2008.06.23
What are your favorite summer songs?
We posted a little story over the weekend with a list of favorite summer songs.
Here's Ralph's list. It proves that he is way cooler than I am:
1. "Little Red Corvette," Prince. This was my favorite song in the summer of '83, right before my senior year of high school.
2. "Hot Fun in the Summertime," Sly and the Family Stone
3. "In the Summertime," Mungo Jerry
4. "Can't Hardly Wait," The Replacements
5. "Train in Vain," The Clash
-- Ralph Berrier Jr.
Here is my list. It proves that it doesn't take much to be cooler than I am:
1. "Thunder Island" Jay Ferguson
1978. Lord, the cheese! But this song, still occasionally played on oldies radio, still takes me back to burgeoning adolescence and that one girl who was just too good for me.
2. "Summersound," sElf
Little-heard tune from Beck sideman Matt Mahaffey, whose career has turned from an attempt at solo success to cartoon soundtrack and commercial jingle work. Why? Because the music business sucks. Full disclosure: I grew up with Matt's older brother and collaborater, the late Mike Mahaffey. But the song is great. Hear it yourself: www.self-centered.org/media.php?pmg
3. "So Like Candy," Elvis Costello
Bad relationship. Depressing summer. Perfect song. Go figure.
4. "Heavy Metal Drummer," Wilco
"I sincerely miss those heavy metal bands/She used to go see on the landing in the summer/She fell in love with the drummer ... "
5. "Stone in Love," Journey
Summer of 1983. Isle of Palms, S.C. A phonograph player in the rental house basement. Volume at 11. So shoot me.
-- Tad Dickens
What are yours?
My first memory of a favorite summer song is the one that signaled the end of the school year.
I will always remember tuning in WROV 1240AM while working in my parents garden and hearing Alice Cooper's "Schools Out".
Still a favorite!
Comment by Wayne — June 23, 2008 @ 3:08 pm
I have to admit it but Kid Rock's new song "All Summer Long" is an anthem for the thirty something crowd.
"But fond memories come to me when I hear "Sweet Child of Mine" by Gun's N Roses.
Comment by Chad — June 23, 2008 @ 7:22 pm
Pavement - Summer Babe
Brings back Richmond, VA in my non air conditioned studio apt in the hottest summer that I remember. I can still smell the citronella candles (to ward away the bugs because the windows were always wide open) and hear the window fan.
Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey
The reggae only comes out when it is warm.
Pietasters - Without You
Ska is also warm weather music to me, and this album reminds me of hazy days with drinks out on the stoop of my old pal Mike's apt.
Hall and Oates - You Make My Dreams Come True
Because nobody doesn't have an uncool summer song or ten. My first GF. My first kiss. Summer at the pool. Life was a whole lot simpler then.
The Beach Boys - Wouldn't It Be Nice
Duh.
Comment by Brooks — June 24, 2008 @ 12:33 am
I'll stick to the word "summertime" ...
1 - Hot fun in the Summertime - Sly and the Family ... great, great song
2 - Summertime by the Sundays... one summer with an awesome girl listening to any number of stations call "the wave" in FL playing this song endlessly
3 - Summertime - Gershwin - if for no other reason than its Gershwin and the song has been covered by everyone
4 - Summertime - sublime, because i like most all sublime
5 - Summertime Blues - Not my favortie song, but it was the first song I thought of with summertime in the title
And for one without the word summertime - Groovin by the rascals
Comment by Chico — June 24, 2008 @ 1:56 pm
Brooks, you are a writer!
Thanks to everyone else for excellent-to-ridiculous summer fare.
Maybe we could all agree that it gets so hot outside, people deserve to listen to what they wanna hear.
Rock the summer, people ...
Comment by Tad — June 25, 2008 @ 12:26 pm
1. Luke - Doo Doo Brown
Nothing makes me happier than the joyous sounds of 2 Live Crew's Luke serenading the ladies with his charisma, charm, and uh...doo doo!
2. Buju Banton - Love Sponge
Reggae is great. Love is great! Sponges soak up stuff. It's good!
Dead or Alive - Brand New Lover
This is the group that did "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" for you lame-o's that didn't know that already. The lead singer looks a lot like the lead singer chick from AFI.
4. The Cure - Why Can't I Be You?
Robert Smith's hair is correct!! This is my favorite Cure song! It's just fantabulously ill!
5. Beach Boys - Break Away
Later Beach Boys classic. After "Pet Sounds" when he was all messed up on smack and ho-ho's. Mmmmm...ho ho's. This song is brilliant! His crazy dad actually helped him write it.
Honorable Mention:
Guttermouth - Marco Polo
It's only like 10 seconds. Makes me wanna play! Fish out of water!
Comment by Stevie D — June 25, 2008 @ 2:23 pm
So many songs apply here; "Summer in the City" was a great one, constantly playing on lifeguards' transistor radios, as was "See You In September" by the Happenings.
But two sets of songs not specific to summer except for their time as hits must make my personal list of instant summertime associations. Edwin Starr's "War" arrived soon after the May Kent State fiasco, a great record that musically pointed towards rock/funk fusion, while that same summer Eric Burdon had "Spill The Wine", which had a tropical vibe, fairly unknown to pop at the time, by the band War, who would later have another good summer hit, "Summer".
And a really big one for me is George McRae's "Rock Your Baby", which immediately followed the Hues Corporation's "Rock The Boat". I loved riding with all the windows down as that T.K. studios pre-disco sound (we hadn't heard of K.C. and the Sunshine band yet) came over the car radio, and would sing along, especially the long falsetto "a-ah" at the end.
Also, Argent's "Hold Your Head Up" was the constant soundtrack, via a Mustang's 8 track tape player, to the Rockingham Speedway rock festival that summer. Hearing it now, I still think of all the hippies partying while White House officials planned burglaries and enemies lists, and how much of a relief the simple happiness of "Rock Your Baby" would be two years later.
Comment by Pete — June 25, 2008 @ 3:14 pm