As the middle of summer approaches, with the temperature near
90 and coupled with Ohio’s summer humidity, I decided to see which popular summer
songs I remembered that were popular when they were released.
A quick Google search revealed a webpage article titled “Top
30 Summer Songs” published by Billboard Magazine—one of pop music’s most highly
regarded sources. I won’t comment on all of the songs, but here are some of my
favorites from the list.
The number one song on the list is the “Surfin’ Safari” by
the Beach Boys. This 1962 hit introduced the California surf culture to the
rest of the country. The opening verse says it all:
“Early in the morning well be startin'
out
Some honeys will be coming along
Were loading up our Woody
With our boards inside
And headin' out singing our song”
Some honeys will be coming along
Were loading up our Woody
With our boards inside
And headin' out singing our song”
This is one of five Beach Boys singles
the made the Billboard list, more than any other artist or group. Other Beach
Boys songs on the list include: “Surfin’ USA”, “Wipeout” (made in 1987 with the
Fat Boys), Surfer Girl and “California Girls.” I still remember their 1979
concert at Blossom Music Center in Ohio opening with the beautiful guitar riff of “California Girls” while a there was a raging thunderstorm going
on outside the pavilion. It’s one of my favorite concerts of all time.
The number 2 song on the Billboard list
is a jazzy, highly instrumented version of the song “Summertime” sung by Billy
Stewart in 1966. This song is probably
the best known song of the musical “Porgy and Bess” written by the Gershwin
brothers. It has been recorded by numerous artists and I think many of those
versions are much better at representing the song’s purpose in the show to
portray the steamy ambience of summer in the South.
In 1983, the girl group Bananarama had a
huge hit with the song “Cruel Summer” about a love that’s left. I really like this song’s instrumentation and
the last chorus displays both angst and a threat.
“It's a cruel (Cruel), cruel summer
(Leaving me) Leaving me here on my own
It's a cruel (It's a cruel), cruel summer
Now you're gone
You're not the only one”
(Leaving me) Leaving me here on my own
It's a cruel (It's a cruel), cruel summer
Now you're gone
You're not the only one”
Number 5
on the list is the rock classic “Summertime Blues” sung by Eddie Cochran in
1958. The song expresses the emerging rebelliousness of the 50s teens against
their “Greatest Generation” parents. “There ain’t no cure for the summertime
blues…” expresses the frustrations teens of that era felt.
In 1972,
Seals and Croft released “Summer Breeze” and the song became a huge hit. It
featured the duo’s rich harmony and the use of a mandolin with very sensory
lyrics to describe the pleasure of a welcome breeze on a summer day.
“Summer breeze makes me feel fine
Blowin' through the jasmine in my mind”
Blowin' through the jasmine in my mind”
Another
personal favorite of mine is number 17 on the list, “Under the Boardwalk” performed
by the Drifters in 1964. The song features interesting key changes and the use
of a violin that was unique for that time.
At
number 20 is “Boys of Summer” by Don Henley. The Eagles mainstay went solo when
the band took as Glenn Frey said, “…a 14-year vacation.” This was one Henley’s
several major hits in the 80s and the lyrics refer to his memories of a summer
fling and the realization that summer and his crush are both gone.
Number
22 on this list is the huge hit by the group Sly and the Family Stone called “Hot
Fun in the Summertime.” This song was released in the summer of 1969 and
appeared in the Billboard Top 100 at the same time as the group was performing
at Woodstock. The song salutes the easy and free spirit
most of us felt during the summer months of 1969.
“Hot
town, summer in the city, back of my neck getting’ dirty gritty” was the chorus
for the 1966 hit “Summer in the City” by the Lovin’ Spoonful. This piece
featured driving instrumental interludes and percussion that seem to increase
the heat, even if you listened to it during cooler times.
Summer
also is the time for a number of novelty songs, pieces of music that weren’t
much for substance, but seemed to catch on. In 1960, Bryan Hyland recorded “Itsy-Bitsy-Teenie-Weenie
Yellow Polkadot Bikini” and the song shot up the charts that summer. The song
is about a girl who buys a skimpy bikini but was afraid to wear it once she got
to the beach.
“It was an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka-dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today.
An itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka-dot bikini
So in the locker she wanted to stay.
Two, three, four, stick around we'll tell you more!”
That she wore for the first time today.
An itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka-dot bikini
So in the locker she wanted to stay.
Two, three, four, stick around we'll tell you more!”
I know that summer music
seems to be especially memorable for me and I hope some of these songs bring
back good summer memories for you. There are 30 songs on this list and, if I
didn’t mention your favorite, check out the list yourself and enjoy your summer:
