Suns out, time to break away and enjoy the summer! Whether you’re spending it on the beach, in the office, or anywhere in between, take this handy playlist picked by some of the The PopCorn Kids:
TOYYG: Gonna go all over with my picks. Here’s some things to try out and to twist up your usual favorites!
- “It’s a Beautiful Day” - Pizzicato 5 - Japanese 80-90’s pop group. I love to bump this while driving up and down the PCH.
- “Stupida Cancion”- Playa Limbo - I’ve talked about this group before, but I can’t get enough of this track. Something to relax to while sipping on something tropical.
- “Seven Days in Sunny June” - Jamiroquai - Another laid back jam that’s muc different from their better known songs “Virtual Insanity” and “Canned Heat.”
- “Vida Mia” - Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew - Doug E. Fresh raps in Spanish, do I need to go further?
- “Thong Song” - Sisqo - THE THONG SONG IS AWESOME AND I WILL NOT BE TOLD OTHERWISE. Honestly, the track you can play at a shindig that everyone remembers and thinks, “Whatever happened to that guy?”
DARIANE: I actually have a “Summer” playlist on my iTunes Library. Here are my picks, some obvious, others obscure:
- “Island in the Sun” - Weezer — For those sandy beach parties, this one has a rhythm that’s fast enough to keep that volleyball game going yet relaxing enough for those working on their tans.
- “Summertime” - Fresh Prince & DJ Jazzy Jeff — This one is perfect for chillin’ poolside on an inflatable bed with cupholders filled with Coronas.
- “Wanna Fly” - Vassy — For those Summer dance parties ‘round the block, this song features a fun beat and catchy tune. It’s similar to Quantic & Nickodemus’ “Mi Swing Es Tropical” which was featured on that iPod commercial with Salsa and Afro-Cuban dancers.
- “Lovely Day” - Bill Withers — This is one to bump in your convertible with the windows and top down. With its funky beat and the smooth mellow sound of Bill Withers’ voice, the other cars who roll up next to you and smile.
- “Dancing in the Streets” - Martha and the Vandellas — The lyric says it all: ‘Summer’s here and the time is right / For dancing in the streets’
BISKEEEE:
- Lil’ Rob, “Summer Nights (listen)”: such a SoCal summer jam. Relaxed vato gangsta flow. Low rider sound effects. Throwback West Coast hip-hop beat. Yeah, summer’s here. Bump this in your ride or at a BBQ, you’ll feel sorta gangsta yourself.
- Sublime, “What I Got” / “Doin’ Time”: actually the whole self-titled album is a summer classic, but I don’t have to tell you that. These tracks are just my faves. I would even venture to say you’re not really SoCal if you don’t have the self-titled Sublime.
- Pennywise, “I Get Around” (listen): the Beach Boys get a punk rock reboot with this high-energy cover. It’s off the MOM 2: Music For Our Mother Ocean comp. Makes me think of tearing around Santa Cruz during high school summers.
- Sugar Ray, “Fly”: basically Sublime-lite. Still a fun song.
- Van Hunt, “Saturday Laughs” (listen): this song lingers sweetly like hot summer afternoon malaise. Vivid summer imagery, and all the lines rhyme with “laughs”. Maybe you’ve never heard of Van Hunt but give him a try.
CATMANABAT: Mine are pretty well-known, just those classic songs that defy boundaries of genre when it comes to the summer. These are the tracks that never leave my summer playlist, no matter what year it is!
- “Summertime” by Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff bears repeating. Plus, when you start hearing this on the radio, it signals summer’s a-comin’.
- “Santeria” by Sublime has that summer attitude dripping through. Everyone knows the words more or less, so it’s a great “sing along together in a car” ditty.
- “Steal My Sunshine” by LEN is just a fun, pop tune. When else but summer would you be “frying on the bench slide in the park across the street”?
- “Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies is like that background soundtrack to the days you were running around with other kids, buying ice cream from street vendors and crashing the mall/movie theater/a friend’s house for some chill A/C.
- “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding is good all-year long, but it has that breezy feeling perfect for the season.
