A Girl...

I have a weird one, but everyone knows it thanks to Bugs Bunny.

I love "Largo al factorum" from the opera, the Barber of Seville.

But most people know it as the song from "The Rabbit of Seville" where Bugs Bunny gives Elmer Fudd a series of hilarious hair treatments. It's a lot of fun and involves the word "Figaro," a lot.

I don't speak a word of Italian, so opera is about the only thing I can listen to when I'm writing, which is all the time.

Easy! Doin' Time by Sublime! Everyone knows that song, right?!? Living in Arizona, right around May things start to get wretchedly hot. When you start breaking a sweat at 5am, then you know it is time! Time to bust out the Sublime, and more specifically "Doin' Time." I like to roll down the windows, turn off the AC and crank that song up so loud that the person stuck in traffic 20 cars back from me can hear it, too. I love the song so much, I even used the lyrics for my senior quote!

"evil, I've come to tell you that she's evil, most definitely..."

And if you don't know the Sublime version, perhaps you know of the version Ella Fitzgerald did:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yKgAEkCKxY

I

The first song that popped into my head was Otis Redding's (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay. There's nothing better than, on a sunny day, to be able to while away the time, whether it be sittin' by the water or cruising in your car. The song speaks to me of going slow, enjoying time, watching the world do it's thing. The pace of the song is unhurried, the perfect state of being for enjoying the sun.

"Sittin' in the morning sun
I'll be sittin' when the evening comes..."

Here, for Simon's amusement, is the track listing from my own summer music mix, made back in the glory days of Napster and the earliest CD-burn drives, colorfully entitled "The Sweaty Ass-crack Blues":

1. "Summer in the City" - The Lovin' Spoonfull
2. "Tequila" - The Champs
3. "Runnin' Down a Dream" - Tom Petty
4. "The Banana Boat Song" - Harry Belafonte
5. "Ray of Light" - Madonna
6. "Brains & Eggs" - Los Straitjackets
7. "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5
8. "Gargantua" - Man or Astro-man?
9. "Holiday Road" - Lindsay Buckingham
10. "School's Out" - Alice Cooper
11. "Groovin'" - The Young Rascals
12. "Under the Boardwalk" - The Drifters
13. "Summertime" - DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
14. "Center Field" - John Fogerty
15. "Why Don't We Get Drunk (and Screw)" - Jimmy Buffet
16. "La Bamba" - Los Lobos
17. "Jump" - Van Halen
18. "All Summer Long" - The Beach Boys

It's Summer of '69 for me. TOTAL guilty pleasure. I still don't feel even the slightest bit weird about rocking out to the middle eight, especially the big FOREVVAAHHHHH at the end of it. Also, killer air guitar song.

I have a road-trip CD that contains nothing but "Holiday Road." Teddy and I listened to it on repeat for a reeeeeally long time once. Those dog barsk at the end just kill me.

Jessie's Girl.

Winner of many awards, including:

Best Use of the word 'Moot'
Best Creepy Boyfriend's Friend
Best Reason to Not Start Talking Cute

2nd Place, Going Along With The Charade.

Critics say:

"I never really liked Jessie's girl... Bitch." Peggy, 29, Huntington Beach

"I don't know, she was cool and all, but really when _I_ was looking in the mirror I was all about Jessie and HIM holding ME in his arms late at night." Bubba, 18, Hullabaloo

"Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. (Did you know they also have a Christmas album?) (Did you know I OWN this Christmas album?)(And am also completely unabashed about said fact?)

Singing "Sweet Home Alabama" out the open window at the top of your lungs is one of the best experiences ever. Even if you've never been to Alabama.

Oh My God, that sounds like my car. My Leah is always is griping because I am either playing with my ipod, talking on the phone or checking email while driving. Any good mother can multi-task no matter how unsafe it is.

Please don't laugh at me for this, but for me it's Carl Orff's O Fortuna from Carmina Burana. You think you don't know this because it's so lame-sounding, but YOU DO. And it makes me cry every time. And if I'm NOT crying, I'm getting all pumped up for some kind of BATTLE.

And to remind you that you all know this, here it is again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xCB6-h3wbs

Moondance by Van Morrison
I love anything and everything by Van the Man, but this is definitely a quintessential summer song.

"Boys of Summer" by Don Henley. I have loved this song for many years and to this day every time I hear it, I miss driving around my hometown (late at night, of course) in high school or driving along the beach in college.

I'd have to say "Burn one down" by Ben Harper. This is simply because even though I have never burned one down myself, I used to find it rather exhilarating to play this song in my parents' living room and know that they were clueless as to its meaning (I grew up sheltered... baby step rebellions, my friends).

Not sure why ... but the Beatles - Blackbird - esp the version on the "I am Sam' soundtrack - can't remmeber who sings that... It just reminds me of the simplicity of a sunny day and the potential of a great summer. Mind you in NZ we are heading into winter so thinking about summer songs just makes me depressed.

Can I have Doola's mix if I win, with Jessie's girl added for good measure? Love those choices. I can almost feel the sun on me right now . . . (But I'm sure Simon's will be just as good, no offense meant whatsoever.)

Great songs on all the comments, Summer of '69, Burn One Down, love all of the selections. I do have to agree with Doin' Time, too--I think Sublime gets my vote for the ultimate summer band.

Great contest, Simon. (I sent my choice via email, but here's a hint: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDwQN4UeF8E Now, tell me that's not summery.)

okay so i'm noticing that for some reason lots of people are mentioning their favorite road trip and/or summer songs, but in the rules you mention you just wanna know our favorite song that almost everybody (which i'll take to mean, say, americans who are 18-80 years old) would know. . .

after thinking about it, i realized how great of a question that is, 'cuz i have several favorite songs, some obscure, some pretty well known, but none of 'em are ones that, say, a good 90% of americans would know. . . even, something like your example of bohemian rhapsody wouldn't be known to kids in high school and probably even college unless they've seen wayne's world. . .

so, uhhh, well, let's see, i guess my favorite song that most americans, young and old, would have heard of is elvis presley's "jailhouse rock". . . my favorite part is the beginning - it's a simple driving beat that totally hooks you. . . as far as why i like it, well, it's a catchy tune and put together so well that i don't think any cover of it will do elvis' version justice (although i do like the version in the blues brothers movie quite a bit too). . .

okay, i can't resist adding a second song i totally dig that i know most people would recognize if they heard it - the opening theme from "the good, the bad, & the ugly" by ennio morricone. . .

favorite part is probably the whistle but the "wah wah wah" bit comes in a close second. . . i love this song 'cuz it's starts out so basic with the signature whistle and gradually swells up to an epic sound (yet with a bit of humor) to the point where it was promising one badass movie was coming up. . . i also love this song simply 'cuz it just reminds me of the movie, which, although most of my friends hate it 'cuz they think it's too slow and long, is one of my all-time favorites. . .

Definitely "Island in the Sun" by Weezer. I feel so light and sunny at that first "hep hep" in the song. Weezer and I go way back... when I was in high school in Texas, I would drive the dusty back roads in my pickup (no kidding, I am this cliche) blasting and singing along "Say it Ain't So-oo-woh-o-woh" and "Buddy Holly." Hey, at least it wasn't George Strait - at least I get points for West Texas originality.

An all time favourite song might be Elvis' "In the Ghetto", but if it's little known, I'd say Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again". I have listened to that song in the car sooo many times. It might be the obvious choice, but I cannot go on road trips without listening to it and singing along.

Song to which everyone knows the words? AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long."

Yep, every one knows the words, and everyone sings along. The guys like it because...well, who wouldn't want a sexy woman to "shake" him all night long? And the girls like it because...well, who wouldn't want to be the "best damn woman" he's ever seen AND have him coming back for more?

This is one of those tunes that fills the dance floor at even the dullest party. Well, this song and "Brick House."

This isn't my answer, but, like Jonniker, I love me some Carmina Burana. When I was in college, someone came out with this crazy techno version of it, which messed it all up, but that's a story for another day.

As to your question, and since we're talking about riding in cars in the warm sunny summertime, I have to go with "Two of Us" by the Beatles. Ooooon our WAY! Back home....we're on our way home! We're going hoooooome!

Awesome.

Close runners up: "These Are Days" and "Candy Everybody Wants" by 10,000 Maniacs (used to drive around in my friend's Volvo, waving our arms out the window on the rushing-by air and singing at the top of our lungs); "Two Worlds Parted" by John and Mary; "Blackbird" by the Beatles; and "Let the Mystery Be" by Natalie Merchant with Michael Stipe.

I love Baba O'Riley by The Who. I like pretending I can play the piano, pretending I can play the drums, and then singing my little heart out (I actually can sing). Good stuff.

The correct answer to this questions is "In the Summertime" by Mungo Jerry.

This song rules for a couple reasons.

1. The song practically requires singing along out loud. Also, it inspires all sorts of crazy hand motions for its "air" performance (i.e. air piano, air guitar, air banjo, air 'ch-ch-ch-uh' thingy)
2. If you don't know it...you will have it memorized after only 1 or 2 listenings. Just look it up on youtube. There is priceless a karaoke version video complete with mustaches and giant sideburns.
3. You can't argue with its laid back fun loving subject matter and lyrics.

Mine is "Only the Good Die Young" by Billy Joel. Love it for lots of reasons, one being that it (somewhat inexplicably) was on my high school basketball team's warm-up tape, so it reminds me of doing lay-up drills before the game, blasting it loud and singing along on the bus after wins, just feeling like all was right with the world.

Dammit by Blink182. It reminds me of when I was younger and a little more punk rock, going to Warped Tour, which I am now too old for. And it makes me bounce in the car seat.

Confession: Although Simon has made me many a fine mix over the years, the best summer mix I ever got was the "Good Times Mix" given to me by Dave, who commented up there with "In the Summertime." I listened to that mix constantly for about five years and still, every time I put it on (sadly, my new car doesn't have a tape deck), I'm instantly seventeen again, riding around with my boy in the sunshine with the sunroof popped, singing our lungs out, laughing at Ray botch the words (especially to "Come on Eileen") in the backseat, and eating chicken nuggets until we're sick. Good times indeed.

Leah,

If you listen carefully, you can hear my heart break.

Maybe I'll have to make you a super duper mix pretty soon, in a probably futile attempt to take that top spot.

-Simon

Like this one too. Got nothing to do with summer, but has that high energy sound I associate with windows down, sun up driving. "Come on Barbie, let's go party . . ."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dgP_Y985PU

aw damn....I didn't mean it that way Simon. I just really love that song and it is the first thing I think of when summer comes.

I change my vote to Whiskey River by Willie Nelson. That song cooks!!

-Dave

I want in!

My favorite overall song that everyone knows the lyrics to: American Pie by Don McLean.

Favorite summer song: Summer, by War.

Favorite summer song known by everyone, starting at birth: Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett.

Lovers In A Dangerous Time by Bruce Cockburn or the newer version by the Barenaked Ladies (go, Canada!).
It gives me shivers every time and I don't hear it nearly enough.

The very best part of growing up in Marin County was easy access to Stinson Beach. Time was I'd head out there every Saturday. Leave the house at 7:30, park Mom's Jeep Wrangler in the first spot next to the bathrooms/beach entrance, have breakfast at the cafe, find a spot on the beach up against the dunes, snuggle down into a blanket and take a nap. I'd wake up when the sun was getting hot, aim for a little sun-kissed - end up a little sunburned. We'd take the long way back, avoiding the Mill Valley traffic and we'd pick songs to sing. Wild Thing rocketed to #1 after we saw Sam Kinison (may he RIP) sing it - scream it - mutilate it. So there we'd be, radio long since broken, top down screaming our teenaged heads off like a 40 year old 3-pack-a-day Camel smoker/cokehead.

Close runner up: Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas, with extra emphasis on the huh! and hah! sound effects.

Ohhh, mee, mee!

Magic by The Cars because Ric Ocasek made me feel all tingly inside as a young girl and the video was so cool - he walked on water!

or

Life is a Highway by Tom Cochrane because every time I hear it I cannot resist singing and bopping back and forth.

I'm sure this is going to peg me as a gigantic dork, but what the hell. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears. The song came out the summer I turned 16 and I remember driving around with the windows down feeling so grown-up, so FREE!

I have a far dorkier pick than that, but I've dorkified myself enough for one day thankyouverymuch.

Dum, dum, dum, dumeedowah...
Only the Lonely, Roy Orbison
because when we'd be tootling down the M4 headed towards the West Country on summer hols, husband driving and kids free-floating in the back of the Morris Minor, we'd shove our summer mix into the tape player (posh!) and look over our shoulders saying, "are you ready?" and they'd quieten down. The big kids in the front seat (us) would start with the little kids doing the chorus...nothing cuter than a three year old and a six year seriously intoning, dum, dum, dum dumeedowah...

Damn! I was going to say either Weezer's "Island in the Sun" or BA's "Summer of '69" but I was beaten to it! So...now I'm going to have to go with Simple Minds "Don't you forget about me", Modern English "Melt with you", or Nena's "99 red balloons".

Oh, as for the "why" on the above three songs: the first one because it's just brilliant. I mean what other song so perfectly captures how you felt at the end of high school? Riding off in to the sunset of the future and all that.

As for the second song, my favorite part of "Melt with you" is, well...all of it. Though what's lovelier than someone telling you they'd stop the world and melt with you?

"99 red balloons" - the best part is the very last line.

Overall, all three songs are very good summer bopping-while-driving songs, I promise.

Simon! Papa (to be) congrats!

Summer songs: I am STUNNED that no one has mentioned this yet; and since it is the ONLY CD I know of that you can play in virtually any country* and immediately get people to sing along with, I submit: Jamming or Redemption Song, yes, I will go so far as to say "the entire Legend cd" by Bob Marley.

*countries this has worked in thus far: Australia, Canada, Croatia, Costa Rica,, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Switzerland, South Africa, aaand...that's all I can think of at the moment, but...not bad.

Other songs that many people know:
-Beatles "Hard Days Night" (come on, you know you're thinking, "and Ive been working ...like a dog" right now)
-"yellow submarine"- the thing may be annoying but my god does it have multi-generational staying power.

U2 (again, entire Joshua Tree album should be submitted as "best summer/road trip song evahh!) but I'll say "With or Without You"

I could go on, but we have DJ work to do!!

Dudes, come on. Sunny Days, by Lighthouse. "Sittin' stoned alone in my back yard, askin' myself why should I work so hard?" And try to picture driving down the highway on a hot day with the windows down and passenger feet on the dash, listening to this song, and not singing along with chorus. My dad is possibly the biggest Lighthouse fan around.
Also, another vote for Island in the Sun.
Also also, absolutely no one knows the words to it, but I used to have to report to a golf course job at roughly 6 every morning one summer, and my parents paid for my little sister's insurance on the condition she had to get up and drive me in the mornings. We would blast Get Busy by Sean Paul with the windows of the busted Taurus station wagon as we drove past barracks to wake up the cadets. Good times, good times.

What is wrong with you people? Without a doubt, #1 has to be Wild Thing by the Troggs and if that doesn't make your panties split, then, a close second has to be Gloria at maximum volume especially when stuck in traffic after fireworks. I've had other going nowhere fast drivers ask me "Hey, what radio station is that?"

Top summer song is Hot in Herre - whenever i hear it it reminds me of summer nights after i graduated from high school, when my best friend and I would to drive to the drive-in in podunkville new hampshire jammin' out with the windows down.

But as to one of my favorite songs that'd have to be Marvin Gaye's Got to Give it Up (Part 1). Its the quintessential dance song that makes everyone groove.

I've got to go with "A Horse with No Name" by America. Ok, ok, it's not the FIRST song you listen to on the sunny day's drive, but after you've been going for about two hours, and are starting to mellow out, it's THE BEST! Imagine it... windows down, flat land everywhere you can see, just you, your girl, and the warm air...

Here's a video sample:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqeBVESrUls

tom petty. american girl.

>or

david bowie. rebel rebel.