Tag Archives: summer songs

Album of the Month: Girlfriend – Redux

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Girlfriend
Girlfriend

“Nothing Lasts”
by Matthew Sweet
from the album Girlfriend
1991
Buy the album on Amazon

When Lance wrote up this album last week, it was pretty spot on. I completely agree with him that it’s one of the rare albums with nary a skippable song. I associate this album most strongly with my high school friend Joel Robinson (not of MST3K fame), as we had a shared love of it from the time it first came out. It is indeed a perfect album. I don’t want to rehash what Lance went into, but just to expand on a couple of points (and I’m going to ramble here entirely too long to just add it as an article comment)…

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Cover Friday: “Surfin’ U.S.A.”

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M.O.M.: Music for Our Mother Ocean
M.O.M.: Music for Our Mother Ocean

“Surfin’ U.S.A.”
by Pennywise (originally by The Beach Boys)
from the album M.O.M.: Music for Our Mother Ocean Vol. 1
1996
Buy the album on Amazon

So I completely blew it this week with no Karaoke Tuesday entry. There have been a few times in the past where Lance or I or both of us have been a little late, but this week I just totally dropped the ball. Normally at worst I might do it Wednesday and cheat by backdating the entry, but it just feels wrong to do that when it’s already Friday night. So you win this week, Lance. And apologies to all of our loyal fans (which is also just Lance).

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May Summer Songs: “Kokomo”

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Cocktail
Cocktail

“Kokomo”
by The Beach Boys
from the album Cocktail (Soundtrack)
1988
Buy the album on Amazon

To finish off May Summer Songs, yes, another Beach Boys song, and again, that’s probably too easy for this month’s theme. But what can I say? I loved this movie. Tom Cruise doing all sorts of awesome tricks with liquor bottles, the gorgeous (especially to my 15? year old self) Elisabeth Shue, “the guy from FX” (probably how I thought of Bryan Brown at the time) – this was one of the good ones. I don’t think I’ve seen it as an adult, so no idea if it still holds up.

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May Summer Songs: “Up the Beach”

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Nothing's Shocking
Nothing’s Shocking

“Up the Beach”
by Jane’s Addiction
from the album Nothing’s Shocking
1988
Buy the album on Amazon

Lance already started off this month’s theme with Jane’s, but it’s this song in particular that matches the theme for me, for a very specific reason/memory. I grew up in CO, and one summer (probably after my sophomore year of HS?), my friend Chris and I decided to go camping at the Great Sand Dunes (totally recommended). I have lots of good memories from the trip, but one that’s always stuck with me is completely blasting this album on the drive there, awesome stereo, open road, being able to look for miles in all directions, windows down, hand riding the air (I’m a dolphin!), feeling epic.

May Summer Songs: “Surf Wax America”

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Weezer
Weezer

“Surf Wax America”
by Weezer
from the album The Blue Album
1994
Buy the album on Amazon

There are a lot of Weezer songs that are summer songs to me. They’re fun, they’re poppy, they make me want to turn them up and sing along and move (it’s tough for me to listen to Weezer at work). A lot of them also have an undercurrent to them that move them beyond a standard pop song.

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May Summer Songs: “Damn Good”

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Skyscraper
Skyscraper

“Damn Good”
by David Lee Roth
from the album Skyscraper
1988
Buy the album on Amazon

Growing up, I was all about country and easy listening music because those were the only two radio stations I could reliably pick up with my clock radio (R.I.P. WSIX 98.6 and Easy 93).  When I heard friends talking about Huey Lewis and the News, I thought he was an anchor on channel 13.  Men At Work became “Minute Work” which I interpreted as some kind of scholastic study method (I was a weird kid).  Eventually though, we got MTV.  Although I missed out on a lot pop music as it was happening, I quickly caught up.

One of the first pop cassettes I bought for myself was David Lee Roth’s Skyscraper and I’m not ashamed to say that I absolutely adore it.  I must have listened to that whole album a thousand times, although It took me a while to make the entire loop,  I’d get hooked on a song, play it through and then quickly rewind and listen again.  I became an expert in knowing just how long to keep the button down so that the track was queued perfectly.  I can feel the vibration of my Panasonic boom box (with Ambience™) rewinding right now.  “Just Like Paradise” and “Stand Up” were perfect singles.  “Hina” was just a bizarrely amazing and beautiful song (it’s also a perfect night song).  But the song that encapsulates a summer song for me is “Damn Good.”

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May Summer Songs: “I Get Around”

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All Summer Long
All Summer Long

“I Get Around”
by The Beach Boys
from the album All Summer Long
1964
Buy the album on Amazon

The Beach Boys may be an obvious choice for summer songs, though perhaps not an obvious choice for this blog, but this song transcends the traditional Beach Boys summer feelings. Growing up, I associated the Beach Boys with the oldies station (KOOL105!), summer oldies concerts with my mom (though I’m not sure if those ever included the Beach Boys), and of course, this song in particular in Flight of the Navigator.

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May Summer Songs: “Give It Away”

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Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Blood Sugar Sex Magik

“Give It Away”
by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
from the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik
1991
Buy the album on Amazon

This song sweats, that’s all there is to it.  Even before Stéphane Sednaouie‘s gorgeous video confirmed it, the song had that dessert sun feeling to it.  It’s just stanky and funky.  I’ve performed this at karaoke a few times and it’s an exhausting song to sing.  The structure is relentless and punishing – there’s never a chance to catch your breath.   If you put it in the car and crank it and you’ll be excited for whatever adventure you’re driving towards, guaranteed.  It’s totally a summer party anthem.   Speaking of, this song brings to mind a very specific summer memory.

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May Summer Songs: “Learning to Fly”

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A Momentary Lapse of Reason
A Momentary Lapse of Reason

“Learning to Fly”
by Pink Floyd
from the album A Momentary Lapse of Reason
1987
Buy the album on Amazon

I’m not really a huge Pink Floyd fan. I don’t dislike the Floyd I just never had much exposure.  They’ll probably end up being another Zeppelin for me – a few years from now I’ll be way, way into them.  I didn’t get around to Zeppelin until maybe ten years ago, but now I totally get it.  So don’t give up on me Pink Floyd fans; I might come around.  This particular song though, I absolutely loved from the moment I saw the music video back in ’87 or ’88.  Probably watching Dial MTV…

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May Summer Songs: “Summer of ’69”

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Reckless
Reckless

“Summer of ’69”
by Bryan Adams
from the album Sparkle and Fade
1984
Buy the album on Amazon

I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner. It wasn’t even in my mind until Lance did 1979, and we were discussing how timeless the song was even if 1979 wasn’t your summer. This song is the same.

It’s not about being there in the summer of 1969 – it’s about having all the time in the world on your hands, starting a band with your friends, and having it eventually fall apart because everyone grows up and apart. Any of those relevant and timeless? Check, check, and check.

Oh, when I look back now
That summer seemed to last forever
And if I had the choice
Yeah, I’d always wanna be there
Those were the best days of my life

I used to associate this song with my childhood and watching it on MTV, but now there’s a different association. It must be stated that this is the song that Lance and I start every single karaoke night with. It makes a great duet, it warms the voice up, and traditions are important. And damn if this isn’t incredibly fun to sing. This deserves to be sung with your pal, sharing the mic, thinking of days gone by, even if it is just in some tiny, dark karaoke room.