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Gimme 10: Summer

Songs about summer are countless and of course my favourites could not fit in a single list of 10. I may be back then with more to follow. For the time being, I wish everyone a great summer!


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Songs about summer are countless and of course my favourites could not fit in a single list of 10. I may be back then with more to follow. For the time being, I wish everyone a great summer!

1. All Summer Long - The Beach Boys
(Brian Wilson-Mike Love)
The 2nd track from the album of the same name from the band that praised this season as few did. It was released in 1964 and belongs to the group of songs that Wilson wrote influenced by the British Invasion that swept the United States of America during that year, with the Beatles as leaders. It was heard during the credits of the film American Graffiti (1973) by George Lucas and during an episode of The Simpsons.

 

2. Kalokairi - Dionisis Savvopoulos
(Dionisis Savvopoulos)
To Kourema was released during the «dirty '89» and the polarized armosphere of the era contributed to it being perhaps the least loved and appreciated album of Savvopoulos. It contains some great songs, although its rather «plastic» sound has not «aged» well. This song closes the album along with the debate about the greatest Greek song about the summer.

3. Summer In The City - Lovin 'Spoonful
(Mark Sebastian-Steve Boone)
It seems incredible but this song was released in 1966! It was the single from the album Hums Of The Lovin' Spoonful of the American band, and of course went to # 1. It still sounds as fresh no matter how many years pass, as it manages to convey the exact climate of a big city in the midst of  summer.

4. Girls In Their Summer Clothes - Bruce Springsteen
(Bruce Springsteen)
A song from the album Magic (2007) of the great artist who they often call The Boss. With the E Street Band once again by his side and in great spirits, Springsteen delivers an excellent sample  of pop writing, managing to give life to the images described. It was released as a single without great success.

5. Summertime - The Zombies
(George Gershwin-Ira Gershwin-DuBose Heyward) 
A jazz standard written as an aria for the opera Porgy And Bess in 1935 and one of the most covered songs of all time. This performance by the Zombies, one of the most overlooked British bands, can be found in their debut album, entitled Begin Here, which was released in 1965.

6. Kalokairaki - Fatme
(Nikos Portokaloglou)
A song from the album Vgainoume Ap' To Tounel, from 1986, since when it's always heard in Greek sea shores, sung by groups of teenagers with guitars. One of the more sensitive pop moments of Portokaloglou, it maintains its sweetness despite the great damage from overexposure.

7. Summer Of '69 - Bryan Adams
(Bryan Adams-Jim Vallance)
The fourth single from 1984's Reckless was destined to be one of the most famous songs of the Canadian rocker. A guitar sound and rather naive lyrics contributed to its great success. Recently, Adams said in an interview that the title does not refer to the year but to a known sexual position...

8. The Other Side Of Summer - Elvis Costello
(Declan McManus)
A single from 1991's Mighty Like A Rose that did not do well in the charts, but is a classic example of writing from the specky English and is included in the collection Extreme Honey with the best moments from his career with  Warner. Melodic and rhythmic, with nice keyboards and well written lyrics that reference John Lennon among others.

9. Allothi Me 39o Kalokairi  - Lena Platonos
(Lena Platonos)
The album Maskes Iliou was released in 1984 and has presented listeners of every season with difficulties since. It's the most cantankerous album  of this great artist, as melodies are barely deciphered behind the synthesizers and the rhythms. This song is no exception from this norm. «And neither I predict the killer to die/ And neither my little sparrow will quickly arrive...»

 

10. To Kalokairi Tha 'Rthei - Foivos Delivorias
(Foivos Delivorias)
The song that closes 2007's Exo. Foivos Delivorias, alone with his piano, concocts a magic song that is not easily described in words, and is better enjoyed when heard with eyes closed. «The summer will come and will take you with it...» In this way I want to close this article today ...

*I dedicate today's column to Sandy, who gave me the idea and who is sweet as summer.




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