”There’s something universally captivating about apples in music—they represent temptation, knowledge, love, and sometimes just the simple pleasures of life. From biblical references to nostalgic memories of childhood orchards, songwriters have long been drawn to this fruit’s symbolic power. The apple has inspired everything from folk ballads to indie anthems, rock classics to contemporary pop tracks. Whether it’s the forbidden fruit of Eden, the sweetness of romance, or the crispness of autumn, these songs capture the essence of what apples mean to us culturally and emotionally. Let’s explore twenty remarkable tracks that celebrate, reference, or revolve around this iconic fruit.
“Apple Scruffs” by George Harrison
George Harrison’s tender 1970 ballad from All Things Must Pass pays homage to the dedicated Beatles fans who waited outside Apple Studios, affectionately nicknamed “Apple Scruffs.” The song showcases Harrison’s compassionate songwriting with its gentle acoustic guitar work and heartfelt lyrics that thank these loyal supporters for their unwavering devotion. His slide guitar work adds layers of warmth to this appreciation letter in musical form, while the production captures that intimate early-70s sound that defined his solo career. The track stands as a testament to Harrison’s humility and his recognition that fans were integral to the Beatles’ legacy, making it one of the most touching fan tributes in rock history.
“Little Green Apples” by Roger Miller
Roger Miller’s 1968 masterpiece became one of the most covered songs of its era, earning him a Grammy for Best Country Song. The lyrics use apples as a metaphor for impossibility—suggesting that if his lover’s devotion isn’t real, then there must be no such thing as little green apples. Miller’s warm baritone delivery and the song’s lush orchestration created a crossover hit that bridged country and pop audiences effortlessly. The production features strings that sweep through the arrangement like autumn wind through an orchard, while the melody remains instantly memorable decades later. O.C. Smith’s subsequent cover reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, proving the song’s universal appeal across genres.
“Apples and Bananas” by The Kiboomers
This children’s classic has become a staple in early childhood education, teaching vowel sounds through playful repetition and simple melody. The Kiboomers’ version brings vibrant energy to the traditional song with contemporary production that keeps young listeners engaged while reinforcing phonetic learning. The song’s genius lies in its educational effectiveness—children naturally learn language patterns while singing about eating apples and bananas with different vowel substitutions. If you’re looking for quality audio equipment to enjoy children’s music with crystal-clear sound, check out our headphones comparison guide for family-friendly listening options. The track has accumulated millions of streams across various platforms, demonstrating its enduring relevance in educational music.
“Apple Tree” by Erykah Badu
From her 2000 album Mama’s Gun, Erykah Badu delivers a sultry neo-soul track where the apple tree serves as a metaphor for natural love and nurturing relationships. Badu’s distinctive vocal phrasing floats over a groove-heavy bassline and organic percussion that perfectly captures her signature sound—a blend of jazz, soul, and hip-hop influences. The production by James Poyser and Badu herself creates a lush sonic landscape where her voice becomes another instrument in the arrangement. Lyrically, she invites her lover to pick from her apple tree, using agricultural imagery to discuss intimacy and commitment with both sensuality and intelligence. The song showcases Badu’s ability to transform simple metaphors into profound statements about human connection.
“Bad Apple!!” by Nomico
Originally from the Touhou Project video game series, “Bad Apple!!” became an internet phenomenon when Nomico’s vocal version was paired with a striking black-and-white shadow art animation. The electronic arrangement features driving beats and synthesizer melodies that capture the frenetic energy of Japanese doujin music culture. Nomico’s vocals carry a haunting quality that contrasts beautifully with the upbeat tempo, creating an emotional complexity that resonates with listeners worldwide. The song’s popularity exploded beyond gaming communities, inspiring countless covers and remixes across multiple languages and genres. Its influence on internet culture and electronic music cannot be overstated, with the track accumulating hundreds of millions of views across various platforms.
“Apple Blossom” by The White Stripes
Jack and Meg White’s 2000 track from their self-titled debut album showcases their raw, stripped-down approach to blues-rock with apple blossoms symbolizing fleeting beauty and springtime romance. Jack White’s guitar work alternates between delicate fingerpicking and aggressive strumming, while Meg’s minimalist drumming provides the perfect foundation for his vocal delivery. The song captures that essential White Stripes aesthetic—taking traditional blues themes and injecting them with punk energy and emotional urgency. The production intentionally emphasizes the rawness of the performance, with room ambience and amp buzz adding to the authentic garage-rock feel. Lyrically, White uses the apple blossom as a metaphor for ephemeral moments of connection that must be treasured before they fade.
“Apple Pie” by Lizzy McAlpine
Released in 2022, this contemporary indie-folk gem showcases McAlpine’s gift for turning everyday domestic imagery into profound emotional territory. Her delicate vocal delivery over fingerpicked acoustic guitar creates an intimate atmosphere that feels like overhearing a private confession. The song uses apple pie baking as a metaphor for comfort, nostalgia, and the complex emotions of trying to recreate feelings from the past. McAlpine’s production choices keep the arrangement sparse and vulnerable, allowing her storytelling to take center stage while subtle string arrangements add emotional depth in the choruses. The track demonstrates how Generation Z artists are redefining folk music by combining traditional acoustic instrumentation with modern production sensibilities and emotionally intelligent lyricism.
“Apple Tree” by Wolfmother
The Australian hard rock trio brings heavy riffs and psychedelic elements to their apple tree metaphor on this track from their 2005 self-titled debut. Andrew Stockdale’s soaring vocals channel Led Zeppelin-era rock power while the band creates a wall of sound with distorted guitars and pounding drums. The song’s mystical lyrics reference nature and spiritual awakening, with the apple tree serving as a connection point between earthly and transcendent experiences. Wolfmother’s commitment to classic rock revivalism shines through every measure, from the extended guitar solos to the organ flourishes that add vintage texture. For those who want to experience the full power of rock music’s dynamic range, our earbuds comparison can help you find gear that handles both delicate passages and explosive moments.
“Rotten Apple” by Alice in Chains
From their 1994 EP Jar of Flies, this haunting track uses the rotten apple as a metaphor for decay, both personal and relational. Layne Staley’s anguished vocals convey deep emotional pain while Jerry Cantrell’s acoustic guitar work creates a melancholic atmosphere that perfectly captures the grunge era’s introspective darkness. The song builds gradually from its quiet introduction to a cathartic crescendo, with strings arranged by the band adding orchestral weight to the emotional devastation in the lyrics. Alice in Chains masterfully balances beauty and bleakness, creating music that acknowledges suffering while finding strange comfort in shared vulnerability. The track remains one of their most emotionally resonant compositions, showcasing the band’s ability to create profound art from personal struggle.
“Apple Candy” by Ben Lee
The Australian singer-songwriter delivers pure pop sweetness on this 1998 track that compares romantic infatuation to the simple pleasure of apple-flavored candy. Lee’s bright, earnest vocal delivery and the song’s buoyant production create an infectious energy that captures the giddiness of new love. The arrangement features jangly guitars, bouncing bass lines, and handclap percussion that together form an irresistibly catchy indie-pop confection. Lyrically, Lee embraces straightforward sincerity over ironic detachment, celebrating the rush of early romance without cynicism or pretense. The song showcases how effective simplicity can be when paired with genuine emotion and well-crafted melodies that stick in your memory long after the track ends.
“Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else but Me)” by The Andrews Sisters
This World War II-era hit from 1942 became an anthem for separated lovers during wartime, with the apple tree representing home, faithfulness, and the promise of reunion. The Andrews Sisters’ trademark harmonies create a bright, optimistic sound that provided comfort during difficult times while the swing arrangement keeps toes tapping. The song’s message of loyalty resonated deeply with service members and those waiting for them, making it one of the era’s most beloved standards. Glenn Miller’s orchestra also recorded a definitive version that showcased big band musicianship at its finest. Decades later, the song remains a touchstone of American popular music history, regularly featured in films and television shows depicting the 1940s.
“Apple Shampoo” by Blink-182
From their 1997 album Dude Ranch, this pop-punk track captures adolescent romance through the specific sensory memory of a girlfriend’s apple-scented shampoo. Tom DeLonge’s vocals carry that characteristic nasal quality while the power chord progression and driving drums epitomize late-90s punk accessibility. The song’s genius lies in its specificity—by focusing on one small detail like shampoo scent, Blink-182 evokes entire relationships and the way memory attaches to sensory experiences. The bridge features a melodic guitar line that adds emotional depth to what could have been just another breakup song. This track helped establish Blink-182’s signature style of combining humor, sincerity, and punk energy into radio-friendly packages that connected with teenage audiences worldwide.
“Wild Mountain Thyme” (The Apple Tree Verse) by Various Artists
This traditional Scottish/Irish folk song has been recorded by countless artists including The Byrds, Van Morrison, and Ed Sheeran, with many versions including verses about apple trees in bloom. The melody’s haunting beauty and the lyrics’ invitation to wander together through nature have made it a standard at weddings and gatherings for generations. The song captures the Celtic tradition of using natural imagery to express romantic longing and the desire for simple, authentic connection. Different arrangements have ranged from sparse acoustic treatments to full orchestral productions, but the song’s essential emotional core remains unchanged. The apple tree verses specifically evoke springtime renewal and the hope that love will blossom like fruit trees awakening from winter dormancy.
“Pineapple & the Apple” by Puscifer
Maynard James Keenan’s experimental project delivers a characteristically cryptic meditation on contrasts and compatibility through fruit metaphors. The electronic production blends industrial textures with organic elements, creating a soundscape that feels both mechanical and human. Keenan’s vocal performance ranges from whispered intimacy to urgent intensity as he explores themes of difference and attraction through increasingly surreal imagery. The song’s unconventional structure refuses to follow standard verse-chorus patterns, instead building through repetition and gradual layering of sonic elements. Puscifer’s willingness to prioritize atmosphere and experimentation over commercial accessibility makes this track particularly rewarding for listeners willing to engage with its abstract approach to both sound and meaning.
“Apple Juice” by Jessie Reyez
The Canadian R&B artist released this 2020 track showcasing her powerful vocal delivery and emotionally raw songwriting style over hip-hop influenced production. Reyez uses apple juice as an unexpected metaphor within a larger narrative about desire, youth, and authenticity in relationships. Her voice carries remarkable range and control, moving from vulnerable whispers to full-throated belting that demands attention. The production balances modern trap-influenced beats with melodic elements that highlight Reyez’s vocal prowess without overwhelming her storytelling. The song demonstrates how contemporary R&B artists are expanding the genre’s lyrical and sonic boundaries while maintaining emotional authenticity.
“The Apple Tree” by Nina Nesbitt
The Scottish singer-songwriter’s 2019 track uses the life cycle of an apple tree as an extended metaphor for a relationship’s growth, fruition, and eventual decline. Nesbitt’s clear, expressive vocals guide listeners through the narrative with both tenderness and melancholy as the song progresses. The production features organic instrumentation including strings and acoustic guitar that reinforce the natural imagery while maintaining contemporary pop sensibilities. Her lyrical craftsmanship shines in how she develops the metaphor across verses, finding specific details that make the comparison feel earned rather than forced. The song showcases the storytelling traditions of folk music updated for streaming-era audiences with polished production and relatable emotional vulnerability.
“Green Apples” by Chiddy Bang
This hip-hop duo brought playful energy to their 2010 mixtape track that references green apples as part of a larger celebration of youth and creative ambition. Chiddy’s rapid-fire flow over Xaphoon Jones’s sample-based production creates an infectious energy that captured the optimism of early-2010s indie hip-hop. The song’s production cleverly incorporates diverse musical elements from indie rock to electronic music, reflecting the duo’s commitment to genre-blending experimentation. Lyrically, the track balances braggadocio with self-aware humor, a combination that made Chiddy Bang stand out in an increasingly crowded hip-hop landscape. Their approach influenced a generation of artists who prioritized creativity and fun over adherence to hip-hop orthodoxy.
“Apple Scruffs” by Katie Herzig
Not to be confused with the George Harrison track, Herzig’s indie-folk song takes a different approach to the apple theme with introspective lyrics and delicate acoustic arrangements. Her vocal performance emphasizes intimacy and vulnerability, inviting listeners into a private emotional space. The production values prioritize warmth and clarity, with each instrument given space to breathe within the mix while supporting rather than competing with Herzig’s voice. The song demonstrates the continuing vitality of the singer-songwriter tradition in contemporary music, where personal storytelling and melodic craftsmanship remain valued despite changing technological landscapes. For discovering more tracks across various genres, explore our comprehensive songs category featuring diverse musical selections.
“Apple” by Charli XCX
The British pop innovator delivered this hyperpop-adjacent track with distorted vocals, aggressive production, and lyrics that subvert expectations about what an “apple song” should sound like. Charli’s commitment to pushing pop music boundaries results in a chaotic, exhilarating listening experience that challenges conventional song structures. The production by PC Music-affiliated producers features glitchy electronics, pitch-shifted vocals, and bass that threatens to overwhelm the mix in the most exciting way possible. Lyrically, Charli uses the apple as just one element in a larger exploration of desire, identity, and the performative aspects of pop stardom. The track represents the avant-garde edge of mainstream pop, where experimentation and accessibility find unexpected common ground.
“Apple Suckling Tree” by Nick Drake
From his 1969 debut album Five Leaves Left, this pastoral folk track showcases Drake’s delicate fingerpicking guitar technique and his gift for creating haunting, introspective atmospheres. His whispering vocals and the song’s baroque string arrangements create a dreamlike quality that has influenced generations of indie and folk artists. Drake’s lyrics blend natural imagery with emotional ambiguity, inviting interpretation while resisting simple explanations. The production by Joe Boyd captures the intimacy of Drake’s performance while adding orchestral elements that enhance rather than overwhelm his gentle acoustic foundation. Though commercially unsuccessful during his lifetime, songs like this have secured Drake’s posthumous reputation as one of folk music’s most important and influential artists.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes apples such a popular symbol in music?
Apples carry rich symbolic meaning across cultures—representing everything from biblical temptation and forbidden knowledge to health, autumn harvest, and American nostalgia. Songwriters gravitate toward apples because they’re universally recognized yet open to diverse interpretations, allowing artists to explore themes of desire, innocence, decay, and renewal through familiar imagery. The fruit appears in folk traditions worldwide, making it accessible to international audiences while maintaining specific cultural resonances that add depth to lyrics. Additionally, the sensory qualities of apples—their taste, smell, color, and texture—provide concrete details that help ground abstract emotional concepts in physical reality.
Are there specific music genres that feature apple songs more frequently?
Folk and country music traditions have historically embraced agricultural and natural imagery, making apples a recurring motif in these genres. However, apple references appear across virtually every musical style, from George Harrison’s rock ballads to Erykah Badu’s neo-soul explorations and Charli XCX’s experimental pop. Children’s music frequently features apples in educational contexts, while indie and alternative artists often use fruit metaphors to discuss relationships and personal growth. The symbol’s versatility allows it to function equally well in earnest folk storytelling, ironic punk narratives, or abstract electronic compositions, demonstrating that symbolic resonance transcends genre boundaries.
Which apple song has been covered the most by different artists?
“Little Green Apples” by Roger Miller holds the distinction of being one of the most covered apple-themed songs, with notable versions by O.C. Smith, Frank Sinatra, and countless others across multiple decades. The song’s universal theme of expressing love through impossible hypotheticals translated easily across genres and generations. “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” also saw numerous covers during and after World War II, becoming a standard of the big band era. Traditional folk songs like “Wild Mountain Thyme” with its apple tree verses have been interpreted by hundreds of artists over centuries, though its authorship is collective rather than attributed to a single songwriter.
How do modern artists use apple symbolism differently than historical songwriters?
Contemporary artists tend to employ apple imagery with more irony, abstraction, and genre-blending than their predecessors who often used straightforward metaphors rooted in agricultural life or biblical references. Modern songwriters like Charli XCX or Puscifer deconstruct traditional symbolism, using apples as starting points for experimental explorations rather than endpoints of meaning. Today’s artists also benefit from global musical influences, incorporating diverse cultural perspectives on fruit symbolism that weren’t as accessible to earlier generations. However, core themes of desire, knowledge, and nature remain constant, suggesting that while presentation styles evolve, fundamental human concerns expressed through apple symbolism endure across musical eras.
What production techniques best capture the essence of apple-themed songs?
Production approaches vary dramatically based on the song’s intent and genre—folk tracks benefit from warm, organic recordings that emphasize acoustic instruments and vocal intimacy, while experimental artists might use distortion and electronic manipulation to subvert expectations. Many successful apple songs incorporate natural reverb and spatial elements that evoke outdoor settings like orchards, creating immersive listening experiences. String arrangements frequently enhance apple-themed compositions, adding emotional weight whether through lush orchestration or sparse chamber music textures. Ultimately, the best production serves the song’s specific emotional and thematic content, whether that means pristine clarity for storytelling or chaotic distortion for avant-garde expression.