Summer Songs Play list

After Saturday's wintry mess, and with the possibility of more this upcoming weekend, we are all be beginning suffer from a case of the mid-winter blues – and it isn't even Groundhog’s Day yet!

This week we asked our Face book fans what their favorite “Summer Songs” were. We had a lot of great responses. We also dug through our own memory banks this week to recall some of our own summer favorites.

As we did this, we noticed a dew trends. The musical works of the Beach Boys will always remind of us summer, and country stars know hot to do it too!. There are lots of both on our list.

So if you're feeling blue this rainy Monday, fire up the Create Excitement Summer Playlist!.

The songs in this playlist appear alphabetically:

1.) Barefoot and Crazy- Jack Ingram

The folks at AOL’s The Boot found this to be the “Sun-soaked lyric” in the song that has a peppy beat:

"She's rocking that bikini top/My hearts skippin' like a rock across that water."

http://www.theboot.com/2009/07/02/best-summertime-country-songs

2.) California Girls- The Beach Boys

About forty-five years before Katy Perry changed the spelling of “California Girls” to “California Gurls,” the Beach Boys sang about their favorite ladies in the land in this timeless hit.

3.) California Gurls- Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dog

This song ranks Billboard Hot 100’s Number one Summer song of all time. After all they say, “With an unabashedly synthy beat and breathy vocals about a "warm, wet and wild" place and the women you find there, how could Katy Perry's perfectly timed hit -- with a smooth assist from Snoop Dogg, not have been the top song of summer 2010?” The song skyrocketed from #18 on 2010’s list to #1 in 2011.

http://www.billboard.com/charts/summer-songs

4.) Dancing In the Street- Martha & The Vandellas

The idea for this song just may epitomize summers in Detroit. That’s because the idea came to the song’s co-writer as he watched people on the streets of Detroit cool off in the summer in water from opened fire hydrants. Apparently, they appeared to be dancing in the water.  Marvin Gaye is credited as a co-writer of the song.

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=3313

5.) Girls in their Summer Clothes- Bruce Springsteen

This is New Jersey, so we have to include Bruce Springsteen on the list, right? I guess the chorus of this song may remind a few guys of a favorite summer hobby?

“And the girls in their summer clothes / In the cool of the evening light
The girls in their summer clothes/ Pass me by”

6.) Surfin’ U.S.A.

Penny Bubadias Ferone suggested this summer song on our Face book page. Penny's right! It creates a summer feel, and makes me want to surf. Although, I shouldn’t because I doubt I’d be any good.

7.) Heatwave- Martha & The Vandellas

This lyric from the song’s chorus always makes me feel like it is 90* outside again, but of course it isn’t!

8.) In the Summertime- Jerry Mungo

Jerry Mungo sings about having a little fun in the summertime. The catchy beat and sun-soaked lyrics force us to include it on our list! 

9.) It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere—Alan Jackson featuring Jimmy Buffet

MaryAnn Smith suggested this on our Face book page, and we can agree. Jimmy Buffet and Alan Jackson come together for a great song that may remind any adult of drinking on a beach somewhere.

10.) Margaritaville- Jimmy Buffet

A million Parrotheads can’t be wrong, right? To this day, the song remains Buffet’s #1 single of all time. Thanks to MaryAnn Smith for the suggestion.

11.) Red Solo Cup- Toby Keith 

This new diddy from Toby Keith blew up the country charts in late 2011, and is sure to remain there this upcoming summer. Penny Bubadias Ferone told us the song, “Reminds me of my party's or hanging out in my backyard in the summer time”

12.) Summer Nights-  John Travolta & Olivia Newton John (Grease)

You know that you remember the words. Billboard Magazine says the song remains “popular everywhere from bar mitzvahs to karaoke bars.” The song ranks #10 on their “Top Summer Song List,” and everyone seems to have a memory with this hit. For me, I’ll always “fondly” recall my awkward middle school days as we performed Grease (I had the role of Sonny).

http://www.billboard.com/charts/summer-songs

13.) Summertime- Kenny Chesney

The songs co-writer Craig Wiseman told The Boot that this song came to him while he was working on music for Tim McGraw. Wiseman stepped outside and "It was that first night when it stays warm, and you can smell the grass growing. I walked outside and was like, 'Man ... summertime! Smell that!' It was that first warm night of summer. It was great.” The song was written the next day.

14.) Under the Boardwalk- The Drifters

It may be a right passage in New Jersey to have fond memories of the boardwalks at the Shore, but whatever the case is this song is a true classic. Can’t you just smell the boardwalk foods mixing with the salty air of the Atlantic Ocean? I know I do! 

15.) Wouldn’t it be nice?- Beach Boys

The Beach Boys round out our list this week! Bianca suggested this on our Face book page! Thanks, Bianca!