Awesome summer mix-tape Volume 43

I love summer. People complain about the heat and the humidity, and I say, "Bring it on." I would so much rather be hot than cold, despite the argument that it's easier to put on more layers than run around nude. That, I say, is what sundresses are for. Sundresses and swimming pools.

Sunday night when I stepped out of the tour van in Cincinnati, having been in 70-degree perfection for exactly four weeks, it felt like I was stepping into a sauna. Even thicker than a sauna though because saunas are dry heat. This was a sticky wall of summer, and I suddenly realized I missed home a little bit.

Of course, I've been at Lakeside daily since my return. I've also been outside gardening in my floppy sunhat, getting drenched in sweat after pulling five weeds, and rushing to the pool for redemption.

Today, I'll be a guest on State of Affairs, one of my favorite radio programs, talking about the songs of summer. I'm excited. I've never been a guest on a talk radio show before, even though I pretty much solely have the radio turned to WFPL (or BBC 4) these days. Don't get me wrong, I love my WFPK, but I can't listen to music when I'm on tour. It's like working when I'm on break or something.

Anyway, the producers of State of Affairs asked me to give them my top three summer songs, which was a difficult task. I had a much bigger list, which I'll share with you now, while leaving my top three choices to be revealed during the live radio broadcast at 1:00 Eastern (that's 6:00 for you UK listeners ... stream live at www.wfpl.org).

For now my list keeps growing, as I woke up this morning with Louden Wainwright's "The Swimming Song" in my head and thought, "Ooooh!! I should have listed THAT one!" But so it goes with Top 3 lists or Top 5 or Top 10 ...

Anyway, some good Summer Songs that didn't make my list but could have ...

Anything by the Beach Boys. I had to learn "God Only Knows" for a wedding last weekend, and I forgot how awesome their wacky chord changes are, especially for a band that sounds so simple on the surface. I like all those old fun songs about surfing, t-birds, and even the new-fangled "Kokomo." It might be horribly catchy, but I love that steel drum.
As for the Beach boys, let's go with "California Girls" and "Surfin U.S.A." for today's mix tape.
"Sunny Afternoon" -- The Kinks
"4th of July Asbury Park (Sandy)" - Bruce Springsteen (okay, so i mostly love this for the accordion, but it fits the theme)
"Summertime" - Gershwin (duh)
"Vacation" - The Go-Go's (why is there an apostrophe in their band name??)
"A Summer Song" - Chad and Jeremy
"La Isla Bonita" - Madonna (had to put a Madonna song on here)

What's on your Awesome Summer Mix-Tape?

(those of you who read my blog here and wonder why there are so few comments ... come say hi on www.Facebook.com/brigidkaelin ... the conversation usually happens over there)

1 comments

  1. B,

    A friend told me she heard your broadcast and you talked about our favorite song from "summer camp." I heart you so much and I listened to the entirety of ABBA Gold while driving across South Dakota and thought of you. In a cape. With a can of Whoop Ass.

    Love,
    J

    ReplyDelete