your friends.
So many great songs mention clouds in the title or lyrics that it was hard to narrow down this list. Songs about clouds on this list range from modern pop hits to blues classics, but they all have one thing in common: they’re great tunes that go well with a blue sky.
Here are 30 of the best, in no particular order.
1. Just a Cloud Away by Pharrell Williams
In 2013, Pharrell Williams contributed “Just a Cloud Away” to the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack. This song is played when Margo meets her first crush, Antonio, in Paradise Mall in Despicable Me 2. Thanks to a wholesome meme, TikTok has recently brought back the joyful track.
2. Cloud 9 by Beach Bunny
A loved-up Lili Trifilio sings about the highs of love over a simple indie-pop tune, which suddenly becomes a driving force of energy and enthusiasm when her bandmates smash in for the chorus. Trifilio described it as a crush song to Apple Music. The song title does not appear in the lyrics. Still, it appropriately portrays Trifilio’s happiness when she is with her lover.
3. Clouds by BORNS
“Clouds” is about being entirely unconscious of everything going on around you. You can’t remember names, faces, or anything else because all you can think about is this girl. This sensation, according to BORNS, is similar to having your head in the clouds.” The lyrics “I forget all my dreams, I forget everybody’s name I meet, I forget about time and space, but I can’t stop thinking about your face” aptly describe this feeling.
4. Cloudbusting by Kate Bush
A Book of Dreams, a 1973 book by Peter Reich, inspired the song, which Bush read and found very touching. The song is about the intimate bond between Wilhelm Reich, a psychologist and philosopher, and his young son, Peter. It recounts the boy’s memories of his childhood on their family farm called Orgonon. The two spent time “cloudbusting,” a rain-making procedure that required pointing a cloudbuster, a machine Reich developed and built, at the sky.
5. Cloudy by Simon and Garfunkel
“Cloudy” has a light and breezy feel to it. The track has a calm and open vibe thanks to the duo’s breathy delivery, which is accented by bell-like chimes and beautiful guitar playing. The narrator is a hitchhiker, relying on the goodwill of strangers for transportation. He calls himself a “ragamuffin,” a lovely yet impoverished creature, and a “child,” naive and open to new experiences. He’s even given up his shadow, which vanished with the sun.
6. Get Off Of My Cloud by The Rolling Stones
According to the Stones, the song is a reaction to their sudden surge in popularity. After the popularity of “Satisfaction,” the song also addresses their distaste for people’s expectations of them. Keith Richards said, “‘Get Off of My Cloud’ was basically a response to people knocking on our door asking us for the follow-up to ‘Satisfaction’… We thought, ‘At last. We can sit back and maybe think about events’. Suddenly, there’s the knock at the door and of course, what came out of that was ‘Get Off of My Cloud.'”
7. From the Clouds by Jack Johnson
“From the Clouds,” the third single from Jack Johnson’s fifth studio album, To the Sea. Johnson sought a song for his record where he could play both acoustic and electric guitar at the same time. “We could watch it from the clouds,” a line from the song, depicts people pretending to be Gods in their own lives, as children do with dolls and action figure playsets. Johnson sings that it’s their life. He promises that if they get into a relationship, they’ll have an easy time remembering and grasping their decisions.
8. Born On A Different Cloud by Oasis
The lyrics in “Born On A Different Cloud” are like scribbles, leaving out more complex elements that you can fill in for yourself. However, they offer a basic picture of how an artist travels a lonely journey and is on a mission. In just a few lines, the entire situation is eloquently described. The instrumentation is flawless and fantastic as well. With its semi-acoustic mood that is popular among listeners, “Born On A Different Cloud” by Oasis is one of the best songs inspired by clouds.
9. King Of The Clouds by Panic! At The Disco
“King of the Clouds” is a dreamy song that delves into the concepts of multiverses and interdimensional travel. The song was inspired by Urie’s weed-induced ramblings, documented by Urie’s buddy Sam Hollander, who sprung lyrics from his ideas. Brendon Urie ventures out of his body in this song, climbing to become “King Of The Clouds,” a place where his irrational imagination can flourish. The astronomer/author Carl Sagan, who appears in the lyric “Every day, I’m Carl Sagan in space,” also inspired the song.
10. Clouds by Prince
In 2014, Prince released “Clouds,” a collaboration with Lianne La Havas. Prince describes in this keyboard-driven track how tiny acts of affection can keep the romance alive. It features British singer Lianne La Havas on vocals, as well as a mid-song monologue regarding the Purple One’s confinement in suspended animation.
11. Black Cloud by Morrissey
As one of the most well-known songs that mention clouds, this song is about desiring someone but never getting them, resulting in a black cloud floating above one’s head. Jeff Beck contributes some guitar work to this rockabilly song about unrequited love. In June 2009, the guitar icon told Mojo how he came to play on this track. Morrissey was too shy, Beck says, to ask him to play on a track on his record. “The next day I found a CD under my door with a note from Morrissey saying, ‘It was really nice meeting you, would you play on this track?’” Beck explained. “We knocked it out in a couple of hours. He was charming: I never thought he would even give me the light of day.”
12. Clouds by Imagine Dragons
“Clouds” has a long history, almost as old as Imagine Dragons. The earliest known version of “Clouds” may be found on their Demo EP, released in 2008. In 2009, Imagine Dragons performed a significantly modified version of “Clouds” during a talent event. On PBS’s Vegas In Tune in 2010, the band performed a fresh rendition of “Clouds.” This is the most popular and well-known version of “Clouds,” yet its appeal is confined to their most devoted fans, as “Clouds” was never recorded in a studio. Since the release of Night Visions in 2012, it has not been performed live.
13. Cloud 9 by George Harrison
The song “Cloud 9” is the first single from George Harrison’s album Cloud Nine. Harrison and Eric Clapton play simultaneous riffs on the track, and Elton John plays piano. The calm and steady title track begins in a trance-like manner, with little musical movement but lots of aural décor ranging from Harrison’s characteristic slide guitar to crisp and brief brass accents.
14. Feet In The Clouds by Paul McCartney
“Feet In The Clouds” is a song from Paul McCartney’s album “Memory Almost Full,” which was released in 2007. Paul McCartney’s schooldays are the subject of this song. He told the Daily Mail in 2008 that the song then returns back to school and teachers because of the retrospective atmosphere of the medley. “I had a real motley bunch of teachers at the Liverpool Institute High School for Boys. Some of them were complete maniacs. Whereas I wrote about golden summers in ‘You Tell Me,’ school was very dark and gloomy. The building itself wasn’t the lightest of places – it was built in 1825. This seemed to affect the attitude of the teachers. They were a dark bunch of people. So the song is like a therapy session for me.”
15. Thunderclouds by LSD
The song is about the thunderclouds that might loom over a relationship when trust issues provoke negative thoughts. It focuses on the major themes of fear, distrust, and anxiety that are prevalent in many romantic relationships. “Thunderclouds” features two narrators/singers: Sia and Labrinth. Each narrator tries to tell his or her significant other that their love is genuine and that they should trust them and put their concerns and anxieties aside.
16. Behind the Clouds by Brad Paisley
The song “Behind the Clouds” appears in both Cars and Mater and the Ghostlight, and Brad Paisley performs the song. This song is played at Flo’s V8 Café before Lightning McQueen arrives to inform everyone that Doc Hudson was the Fabulous Hudson Hornet in the film Cars. Meanwhile, it plays at the opening of Mater and the Ghostlight, when Mater is playing pranks on his companions. In the following scene in Flo’s V8 Café, it plays more weakly, similar to how it did in Cars. When Mater returns home, he sings it as well.
17. Cloud Nine by Evanescence
“Cloud Nine” is the fifth track on Evanescence’s second album, The Open Door. In an interview, Amy Lee stated that this was the most difficult song on the album to sing. As one of the best songs that mention clouds, this song is about breaking up with someone and discovering that you can live without them. “Cloud Nine” was inspired by a break-up with Shaun Morgan, as evidenced by the lines “If you want to live, let live/ If you want to go, let go/ What are we doing here?/ Because I can live without you.”
18. Head in the Clouds by Joji
Joji finishes the “Head in the Clouds” album on a softer tone with this song, which also serves as the final track, the title track, and the third track with only one singer. The lyrics are darker than those on the rest of the album, but given the current state of the world, it’s a perfect fit for the summer of 2018. The song is about getting lost in the darkness, which is what a summer jam should be like. Joji’s vocal performance is great, and the guitars and synths in the chorus truly tie everything together, making it an excellent way to round up the record.
19. Cloud Nine by Owl City
“Cloud Nine” is a song about remaining optimistic when everything seems to be working against you. Lyrics like “look up when the world gets you down, and you’re going to get by” illustrate this. Adam Young explained in a tweet that “Cloud Nine” is a song about learning to keep your head up even when the world is doing everything it can to knock you down. “I included three key changes that give you a sense that you are ascending at all times,” he added.
20. Clouds by Fin Argus, Sabrina Carpenter
Interscope Records released “Clouds” from the new Disney+ feature Clouds soundtrack. The film’s stars, Fin Argus and Sabrina Carpenter, perform this new version of “Clouds,” which was written and performed by the real-life inspirations for the film, Zach Sobiech and Sammy Brown. The original performance of the duo achieved #1 on iTunes when it was released in 2013. Sobiech was a member of the band A Firm Handshake as a teen musician. He was diagnosed with bone cancer (Osteosarcoma) at the age of fourteen and began writing music while undergoing treatment.
21. Clouds by Before You Exit
“Clouds” is a song about losing a loved one who has recently died. With its simple piano solos and soaring vocals, “Clouds” is a beautiful song with a mournful tone. However, there is also some joy because the singers know their loved one is in a better place. Before You Exit wrote this song after Christina Grimmie was fatally shot during a concert during a meet-and-greet with her fans. “In loving memory of our dear friend Christina Grimmie, who will always be in our hearts and whose legacy will live on forever,” Before You Exit said with the release of this song.
22. Blue Clear Sky by George Strait
When George Strait first heard the song “Blue Clear Sky,” he was enthralled but also apprehensive. Strait thought the title “Blue Clear Sky” didn’t seem right and that it should have been “Clear Blue Sky.” The song, written by Bob DiPiero, John Jarrard, and Mark D. Sanders, began brewing in DiPiero’s head while he was in a movie theater watching Tom Hanks’ hit film Forrest Gump.
23. Mr. Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra
Thanks to its sunny and cheerful mood and innovative sound, ELO’s “Mr Blue Sky” is one of the world’s most successful pop tracks of all time. Bandleader Jeff Lynne penned this classic, as he did most of the ELO tunes. The song was recorded for the band’s Out of the Blue album in 1977, and Lynne also produced it. The song simply follows the theme of a rainy day coming to an end, which is appropriate for such an epic tune.
24. Blue Skies by Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson recorded the pop song “Blue Skies” in 1978, turning it into a hit on the Billboard Country chart that sounded like it belonged in a musical. His version of the song, like several of his other singles and albums, was a huge hit with fans. “Blue Skies” was originally written as a pop tune for the musical Betsy in 1926. Being a part of the musical provided it a boost, causing people to go crazy for it and continuously request the song.
25. Keep Your Head to the Sky by Earth, Wind & Fire
Maurice White, the leader of Earth, Wind & Fire, wrote “Keep Your Head To The Sky,” which he imbued with his spirituality. In this song, he challenges listeners to seek meaning and discover their true calling. White’s journey led him all around the world, yet he isn’t limited by it. He’ll keep his head in the sky and listen to the clouds in this song.
26. Brother The Cloud by Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder laments the loss of a loved one in the song “Brother The Cloud.” “There’s no previous reference for this level of pain,” Eddie says, referring to the late Soundgarden and Audioslave vocalist Chris Cornell, who committed suicide in 2017 at the age of 52. Chris Mueller, the Pearl Jam frontman’s half-brother, also died in a climbing accident in 2016.
27. Cloud Of Unknowing by Gorillaz
Bobby Womack, the legendary soul singer, is featured in this song. Bass player Murdoc explained on the Gorillaz’s website: “This track’s a mirror of the opener, a final reflection on the Plastic Beach. Bobby Womack’s performance on this song can still bring tears to my eyes. That mixture of hope and uncertainty in his voice – the age and the experience, the fear and the joy… ‘scuse me. This song, like the Who’s ‘Love Reign O’er Me’, is the moment that gathers together the events of the album – and pauses for reflection: ‘Waiting to see what the morning brings, it may bring sunshine on its wings.”
28. Cloud On My Tongue by Tori Amos
In this piano ballad, someone is knocking on Tori Amos’ kitchen door, but she refuses to allow him in. The song is based on a true story about Amos being “in a strange area in the Pacific” and her interaction with a potential lover who decided to pursue her after she had already been taken. “And he said to me, ‘I’ve just come from Borneo, and I’ve come to take you away with me for a few days,’ and I said, ‘Well, that’s just f—king great, because my boyfriend’s here, and you know I have a boyfriend, and you had a chance with me a few years back,’ and isn’t that always the way that they come,” she told an Atlanta audience in 1999.
29. Strange Clouds by B.o.B ft. Lil Wayne
Atlanta rapper B.o.B’s song “Strange Clouds” is all about hefty bravado. B.o.B brags about his precise rhyming in the opening verse, claiming, “I do my job exceptionally, on point like a decimalist.” Lil Wayne joins in with his own claims, declaring, “I’m top dog, you top ramen, I’m top dog.” Dr. Luke’s club-rap production can be heard in the song.
30. Clouds by One Direction
Here, One Direction sings about a girl who ended a relationship because it had become too complicated for her, with lyrics like “I know you said that you don’t like it complicated / That you are tired of all the changes / Well love is always, always changing, oh.” Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne created the song with usual 1D collaborators Jamie Scott, Julian Bunetta, and John Ryan.
Conclusion
There’s no shortage of inspiration in the natural world when it comes to writing music. From birds and bees to the sun and sea, artists have written songs about just about every animal and natural phenomenon, including clouds.
Clouds are a popular topic in songwriting, and they’re certainly poetic. The symbolic nature of clouds makes them perfect for artistic expression, and artists have taken to the skies in search of inspiration.
But even if the lyrics don’t actually have anything to do with clouds, you can still enjoy the relaxing sounds and thoughtful melodies of these tunes. And if we missed any songs about clouds or other weather effects that you think deserve to be on this list, let us know in the comments!