Welcome everyone to the latest edition of Top Five Fridays! This week is a little different; instead of focusing in on a particular artist I’m focusing in on a particular topic and that’s the summer. Once summer vacation comes around, there’s a lot of great songs that come out and a lot of them are considered the soundtrack for that particular summer and are almost timestamps for a particular time in your life.
With this list, I want to give my personal favorite songs of the summer. First off, this is my opinion, but each of the songs that made the list each did so for a different reason. Some just immediately make me think of summertime and good vibes, or it’s just a song that I heard during the summer and it hit the ears at the right time. Either way, let’s get to the countdown!
5. Doin’ Time – Sublime
How could I not start things off with a song that has the word summertime in it? For what it’s worth, I could have put any Sublime song on here and it would’ve fit because of the fact that most of their songs have that good vibes feel to it. Also, I think this is a great song to play in the background of a cookout and those typically happen during what time? That’s right, the summer.
4. Fresh Prince & Jazzy Jeff – Summertime
How could this not make the list? It’s possibly the original song of the summer that has stood the test of time. It’s been over 25 years since the track was released and has that chill sound to it that works really well. Also, the music video matches it so well and has that authentic feel (his relatives actually were a part of this because he mentioned the family reunion and just decided to get the whole fam together for the music video).
3. Len – Steal My Sunshine
One hit wonders and songs of the summer are like peanut butter and chocolate; it’s a perfect combination. This one has to be a strong contender for the best of the bunch. Sure, some are going to throw in LFO or New Radicals but this is a great summer song that brings you back to the late 90’s. I’ll give it a ton of bonus points for being featured in one of my favorite scenes from Mr. Robot.
2. Dirty Heads ft. Rome of Sublime with Rome – Lay Me Down
I legit get goosebumps everytime I hear this song (also I’ll sing in the station when it plays). I can remember hearing this on my way home back in 2010 and immediately falling in love with the song. I mentioned earlier how Sublime has that summer sound, well The Dirty Heads might be the next best thing. You add Rome Ramirez’ on point vocals, you’ve got a phenomenal track that helped put both groups on the map. Also, I’ll give some love to “Can You Feel It?” by Sublime with Rome as an honorable mention.
1. Justin Timberlake – Summer Love
I can’t tell you how much I think that this is the best summer song of all time. Again, it’s purely my opinion and I have some trash opinions but I absolutely love this track. This came out back in 2006 and I can remember the first time I heard it and immediately had to put it on my iPod Classic (remember those?).
Also, I played Super Mario 64 a lot around this time (don’t know why, but I did) and this, along with the rest of the album, was in constant rotation. Seriously, go and re-listen to this and get that nostalgia machine going!
-Clint@1063RL