The Greatest 60's Summer Songs Ever! Volume 3

Tweet

Everyone has their favorite musical time periods and mine is the 60's. So many different types of songs were recorded during that decade; you had protest, love, Folk, British Invasion, Motown, surfing and Psychedelic. What a diverse selection of tunes to choose from! This select list only includes 60's songs that were released or popular during the summer months. So, let's dig into the music vault and come up with another edition of my "Favorite Fives!" It would not be summer without some songs celebrating the hot sunny weather, and at least one complaining about it, So, let's get the "dog day" complaint out of the way first before moving on to some more positive "vibes." *Enjoy the "Heat Wave" the song not the weather, And now for my favorite selections that feature the warmth of the sun complete with comments... 1. "Heat Wave"- Did you know being in love can be as hot as a "Heat Wave." Well according to Martha & The Vandellas 1963 hit it was! The song was inspired by the weather, a hot and sticky summertime day in Detroit. Adding the girl and a guy who made her temperature rise when he was around made for a perfect tune. This single was one of the first songs to use a style of music that would be known as the "Motown Sound." Fun fact: The great Linda Ronstadt recorded a cover of this song in 1975 which reached #5 on the charts. 2. "Those Lazy Hazy Days of Summer"- This song was recorded in 1963 by Nat King Cole and reached number 6 on the US Hot 100. It was Cole's final Top Ten hit. A terrific tune celebrating the summer weather with pretzels, soda and beer, as it does in this song puts a positive spin on the season. Add in some girls in bikinis and necking at the Drive-In and the tune has 1960's summer written all over it. Fun fact: In 1951 Cole released his signature song "Unforgettable." His daughter Natalie re-released the song as a duet 40 years later using her father's original vocals. They were overdubbed into the tune so it could be made into a duet. 3. "Sunshine Superman"- Donovan's #1 hit in the summer of 1966 was one of the first ever overtly psychedelic pop records. Even though the artist played down the drug references within the song, the word "sunshine" was not a reference to the sun, but to "LSD." Very interesting fact: "Jimmy Page" of Led Zeplin fame played lead guitar on this tune! Fun fact: This was the first hit song with the word "Superman" in the title. In later years, Superman appeared in many songs, often as a symbol of inner strength. -Can you name a song about "Superman" or with the word "Superman in the title?" Surprisingly there are quite a number of them! 4. "Hot Fun In The Summertime"- This 1969 song was recorded by Sly & The Family Stone right after the Woodstock Festival where the band had a memorable performance. That appearance definitely helped the group's record sales as this tune reached #3 on the Hot 100 charts. This is a song dedicated to summer and all the fun memories accompanying it. The group was pivotal in the development of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelic music. Fun fact: Sly & The Family Stone's core lineup was the first to have both a multi-racial and male/female ensemble. -Can you name another Sly & The Family Stone Hit Song? 5. "Summer Wind"- How could we omit our summer playlist without a selection from "Ol' Blue Eyes himself, The Chairman of The Board, Frank Sinatra. A song title mentioning wind to provide relief on a hot summer day is a welcome addition indeed. This tune was another Sinatra classic reaching #1 on the Easy Listening Charts in 1966. -Frank Sinatra was associated with a group of pals called the "Rat Pack." How many members of the "pack" can you name? Well, how about those "cool songs" cool icon on a hot summer day! So, what do you think? Would you put any of these songs on your summer playlist? What's your favorite summer weather song? Thanks for reading and responding to my music post and attempting to answer the trivia questions. Until my next summer song posting... Source- Wikipedia & songfacts.com