Over the past week, I’ve asked Twitter for some recommendations that had nothing to do with romance, but a few folks asked me to compile the list of responses and share it, so I’m doing so here. It’s all below the fold – obviously this has little to jack all to do with romance novels, but if you’re looking for some music, this might help you out.
In response to my tweet asking for warm-weather music, here’s the master list of every recommendation I received. It rocked my socks, and might warm your feet, too, if it’s as cold where you are as it is here – and if you’re in the southern hemisphere (G’day, mate!) enjoy some seasonally-appropriate tunage.
The Outfield Your Love
Wake Up Happy by Greta Gaines, recommended by @knitmeapony
Dust in the Wind by Kansas, Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett, or A Horse with No Name by America, recommended by @silverwriter
Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams, Boys of Summer by Don Henley, recommended by @elise_logan
And @elise_logan recommended the playlist here, as well.
Kokomo, by the Beach Boys, In the Summer Time by Mungo Jerry, Summertime Blues by Eddie Cochran, recommended by @peggyhailey
@wiremama seconds “Boys of Summer,” which, oh yes, I third and fourth that.
@wiremama also recommends Blister in the Sun by the Violent Femmes.
My college friend @LadyLiberal recommended Jimmy Buffet’s cover of Stars Fell on Alabama, and Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s “Do U Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans.”
@younglibrarian suggests Vacation by The Go-Go’s.
@bookslover says Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves.
@jodyth says I Melt with You– which OMG Yes. I hear that song and I’m grubby and at summer camp again.
@Brooksbelle suggests Cruel Summer by Bananarama, plus re-ups the rec for Boys of Summer, and Summer of ‘69.
@StephaniHaefner says Summertime by the Fresh Prince – Yes! This is one of those songs where it’s not actually summer until I hear it on the radio.
Over on Facebook, where everyone knows everyone and everything, I have more recommendations:
Chris Hamilton suggests Margaritaville, California Girls by the Beach Boys, Beach Baby (First Class), Summer in the City by Lovin’ Spoonful, Magic by The Cars, and A Horse with No Name – everyone thinks summer with this song, really.
I think everything by The Beach Boys pretty much qualifies, now that I think about it.
Carrie Lofty says that anything by Chris Isaak should be on the playlist, particularly Blue Spanish Sky.
Suddenly Last Summer by the Motels is recommended by Zoe Archer.
Tanja Cilia recommends 9 Million Bicycles (covered by Norah Jones in that link), and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.
And Santa O’Byrne recommends Margaritaville, The Summer Wind (covered by Michael Buble) – oh, good one! – and Summer in the City.
Thanks for the awesome list, y’all. My iTunes is a rocking place. I’m surprised the icon doesn’t shimmy like when I hold the home button down on my iPhone too long.
Still feeling cold? Leave your warm weather song in the comments. I’ll pick one winner at random to receive a $20 iTunes giftcard. And yes, if you already recommended one above, you can enter again. I’m off to make margaritas!
“I Love Beach Music” by the Embers 🙂 (Can you tell I grew up near the beach?!)
“sunny afternoon” by the kinks
“island in the sun” by weezer
None of these really mention summer, it’s just what it makes me feel like its is summer, I guess:
I’m On A Boat – The Lonely Island
Time to Pretend – MGMT
Crush – Jennifer Paige
Jesse’s Girl – Rick Springfield
Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
Suspension – Mae
Californicaton – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
Dirty Water – The Standells
Whenever I hear these songs I imagine I am warm and drunk at Fenway at a Saturday afternoon game.
Summer music…here are the first three that came to mind…
Soak up the Sun – Sheryl Crow
Island in the Sun – Weezer
Girls in their Summer Clothes – Bruce Springsteen
Here are songs that make me think of summer fun…
Hold Tight by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich
Cry To Me by Solomon Burke
Under the Boardwalk by The Drifters
Hollywood Nights by Bob Seger
Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor) by Robert Palmer
Walk This Way by Aerosmith
Revolution by The Beatles
Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin
Take it to the Limit by The Eagles
Just about anything by Massive Attack or Morcheeba. Made for layin’ chill on the beach at the end of a humid day.
I’m especially fond of “Part of the Process”. Just makes it all slow down for me. I can feel the lingering humidity just thinking about it. (And right now, in the below-zeroes, I miss that humidty.)
Starry Eyed Surprise, Paul Oakenfold
Sunset Grill, Don Henley
Music always played over the loud speakers at the Indiana Dunes State Park in Chesterton. A favorite memory of mine is Bob Dylan’s Lay, Lady, Lay floating through the dark, heavy summer air at the beach.
These two songs immediately came to mind:
“Steal My Sunshine” by Len
“When I Come Around” by Green Day
I have more!
Heat Wave – Martha and the Vandellas
Under the Boardwalk – The Drifters
Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding
Hot Fun In the Summertime – Sly and the Family Stone
You’re the One that I Want/Summer Nights – Grease soundtrack
Uhm…I see a pattern here. Not only am I older than dirt, but so is my playlist!
Just rattled through my iTunes list for my favorites
Groovin’ by The Rascals
The Tide is High by Blondie
Love Shack by the B52s
Hot Fun in the Summertime by Sly & the Family Stone
Santana’s entire Supernatural album (which is also a stellar record for driving through the Desert Southwest)
and, my personal recommendation—
Pretty much anything by Billy Ocean
How about ‘Soak up the sun’ by Sheryl Crow?
Oh, thanks for this. I desperately need some summer right now. Love all of these suggestions (the ones I recognize anyway) and off to investigate new territory on iTunes.
I’m with Lita on what constitutes a summer tune; good call, Lita! Oddly enough, for me “Smoke on the Water” instantly brings back memories of summer trips to Wisconsin with the Park District as a kid. The beach had a limited jukebox, it was the 70’s, and it wasn’t a trip to Honeyhill Beach without hearing that song about 50 times. Still makes me laugh when I hear it.
As far as recommendations for summer songs, how about these:
“White Sandy Beach of Hawai’i” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (Heard this for the first time on the ride up to see the sunrise over Haleakala. Just gorgeous.)
Virtually anything by James Taylor but especially “Carolina in My Mind” or “Fire and Rain” which also remind me of summers as a kid. Or “it’s Too Late” by Carole King. Who else used to belt that out to a hairbrush?
Nowadays, I think of all the flavors of Latin and Latin-inspired music I’ve heard that remind me of trips to sunny places. How about “Chiquita” by Pacifika? I’ve been listening to that CD a lot lately on my iPod.
1. “Being Simple” by the Judybats
2. “Float On” by Modest Mouse
3. “How Bizarre” by OMC
4. I second “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears and “Summertime” by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince
Summer makes me think of road trips, and the perfect road trip song is “Radar Love” by Golden Earring.
Ps. Don’t pick me for the itunes, I don’t have an ipod
Agreed on “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”—any song from Real Genius makes me think of summer (which, given that it’s a movie about college, makes no sense; must be the SoCal setting).
“Summer”, Great Big Sea
“Hot Blooded”, Foreigner
“Christmas in July”, Brave Combo
“The Lusty Month of May”, from Camelot (hey, in my part of the U.S., summer starts in May, and occasionally in April….)
Not entirely a summery song, but a great song for cold days:
“Revolution”, Dave Olney
Since the rule appears to be “Nothing in the past 10 years” (exception noted for Tamara Hogan and Lisa), I’ll just ask why no one else has mentioned
“I Want to Be a Lifeguard” by Blotto.
I’m surprised there haven’t been more Jimmy Buffet recs. Margaritaville was suggested, of course, but Cheeseburger in Paradise or the ever popular spring break classic Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw deserve mentioning.
I second some of the country mentions and would add Chatahoochie – Alan Jackson
Old Blue Chair
Summertime
Anything but Mine
When the Sun Goes Down – all by Kenny Chesney
And who can forget the 2009 smash hit…
All Summer Long – Kid Rock
I like country music and have a soft spot for the Tracy Byrd song, Watermelon Crawl
Second the recommendation of Len’s “Steal My Sunshine”!
What summer rock out session is complete without:
Hey Jealousy – Gin Blossoms
10,000 Nights – Alphabeat
Tropicalia – Beck
Crazy In Love – Beyonce
I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
Second, Minute, or Hour – Jack Penate
Higher and Higher – Jackie Wilson
ABC – Jackson 5
LDN – Lily Allen
Movin’ On Up – Primal Scream
New York, New York – Ryan Adams
…and pretty much the entire Vampire Weekend album!
A little more obscure but I always feel warmer and sunnier after listening to James Taylor’s “Mexico.”
Oooh, this list of recs is exactly what I need – longest coldest snap in the UK for 29 years here, and I live in Scotland and walk to work in the mornings. What. Bopping along up the hill to my iPod keeps me warm, and I’m going to have to add loads of these songs to my playlist.
The songs that have been putting me in a summery mood this week have included:
‘Mambo No. 5’ – Lou Bega,
‘Summer Girls’ – LFO,
‘Out Tonight’ from RENT (yeah, idk)
and ‘‘You Send Me’ – Sam Cook.
Put Your Records On by Corinne Baily Rae feels very summer to me.
Mr Blue Skies-ELO
Summer Song-Chad and Jeremy (old but way cool)
The Boys are Back in Town-Thin Lizzy
Paint it Black-Rolling Stones
All those remind me of sunshine and hot asphalt melted to my feet or grass stains on my butt and blueberry stains on my fingers. They scream of riding bikes and treehouses.
Don Henley’s “The End of the Innocence” always makes me think of summer.
Here’s a few from my iPod that make me feel like summer:
Mountain Music-Alabama
Hot in the City-Billy Idol
Mud on the Tires, Better Than This, Water, & Turf’s Up-Brad Paisley
Let’s Go-The Cars
County Fair-Chris LeDoux
Strawberry Wine-Deanna Carter
Tequila Sunrise-Eagles
Two Tickets to Paradise-Eddie Money
Red Skies-The Fixx
That Summer, Two Pina Coladas-Garth Brooks
River of Love-George Strait
Radar Love-Golden Earring
The Reaper-Blue Oyster Cult
Crazy On You-Heart
Listen Like Thieves-INXS
Jack & Diane, Small Town-John Mellencamp
Days Go By, Til Summer Comes Around-Keith Urban
Young-Kenny Chesney
Come Dancing-The Kinks
Boondocks-Little Big Town
An American Dream-Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Burning Down the House-Talking Heads
Down on the Farm-Tim McGraw
Runnin’ Down a Dream-Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Runaway-Del Shannon
Jump, Panama-Van Halen
Hold On Loosely-.38 Special
And some others:
Wipeout-The Surfaris
Pipeline, Walk Don’t Run-The Ventures
Cruel Summer-Bananarama
Sea of Love-The Honeydrippers
Escape(the pina colada song)-Rupert Holmes
here is mine:
Summer Girls by LFO
The Thong Song by Sisqo
Kokomo and and Surfin’ USA by the Beach Boys
Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison (it was not a road trip in my family if we didn’t hear it.)
Coconut by Nilson (although, this also makes me think of this scene)
Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper
Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine by the Fifth Dimension
Over My Head (Cable Car) by the Fray
Smile by Vitamin C
Hurt So Good by John Mellencamp (not sure why though)
Louie Louie by the Kinsmen
Shake Your Groove Thing by Peaches and Herb
Sweetest Thing by U2
Unwritten by Natasha Beddingfield
Vacation by the Go-Gos
Soak Up the Sun by Cheryl Crowe
Black Horse and the Cherry Tree by KT Tunstall
Whenever Wherever and Hips Don’t Lie by Shakira
Summer Nights by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta
Heatwave by Martha Reeve and the Vandellas
ooh. StacieH4! Come Dancing! I love that song. Can’t believe i forgot that one on my list. I remember listening to that song in the car with my parents when i was a kid. It is totally a summer song!
In the Summertime by Mungo Jerry
Hot Fun in the Summertime by Sly and the Family Stone
hey—I commented, right between Chris Hamilton and Carrie Lofty on FaceBook. am I a social pariah? I feel so… mute!
New Favorite Band by Tim Blane. This is the perfect summer road trip song!
“Under the Boardwalk” by the Drifters
“Hotel California” by the Eagles
“Little Lies” by Fleetwood Mac-because it came out during the summer.
“Hotel California” for the lines “How they danced in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat”
“Boys of Summer” by Don Henley
Every time I hear Carlos Santana playing guitar, I’m instantly sitting in the dark on a hot, hot night, trying to catch a breeze through an open window in my run-down, inner-city apartment in some California city.
This is weird for me, because I’m not really a huge Santana fan and I’ve never been further south than Wyoming.
Still. His licks are HOT. Especially the one he did with Rob Thomas.
This is a great idea -I’m off to make my own list – but I gotta say – many years ago, I hitched a ride with a college friend, all the way from Minnesota to the East Coast. He broke up with his girlfriend the night before, and he cried all the way to the East Coast, playing “their” cassette non-stop with nothing but back-to-back “their” song- I heard it maybe 400 times….if I never hear it again it’ll be too soon….yep, Summer Breeze was their song. It still makes me nauseous.
few86…..as in I could have heard it 86 fewer times and been perfectly happy.
Anything off the Top Gun soundtrack. I think it’s cause that movie (which is my favorite movie, by the way!) has so many daytime, outdoor scenes it makes me feel like summer.
Otis Redding’s “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay”
Under the Boardwalk – The Drifters.
Summer in the City – The Lovin’ Spoonful
In the Summer Time – Mungo Jerry
Dancing in the Streets – Martha & the Vandellas
Hot Fun in the Summertime – Sly & the Family Stone
Sunny Afternoon – The Kinks
School’s Out – Alice Cooper
Surfin’ USA – The Beach Boys
Remember (Walking in the Sand) -Shangri La’s
Walking on Sunshine – Katrina & the Waves
Wipeout – The Safaris
Vacation – Go Go’s
Low Rider – War
California Girls – The Beach Boys
Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffett
Summer Breeze – Seals & Crofts
Summertime – DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
Groovin’ – The Young Rascals
The Ramones – Rockaway Beach
Kokomo – The Beach Boys
Boys of Summer – Don Henly
Summertime – Sublime
Blue Bayou – Linda Rondstat
Summertime, summertime – The Jamies
Palisades Park Freddie Cannon
Summertime Blues – Eddie Cochran
Soak up the Sun – Sheryl Crow
Beach Boys – Good Vibrations
Bryan Adams – Summer of ‘69
Summer Lovin’ – From Grease
Cheeseburger in Paradise – Jimmy Buffett
All Summer Long – Kid Rock
Saturday in the Park – Chicago
Summertime – Janis Joplin
Centerfield – John Fogerty
Bananarama – Cruel Summer
Night Moves – Bob Seger
Surf City – Jan & Dean
Brrrrrrrrrrrr, frozen here in the northern hemisphere. I miss living south of the equator.
Hot in the City – Billy Idol
Lake Shore Driving – Duran Duran (yes, to everyone else who thinks Duran Duran rules summer)
Africa – Toto
Thunderstruck – AC/DC
Jonathan Richman, “That Summer Feeling”
The Decembrists, “Summersong”
and a depressing one: Elvis Costello, “The Other Side of Summer”
Certain songs capture a moment in time. For me Summer Breeze by Seals & Croft always takes me back to Seal Beach in CA watching the sun slowly fade as the music played on someone’s transister radio.