Ahh, the first weekend of unofficial summer. Imagine this as you sit at your desk today. You are heading out to your deck or patio for some serious hang time. Your entrée is marinating, you’ve just lit the grill, your beverages have achieved optimum iciness. Your favorite friends are on their way over. You position your outdoor speakers, even if just a boom box pointed out the window. You press Play.
What music wafts across your backyard? In other words, what comprises the soundtrack to your summer?
I have many different playlists on my iPod and I typically choose according to the crowd. But if I were stranded on a desert island, with my grilled meat and frozen beverage, of course, and had to choose only, how many shall we say, five songs to groove to, what would they be?
I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.
- Weezer, “Island in the Sun”
- Michael Franti, “Say Hey (I Love You)”
- Los Lonely Boys, “Heaven” or maybe “Hollywood”
- Plain White T’s, “That Girl”
- Jonathan Edwards, “Shanty”
If I could have more, I might download a few from a list I found online, Essential Songs for Your Tropical Vacation, but many of those are in my collection already.
Just for the record, Margaritaville is not one of them.
Word Nymph 
Amen on 86ing Margaritaville as well as most Buffett dribble
I wouldn’t say all Buffett is drivel. Come Monday is beautiful. If it doesn’t make you sway, there’s something wrong.
I would probably include such mellow tunes as
– White Wedding (Billy Idol)
– Rock the Casbah (The Clash)
– Bang the Drum all Day (Todd Rundgren)
– Dirty Deeds (AC/DC)
– No Surrender (da Boss)
“That’s the Way of the World,” Earth, Wind & Fire
“Santa Monica,” Everclear
“Here I Am (Come and Take Me),” UB40
“Pick Up the Pieces,” Average White Band
“Tell Me Something Good,” Rufus
Ok – this is a hard one for me because my playlist depends on who I’m with…When I think of it though, I’m always driving (and usually to the beach). Off the cuff here’s what I came up with:
1. Brown Eyed Girl, Van Morrison
2. I’m Yours, Jason Mraz
3. You and Me, Dave Matthews Band
4. Boys of Summer, Don Henley
5. Carolina in my Mind, James Taylor
Sounds of Summer
1. Club Savoy by Rockin Louie and the Mamma Jammers
2. Drinkin’ Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee by Stick McGee
3. Sixty Minute Man by Billy Ward and the Dominoes
4. Boogie the Joint by Buddy Skipper and the Code Blues Band
5. Nip Sip by the Clovers
I am really slow but years ago Butch and I went to the Gulf Coast for a Stevens family reunion. We rented a yellow Mustang convertible and stopped and bought two CDs: The soundtrack to Deuce Bigelow Male Gigilo and Riding With the King (Eric Clapton and BB King). We loved them both and really enjoyed listening to those tunes. We aren’t as up to date on music, but we definitely love all kinds and the beach is one of the best places to groove with good music!
Thanks, Lou. I just went online and looked at the Deuce soundtrack and was happy to know that I already have a number of those songs, including We Trying to Stay Alive by Wyclef Jean, Come On, Come On by Smash Mouth and I’m Not in Love by 10cc, among others I have but won’t own up to. Within the last week I have heard Sukiyaki several times and pledged to go get it. I now consider it a sign.
Don’t you love signs like that?! I’m glad that my being slow didn’t hinder your vacation listening! Sounds like you two had a relaxing vacation – I bet you are feeling rejuvenated. I will try to respond to future posts in a more timely manner. I hope you know that you are providing reading pleasure to many folks in NC. They have me forwarding every post that comes out. I think I am going to insist them all to get their own subscription – I need to stop fostering codependence. My reluctance to respond stems mainly from the fact that I am terrible with punctuation and don’t want to display my poor grammar skills…