Is May the start of summer? According to Google, no. According to me, however, the answer is absofuckinglutely. May is probably my favourite month of the entire year (in large part thanks to my birthday falling in May), and I have always considered it a sort of prelude to the proper summer months, where warm weather is ever so slightly more guaranteed.
Something that happens every year around this time, without fail, is the appearance of “summer songs” in my Spotify rotation. These are songs that in the dark, dreary winter months I would normally skip, as the memories of sunny days are too painful when it’s raining sideways or snowing outside. I’m sure this is a phenomenon that everyone will be familiar with. Certain songs that are so evocative of a place or time or even a season, it feels somehow wrong to listen to them unless the circumstances are correct. You can’t listen to The Beach Boys when it’s below freezing outside unless you are an unhinged sociopath. In which case you’ll probably listen to whatever you want whenever you want.
The same people who willingly listen to stations like Capital, essentially.
To try and comprehend this summertime resurgence of songs that have been otherwise persona non grata for the last four months, I thought I’d try and make a list of what I consider to be some quintessential (and cracking) summer songs. Partly, to figure out exactly what quality these songs have that makes them perfect for long summer days and to force more of my musical tastes on anyone unfortunate enough to be reading this post.
I expect every single tune I mention in this piece to end up in your Spotify playlist.
This list could go on for a very, very long time, but in the interests of brevity, I will limit myself to five. All selections are final so if you disagree with any inclusions, I’m afraid to say you’ll have to come to terms with the fact that you are factually incorrect. These are some of the best summer songs your ears will ever be privileged enough to hear.
Number 5
American Boy – Estelle ft. Kanye West
A song I would not have admitted to liking when I was in my teenage years due to my youthful refusal to listen to anything that wasn’t played at breakneck speed on a guitar. Thankfully, I have matured (and expanded my musical horizons) and can now freely admit to loving this tune. In retrospect, it’s a bit of a bizarre collaboration between Estelle and Kanye West, given the career trajectories of the individual artists, but what a collaboration it proved to be. Catchy from the off, with an insanely infectious beat and bassline, Kanye’s verse is the perfect complement to Estelle’s vocals. Where else could you hear Yeezus himself rapping about Ribena?
Nowhere.
Number 4
A-Punk – Vampire Weekend
Again, another song I probably would have claimed to hate if I heard it ten years ago. Now, with the wisdom granted by my advanced age, I can say that this is pure summer distilled into musical form. Fast, upbeat and whimsical, with a dreamlike quality. How can anyone not at the very least enjoy this song? It is so singularly uplifting, designed to be listened to while driving in your car, sun blazing in the sky, windows down, sunglasses on, a smile stretched widely across your face. If I can put my musical elitism aside to appreciate this tune, so can anyone.
Number 3
Heart Don’t Stand a Chance – Anderson. Paak
This one was tough. Anderson. Paak’s entire discography feels like a tribute to ocean waves, sandy beaches and palm trees. The album this song comes from is titled Malibu. I could have easily made a list that was all Anderson. Paak songs, but that didn’t seem fair to the other artists, so I applied some personal discretion and selected this track as one that stands out amongst the others. A mellow jazz-soaked number that coolly struts along, whenever I hear it, I feel an inexplicable urge to immediately down as many tropical cocktails as is humanly possible (which in my case is pathetically low). If there is one artist on this list you go and check out after reading this, please make it Anderson. Paak.
Number 2
Shakermaker – Oasis
The second track on Definitely Maybe, and in my opinion the finest song Oasis ever produced. Everything about this tune (and the entire first two Oasis albums, actually) reminds me of summer. Especially one of those warm days when you’re aimlessly wandering, looking for something to do, somewhere to go. It’s a carefree song and listening to it makes me feel carefree. I have a theory about the majority of artists only being capable of two truly great albums (which I’ll save for an annoyingly smug blog post in future), and this song is my prime evidence. It’s so good that we’ll ignore the fact Noel Gallagher plagiarised a Coca-Cola advert when writing it.
Number 1
Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys
Could the greatest summer song of all time be by anyone other than the fucking Beach Boys?
Of course not.
This song is a psychedelic ode to love that captures everything great about The Beach Boys in one go. Their soaring harmonies, the complex and layered instrumentation, the dreamlike lyrics. All of which combine to send you on a trip somewhere far away, where summer never ends, and good times are all that matters. The world owes Brian Wilson a debt of gratitude for blessing us with this tune, it’s that good.
There we have it, five of the greatest summer songs of all time to treat yourself to. I thought I might find some similarities in these songs, something that connected them all and made it clear why they are so linked to summer in my head, but I can’t see any. They vary in genre, but all have that same inexplicable quality, something that evokes an instant and vivid image of good times with friends in the sun.
They do all have one thing in common. They all bring a smile to my face. I know when they start repeating and finding themselves in rotation a little more often, it can only mean one thing.
Happy summer folks!