36 Songs About Nature, Mountains, Forests and the Earth

What is the most famous song about nature?

"What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong is the most famous song about nature, and "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles and "Rocky Mountain High" by John Denver are close behind. For the environment, "Big Yellow Taxi" by Joni Mitchell and "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" by Marvin Gaye are the classics.

Classic songs about nature

1. "What a Wonderful World", Louis Armstrong: gratitude for the beauty of the everyday world.
2. "Here Comes the Sun", The Beatles: the sun after a long winter.
3. "Morning Has Broken", Cat Stevens: a hymn to the first light of day.
4. "Blackbird", The Beatles: a gentle acoustic song.
5. "Mother Nature's Son", The Beatles: a pastoral Paul McCartney song.
6. "Feeling Good", Nina Simone: a soaring song of renewal.
7. "Nature Boy", Nat King Cole: a mysterious, beautiful standard.
8. "Fields of Gold", Sting: golden fields and lasting love.
9. "Wildflowers", Tom Petty: freedom in a wide-open place.
10. "Sunshine on My Shoulders", John Denver: simple joy.

Songs about mountains and the great outdoors

11. "Rocky Mountain High", John Denver: Colorado's state song.
12. "Take Me Home, Country Roads", John Denver: West Virginia's mountains.
13. "Blue Ridge Mountains", Fleet Foxes: harmonies and wide views.
14. "Mountain Sound", Of Monsters and Men: a stomping folk-pop song.
15. "Rivers and Roads", The Head and the Heart: distance and open country.
16. "Guaranteed", Eddie Vedder: from the Into the Wild soundtrack.
17. "Society", Eddie Vedder: also from Into the Wild.
18. "The Trees", Rush: a rock fable set in a forest.
19. "Wide Open Spaces", The Chicks: room to grow.

Songs about the earth and the environment

20. "Big Yellow Taxi", Joni Mitchell: a warning about losing what we have.
21. "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", Marvin Gaye: the 1971 environmental soul song.
22. "Earth Song", Michael Jackson: a plea for the planet.
23. "Colors of the Wind", from Pocahontas: respect for every living thing.
24. "This Land Is Your Land", Woody Guthrie: the American folk anthem.
25. "America the Beautiful": the patriotic hymn of American landscapes.
26. "Garden Song", John Denver: a song about planting and growing.

Folk and indie songs about nature

27. "White Winter Hymnal", Fleet Foxes: a wintry round.
28. "Holocene", Bon Iver: small in a big landscape.
29. "Bright Side of the Road", Van Morrison: sunny and upbeat.
30. "Harvest Moon", Neil Young: a gentle love song under the moon.
31. "Little Wonders", Rob Thomas: from Meet the Robinsons.
32. "Riptide", Vance Joy: an upbeat ukulele favorite.

Nature songs for kids

33. "You Are My Sunshine": the singalong every family knows.
34. "The Bare Necessities", from The Jungle Book: life in the jungle.
35. "Circle of Life", from The Lion King: the savanna and the cycle of nature.
36. "Rainbow Connection", Kermit the Frog: a gentle song about wishing.

Songs for Earth Day

For Earth Day in April, "Big Yellow Taxi", "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", "Earth Song", "Colors of the Wind" and "What a Wonderful World" make a strong playlist for a classroom, a cleanup or a tree planting.

Songs about nature for a hike or camping trip

For the trail or the campfire, "Rocky Mountain High", "Blue Ridge Mountains", "Rivers and Roads", "Guaranteed" and "Country Roads" fit the setting, and "Morning Has Broken" is perfect for the first coffee by the tent.

Nature songs for an outdoor wedding

For a garden, mountain or forest wedding, "Fields of Gold", "Harvest Moon", "Annie's Song" by John Denver and "Here Comes the Sun" fit the setting beautifully. For more, see our first dance songs.

More songs about the natural world

For more songs about specific parts of nature, see our lists of songs about the ocean, songs about rain, songs about the moon, songs about stars and songs about flowers, or the seasons with our fall songs.

Songs about birds and wildlife

Birdsong and animals show up across these lists: "Blackbird" and "Morning Has Broken" for quiet mornings, "Feeling Good" for a bright one and "The Bare Necessities" and "Circle of Life" for younger animal lovers. They pair well with a visit to a nature reserve or a backyard bird feeder.

Songs about nature for a memorial

For someone who loved the outdoors, a memorial can bring their favorite places into the music: "Rocky Mountain High", "What a Wonderful World", "Fields of Gold" and "Harvest Moon" are gentle, natural choices, and many families scatter ashes or plant a tree while one plays.

Why nature inspires so many songs

Nature gives songwriters a language everyone understands: the sun for hope, storms for trouble, mountains for strength and seasons for time passing. That is why a song about a sunrise can also be a song about love, faith or starting over.

A song for the nature lover in your life

For a hiker, gardener, camper or fisherman, a personalized song can celebrate their favorite places: the lake, the trail, the garden and the people who share it with them. It makes a warm birthday, retirement or Father's and Mother's Day gift.

How to create a personalized song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: folk, country, acoustic and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three of their favorite places or outdoor memories.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $24.99, or $29.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Celebrate the outdoors lover you know: create a song and hear four previews for free.