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The sounds of summer: Readers share cool tunes for warm weather

Posted July 28, 2007 11:00 pm

Edith C. Webster

From Richard Meeks

"Summer Madness," Kool and the Gang

"In the Summertime," Mongo Jerry

"Summer in the City," The Lovin' Spoonful

"Hot Fun in the Summertime," Sly and the Family Stone

"Stone Soul Pic Nic," The Fifth Dimension

"Dancing in the Streets," Martha and the Vandellas

"Freeway of Love," Aretha Franklin

"Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car," Billy Ocean

"Under the Boardwalk," The Drifters

"And the Beat Goes On," The Whispers

From Dave DeCastris

(who would have received an A-plus, except he included more than the 10 songs we asked for)

"A Summer Wasting," Belle & Sebastian

"Summer of '69," Bryan Adams

"Sound of Summer," Art Brut

"Make it Through the Summer," The Chamber Strings

"Here Comes the Summer," The Fiery Furnaces

"Pale Horse," Midwestern Death

"Summer Babe," Pavement

"Cosmic Trucks," Donkey Boy (DeCastris' band)

"Summerteeth," Wilco

"Summertime," Sam Cooke

"You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb," Spoon

"Take the Long Way Around," Teenage Fanclub

From Beth Conness

"Boys of Summer," Don Henley

"Cruel Summer," Bananarama

"Celebration," Kool and the Gang

"Love Shack," B52s

"California Dreamin'," The Mamas and the Papas

"Summer Nights," John Travolta and Oliva Newton John

"1999," Prince

"Umbrella," Rhianna

"Summer Love," Justin Timberlake

"Girlfriend," Avril Lavigne

More soundtracks of summer:

"Sunsets and Seashells Mix," by Rachel Rasp, Belvidere

1. "Wouldn't It Be Nice," The Beach Boys

2. "Tangerine Speedo," Caviar

3. "Wonderwall," Oasis

4. "Summer of Love," The B-52s

5. "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)," Meatloaf

6. "Float On," Modest Mouse

7. "The Summer," Yo La Tengo

8. "The Game of Love," Santana, featuring Michelle Branch

9. "Summersong," The Decemberists

10. "The Boys of Summer," Don Henley

Submitted by Carol Anderson

1. "Summertime Blues," Alan Jackson

2. "5 O'Clock Somewhere," Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett

3. "In The Summertime," Mungo Jerry

4. "Summer," War

5. "Summer in the City," Lovin' Spoonful

6. "Summer Nights," Olivia Newton John and John Travolta

7. "Summer of '69," Bryan Adams

8. "Summertime," Will Smith

9. "Boys of Summer," Don Henley

10. "Hot Fun in the Summertime," Sly & The Family Stone

Submitted by Kyle Runte, Winnebago

1. "Summer Skin," Death Cab For Cutie

2. "Oceans," The Format

3. "Never Know," Jack Johnson

4. "The Summer Sends Its Love," Sherwood

5. "Energy," The Apples In Stereo

6. "Such Great Heights," Postal Service

7. "High of 75," Relient K

8. "Summertime," Mae

9. "Young Folks," Peter Bjorn and John

10. "Jamming," Bob Marley

Submitted by A.R. Smith, Rockford

1. "In the Good Old Summertime"

2. "You Are My Sunshine"

3. "Cruising Down the River"

4. "Singing in the Rain," Gene Kelly

5. "It Never Rains in Southern California," Albert Hammond

6. "Bicycle Built For Two"

7. "Hawaiian Wedding Song," Elvis Presley

8. "Love Me Tender," Elvis Presley

9. "Are You Lonesome Tonight," Elvis Presley

10. "Rosemarie," Nelson Eddy

Submitted by Kendall McCabe, Rockford

1. "Good Day Sunshine," The Beatles

2. "Diamonds on the Inside," Ben Harper

3. "All Flowers in Time," Jeff Buckley and Elizabeth Fraser

4. "Catch the Wind," Donovan

5. "Dry the Rain," The Beta Band

6. "Lollipop," Mika

7. "Honey and the Moon," Joseph Arthur

8. "Passenger Seat," Death Cab

9. "LDN," Lily Allen

10. "Daydream Believer," The Monkees

Submitted by Nathan Laurent, Oregon

1. "Summer in the City," The Lovin' Spoonful

2. "Wipe Out," The Safaris

3. "Hot Fun in the Summertime," Sly & The Family Stone

4. "Summer of '69," Bryan Adams

5. "Light My Fire," The Doors

6. "Margaritaville," Jimmy Buffett

7. "Kokomo," The Beach Boys

8. "The Heat is On," Glenn Fry

9. "Drop It Like It's Hot," Snoop Dogg

10. "Summer Love," Justin Timberlake

Submitted by Hal Johnson, Sugar River Music, Loves Park

1. "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini," Brian Hyland

2. "Here Comes Summer," Jerry Keller

3. "Let's Twist Again," Chubby Checker

4. "Rub It In, Rub It In," Billy "Crash" Craddock

5. "The Watermelon Crawl," Tracy Byrd

6. "The Summertime Blues," Alan Jackson

7. "Margaritaville," Jimmy Buffett

8. "Ticks," Brad Paisley

9. "When the Sun Goes Down," Kenny Chesney and Uncle Cracker

10. "Fishin' in the Dark," The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Submitted by Susan Burns, Rockford native living in Atlanta

1. "A Summer Song," Chad & Jeremy

2. Theme from "A Summer Place," The Lettermen

3. "In the Summertime," Mungo Jerry

4. "Summer Nights," John Travolta and Olivia Newton John

5. "Under the Boardwalk," The Drifters

6. "Where The Boys Are," Connie Frances

7. "We'll Sing in the Sunshine," Gale Garnett

8. "Sealed with a Kiss," Bryan Hyland

9. "Remember (Walking in the Sand)," The Shangri-Las

10. "Brown-Eyed Girl," Van Morrison

When Richard Meeks of Rockford responded to our Soundtrack of Summer challenge, he went old-school on us.

His summertime playlist featured Sly and the Family Stone, Aretha Franklin and The Drifters, rather than any rap ditties like Will Smith's "Summertime."

And forget the iPod or even CDs for this music lover.

"I'm in the process of making a new cassette for my car out of my old 45s," said Meeks, who owns at least 500 records and more than 300 albums. (Note to parents: Please explain to young readers what these historic artifacts are.)

Soundtrack of Summer was the GO section's invitation to compile your all-time Top Ten of the coolest songs for the hottest season.

Musician Dave DeCastris of Rockford gets an A for including the alternately amusing and angry commentary he included with each pick, such as this for "Summer of '69" by Bryan Adams:

"I was born in 1973. So every time I hear you build up to that magnificent chorus with 'those were the best days of my life ...,' I sing your chorus, Bryan, with 'It was the summer of '84!', and I repeat it over and over, because it was the greatest summer ever, evah! Ryne Sandberg and those two homers he hit off of Bruce Sutter and the Cardinals. What a year, the '84 Cubs."

Beth Conness of Rockford included a song that isn't a favorite, "Girlfriend" by Avril Lavigne.

"I hate this song, but it's too catchy to rule out as a 2007 summer favorite," she wrote.

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