22 Of The Best Jams About Fruit That Are Essential For All Music Lovers’ Playlists

Summer is here, making this the perfect time to get those taste buds primed to enjoy some sweet and delicious treats while on the boat, at the beach, poolside, or near any other body of water of your choosing. And while fruit serves its purpose in providing a juicy snack in the heat or an ingredient to the perfect cocktail, it is also one of the most widely used themes across music history.

With that said, I saw it as the optimal opportunity to serve up a 22-song list containing some of the best jams ever written about fruit. It should pair quite nicely with your lakeside melon or strawberry daiquiri.

22 Of The Best Songs About Fruit.

I will not attempt the impossible task of ranking these songs. Everyone has their own flavor. With that said, if you do not see a song on this list, it is simply not a top hit (kidding aside, leave your recommendations or omissions in the comments section below – I can be convinced!).

For these rankings, I tried to keep two things in mind. One, the name of a fruit is in the title. Apologies to any Gwen Stefani listeners, “Hollaback Girl” won’t make the cut. I know, it’s bananas.

Secondly, I tried to pick songs that directly reference the fruit of choice. That task proved difficult given many songs use fruit as a metaphor of describing something completely different. It’s a thin line, but a way of cutting what could be a never-ending list.

For example, “Raspberry Beret” used the term as a descriptor, and fruit isn’t mentioned anywhere else in the tune. While it’s undeniably a banger, you won’t find it here.

With that out of the way, let’s dive in. I’ve tried to hit most popular genres at least once.

‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ by The Beatles

No fruit related playlist is complete without this jam from The Beatles. The 1967 tune was released on the Penny Lane album and credited to John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Lennon wrote the song inspired by memories of a Salvation’s Army children’s home where a childhood treat was a garden party that took place each summer on the grounds.

‘Heard It Through the Grapevine’ by Marvin Gaye

While Gaye’s mention of grapes is used to describe overheard rumors, it is a direct reference to fruit making it eligible in this list assembler’s eyes. The song was originally recorded by Gladys Knight and the Pips, but Gaye’s adaptation put it on the map. It’s since been covered by various others, most notably Creedence Clearwater Revival.

‘Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)’ by Harry Belafonte

“Day-O” is a Jamaican folk song detailing dock workers working the night shift loading bananas onto a cargo ship. Harry Belafonte released the best-known version of the song in 1956. It peaked at No. 5 in February of 1957.

‘Watermelon Sugar’ by Harry Styles

“Watermelon Sugar” is the ultimate summer vibe. The single was released in 2020 on the Fine Line album. Fruit is a massive theme in the tune. In fact, it’s a major subject throughout Styles’ entire discography. The man loves fruit. We can’t say we blame him.

‘Cherry, Cherry’ by Neil Diamond

This jam was released in 1966 on The Feel of Neil Diamond. It was the singer’s first major hit and is considered by Rolling Stone to be one of the best three-chord songs ever made. Cherry, in this case, is used as innuendo about a relationship with an older woman.

‘Peaches’ by The Presidents of the United States of America

“Peaches” was released in 1996 as part of the band’s self-named first album. It peaked at No. 1 on charts in Canada and Iceland while topping out at No. 8 on Billboard’s ‘Modern Rock Tracks’ in the US. Chris Ballew wrote the song about a time he sat under a peach tree while waiting on an older woman he was attracted to.

‘Tangerine’ by Led Zeppelin

I did not rank these songs. If I had, this tune likely tops the list. “Tangerine” is one of the best songs on an underrated Led Zeppelin III album. Singer Robert Plant notes being inspired by agrarian movements seen in northern California and the British folk scene.

‘Strawberry Wine’ by Deana Carter

Country music fan or not, this song absolutely hits no matter the time or place. Deana Carter nostalgically describes a summer spent on a farm, comparing strawberry wine to a past relationship. While wine is the catalyst for the memory, fruit plays a significant role, too.

‘Lemonade’ by Gucci Mane

Gucci Mane’s 2009 release came on his sixth studio album, The State vs. Radric Davis. It went double platinum and topped out at No. 8 on the Billboard ‘Hot Rap Songs’ in the US. Life gave Gucci lemons, and he made lemonade a part of every piece of his life, from cars, to girls, to weed, and everything in between.

‘Apples and Oranges’ by Pink Floyd

“Apples and Oranges” is the last single written by former Pink Floyd singer Syd Barrett, who left the band in 1968 and was replaced by David Gilmour. A few years later, the group would record a promotional film with the song in a Belgian fruit market. The hit is about a girl the singer meets at the grocery store.

‘Rotten Apple’ by Alice in Chains

This is one of my favorite opening riffs to listen to. It’s almost haunting, fittingly introducing a song about feeling “rotten.” The tune was released on the band’s monster Jar of Flies album in 1992. Apple is used as a way of describing temptation, addiction, and the irreversible consequences of actions.

‘Cherry Pie’ by Warrant

“Cherry Pie” was released by Warrant in 1990 on an album of the same name. It is one of the Top 20 hair metal anthems of all-time according to Louder. For late-80s rock n’ roll enthusiasts, this is the quintessential tune of an era.

‘Coconut’ by Harry Nilsson

One of the best and most recognizable songs on this list, it’s actually about an adverse reaction to fruit. A woman gets sick after mixing lime juice and coconut milk at her doctor’s request. Nilsson released the single in 1971, which went Top 10 in both the US and Canada.

‘Banana Pancakes’ by Jack Johnson

Keeping with the beachy vibes, Jack Johnson wrote “Banana Pancakes” as a playful jab at his wife. “I’d stayed up all night writing this other song,” he says. “One morning, I was trying to show her (the song), and I couldn’t really get her attention. Then I just started in and sang, ‘You hardly even notice, when I try to show you. This song is meant to keep you from doing what you’re supposed to.'” The rest is history!

‘Apples and Tangerines’ by The Phoenix Foundation

This catchy tune was created by a Kiwi rock band that formed in 1997. The Phoenix Foundation didn’t see a ton of success in the US, but they gained major traction in areas like New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. “Apples and Tangerines” uses fruit as a metaphor for identity.

‘Blueberry Hill’ by Fats Domino

The song was published and recorded in 1940 by Sammy Kaye, but it’s Fats Domino that took it mainstream in 1956. It would be recorded by Elvis Pressley a year later. Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard also released versions in the 60s and 70s.

‘Strange Fruit’ by Billie Holliday

Recorded in 1939, this is one of the best but saddest songs about fruit. It was originally written as a protest poem before being set to music. Holliday’s version of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1978.

‘Grapefruit-Juicy Fruit’ by Jimmy Buffett

Written in Key West while working on a fishing boat, “Grapefruit – Juicy Fruit” is included on Buffett’s greatest hits album, Songs You Know by Heart. At the time he created the song, he was playing at a bar called Howie’s Lounge. The song describes using grapefruit as a way to recover from the night before.

‘Chewin’ the Apple of Yer Eye’ by the Flaming Lips

“Chewin’ the Apple of Yer Eye” was released on the Flaming Lips’ 1993 album Transmissions from the Satellite Hearts. It plays on the popular idiom used to describe precious items. The song seems to be about finding a soulmate (apple) in a chaotic world.

‘The Second Bite of the Apple’ by Beady Eye

Beady Eye was a band created by former members of Oasis, most notably Liam Gallagher. “The Second Bite of the Apple,” was released in on the BE. For those that enjoy that Oasis sound, this one hits the mark.

‘Fresh Strawberries’ by Franz Ferdinand

“Fresh Strawberries” was released by Franz Ferdinand on the band’s fourth studio album, Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, in 2014. It topped out at No. 5 on the Czech Republic ‘Modern Rock’ charts, though it’s less known in the US. The tune has a catchy chorus and lightness despite describing the fleeting nature of life.

‘Peaches’ by Justin Bieber

Not to be confused with a song of the same name previously mentioned on this list, “Peaches” by Justin Bieber came out in 2021 an immediately became a hit. It debuted atop Billboard’s Hot 100, making it his seventh No. 1 on the chart.