It’s that time of year for road trips, day trips to the beach, picnics, and other warm weather activities. And of course, to go along with all of that summertime fun, what’s better than some fun music? My personal playlist of summer music contains a lot of oldies, a lot of songs from my favorite movies and a few guilty pleasures.
What songs get you through that 10 hour car ride? What songs take you back to your favorite family vacation? Leave your suggestions for my iPod in the comment box below!
“Do Your Thing” by Basement Jaxx: I became addicted to this song after -and I hate to admit this–I watched Shawn Johnson dance to it in the “Dancing With the Stars” finale. It’s just fun, bouncy, and mesmerizing enough to distract me from my time on the treadmill or behind the wheel of a car going somewhere. I may be sick of this song by the end of the summer, but not right now!
“Cruel Summer” by Bananarama: I miss those ’80s girl bands! This was a song memorialized in “The Karate Kid” and is actually very sweet and not cruel at all.
“Soak up the Sun” by Sheryl Crow: It is the only song of Crow’s I ever really turn up and sing to when it comes on the radio. I also remember singing this song a lot while sitting in traffic on the 405 when I lived in Los Angeles, soaking up the smog, I mean, sun.

“Summer in the City” by The Lovin’ Spoonful: Not everyone is fortunate enough to spend their time at a summer home on the beach. This oldie captures the heat and sweat of life in the concrete jungle.
“Vacation” by the Go-Go’s: Have I mentioned I miss those girl bands? This song is actually about a vacation from a guy, but still, the lyrics work for any kind of vacation you need.
“Umbrella” by Rihanna: This is another guilty pleasure of mine. But it can’t be fun in the sun all of the time, and when it’s not, this song is a definite mood lifter!
“Wipe Out” by The Safaris: Even though so many great Beach Boys songs fit any summer party, I decided to go with a one that people often think is by The Beach Boys, but isn’t. Who hasn’t done a little dance to this song when no one was looking?
“Mexico” by James Taylor: I have listened to this song on every road trip I have ever gone on. I first fell in love with this melancholy song when I was spending my summers in Mexico as a missionary.
“Dirty Dancing: The Soundtrack”: I am completely cheating here, but there is no way I can just pick one song off the soundtrack. “Overload” and “Yes” are just two of my favorites. Every summer I routinely go through the entire soundtrack more than a few times.
“I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by The Miracles : Actually, again a bit of a cheat, because this is my favorite song on “The Big Chill” soundtrack–another album I often pull out in the summer for road trips and listen to over and over again.
What are your favorites?