Monthly Archives: June 2017

KEEP CALM, Summer’s Coming (15 Sunshine-Inspired Songs) SONG 11

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Golden State of mind.  –author unknown

There are moments where time simply stands still.  In those moments a solid memory is formed…and that’s where the next song on the list comes in.  “Someday” by the group Sugar Ray (released in 1999) was the soundtrack to an absolutely perfect space in time for me.  As a transplant to California, I quickly learned that there’s a learning curve to navigating the Golden State lifestyle.  First, practically everyone is beautiful.  People dress differently in Cali and carry themselves with a lot of confidence.  Next, most things costs way too much, really.  And finally, driving there is a sport.  Still, after a few months, I finally felt like I was finding my way.  This was home.It’s hard not to love California…amazing scenery and that salty, ocean smell.  I recall driving on the 101, windows rolled down, the rolling hills of Marin County in the background when this song came on the radio.  A song about having no regrets, a song about believing in the choices you have made, basically a song about contentment.  And that’s exactly what I felt in that moment.  For whatever reason, whatever my destiny was, however my purpose on this planet worked out–I wholeheartedly knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be at that particular place in time.  I’ve never forgotten that feeling.

Lead singer, Mark McGrath has said in interview that the group was about having fun and seeing just how far they could go.  While Sugar Ray actually played a wide variety of music styles…it was their pop rock, upbeat stuff that launched the group to fame.  “Someday” was a top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Modern Rock Tracks, Hot 100 Airplay and on the Canadian charts, as well.  The band enjoyed great success with their trademark southern California vibe.

Whenever I hear the song, I’m transplanted back to that time (I can even smell the ocean!)  My life has changed a great deal since them.  I’ve been fortunate enough to have had other experiences like the one that day.  Today, I refer to them as “God-moments,”  little assurances where I know I’m in just the right place, and I am so grateful.

UP NEXT:  Song 12…”run, run lost boy….”

 

 

 

KEEP CALM, Summer’s Coming (15 Sunshine-Inspired Songs) SONG 10

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All you need is a good dose of vitamin sea.  –author unknown

So much of that great summer vibe revolves around water.  Whether you’re fortunate enough to live near the coast, spend weekends at the lake, or just have access to a pool…summer requires water (and a lot of it!)  The surfy sound of “Rock Lobster” by the B-52s fits perfectly into my summer playlist for all the right reasons.  This 1970s tune has a catchy new wave sound, lots of nonsensical beach/ocean references, and its chorus just goes on and on (and on!)

“Rock Lobster” was written by two original band members and released two different times.  The first rendition was a little over four minutes long while its second release comes it at around seven minutes!  The song is a staple of any B-52s set and enjoyed chart topping success worldwide…listed at No. 147 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.  The song remains popular today thanks to its appearance in current shows like The Family Guy (among others) and its also featured on the video games Just Dance 4 and Rock Band 3.

I love this song for so many reasons…its whimsical throwback beat that never goes out of style, the call and response vocals between the men and women in the group, and for its marathon run time!  The B-52s have always been one of my favorites (especially for karaoke 🙂 ) Plus, you can’t go wrong with a summer jam whose popularity has spanned almost 50 years!

Up Next:  SONG 11…”just close your eyes and I’ll take you there.”

KEEP CALM, Summer’s Coming (15 Sunshine-Inspired Songs) SONG 9

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No one likes shady beaches.  –author unknown

Summertime…it’s all fun and games…until it isn’t.  No one dreams of having a bad summer and yet they still exist.  But if summer isn’t all sunshine, thank heaven for quirky 80s songs that make the bad days bearable!  Here’s where “Cruel Summer” by English pop group, Bananarama, comes in.  Added to my summer music countdown for it’s easy chorus and spunky sound, it just screams summer…and then some.

The song actually debuted in 1983, but became a hit on the U.S. pop charts in 1984 thanks to the movie, “The Karate Kid.”  The lyrics tell the story of one stuck in a miserable, hot city AFTER a bad breakup.  Ouch!   Unlucky in love, and unsure what to do next, the singer is mired in a hopeless situation.  Shot on location in New York City during a record heat wave, the group didn’t have to do much acting.  Unaccustomed to oppressive city temps, the girls share that they simply wanted to shoot the video in NYC because they hadn’t been there before and may have bitten off more than they could chew.  Group member, Siobhan Fahey, details the misadventures of the video shoot in her book,  “I Want My MTV.”

I was nine years old when this song was all the rage.  I remember the ratty hair, big belts and overalls and did my best to emulate the look!  And of course, I remember singing this song…over and over (and over.)  Today, I sing this song in an attempt to bring back the 80s…AND to torture my kids, of course 🙂

Up Next:  SONG 10…”it wasn’t a rock….”

KEEP CALM, Summer’s Coming (15 Sunshine-Inspired Songs) SONG 8

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Life is better in flip flops.  –author unknown

Probably not the first song that comes to mind when one puts together a summer playlist, “Island in the Sun” by Weezer made the list simply for its juxtaposition of bliss and melancholy.  When I hear this song I think of summer longing…a desire to escape not necessarily because you’re in a bad place, but simply because.  It’s a love song of sorts…two people who get away for what seems like a never-ending vacation where there are no worries, no cares and no responsibilities.  Sounds like a summer destination to me!

Making the song extra catchy is its straight-faced “hip, hip” background vocals and the almost monotone lyrics.  Not Weezer’s most famous song, still it did manage to earn a place on several music charts overseas.  Also interesting, the band made two (very different) videos for this tune in 2001.  The first depicted a Mexican wedding where the traditional festivities carried on around the band as if they didn’t exist.  The second video shows the band interacting with wild animals at a refuge (actually somewhere in California although they do a good job making it look like Africa.)  The latter, receiving the most air time on MTV.  Personally, I love the wedding–those deadpan faces among the happy-go-lucky bride and groom get me every time!

This mellow, California vibe is perfect for a lazy, daydreaming sort of summer day.  The kind of day where if you’re lucky enough to own a hammock you can “wish” yourself away to your own personal island in the sun.

Up Next:  SONG 9…”it’s a cruel, cruel summer….”

 

 

KEEP CALM, Summer’s Coming (15 Sunshine-Inspired Songs) SONG 7

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Summer is a state of mind.  –author unknown

College radio.  It’s not for the faint of heart!  Ok, I’m not trying to be dramatic but the eclectic nature of college radio makes it barely palatable for a large chunk of the “listening” population.  That being said, I still find myself tuning in occasionally for the sheer randomness that it offers.  I “worked” at my college radio station…sure it was in the news department, but the news is flanked by programming and a lot of that programming is music after all.  This opened the door to a wide variety of music genres and styles and for whatever reason (at least for me) it opened the door to a gem of a group called Sly and the Family Stone.

By the time I “discovered” them, a greatest hits CD existed…and boy did I love it!  Optimistic, upbeat, socially progressive, soulful, it quickly became one of my favorites and “Hot Fun in the Summertime” stood out above the rest.  I’m not sure what I like better…the way the song builds, the creative use of strings or the horns (probably the horns.)  The song just oozes good times.  I found it interesting to learn that this tune actually came out in August of 1969…at the end of summer.  Sly and the Family Stone performed it as part of their set at Woodstock helping to propel them to stardom and push the song to the No. 2 spot on Billboard Hot 100.  The song is also listed on Rolling Stone’s Top 500 of all time and is considered by many to be a “summer anthem.”

Jamming out to this song reminds me of summertime in good, ol’ Lawrence, Kansas…cruising up the hill in my little red car blasting the CD (I’m sure my music choice turned a few heads!)  I was tickled to learn years later that the group hailed from the San Francisco area…my absolute favorite city for summertime fun!  I still enjoy their greatest hits collection today and if you listen closely you just might see me blasting their music again…this time in my red swagger wagon!  Not as cool, but just as fun.

Up next:  SONG 8…”hip, hip.  Hip, hip.”