This article lists out twenty songs with the word “cool” in its title. Whether it’s about being cool or capturing a different kind of coolness, these tracks are sure to keep you refreshed. We’ve even included videos for each, so you can enjoy the full experience while jamming to these cool tunes!
Contents
- 1. “In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening” by Bing Crosby & Jane Wyman
- 2. “Cool Change” by Little River Band
- 3. “Cool, Calm, & Collected” by The Rolling Stones
- 4. “Cool Water” by Hank Williams
- 5. “Cool Jerk” by The Go Go’s
- 6. “Cool Again” by Kane Brown
- 7. “Real Cool Time” by Stooges
- 8. “Cool” by Gwen Stefani
- 9. “Play It Cool” by Paul Hampton
- 10. “In the Cool of the Day” by Nat King Cole
- 11. “Long Cool Woman” by The Hollies
- 12. “Cool, Cool Water” by The Beach Boys
- 13. “So Damn Cool” by Ugly Kid Joe
- 14. “Three Cool Cats” by The Beatles
- 15. “Cool It Down” by The Velvet Underground
- 16. “‘T’ Plays It Cool” by Marvin Gaye
- 17. “Cool Magic” by Steve Miller Band
- 18. “Real Cool World” by David Bowie
- 19. “Stay Cool” by The Roots
- 20. “Take Off Your Cool” by OutKast
- Summary
1. “In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening” by Bing Crosby & Jane Wyman
This jaunty duet of Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman dates back to 1951 and the traditional pop era before the advent of rock and roll. The pair alternate in singing about their plans for a rollicking party in the “cool, cool, cool of the evening”. The speedy repetition of the term “cool” in this song provides a brisk rhythm.
2. “Cool Change” by Little River Band
In this piano-led classic by Little River Band, the lead singer Glenn Shorrock ruminates on what is missing from his life – that time spent sailing alone on the river.
He affirms that it’s time for a ‘cool change’ which was a slightly ambiguous use of the term. Further, Shorrock’s vocals and the sax solo in the bridge sends this track into a soaring crescendo.
3. “Cool, Calm, & Collected” by The Rolling Stones
Dating back to the first decade of the Stones’ career, this song talks about a confident and alluring woman described from Jagger’s POV. With vocals veering between admiring and sarcastic, the song even fits in a kazoo solo before building in tempo to a frenzied finish.
4. “Cool Water” by Hank Williams
This Western was originally written by Bob Nolan in 1936. However, the version presented in this article is Hank Williams’ who is yearning for ‘cool water’ as he treks endlessly with his mule through a dry wasteland, taunted by desert mirages. Williams’ heartfelt vocals blended with his acoustic guitar which makes this song a timeless rendition.
5. “Cool Jerk” by The Go Go’s
A dance song that is all about knowing a cat who really knows the moves of this song. The Go Go’s cover of The Capitols’ 1966 single, doubles down on the infectious bassline wherein they added electric guitars and female vocals. It doesn’t matter if you know how to dance the cool jerk – this track will definitely get you moving anyway.
6. “Cool Again” by Kane Brown
In this summer tune from 2020, Kane Brown reminisces on a passionate summer romance from his past. He wonders where it all went wrong, and wishes for nothing more than for him and his estranged lover to be ‘cool again’. Further, Nelly added his vocals to the track.
7. “Real Cool Time” by Stooges
‘Can I come over tonight?’ asks a sly Iggy Pop in this track from The Stooges’ debut album. Stooges promised to whoever’s listening that they’ll have a ‘real cool time’ tonight. The understated lyric is at odds with the rawness of the cacophony of music backing him up, and is doubtful if Iggy’s intentions are entirely honorable.
8. “Cool” by Gwen Stefani
From Gwen’s debut solo album, this song – inspired by new wave and synth-pop – is about two ex-lovers who’ve both moved on but remained ‘cool’ as friends. The song is known to be about Stefani’s past relationship with her ex-bandmate from No Doubt, Tony Kanal, wherein they still continued working together long after their breakup.
9. “Play It Cool” by Paul Hampton
From the early days of rock and roll, this 1957 number invites someone to “play it cool”. Hampton sings to a lover and tells them that he’s gonna meet, greet, make them cry, and finally say goodbye. A whole love story packed into the 2-minute duration of this song.
10. “In the Cool of the Day” by Nat King Cole
Originally performed by Greek singer Mary Linda, this Nat King Cole version appeared in a 1963 movie with the same title. In the song, the ‘cool of the day’ (when two lovers must be wary of jealous eyes) is contrasted with the ‘cool of the night’ (when they can make their dreams come true). The singer longs for a far, far land when the two different people fall in love with each other.
11. “Long Cool Woman” by The Hollies
This 1972 hit from British rock group The Hollies, imitates the swamp rock style of Creedence Clearwater Revival. It tells the story of an FBI man who got distracted from his undercover work in a ‘bootlegging boozer’ because of a cool woman in a black long dress. In the ruckus of a shoot-out that follows, he takes her hand and saves her.
12. “Cool, Cool Water” by The Beach Boys
Thanks to the band’s chantlike harmonies, the final track from The Beach Boys’ 16th studio album probably repeats ‘cool’ more than any other song in this list. The song drifts between being playful and having meditative reverie about drinking or swimming in cool water.
13. “So Damn Cool” by Ugly Kid Joe
In this track from heavy metal band Ugly Kid Joe, the singer speaks of the confusion of his life. The chorus part addresses someone who’s ‘so damn cool’. The contrast between the introspective verses and chorus suggests that the cool one in question might be the one to save the singer from himself.
14. “Three Cool Cats” by The Beatles
The “three cool cats” in this song are parked in their beat-up car, talking all about how sharp they are when they spotted ‘three cool chicks’ coming their way. The cool cats fall in love and each chooses their desired chick among the three.
However, these “three cool cats” are soon to be made fools of as their advances are rejected. The three cool cats in this version were played by George, Paul, and John.
15. “Cool It Down” by The Velvet Underground
‘Cool it down’ is a fun-loving number that began from the POV of an antsy guy looking for a woman by the name of Miss Linda Lee. In the chorus, she advised him that, even though he wants to go fast, he should ‘cool it down’, since she’s charging him for the full hour anyway.
16. “‘T’ Plays It Cool” by Marvin Gaye
The only track on this list with no lyrics, this 1972 instrumental by Marvin Gaye is from the soundtrack album of blaxploitation film Trouble Man. Gaye wrote and produced the album himself.
On this track, he played every instrument himself – except the saxophone which was played by Trevor Lawrence. The song is also notable for its use of the Minimoog synthesizer. The ‘T’ playing it cool is Mr. T who is the main character of the film.
17. “Cool Magic” by Steve Miller Band
This song by the Californian rock band was a single from their 1982 album Abracadabra. The song is sung by a man who has fallen foul of the law somehow, and is attempting to build his case. The protagonist was won over by someone with a pretty face, charm, and ‘cool magic’.
18. “Real Cool World” by David Bowie
This up-tempo 1992 song from David Bowie features the soundtrack of the film “Cool World.” The singer speaks of a delightful love who is the face of seduction. Despite being suspicious and doubtful, they still lived together in ‘this real cool world’.
19. “Stay Cool” by The Roots
This track by hip-hop band The Roots, has Tariq ‘Black Thought’ in which Trotter tells the listener to “stay cool.” In the song, Black Thought outlines the hard work and the odds he’s had only to survive everything. He also compared his prowess to other rappers.
20. “Take Off Your Cool” by OutKast
Norah Jones duets with Andre 3000 on this simple but melancholy acoustic track. Both singers urge their lover to “take off your cool” because “I wanna see you”. The song sounds like they want the one they’re with to be genuine and not put on a front.
Summary
Music has embraced the word “cool” in various ways. From pop classics to heavy metal and hip-hop, many songs have incorporated it into their titles. It’s intriguing to witness how artists from different eras and backgrounds infuse their music with “cool,” offering unique intentions and interpretations.
With the list presented, we get to take a musical journey and explore the various shades of coolness found in these tracks.