My Summer iPod Mix, Part 3

Summer's coming to a close, both culturally (school starts soon) and naturally (the days are getting noticeably shorter), though it's still darned hot, with a string of days in the past week with highs in the 90's. This evening, driving home from work, here's what I heard from my shuffled summer mix:

"Sugar, Sugar" -- The Archies -- As much a summer sound as anything by the Beach Boys, as this was a huge hit the summer of '69, the first summer I spent glued to the AM radio. Ron Dante, the lead singer, had a great pop voice, and still does, based on the evidence of a recent CD he did of pop song covers, California Weekend.

"Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In"-- 5th Dimension -- Hey, another big hit from the summer of '69, and an odd medley of the opening and closing songs from the musical Hair. The first song is hopeful, and the last one, though it sounds upbeat in this medley, is actually the last part of a very depressing yet exhilarating song called "The Flesh Failures." Catchy, though, and I always love the moment when Billy Davis Jr. (I think) exhorts us to "sing along with the Fifth Dimension!"

"Summer's Coming Around Again" by Carly Simon and "One Summer Dream" by Electric Light Orchestra -- Both slow, dreamy, perfect summer afternoon songs, a little sad but not depressing, just sad in that, "Geez, wouldn't it be nice if all afternoons were warm, breezy summer afternoons?" way.

"Sweet Hitchhiker" -- Creedence Clearwater Revival -- Not one of their best known songs, but a good sweaty sex-on-a-road-trip song, what with her riding on his "fast machine" and all.

"Love Or Let Me Be Lonely" -- Friends of Distinction -- The definition of breezy summer soul.

"Love Plus One" -- Haircut 100 (see photo below), whose every song feels like spring or summer.

"Another Park, Another Sunday" -- Doobie Brothers -- Nothing really summery, I guess, except being set in a park.

"Feelin' Stronger Every Day" – Chicago -- My favorite Chicago song of all time.

"Kodachrome" -- Paul Simon -- Heard this for the first time on the first morning of my first real summer job, so it’s a summer song for me.

"Ariel" -- Dean Friedman -- Cute, mildly sexy novelty story song about a first date, with some fun details (they go to the DQ for lunch but she can only have an onion ring and a pickle because she's a vegetarian) and memorable lines ("I said "Hi"/she said, "Yeah, I guess I am")

"Escapade" -- Janet Jackson -- Perfect escapist pop!

"A.M. Radio" -- Everclear -- Maybe the most recent song on my summer playlist.

"Sealed With a Kiss" -- Bobby Vinton – The perfect high school summer romance song.