As the temperature rises and the humidity get stickier by the moment, there are ways to escape it. A weekend get away to the beach. Alter your wardrobe to fit in shorts, tank tops and flip flops. For those of us who can’t do all that because of routine and work load, we try and spend time in air conditioning as much as we can. But Summer has its tender moments: The sunlight that brighten everything around, never-ending watermelons, and cool lemonade – just to name a few treats. So while I sit in my space by the sunlight spraying through my window, with my glass of cold lemonade and my airconditioning, I set the mood with a playlist of my favourite summer songs.
Music for the season… I count down 10 tracks that I think define summer for me. For those who haven’t heard of these tracks, I’ve included links and my little notes on them… Listen up!
1. Let’s Go Surfing – The Drums
When I was a kid in school, summers meant vacation. No school, no tuitions and no homework, just me running around doing cartwheels. Today, I can take a vacation whenever I want, but do I feel like the kid doing cartwheels? Not really. But that’s exactly what the boys of the band The Drums have done in this track. Let’s Go Surfing is a super-fun track. Right from the first time I heard of it, I was singing it. Love the whistling sound in the beginning and the carefree and innocent lyrics. ‘Mama! I wanna go surfing!!!!!’.
2. If You Steal My Sunshine – Len
Girls in tank tops with dudes on scooters riding aimlessly around the block in the summer sun. That’s how the video chooses to feature the band members. I think it’s such a cute track and I love that it’s simple. It’s free and chirpy, kinda makes you wanna go to Goa and ride aimlessly. A perfect summer song to have playing in your head on a holiday or just on your way to work.
3. Pocket Full of Sunshine – Natasha Bedingfield
“I’ve got a pocket, gotta pocket fulla sunshine. I got a love that I know will only be mine.” Now some say that Natasha hints about a certain herbal intoxicant in it, but either way it’s a nice track. I love Natasta’s voice as it is a little rustic and melodic at the same time. The track was made into a video where she sits in a lotus and floats around. I have thought of escaping from the city once in a while, and that’s what she sings of. ‘Take me away, a secret place, a sweet escape… Take me away”.
4. Cruel Summer – Bananarama
Who doesn’t remember this track? I know you’ve sung it under your breathe more than once. In those days, cheese was in abundance and musicians stuffed it in their tracks unapologetically. Cruel Summer is probably one of the most memorable summer heartache songs there ever is. My personal guilty pleasure and I ain’t scared of letting the secret out.
5. Summer Wine – Ville Valo feat Natalie
One of the sexiest male voices that I have ever heard, Ville Valo is a musician from the dark side of music. Summer Wine is an old Nancy Sinatra track, but I like this version better. Sexy because Natalia sings it in a sweet serenading way and Ville does his usual ‘I am a dark lord so sleep with me’ thing. Also her fruity tone mashes with his bass voice in a good combination and seems apt. Not to mention the James Bond like score that appears in the track every now and then. A cover of a classic tune, Ville and Natalia twist the song with a poison romance. SO hot!
6. Sand in My Shoes – Dido
So you went on a beach holiday. You sipped your cocktails by the sea. You had your fun and now you’re back. Sand in My Shoes could be the most clichéd I-came-back-from-Goa song, but it’s still an awesome song. One of Dido’s biggest hits, so what makes it a favourite? Well, she covers it all. She sings about the unwillingness to come back to reality, the sound of traffic and the end of a summer fling. Let’s be honest, Dido’s voice does all the talking and you love listening to her.
7. Summer Sun – Texas
I don’t know how many of you remember Texas and her track, Summer Sun. I remember seeing the video where she was being ‘roughed up’ by a guy. Now the guy’s face was morphed into a illuminant form-like graphic, which I am guessing is a reference to sun rays. She appeared sweaty and the video was a little graphic for a female debutant then. The video played the perfect setting for the track’s upbeat nature. I personally love the part where she sings the chorus and you hear some bell-like sounds backing it. Though the song may not shower one with visuals of beautiful sunlight and other summer regulars, it still a summer themed track. And it’s on my list as I think the track is hot, Texas sweats in it, and she mentions the word summer.
8. In the Summertime – Shaggy
Need I say more….!
9. A and E – Goldfrapp
I love electronic music and indie-alternative artists, and Goldfrapp is one of my favourite musicians. A and E is a beautiful and well-thought out track. It also is very different from Goldfrapp’s usual hard electronic sound engineering and heavy bass style. Going in a different direction, the track is heaving on guitar and piano arrangements supporting beautiful vocals and poetic lyrics. The track paints an abstract picture of her in a backless, dancing on walls. Even the video is very random and engaging. Starting off with a blue summer day, Goldfrapp manages to please my ears and is a must hear for you guys who haven’t yet.
10. Summertime – Nina Simone
We went from the cheesy to the innovative, from Pop to Alternative, now to give you a pure classic. Nina Simone, the voice of songs like Sinnerman and Feelin’ Good, has a beautiful track called Summertime. The track is bluesy and full of soul passion. It has a bittersweet nature true to Nina Simone’s style as she describes her summertime. I suggest you listen to it in your own relaxed time, just before a nap… soothing and so blissful.
So there you go, I have given you my top 10 summer songs, from songs you know to some you should know. I have tried to cover genres and give you a cross-section of music artists. None of the tracks are hectic or need an acquired taste. They are easy tracks and all have their own take on things summer. I hope you have a good listen.
PS. The track aren’t listed as a countdown, but you sure can let me know what you think.