Here’s a Top-10 list of songs for High School Graduations in 2009. In formulating this list, care was taken to avoid cliché graduation songs, giving you a selection of songs that are just as fitting, but also unique.
All of these songs are available through Itunes.
1. A Hero Comes Home – Idina Menzel
A great song from the soundtrack of Beowulf. It tells the story that, no matter what a hero may do, where he may roam, what perils he may face, he’ll always come back home. Can be symbolic of the fact that, no matter where the graduates may go, they should always remember where they come from, and should strive to be their own personal heros.
Deep in the heart of darkness sparks
A dream of light
Surrounded by hopelessness
He finds the will to fight
There’s no surrender
Always remember
It doesn’t end here
We’re not alone
Just wait
Though wide he may roam
Always
A hero comes home
He goes where no one has gone
But always
A hero comes home
2. February Song – Josh Groban
A haunting song about a lost friend that could be used as a metaphor for just about anything
Where has that old friend gone
Lost in a February song
Tell him it won’t be long
Til he opens his eyes, opens his eyes
Where is that simple day
Before colors broke into shades
And how did I ever fade
Into this life, into this life
The old friend could be paralleled to childhood, opening your eyes could be compared to seeing the real world, simple days again to childhood, and fading could be compared to shrinking away from childhood and entering into an adulthood you may not be ready for.
3. Our Lives – The Calling
Great song by the calling with a very graduation appropriate chorus:
Cause these are the days worth living
These are the years we’re given
And these are the moments
These are the times
Let’s make the best out of our lives…
And even if hope was shattered
I know it wouldn’t matter
Cause these are the moments
These are the times
Let’s make the best out of our lives…
4. Say – John Mayer
Graduation is heading out into the real world, leaving your old life behind, and you may never have the chance to do or say things to people that you’ve yet to have the chance to. Say is a powerful song about that very premise.
Have no fear
For giving in
Have no fear
For giving over
You better know that in the end
It’s better to say too much
Then never to say what you need to say again
5. Live Your Life – TI feat. Rihanna
A song that tells you to not worry about what people say or what they do, but to be you and keep doing what makes you happy. Very appropriate for school that have a large hip-hop following.
So live your life, ay ay ay.
Instead of chasing that paper.
Just live your life (Oh! ), ay ay ay.
You got no time for no haters
Just live your life (Oh! ), ay ay ay.
No telling where it’ll take ya.
6. The Climb – Miley Cyrus
With its lyrics, you’d almost think this song was made for graduation. However, many of the graduates may not appreciate the fact that it’s by Miley Cyrus.
There’s always going to be another mountain
I’m always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes I’m gonna to have to lose,
Ain’t about how fast I get there,
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb
7. My Wish – Rascall Flats
Another graduation tailor-made song about someone wishing all the best to someone else. It’s a nice ballad with an overall tone very conducive to the occasion.
I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow,
And each road leads you where you wanna go,
And if you’re faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin’ till you find the window,
If it’s cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile.
But more than anything, more than anything…
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you’re out there getting where you’re getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.
8. Barriers – David Archuleta
A great song that could be symbolic of the state of the world right now and our fight to get through our surroundings.
This mountain we’ve been trying to climb
It’s never ending
Just can’t do nothing, gotta do something
Cause if we’d opened up our eyes,
We’re just pretending
Well there’s a time for giving up
Didn’t wanna have to say it
All we do is build the walls
And now there’s too many barriers
Here we are, now you’re here
It’s our last final goodnight
Just because it feels so good
No use pretending we’re alright
Too many locks, too many crimes,
Too many tears, too many lies
Too many barriers,
Just too many barriers
9. Beautiful Messed Up World – Anastacia
Another song that would be great for a school where hip-hop is the predominant culture. It talks about how the world may be messed up, but you have to see and make the good in it.
The world’s gettin’ worse gettin’ worse so they say
But I just don’t see it
Cos I see a miracle everyday
When I look in my own fate
I’m tired of all this pain
And negativity
I know it’s time for us all
Don’t tell me I can’t fight
I’m dumb enough to try
Maybe we’ll fall or maybe we’ll fly
10. Mountains – Lonestar
A really inspirational song that talks about people needing to put in extra effort in order to get where they’re going, or to see someone’s dreams come true (even their own).
There are times in life when you gotta crawl,
Lose your grip, trip and fall
When you can’t lean on no one else,
That’s when you find yourself
I’ve been around and I’ve noticed that
Walk-in’s easy when the road is flat
Them danged ‘ole hills will get you every time.
Yeah, the good Lord gave us mountains so we could learn how to climb
All lyrics courtesy of A-Z Lyrics Universe
