Today was such a wonderful day! For those who live in or near the Twin Cities, you know that Grand Old Day is a pretty big event. For my best friend Lynden and I, it has become a tradition to go every year and so it never truly feels like summer until this event. It is a mini-version of a state fair that runs down Grand Avenue in St. Paul with over-priced but scrumptious deep-fried food, companies giving away free stuff to advertise, games and family activities, and bands (which you have to be 21+ to get into so we just listened from outside the fence). This was our third year going and it was probably the best year yet! The weather was PERFECT and we took part in many fun activities that we have never done before. (Be on the lookout for a YouTube video that Lynden and I made for a contest to win tickets to the Cities 97 Basilica Block Party!)
On the drive back with blisters on our feet and burnt shoulders, we played songs from my summer playlist. Music makes summer even more enjoyable for me, especially songs that hold memories from past summers. If you need some additions to your new Summer 2011 playlist, here are my top picks for you! Some of them are quite obvious as to why they are summer songs, and others may seem quite random. The main thing I look for when choosing a quality summer song is that the lyrics are about having fun or being in the sun. It should also be upbeat and easy to sing along with. As a warning, country music is my favorite genre and is THE BEST kind of summer music, so you will mostly only see country songs. I will also try to avoid including cliché summer songs or songs with the word “summer” in them (if I do include a song like this though, that means it’s a REALLY good summer song).
My 5 all-time favorite summer songs
» “All I Want To Do” – Sugarland
My best friend Lynden and I sang this song when we drove to Valley Fair together after our junior year of high school. We consider it “our” song :)
My best friend Lynden and I sang this song when we drove to Valley Fair together after our junior year of high school. We consider it “our” song :)
» “Wild at Heart” – Gloriana
 |
| Other than getting the most severe sun burn of my life, Florida treated me quite well. |
This song holds a lot of memories from my trip to Florida 2 years ago. Unfortunately, I am no longer friends with the person I went on this trip with, but that hasn’t changed my love for this song! “Stick your hand into my back pocket, light me up like a bottle rocket” is my favorite lyric from the song. It’s all about being young and lovin’ life!
» “Perfect Day” – Lady Antebellum
This song talks about blue skies, country music, driving in a “jacked-up jeep,” a lake, the hot sun, swimming, losing track of time, being with friends, bonfires, dancing, and being “wild and free.” I say “Perfect Day” is the perfect summer song!
» “Amarillo Sky” – Jason Aldean
This was the first Jason Aldean song I fell in love with. The song reminds me of the people I talk to when I visit my family in their small town of 310 people in the boondocks of Minnesota.
This was the first Jason Aldean song I fell in love with. The song reminds me of the people I talk to when I visit my family in their small town of 310 people in the boondocks of Minnesota.
 |
| A perfect day at the beach! We were in Albert Lea, MN to see Love & Theft and Justin Moore at the Freeborn County Fair. |
» “Santa Monicas Smile” – Stephen Barker Liles of Love and Theft
Unless you’re a thefthead, you probably have never heard this song before. It is unreleased, but is on Stephen's myspace. You can also listen to it on YouTube here. (I have heard that this song may be on Love and Theft’s next album, but there were some lyric changes. I hope this rumor is true!) This song I played on repeat when Lynden and I went down to southern MN for a music festival last summer. I specifically remember lying on the beach as this song was playing. All I can say is that it was pure bliss and set the mood for a great day at the beach.
Unless you’re a thefthead, you probably have never heard this song before. It is unreleased, but is on Stephen's myspace. You can also listen to it on YouTube here. (I have heard that this song may be on Love and Theft’s next album, but there were some lyric changes. I hope this rumor is true!) This song I played on repeat when Lynden and I went down to southern MN for a music festival last summer. I specifically remember lying on the beach as this song was playing. All I can say is that it was pure bliss and set the mood for a great day at the beach.
Other COUNTRY songs I recommend for your summer playlist
Chattahoochee – Alan Jackson
Chattahoochee – Alan Jackson
Sounds So Good – Ashton Shepard
Ticks – Brad Paisley Sideways – Dierks Bentley
Up On the Ridge – Dierks Bentley
Fishing in the Dark – Emerson Drive version
Smoke a Little Smoke – Eric Church
Storm Warning – Hunter Hayes (my favorite new artist!)
Groovy Little Summer Song – James Otto
Hicktown – Jason Aldean
Found – Josh Gracin
All Over Me – Josh Turner
Hank It – Justin Moore
Backwoods – Justin Moore
Somebody Like You – Keith Urban
Days Go By – Keith Urban (I have about 10 Keith songs in my summer playlist, but these are my 2 favorites)
Country Standard Time – Matt Haynes (He's not a well known artist, but I have some friends who found him through twitter & they shared his music with me! This song has a lot of plays on my iPod. Check out Matt's myspace with more music.)
My Kinda Country – Randy Houser
Summer Nights – Rascal Flatts
Mayberry – Rascal Flatts
Man I Feel Like a Woman – Shania Twain (Men, please don’t put this in your summer playlist. You can add “I’m Still a Guy” by Brad Paisley.)
Something Like That– Tim McGraw
Rollin’ Through the Sunshine – Trailer Choir
Skinny Dippin’ – Whitney Duncan
Non-country songs for your summer playlist (this list represents the wide-spectrum of music I like)
Thunderstruck – ACDC
Bass Head – Bassnector (If you’ve never heard of dubstep music, you HAVE to check this song out! I literally threw my neck out while I was jamming out to it in my friend's car & I had to go to the chiropractor the next day. Sad story, I know.)
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club – The Beatles
Headlight Disco – The Click Five
Beauty of Letting Go – Green River Ordinance
Here (In Your Arms) – Hellogoodbye
I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
Body Language – Jesse McCartney
Love Stoned/I Think She Knows Interlude – Justin Timberlake
Whine Up – Kat DeLuna
Day & Night – Kid Cudi
Everything’s Right – Matt Wertz (For those of you with summer loves!)
Room On the 3rd Floor – McFly
Time to Pretend – MGMT (I know this is a weird song, but I included it in this playlist because of the memories I have associated with it…and it does have a good beat you can bob your head to)
Here It Goes Again – Ok Go
Shut Up and Let Me Go – The Ting Tings
Roundabout – Yes (My father would be proud of this choice)
What do you all have on your summer playlist(s)? Are there any songs that you associate summer memories with?
No comments:
Post a Comment