One of the things that define summertime is music. No other season has so many memories attached to specific songs and it makes sense.  Summer is the time when you’re outside, grilling, lounging poolside, driving to the beach or taking road trips. Whether you’re at a backyard barbecue or a summertime wedding, the music of today and yesterday sets the tone for the occasion.  There are and endless amount of songs about summertime, that reference summertime and even a great number of songs that have the word summer in the title.

What makes a good summertime song?
It can be from any genre of music, but regardless of its origins all summertime songs need to follow the same criteria: an up-tempo beat, a catchy chorus or hook, and lyrics with light, fun content that call to mind summer parties, summer flings, romance and the fun of warm weather.

Beach Boys – “California Girls”
For listeners young or old, the influence and timelessness of bands like The Beach Boys cannot be denied.  Their song “California Girls” is one of the most classic summertime songs of all time.  The West Coast sound, the cheery vocals and the youthful lyrics make this a summer classic that has stood the test of time.

Martha and the Vandellas “Heat Wave”
The same can be said about “Heat Wave” by Martha and the Vandellas. This legendary Motown track has a beat that makes you wanna get up and groove, great vocals for singing along and is perfect for driving down a sunny highway on a summertime road trip.

Sly & The Family Stone’s “Hot Fun in the Summertime”
Another classic is Sly & The Family Stone’s hit “Hot Fun in the Summertime”.  The title says it all, and the mellow music with a slightly more upbeat chorus make it perfect for lazy afternoons and evenings by the barbecue.

Surfari’s “Wipe Out”
Nothing conjures images of beach blankets, bikinis and summertime breezes quite like Surfari’s 1963 hit “Wipe Out”.  What it lacks in lyrical content it more than makes up for in guitar riffs and drumbeat that are as seminal a sound of summer as anything in recent memory.

DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince “Summertime”
Recent memory, however does call to mind some more contemporary musical hits, such as “Summertime” by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince.  One of the most instantly recognizable beats of the 90s this song was the summertime anthem when it first came out and thanks to it lyrics about cruising with friends, trying to meet girls, hanging out in the backyard and just generally keeping cool in the heat.

Prince’s “Little Red Corvette”
Another summertime song with reference to cars was Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” While certainly only a euphemism, there’s something about songs that reference cars and cruising that calls to mind bright sunny afternoons.

Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do”
Hot on the heels of “Summertime” was Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do” a dreamy, catchy tune celebrating the lazy shiftlessness that we all give into a little bit during the summer months.  There’s nothing difficult to understand about why this song was so popular.  Years later the twangy guitar and bluesy vocals still hold up, creating a mellow dreamy summertime vibe.

Skee-Lo’s “I Wish”
From the hip hop world in the mid 1990s came Skee-Lo’s “I Wish”. While this song may not have explicitly reference summer or summertime, it certainly had a summery energy. Lyrics about a guy too short, too poor and too uncool to get the girls topped the charts and was the soundtrack to many a backyard barbecue or evening joyride.

The Formula
It seems like the formula for a successful summertime playlist is to find songs with a great beat, a catchy chorus, lots of references to girls, cars, parties and the beach, mix well and play over and over again until September.

So did I miss any? If so let me know in the comments below.

About the Author:

Vern is a music fanatic, and is always inspired to write about music. From opinionated pieces about music reviews to informational posts about learning to produce cell phone ringtones for struggling musicians, his writing style covers a wide array of industry topics.

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