Songs with the name Adeline

Alt-J released "Adeline" in 2017 on Relaxer, a record full of strange, literate indie rock. The song begins with a clean, quiet guitar and builds to a rich, percussive climax. The name here belongs to a woman glimpsed across a room; the singer imagines her entire life in a single look, turning Adeline into an ideal. It is remembered for its unusual structure and the way it marries a folklike melody to a rhythmic, modern sound.

Elliott Smith's "Sweet Adeline," from his 1997 album Either/Or, is a hushed, acoustic song. His voice is double-tracked in close harmony, giving the track a ghostly, intimate feel. The name evokes a barbershop quartet tradition, and Smith uses it to contrast an old, sweet ideal with his own rougher, more conflicted reality.

Bing Crosby's 1934 "Sweet Adeline" is a different creature entirely: a crooner's take on an old-fashioned sentimental parlor song. His warm, relaxed vocals, backed by a gentle orchestra, make the name sound like a memory of small-town romance. The recording captures a time when a name in a song could stand for innocence itself.