The Smiley Smile Message Board

From his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/officialbrianwilson/photos/a.452661542240.241240.34250497240/10152506432067241/?type=1&permPage=1

1. Hot Fun In The Summertime: Sly and the Family Stone
2. In The Summer Time: Mungo Jerry
3. I Get Around: The Beach Boys
4. Be My Baby: The Ronettes
5. California Girls: The Beach Boys
6. Give Me Some Lovin': Spencer Davis Group
7. Hey Jude: The Beatles
8. Honky Tonk Women: The Rolling Stones
9. My Obsession: The Rolling Stones
10. Mony Mony: Tommy James and the Shondells

inb4 jokes about Be My Baby...  ;D

For me, Good Vibrations has always been one of the ultimate summer songs, which is kinda weird... something off the early albums would make more sense. It's got to do with the fact that I used to listen to it first thing in the morning literally every day in the summer that I discovered the band. The way it begins, then the lyrics about colourful clothes and sunlight playing upon the hair...that's just THE sound of summer for me, even if the song's lyrics are not specifically about that. Who knows, maybe Brian has the same kind of connection with some of the songs he listed.

"My Obsession" is a dire recording, but since Brian was invited to the mixdown, he loves it. I looked up Between the Buttons and even Jagger thinks it's garbage. One of the worst Stones albums during their peak years.

Not Beach Boys, but Suavacito by Malo (Carlo Santana's brother) is a great summer song. Summer's not the topic, but the song's whole atmosphere is early 1970s New York or Los Angeles on a steamy hot day.

Minus the BB these songs remind me of 60's summers of my youth.  But I could list 100 songs.

Now, in no particular order

1. Summer In the City: The Hollies
2. Pleasant Valley Sunday: The Monkees
3. The Unknown Solider: The Doors
4. Happy Together: The Turtles
5. Hush: Deep Purple
6. Incense And Peppermints: Strawberry Alarm Clock
7. Shakin All Over: Guess Who
8. Pictures of Matchstick Men: Status Quo
9. Western Union: ???damn
10. Crimson and Clover: Tommy James and the Shondells

1. Rockaway Beach- The Ramones
2. All Summer Long- Beach Boys
3. School's Out- Alice Cooper
4. Hot Fun In The Summertime- Sly Stone
5. Girls On The Beach- Beach Boys
6. Summertime Blues- Blue Cheer, Eddie Cochran, Beach Boys, The Who
7. See You In September- The Happenings
8. Surfin' USA- Beach Boys
9. Draggin'- Roger McGuinn (with Bruce Johnston on backing vocals)
10. Keepin' The Summer Alive- Beach Boys

my bonus track: 11. Summertime Summertime- The Jamies

Off the top of my head... (Beach Boys catalogue excluded and generally unsorted):


1. Van Halen - Summer Nights  :smokin
2. Jewel Akens - The Birds and the Bees  :-D
3. Alice Cooper - School's Out  8)
4. Seals & Crofts - Summer Breeze  ^-^
5. Texas - Summer Son  :hug
6. The Danleers - One Summer Night  :-*
7. George Gershwin - Summertime  :shrug
8. Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes  :o
9. Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues  :listening
10. Jonathan Richman - That Summer Feeling  :drunks

1. Fun, Fun, Fun--- The Beach Boys
2, Summer Breeze--- Seals and Croft
3. Under The Boardwalk--- The Drifters
4. Dancing in the Street--- Martha and the Vandellas
5. Summertime Blues--- Eddie Cochran
6. I Get Around--- The Beach Boys
7. Wipe Out--- The Surfaris
8. Sleepwalk--- Santo and Johnny
9. Tequila--- The Champs
10. The Lonely Sea--- The Beach Boys

Bonus track: Walk Don't Run--- The Ventures

I can't do 10 songs...it changes so often the 'top 10' list concept ruins the feel of remembering and enjoying the music. But anyhoo....

Instrumentals really do it for me. No need to equate lyrics to the mood, or have a songwriter put images in your mind, you just let the music take over and create the imagery. Plus no one can challenge whether or not a song is summer-centric enough in the lyrics to qualify.

Hugh Masekela "Grazing In The Grass" from the terrific Uni record label, 1968. Just put this on any time of the year, the summer feeling and mood where you're basking in the heat and the breeze just washes over you. The lyric version was neat, a great record, but they lost the laid-back, summer dreaming mood and vibe that Hugh's original captured better than most.

"Soulful Strut" by Young-Holt Unlimited. Another late-60's instrumental, just captures perfectly that slower, lazy summer vibe without a single word of lyric necessary or missed. Let this one wash over you, you'll start swaying slowly to the beat without realizing it and you'll be doing whatever summertime relaxation activity you like the best.

"I Get Around", by the Beach Boys. Nothing to do at all with summer in the lyrics, it's about a guy bragging how fast his car is, how much money he has, and how popular he is. But the *sound* of this record, the power of the vocals and the arrangement totally masks all of that and turns it into something beyond a teen bragging-rights anthem. Brian could sing the dictionary with that falsetto and you'd think he was preaching the California gospel. I had to pick "I Get Around" because as a kid, we'd go to Wildwood NJ in the summers, and a few diners there had those tabletop jukeboxes...stocked with Beach Boys singles. I remember hearing a lot of the tables playing "I Get Around", and as a kid I'd ask my parents for change to feed the jukebox and play "I Get Around" repeatedly, it just hit my very young ears a certain way that I loved. And it reminds me of summers as a kid.

Off the wall choice: "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" by Eurythmics. Again, nothing at all to do with the summer, but whatever summer's year that was, the top-40 station played this record constantly and whenever I hear it I remember driving to Jersey to summer vacation, and on the beach a lot of the radios were tuned to that same station which spun this record every hour, sometimes twice an hour. Puts me in that state of mind, the nostalgia/memory trip from 80's summertime.

"So Much In Love" by The Tymes...classic early 60's on the Parkway label. I knew this song, heard it all the time, but one summer on some anonymous part-time job I had, a co-worker who had grown up in the 60's added another element. This song started playing over the company's radio/PA, and she started talking about how it reminded her of the Boardwalk, of the shore, of the whole summertime vibe when she was a kid, and it sounded like she was almost near-tears talking about it. All triggered by a two-minute pop/doo-wop song. Damn, i thought, that's pretty powerful stuff.

And I never heard the song as just another "golden oldie" again. I thought the Beach Boys should/could have done a fantastic cover of this in the 60's, when all their voices were prime and youthful, and Brian could have *nailed* both the arrangement and the falsetto while Mike sang the baritone lead. Damn, missed opportunity.

That's about it.

Oh geeze...just one song.  Theme from A Summer Place

Percy Faith being faithful to the Max Steiner (my hero) original...but adding touches in the arrangement to make it a monster.

Right from the start...PF's version presenting that keyboard rhythm then high glide (Brian's fat fingers and falsetto, anyone?)
that takes the top of your head off (Emily Dickinson).

Has Brian ever mentioned the PF single in interviews?  1959.  Brian was conscious.
A killer sound.  I hear Pet Sounds in it, for crying out loud.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSsiS-v6_6M

My Top 10 Songs of Summer - from the tail end of the 20th Century.  (Edit: In response to an interesting comment below, I decided to add the release dates and chart positions for the songs, in part to see how our memory of 'Summer Songs' stands the test of time (or at least of Seasons):

1. Summertime - DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince - Released May of 1991, entered charts in June, peaked at #4 on Billboard Hot 100
2. Smells like Teen Spirit - Nirvana - Released iin Sept. of 1991, entered charts, entered charts in November, peaked at #6 on Billboard Hot 100
3. 1979 - Smashing Pumpkins - Released in January of 1996, it entered the charts in February, peaking at #12.
4. So Alive - Love and Rockets - Released in September of 1989, peaked at # 3 on the Hot 100
5. La Bamba - Los Lobos - Released June of 1987, it reached # 1 in August of the same year
6. Semi-Chamed Life - Third Eye Blind - Released in June of '97, entered charts on 7/7, spent 3 weeks at #1 that Summer
7. Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Released in Sept of 1991, entered the charts in October and peaked at # 2 on the hot 100
8. The Way - Fastball - released in February of 1998, spent 7 weeks in the Hot 100 in April and May.
9. Red, Red Wine - UB40 - Re-released in August of 1988, it reached #1
10. Crazy - Aerosmith - Released in 1994, it peaked at #17 in June of that year.


Thought this was a different take/mix than the other excellent lists that have been posted. Enjoy.

You're out of your mind.

1. Let's Go Trippin' - Dick Dale & his Del-tones
2. I Get Around - The Beach Boys
3. No Snow On The Mountain - Nada Surf
4. Misty Mountain Hop - Led Zeppelin
5. Voodoo Child - Jimi Hendrix

6. Summer Wind - Frank Sinatra
7. Tahiti: A Summer Night At Sea - Les Baxter
8. Holes To Heaven (acoustic version) - Jack Johnson
9. Kinky Reggae - Bob Marley & the Wailers
10. Slow Dance With A Fast Girl - Aqua Velvets

interesting not much repitions, everybody has a different and distinct idea of "summer" tunez.  ;D

now I wonder if I looked up release dates of my list how many would have been charting in summer months??  :p

School's Out:Alice Cooper [for a mid 70's summer memory.]

1.  Summer Rain  - Johnny Rivers
2.  Yesterday's Gone  -  Chad & Jeremy
3.  Beach Baby  -  Firsty Class
4.  Everyone's Gone to the Moon - Jonathan King
5.  Every Beach Boys' song, esp. All Summer Long and Calf. Girls
6.  96 Tears - Mike and the Mysterios

The Five Americans

In the order I thought of them:

"Groovin'"----The Young Rascals
"California Sun"----The Rivieras
"Lazy Sunday"---The Small Faces
"Let Me Take You To The Beach"----Frank Zappa
"All Summer Long"----The Beach Boys
"It Might As Well Rain Until September"----Carole King
"See You In September"----The Happenings 
"Summer Holiday"----Cliff Richard and The Shadows
"I Live For The Sun"----The Sunrays
"Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer"----Nat "King" Cole

Thank you for mentioning "Theme From A Summer Place". Somehow I missed that, and it is absolutely one of the most gorgeous, beautiful, and evocative "summer" mindset type of songs ever recorded. The original version, that is, as mentioned.

Add that to my list, too.  :)

Actually my list would include quite a few Finnish songs, but I'm not including them here, considering most of you wouldn't have heard of them... Anyway, here goes:

1. Janis Joplin: Summertime
2. Ramones: California Sun
3. Danzig: Dirty Black Summer
4. Led Zeppelin: When The Levee Breaks
5. Nick Drake: Pink Moon
6. Radiohead: Subterranean Homesick Alien
7. Jimi Hendrix: Machine Gun
8. Fiona Apple: Across the Universe
9. ABBA: Arrival
10. Robert Johnson: Come on in my Kitchen

No Beach Boys, then. To me, they're on all year, so I don't particularly associate their songs with summer.

Willie Nelson - "On The Road Again"
Paul McCartney - "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"
Looking Glass - "Brandy"
Blues Image - "Ride Captain Ride"
Henry Gross - "Shannon"
Celebration - "Almost Summer"
Johnny Cash - "Sunday Morning Coming Down"
Frank Sinatra - "The Summer Wind"
Bobby Womack - "Across 110th Street"
5th Dimension - "Age Of Aquarius"

Such a great, great song!

"Blue Sky"- Allman Bros.
"Fallin' Out"- Cheers Elephant
"Fishin' Blues"- Taj Mahal
"Turn it On"- The Flaming Lips
"Heavy Metal Drummer"- Wilco
"Talihina Sky"- Kings of Leon
"The Breeze"- Dr. Dog
"Get Lucky"- Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams
"Happy"- The Rolling Stones
"Sunshine"- The Beach Boys

I only have five:

Beach Boys: Hey Little Tomboy
Beach Boys: Summer of Love
Beach Boys: Beaches in Mind
Beach Boys: 'Til I Die
Mike Love: Looking Back With Love

Funnily, when I read the thread title, I didn't think of any BBs song, 1st thing came to mind was the "SpongeBob SquarePants" movie soundtrack, esp. the last 3 songs. Unlike others, I pay very close attention to music used in the films/cartoons, including the credits in the end. Some people just turn off DVD after the final scene & done. You never know, it could be the best stuff of the whole soundtrack. Anyway, here are:

1. Ween, "Ocean Man" (cool vocs & ukulele)
2. The Flaming Lips, "Spongebob & Patrick Confront The Psychic Wall Of Energy" (all the guitar work is A-1!)
3. Wilco - "Just a Kid" (I don't even mind the kids' choir)
4. Desmond Dekker & the Aces - 007 (Shanty Town) (original 1967 short version)
5. "Island Girl"
6. "Surfin' Safari"
7. The Rip Chords, "She Thinks I Still Care" (the best cover of a country classic that has no trace of similarity to original - insanely catchy!)
8. The Catalinas, "Summertime's Calling Me" (don't mix it up with one of Bruce bands)
9. the song from "Heathcliff" cartoon
10. last but not the least, my favorite theme song, the "Police Academy" march! Love the series, esp. #3.

H.m.: "Beaches in Mind", "Isn't It Time", "Match Point"; The Barracudas' "His Last Summer" (best song on that Mojo BW tribute disc); Chris Stamey's awesome "Summer Sun"; "Around the World with Willy Fog" cartoon opener AND this killer video ft. Al Jardine for the "ONE" project:

If I Had a Hammer rendition (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-ON2O4UTUI)

Go RangeRover! "Sponge on & Patrick Confront the Psychic Wall of Energy" is a phenomenal pop song. After I'd already posted my list I heard it in my car and said "Dang! That's a phenomenal pop song!" And wished I'd included it in my summer playlist.

Excluding Beach Boys songs:

Sunny Afternoon - The Kinks
In the Summertime - Mungo Jerry
So Nice (Summer Samba) - Astrud Gilberto
Summer in the City - The Lovin' Spoonful
Summer Wind - Frank Sinatra
Summertime - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran
The Things We Did Last Summer - Dean Martin
California Sun - The Rivieras
Good Day Sunshine - The Beatles

Great one, summer-related or otherwise.

Forgot this gem:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T88fbHOmvRk 

I agree - don't diss one of my favorite albums!  I prefer it to Aftermath and it's just a step down from the albums of their classic period - Beggars to Exile.  I actually like it better than Beggars Banquet.

Totally, it's among my very favourites as well, along with Satanic Majesties and Sticky Fingers. Fantastic, hook-filled, colorful pop.

1.) Summer in the City - The Lovin' Spoonful
2.) All Summer Long - The Beach Boys
3.) Bright Sky - The Triptides
4.) Rockaway Beach - The Ramones
5.) Rock Lobster - The B-52's
6.) Summer Babe - Pavement
7.) Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey - Paul McCartney
8.) Dancing Days - Led Zeppelin
9.) Heavy Metal Drummer - Wilco
10.) Summer Breeze - Seals and Crofts

It was the summer song of 2011, when I got finally to see the cartoon. Such a great song to singalong, very uplifting & creative (guitar, flute, sound fx). Btw, my favorite Sponge Bob character has always been Plankton: he looks cool & has brave voice. Best villain ever.
Clean your feet, Marcella!

Here's a great country one. 

Little Big Town - "Pontoon".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0O0nzkESTI

Here's a great hiphop one.

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - "Summertime"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr0tTbTbmVA


Here's a great r&b one - The Black Eyed Peas - "I Gotta Feelin"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSD4vsh1zDA

Here's a great rock one - The Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Give It Away"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr_uHJPUlO8

Here's a great beach music one - The Catalinas - "Summertime's Callin' Me" (Thanks Rangerover!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKVjzlv8VKM

Here's a great pop one - Don Henley - "The Boys of Summer"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh4nVj8g4hg

Years ago when I was a teenager I got free tickets to a Beach Boys concert.  I only knew of them from when I was a kid listening to oldies channels, I didn't know anything about Brian or Mike or anything.  I always liked their music though... so I went to the show with some friends, we had a blast, knew half the songs.  It got dark, and for the encore they played Good Vibrations... with a simple strobe effect in the chorus.

So I'm singing along, everybody is, we're enjoying all the 'fun in the sun' songs, and it's slowly gotten dark, they start Good Vibrations, and when it gets to the chorus, the stage goes dark, and these strobe lights are lighting everything up, in time with the cellos. 

IT BLEW MY MIND

Collectively, the entire audience got blown out of the arena it was so fucking cool.  I mean Coooooooooool, super cool, and the song was just beyond anything they had played all night long.

So yeah; i'd agree, it's the ultimate Beach Boys 'fun in the sun' song.  This was Mike & Bruce, btw circa 2001 or so.

OK, I'll play along. Not gonna include any Beach Boys songs though 'cuz that would be just be too easy.

Turn Down Day- The Cyrkle

California Nights- Leslie Gore

Stone Soul Picnic- The 5th Dimension

Grazing In the Grass- Friends Of Distinction

The Girl From Ipanema- Stan Getz and Joao & Astrud Gilberto

Summer Samba (So Nice)- Astrud Gilberto

All Day Music- War

Green Grass- Gary Lewis & the Playboys

Hot Fun In The Summertime- Sly  & the Family Stone

Groovin'- The Rascals

.

1. California Girls: Beach Boys
2. It's OK: Beach Boys
3. Keepin The Summer Alive: Beach Boys
4. September Girls: Big Star
5. This Ain't The Summer Of Love: Blue F*cking Oyster Cult!!!
6. Let's Get It Up: AC/DC (takes me back to the summer of 81 in a big way)
7. Why Can't We Be Friends: WAR (War in general makes me think of the Summertime in LA)
8. Sussudio: Phil Collins (WORST song ever written but it takes me back to the summer of 85 in LA when no one could sleep because of the Nightstalker and the damn video was on MTV every 2 minutes!)
9. Magic: The Cars
10. Summer Of Love: Beach Boys (yeah, yeah, but I play this song relentlessly this time of year and annoy the F out of everyone)