How Baby Boomers Enjoy the Summer Breeze
Just How Many Songs About Summer Were Written? A Bunch.
Can you feel the summer breeze? It’s happening and we welcome it with open arms, unless of course you live in the desert where it’s supposed to hit 118 next week.
Nonetheless, it is truly one of the fun seasons of the year. Remember when we were kids and school was out, we couldn’t wait for vacation time with mom and dad. Another memory—motels instead of hotels. My BoomerGuy and I compared notes and we recall taking driving trips with the family and stopping at motels along the roadside, and of course, they had to have a pool. We would be in the water as soon as we checked in and could don our bathing suits and would stay until our skin wrinkled.
What fun! What great memories! Bring out some of your old photos and recall the days gone by. Or stream some of your favorite summer songs.
So this week’s blog is all about summer music, and those songs that are all about summertime. I’m sure I missed a few, but here is a sampling of those I remember being most popular. Music inspires, so pull these up on your phone or play your old 45’s and albums on your old or new record player, they’re back and as popular as ever. Remember the ones we had as kids?
Here’s just a partial list. Listen to them however you wish and dance along the way.
- “Summertime” by Abbey Mitchell (1935), from George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.
- “Summertime Blues” by Eddie Cochran (1958).
- “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” by Brian Hyland (1960).
- “Summer Song” by Louis Armstrong (1961).
- “Surfin’ Safari” by the Beach Boys (1962).
- “Surfer Girl” by the Beach Boys (1963).
- “Surfin’ USA” by the Beach Boys (1963).
- “Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer” by Nat King Cole (1963).
- “Surf City” by Jan & Dean (1963).
- “A Summer Song” by Chad & Jeremy (1964).
- “Under the Boardwalk” by the Drifters (1964).
- “California Girls” by the Beach Boys (1965).
- “Summer in the City” by the Lovin Spoonful (1966).
- “Summer Wind” by Frank Sinatra (1966).
- “Summer Rain” by Johnny Rivers (1968).
- “Hot Fun in the Summertime” by Sly & The Family Stone (1969).
- “Summer Breeze” by Seals & Crofts (1972).
- “School’s Out” by Alice Cooper (1972).
- “Saturday in the Park” by Chicago (1972).
- “Summer” by War (1976).
- “In The Sun” by Blondie (1976).
- “Rockaway Beach” by the Ramones (1977).
- “You Take The Words Right Out of My Mouth” (Hot Summer Night) by Meatloaf (1977).
- “Summer Nights” by John Travolta & Olivia Newton John (1978).
- “Sun Is Shining” by Bob Marley (1978).
- “Summer Night City” by Abba (1979).
- “The Boys of Summer” by Don Henley (1984).
Phew. I’m exhausted just listing all those. What great tunes from the 30’s to the 80’s. I know I didn’t list them all, but this will at least get you started. Pick a song or two and find a medium to play them, then sit back with your favorite drink and recall the good old days of summer. And make sure you thoroughly enjoy this summer with family and friends.
My words of wisdom for the week: Getting old is not a choice, it’s going to happen to us all. It is, however, our choice how to live it, not to become stodgy, bitter and old in our thinking. Please don’t live without joy and happiness, and most of all get out there, kick back and enjoy your summer.
“Happiness is a direction, not a destination.”
Chinese Proverb
