Sounds of Summer

Almost every summer, there is at least one song that gets a lot of air-play on radio and streaming. Remember Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy in 2006? It played non-stop and I loved it!

When I graduated from high school in 1972, the song that played over and over on the radio (no streaming) and in my head was Summer Breeze by Seals and Croft. (“Summer Breeze makes me feel fine, Blowin’ through the jasmine in my mind”) Does anyone else out there remember this song? A big hit in Cincinnati, OH.

I have been thinking about what other songs do I recall from childhood onward, that represent that quintessential and ubiquitous concept of a summer hit. I tried to limit myself to 5, then 10, but then I had trouble eliminating any of them. Here they are in chronological order.  (I had to look up who was responsible for these songs because I couldn’t remember the artist, only the song. Case in point, numbers 1, 2, and 11).

#1        Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini       Brian Hyland      1960

Note: I sang along with chorus every time I heard it at age 6.

#2        Say Goodbye for the Summer                                             Brian Hyland       1962

#3        Under the Boardwalk                                                              The Drifters         1964

#4        Sunny Afternoon                                                                       The Kinks             1966

#5        Sitting on the Dock of the Bay                                           Otis Redding       1968

Note: The whistling at the end of the song was a placeholder for the 4^th verse,
but Redding died in December of 1967 before he could finish the song.

#6        Love Shack                                                                                   B-52’s                    1968

#7        Here Comes the Sun                                                              The Beatles          1969

#8        In the Summertime                                                                Mungo Jerry          1970

#9        Summer Breeze                                                                       Seals & Croft        1972

#10      American Pie                                                                           Don McLean           1972

Note: My mother loved this, too, and we sang it together

#11      Alone Again (Naturally)                                                       Gilbert O’Sullivan  1972

#12      The First Time I Saw Your Face                                     Roberta Flack          1972

#13      I’m Walking on Sunshine                                          Katrina & the Waves   1983

#14      Hey Ya!                                                                                     Outkast                       2003

#15      Crazy! (You’re driving me crazy)                                  Gnarls Barkley         2006

Note: If you listen to a live performance by Cee-Lo Greene, you’ll agree that his voice is pretty amazing, no studio edits.

Okay, that’s my list.  Of course there are 4 from 1972, because I had time on my hands after high school graduation. It’s pretty embarrassing that I have no songs from the past 20 years that came to mind, so if you could send me some suggestions, I’ll listen to them! I’m also missing the 90’s because I was so busy with a young son and a new architecture and interiors practice, even if I listened to music, I wouldn’t have remembered them…

Please share your summer favorites with me! Did any of these songs of Summer on my list resonate with you?  Have you even heard of them? Let’s talk about summer and music together! Come to our office and have a cuppa tea and a chat.