My Favorite Summertime Songs- #4

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I like hot weather which is why I enjoy summer so much. Outdoor sports, more daylight hours, cooling off in water, and picnics all make it worthwhile. But even I am "turned off" when the 3 H's arrive... Hazy, Hot and Humid, ick! Yes, those periods of 90 plus days with humidity can make for a "Cruel Summer." And when you're stuck in a hot city alone because your boyfriend left it makes things even worse as the group "Bananarama" sings in this song. So, here's today's lineup of my favorite summer tunes with a "hot as heck" theme... Comments, musings, and your own trivia welcome... 1. Bananarama- "Cruel Summer" -Some songs get associated with summertime and become hits. This top ten 1984 tune certainly did, reminding us of youthful times, wanting to be with boyfriend/girlfriend, and what we did on vacation. Yep, we've all been there! Fun fact: The song was originally released in 1983, but it wasn't until 1984, when the tune was re-released and used in the film "The Karate Kid," that it gained chart success in America. That's using the heat to your advantage. 2. Martha & The Vandellas- (Love is Like a) "Heat Wave" -Just like a very hot, sticky summer day this song is about a guy who turns on the girl so much her temperature rises when he's around. Like many of Motown's hits, it's a light and amorous pop song. Fun fact: The lead singer of this group, Martha Reeves started out as a secretary at Motown. Now that's a promotion! TRIVIA CHALLENGE ***Now for our trivia music challenge for those who like to play. Let's see how many answers you know. See if you can guess this third selection and the bonus... Name today's tune, artist or facts: - You might think this song says summer weather because it uses "HOT" as part of the tune's title. But the track is actually about a guy whose "got a fever of 103 degrees" after checking out a girl he fancies. But the singer needs a sign, (come on girl,) "give me some kind of sign" so they can have a "secret rendezvous after the show." The band not only had a hit with this hot-themed song they had another hit with a tune with "COLD" in the title. This group consisted of 2 Americans and 2 Brits so whatever country they performed in they would be considered "Foreigners." -Do you know the name of this band and their steamy titled song? Bonus: 1. This female singer recorded her own version of today's summer playlist selection "Heat Wave" by Martha & The Vandellas. Her talent is endless with hits across many genres including pop, country, and rock, making her one of the biggest stars of the 70's. Her cover of the song "You're Know Good" set this artist's career on an upward trajectory and she didn't look back. Yes, "Lovely Linda" was really "Bad," to use a term from the 60's as in awesome! -Can you name this artist? 2. In the music video the three girls are seen in some footage wearing very similar outfits. The full-length pants they had on got their name from the workers who wore them. Their job consisted of cutting wood for certain structures. -Can you guess what the outfits the girls were wearing? If you're stuck and need additional hints just let me know in your response. Or as James Taylor would say "You've Got A Friend" if you need a helping hand. Thanks for reading and responding to my music post!!! I will return with a new edition soon. Hope you can wait till then, lol. Stay tuned... Source- Wikipedia & songfacts.com