Summer Songs – Playlists on Parade

By Chris Moore:

As the summer months draw to a close, I figured it was about time to share my summer themed playlist.  What follows are twenty-five songs that celebrate the warmest season of the year, either in name or in spirit.

I’ve included the classics, like “Summer in the City” and “Hot Fun in the Summer Time,” as well as lesser known gems like America’s “Indian Summer” and the Prelude era Moody Blues track “Long Summer Days.”

Just for fun, I’ve thrown in “Summertime” by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, and I’ve made sure to update the list with the best song about summer to be released in years, the Barenaked Ladies’ “Summertime”

So, there’s a little bit of everything:  retro classics (Mungo Jerry), all-out rock (the Who), indie (Dashboard Confessional), acoustic (Jack Johnson), dated eighties pop (Miami Sound Machine), rap (DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince), and songwriter rock (Bob Dylan).

From me to you, I hope this’ll help you to keep on keepin’ the summer alive!

1)  “Indian Summer” – America

2)  “Summertime” – Barenaked Ladies

3)  “All Summer Long” – The Beach Boys

4)  “Summertime Blues” (Live) – The Who

5)  “Summer Skin” – Dashboard Confessional

6)  “Banana Pancakes” – Jack Johnson

7)  “It Must Be Summer” – Fountains of Wayne

8)  “Long Sweet Summer Nights” – The Thorns

9)  “Feels Like Summer Again” – The Wallflowers

10)  “The Other Side of Summer” – Elvis Costello

11)  “Hot Fun in the Summer Time” – Sly & the Family Stone

12)  “Summer in the City” – The Lovin’ Spoonful

13)  “Summertime” – DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince

14)  “San Francisco” – Brett Dennen

15)  “In the Summertime” – Mungo Jerry

16)  “Summer Means New Love” – The Beach Boys

17)  “Asleep on a Sunbeam” – Belle & Sebastian

18)  “In the Sun” – She & Him

19)  “Hot Summer Nights” – Miami Sound Machine

20)  “Walk in the Sun” – Bruce Hornsby

21)  “Keep An Eye on Summer” – Brian Wilson

22)  “Long Summer Days” – The Moody Blues

23)  “Keepin’ the Summer Alive” – The Beach Boys

24)  “Summer Days” – Bob Dylan

25)  “Your Summer Dream” – The Beach Boys

Where has the summer gone?

By Jeff:

A couple of months ago, I was going into school to clean out the classroom. I had had the busiest of my 3 years at my school, being a coach, a moderator, and of course a teacher. Thankfully I didn’t have to move too many things, or take much down. I even arranged the desks in a configuration i’d like to try for the new school year.

But after that last day, I had a field trip to Boston with the Saturday Program students the next Monday. That was fun and busy, but exhausting.

Then a week later, it was off to UNH for 2 weeks of training. Training for a course it doesn’t look like i’ll be teaching this year. It really is a shame, though. This past year I taught a Saturday program at Fairfield University for high school freshmen. It was like a TAG program (Talented and Gifted). The students were very smart, with-it, and fast. The course was a lot of fun to teach, and the kids loved it. Attendance was exemplary for a saturday program that draws from the inner city.

But it looks like we are unable to continue the program this year because G.E., who was the source of our funds, decided to cut our grant – despite basically giving a 4 year commitment.

So these poor kids who had such a good time with the first year, cannot continue.

Despite this, if the program DOES continue at some point in the future, i’ll be ready to teach it.

So after that, I had a couple of weeks off which included a trip to the ever famous and heavily reported Jim Fusco’s wedding. And it lived up to expectations.

Then a nice week-long vacation at an all-inclusive resort (see my post last week for a couple of thoughts about that).

But I am realizing that, holy crap where has the summer gone? I go back to school in 2 weeks. It really goes by way to quickly.

It almost (emphasis on almost) makes me want to work all year so I don’t have an extended break to look forward too. I think I’d appreciate vacations a little more.

I didn’t get a chance to record a whole bunch of videos and I have not gotten any writing done. All my time spent playing guitar has been for the purpose of learning and recording songs for this site.

Unfortunately for me, while I feel relaxed and energized, I still feel like I’ve got nothing done. It’s a terrible feeling.

And my immediate future is going to be busy as well. This semester I’ve been asked to teach 4 classes instead of the usual 3 (for a nice pay boost), and at some point during this semester my life is going to change forever.

Yeah it’ll be a very exciting next few months.

But in conclusion, I really dislike the fact that time feels relative. The upcoming year, while it will be exciting, will move at a much slower pace, as opposed to the breakneck speed of summer I have experienced.

But at least you’ve got us for entertainment all 52 weeks of the year!