It’s hot, humid, and buggy here in Western New York so it’s officially Summer. Here are two compilation CDs you’re unlikely to find because they were issued by Warner Brothers Canada in 2002. Somehow, these copies made their way over the International Border to the United States.
You might wonder how songs became “Summer Songs.” I’m guessing that most of these songs were hits during the Summer. But, I have to question some of the choices. Why include “Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?” instead of “Summer In the City”? A least “Help Me Rhonda” by The Beach Boys is included. What would Summer be without Beach Boys music?
Summer Fun 2 has some odd choices:
Sea of Love — The Honeydrippers
Every Time You Go Away — Paul Young
Chuck E’s In Love — Rickie Lee Jones
Is She Really Gone Out With Him? — Joe Jackson
None of these songs strike me as “Summer Songs” although I like them. Do you have a favorite Summer Song? How is your Summer going? GRADE: B- (for both)
TRACK LIST for Summer Fun 1:
| 1 | Van Morrison– | Brown Eyed Girl Written-By – Van Morrison | 3:03 |
| 2 | Tommy James & The Shondells– | Mony Mony Written-By – Gentry*, Bloom*, Cordell*, James* | 2:55 |
| 3 | Sonny & Cher– | The Beat Goes On Written-By – Sonny Bono | 3:25 |
| 4 | The Turtles– | Happy Together Written-By – Gordon*, Bonner* | 2:55 |
| 5 | The Rascals– | How Can I Be Sure Written-By – Brigati*, Cavaliere* | 2:50 |
| 6 | Classics IV*– | Spooky Written-By – Buie*, Middlebrooks*, Cobb*, Shapiro* | 2:47 |
| 7 | The Four Seasons– | Sherry Written-By – Gaudio* | 2:07 |
| 8 | Dion (3)– | Runaround Sue Written-By – Dion De Mucci*, Ernest Maresca* | 2:50 |
| 9 | Donovan– | Mellow Yellow Written-By – Donovan Leitch* | 3:39 |
| 10 | The Lovin’ Spoonful– | Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind? Written-By – John Sebastian | 1:57 |
| 11 | The Beach Boys– | Help Me Rhonda Written-By – Brian Wilson | 2:44 |
| 12 | Spiral Starecase– | More Today Than Yesterday Written-By – Patrick Upton | 2:48 |
| 13 | The Searchers– | Love Potion #9 Written-By – Leiber / Stoller* | 2:08 |
| 14 | The Happenings– | See You In September Written-By – Edwards*, Wayne* | 2:31 |
TRACK LIST FOR SUMMER FUN 2:
- Listen to the Music — The Doobie Brothers
- Come and Get Your Love — Redbone
- It Ain’t Enough — Cory Hart
- Dancing in the Moonlight — King Harvest
- Still the One — Orleans
- Fly Like an Eagle — Steve Miller Band
- Sea of Love — The Honeydrippers
- Moonlight Feels Right — Starbuck
- Every Time You Go Away — Paul Young
- Chuck E’s In Love — Rickie Lee Jones
- Is She Really Gone Out With Him? — Joe Jackson
- On the Beach — Chris Rea
You’re right—some weird choices, and very few scream SUMMER. Probably my favorite summer-related song is Billy Stewart’s version of Gershwin’s “Summertime”. It’s very loud & jazzy—and it’s a very polarizing song, people tend to love it or hate it. I’m in the “love it” camp.
Deb, I’m in the LOVE IT camp with Billy Stewart’s “Summertime” too. Another artist who died too soon.
Me too, Deb.
I suspect too many were introduced to scatting by this (and who knows if more Cutting Loose with the scatting might’ve appealed to them even less).
When I first stepped onto the boardwalk in Ocean City New Jersey without my parents SHERRY BABY by the FOUR SEASONS was blasting out of Bob’s Pizzas and that will always remind me most of being young in the summer.
Patti, I remember the days of outdoor speakers on pizzerias. That seems to have faded away. “Sherry Baby” was a big hit in 1962. The song took about 15 minutes to write and was originally titled “Jackie Baby” (in honor of then-First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy).
“Sherry” was one of the songs on heavy replay on the sound system of my neighbourhood swimming pool (“Do the Loco-Motion” was another) in summer 1962. Two great summer songs are probably little remembered today, Carole King’s “It Might as Well Rain Until September” and Diane Ray’s “Please Don’t Talk to the Lifeguard.”
Fred, one of my favorite Summer Songs is Robin Ward’s “Wonderful Summer” from 1963.
I don’t really categorize songs by seasons, but I can always listen to pretty much anything by the Beach Boys, and RUNAROUND SUE has been a big favorite since I was a kid. I love CHUCK E’s IN LOVE, but haven’t thought of it or Rickie Lee Jones in years. Come to think of it, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard anything else by her. I have a feeling that summer as a favorite season is on the way out.
Michael, with temperatures in the 120s, I think we should change the name of Summer to Hell.
Her biggest single hit, but she’s done a fair amount of good work through the years.
Michael is right. With longer school years, stressed budgets, and unbearable heat, summer doesn’t have the appeal it used to have.
Now that my memory is jogged:
Connie Francis’ V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N
Johnny Rivers, SUMMER RAIN
Brian Hyland, SEALED WITH A KISS and ITSY-BITSY TEENIE-WEENIE YELLOW POLKA-DOT BIKINI
Frank Sinatra or Wayne Newton, SUMMER WIND
Seals & Croft, SUMMER BREEZE
Fred, great list. I remember “Itsy-Bitsy Teenie-Weenie Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini” was playing on everyone’s radio!
Yes! When I was in summer camp in 1962 with my first girlfriend, we danced to “Sealed With a Kiss.”
Ah, nostalgia.
And where’s Mungo Jerry?
On my radio in the early/mid-’70s. It hung around
Favorite summer song, no contest is “Summer in the City.” I worked in the city that summer, it was extremely hot (much like this year) and humid, and the song fit it perfectly. Other summer songs I’d mention:
School is Out – Gary U.S. Bonds (“I can root for the Yankees from the bleachers, I don’t have to care about teachers”)
several Beach Boys songs, but since Help Me. Rhonda is one of my favorites, I’ll go with that
Summertime (as Deb said)
Sealed With a Kiss
In the Summertime – Mungo Jerry, for Jerry
Summer Rain – Johnny Rivers
See You in September – but the original 1959 version by The Tempos. We had to buy the soundtrack to AMERICAN GRAFFITI to get it
Hot Fun in the Summertime – Sly & the Family Stone
Summer Breeze
The Boys of Summer – Don Henley
Jeff, great list of Summer Songs! Diane is a big fan of “The Boys of Summer”!
The old stuff is the best ! Glad I was around for it.
Beth, I totally agree with you! Of all the songs on the BARBIE movie soundtrack, my favorite is the song from 1989: “Close to Fine” originally by The Indigo Girls but sung on the BARBIE soundtrack by Brandi Carlisle. And, I must admit, I like Brandi’s version better!
My cousin went to see Brandi perform this week and she said she was great. She said it was the best concert she’d ever seen.
Jeff, did Brandi sing “Closer to Fine”? It’s all the rage online!
My favorite summer song is Summertime Thing by Chuck Prophet The first cd isn’t bad. Only dislike is The Happenings and Four Seasons. In the second cd I only like The Ricky Lee Jones and Joe Jackson.
Steve, I’m still trying to figure out what made these songs “Summer Songs.” Puzzling…
They’re Summer Songs because that would make you pick up the discs.H
If they threw a few more “Beach Music” (as in South Carolina beaches) tracks on their, the case could be made stronger…but no one thought that much about it.
Martha and the Vandellas’ two biggest hits should qualify–“Heat Wave” and “Dancing in the Streets”…
My favorite version of “Summertime” is probably that of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, their vocalese version of Gil Evans’s arrangement:
https://youtu.be/_hVV6m66mG0
Gil Evans Orchestra featuring Miles Davis:
https://youtu.be/EPj22GjTUzw
Todd, I’m with you on Martha Reeves and the Vandellas’ “Heat Wave” and “Dancing in the Streets”! Summer classics!
I was half-asleep, typing this…it shows in typos!
Todd, I know the feeling!
The best summer song is “It’s Summertime,” by the Jamies!