Geek Girl's Five Songs to Start Summer

Public pools have opened, school is dismissed for the next few months, outdoor temps should average in the eighties or higher for a while, the Fourth of July is coming up, maybe vacation is too for some people, and now the calendar officially supports the start of summer! If you need some jams for the season, add some of these to your Spotify rotations. Each capture the essence of the season in their own way:

1) The Boys are Back in Town-Thin Lizzy

To me, there’s always been something hot about this song. Much like its album title, Jailbreak, and the emotional leadup to summer, the song excites and entices. Musically, with a twin guitar act; both of them growling a rhythmic call from the very start that lasts throughout the song, then one follows itself with a subtle yet striking mini-riff response, and gets carried by a power-chorded melody.

Lyrically, it does this with phrases like, “Guess who just got back today? Them wild-eyed boys that had been away…” and who had apparently been asking for you. Then with the end verse about them turning up at Dino’s on Friday night. Spread the word and stay out of their way. By the chorus, you’re so pumped, what more can you do besides exclaim the simple, almost-anthemic “The boys are back in town!” (fun fact: speaking of anthems, with Thin Lizzy originally being from Ireland, this song gets played at Irish rugby matches.)

There’s a neat balance of anticipation and reminiscence too. Like remembering some wild girl who slapped Johnny in the face, who doesn’t have a personal highlight reel for summers past? Then, the boys presence in this setting seems to be the strongest signal of summer’s commencement. “That jukebox in the corner blastin’ out my favorite song/the nights are getting warmer, it won’t be long/ Won’t be long till summer comes now that the boys are here again…”

I could also see this being a cool jam for everybody re-emerging into social life after the pandemic quarantines, restrictions, and hysteria from the last year and a half too.

2) Groovin’- Pato Banton

The soundtrack to 1998’s version of The Parent Trap introduced me to this track; This version is a reggae cover, sampling a 1967 version from a group called the Young Rascals. Aretha has a version too. If you like chill music, they’re up your alley. Something about reggae and summer are synonymous to me too; maybe because reggae originates in popular summer destinations like Jamacia, the Caribbean, and Miami. Besides being a jam of my childhood, the Pato Banton version fits this list best by taking a lot of story-telling liberties in articulating contrasts between winter and summer:

Cause in the winter me can't take the cold

Body start shiver when the breeze start blow

Car can't start cause the engine froze

Can't move me fingers, can't feel me toes

But in the summer when the sun shine bright

Kick off me boot put on me air nike

Leave me car and jump pon me bike

It's this kind of weather I like

More still, the song promotes the groovin’ attitude and typical summertime activities as an antidote to stress and the metaphorical rat race: slow down, take in the sunshine and breeze, go to the beach, have a picnic, chill with friends and family.

3) Summer of ’69- Bryan Adams

A quintessential summer ballad; while perhaps not strictly biographical, “Summer of ‘69” has a coming-of-age feeling to it. The central character in the story-song is a teenager or young adult who wrestles between becoming a rockstar or settling down. First jobs, first loves, life plans, summer can be a season for milestones or pivotal times in life too.

4) and 5) "Summer Rain" and "Chillin’ in the Summertime"- Jonas Brothers

So the former Disney heartthrobs seem to be making a comeback. Does anybody else remember the LA spinoff/second and final season to their JONAS sitcom? Incidentally, JONAS LA centered on the eponymous band taking a vacation after their concert tour during the first season. I’m vague on whether the first season got an album release or anything—which is a shame because I was fond of the “Pizza Girl” song—but JONAS LA is pretty easy to find on Spotify. These are good songs for rainy summer days, beach or poolside jams, and/or if you’re an old or new JoBro fan looking to expand your repertoire.

Road-trippin'? Add some of these to your mix too: Thirty Songs to Take You Places

Geek out with me! What do you think of this list? How are you kicking off summer? Comment on my Facebook Block Party and Don’t forget to share this playlist with your friends!