Sounds of Summer

Memorial Day weekend is here! As this weekend marks the unofficial beginning of summer, I thought it would be a good time to share my "Sounds of Summer" playlist.  These are songs that, for one reason or another, say "summer" to me.  I love to listen to these songs while washing the car or driving with the windows down and the sunroof open.

In alphabetical order:

• "Anything But Mine" by Kenny Chesney - I'm not a big Kenny Chesney fan, but I like this one.  It's about a summer romance as summer comes to an end and talks about sand, a boardwalk and sunburn.
• "Blister in the Sun" by Violent Femmes - Yes, I know what the song is really about but it's catchy and poppy and it mentions the sun so it makes the list.
• "The Boys of Summer" by Don Henley - I realize this song is actually about the end of summer or fall, but it always makes me think of summer.  One of my favorites from the '80s.
• "California Dreamin'" by The Mamas & The Papas - Another song that is actually not about summer - "all the leaves are brown/and the sky is gray" - but it still makes me think of summer because of the sunny sound and the idyllic vision of California that it paints.
• "California Girls" by The Beach Boys - The Beach Boys are the quintessential "summer" group and this one is one of my favorites by them.
• "Californication" by Red Hot Chili Peppers -The whole song is about the myth that California represents - sunshine, Hollywood, etc.
• "Centerfield" by John Fogerty - It's not summer without baseball and this is a great song about our National Pastime.
• "Cheeseburger in Paradise" by Jimmy Buffett - This one is pretty self explanatory, even if I'd forego the kosher pickle and mustard and I wouldn't want mine medium rare.
• "4th of July" by Shooter Jennings - It's a summer road trip song that references the holiday at the very core of summer.
• "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys - Perhaps their greatest song, I remember them performing it live at the VP Fair under the Arch back in the early 1980s.
• "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles - A gem from George about the long awaited warmth of spring and summer after a long, cold winter.
• "Interstate Love Song" by Stone Temple Pilots - My favorite STP song and 3 minutes of sunny rock perfection.
• "Island in the Sun" by Weezer - Another one that is pretty self explanatory
• "John Deere Green" by Joe Diffie - A song that paints a great picture of summer in a small town.  Also, Joe Diffie is about the greatest name for a country singer ever.  There's no way a guy with a name like that could've been a rock singer.
• "Knee Deep" by Zach Brown Band with Jimmy Buffett - "Knee deep in the water somewhere/Got the blue sky breeze blowin' wind through my hair/Only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair"
• "Long Hot Summer Day" by Turnpike Troubadours - It's a song about life working on a towboat on the Illinois River during summer.  It's also been the walk-up song for Cardinals' player Matt Carpenter for several seasons.
• "Margaritaville" by Jimmy Buffett - A no brainer, especially since an entire brand (restaurants, radio station, etc.) are built around this song and the summer vibe it creates.
• "Mud on the Tires" by Brad Paisley - Summer time, country style. A pick-up, a lake out in the boonies. Crickets. The sun not setting until 9.  I didn't grow up in the country or in a small town, but if I had, this is how I imagine summer would be.
• "Peaceful Easy Feeling" by Eagles - "I want to sleep with you in the desert tonight/With a billion stars all around"
• "Santa Monica" by Everclear - Wanting to feel sunshine, live beside the ocean and swim out past the breakers.  Need I say more?
• "Summer of '69" by Bryan Adams - Another '80s gem that never fails to take me back to summers as a kid.
• "Summerhouse" by Better Than Ezra - This is probably one of the lesser known songs on this list. The lyrics are actually pretty dark (it's about a murder, after all), but it talks about summer and the titular abode, so it makes the cut.
• "Surfer Girl" by The Beach Boys - It's about a girl, the beach and surfing.  Enough said.
• "Take It Easy" by Eagles - While there's nothing explicitly about summer in the lyrics, this is one that always makes me want roll down the windows and crank up the radio.
• "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley - It's nearly impossible to be in a bad mood while listening to this reggae classic.  My wife and I danced to this on our honeymoon when a live reggae band played it at a club.  It reminds me of that week we spent in paradise. 
• "Toes" by Zach Brown Band - The whole song is about a trip to Mexico and having your toes in the water and your ass in the sand.
• "Water" by Brad Paisley - Swimsuits, skinny dipping, a wet t-shirt contest, shades and a cooler full of beer.  This one also has the great summer vacation lyric of "Drive until the map turns blue."
•  "Your Love" by The Outfield - It's an '80s pop/rock gem whose first line mentions vacation.  This is another one that transports me back to being at the pool during the summer as a kid.

There's my list.  It spans decades and genres but all of these songs say "summer" to me.  What songs would make your list?  Let me know so that I can expand my playlist.

Thanks for reading!