With temperatures heating up and the official start of summer just around the corner I thought I’d throw together a list of sorts for those of you wishing to put together a compilation cd or mp3 playlist of wonderful memories of summer of years past. I tried to cover a vast time frame as well as genre range so this will benefit multiple generations. The artist who had a hit or was most associated with the song is listed after each title. The songs are also listed in chronological order (by year of release) to make it easier to skip down to those years within your recollection. I’m sure this is not complete (but very comprehensive) and only covers those songs that actually charted or received mainstream airplay. I also focused on songs that actually contained the word
“summer” or “summertime” somewhere in the title. I’m well aware there are tons of other songs out there that “evoke” summer thoughts and feelings. For the record, I listed just a few other honorable mentions at the end of this long list of songs and/or artists that refer to summer in the lyrics.

Kick back and let these songs help you reminisce about summer’s past 🙂
Songs About Summer & Summertime
- In The Good Old Summer Time (?)
- Summertime – George Gershwin (?)
- Summertime – Billie Holiday (1936)
- Soft Summer Breeze – Eddie Heywood (1956)
- Song For A Summer Night – Mitch Miller & His Gang (1956)
- Summertime – Sam Cooke (1957)
- Can’t Wait For Summer – Steve Lawrence (1957)
- Summertime Blues – Eddie Cochran (1958)
- One Summer Night – Danleers (1958)
- Lazy Summer Night – The Four Preps (1958)
- Summertime Summertime – The Jamies (1958)
- Here Comes Summer – Jerry Keller (1959)
- Summer’s Gone – Paul Anka (1960)
- Theme From A Summer Place – Percy Faith & His Orchestra (1960)
- Green Leaves Of Summer – Brothers Four (1960)
- Summer Souvenirs – Karl Hammel Jr. (1961)
- Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer – Nat King Cole (1963)
- My Summer Love – Ruby & The Romantics (1963)
- That Sunday, That Summer – Nat King Cole (1963)
- Summer Holiday – Cliff Richard (1963)
- Wonderful Summer – Robin Ward (1963)
- A Summer Song – Chad & Jeremy (1964)
- All Summer Long – The Beach Boys (1964)
- Summer Nights – Marianne Faithfull (1965)
- Summertime – Billy Stewart (1966)
- Summer Wind – Frank Sinatra (1966)
- Summer In The City – The Lovin’ Spoonful (1966)
- Happy Summer Days – Ronnie Dove (1966)
- Lonely Summer – Shades Of Blue (1966)
- Summer Samba (So Nice) – Walter Wanderley (1966)
- Summer Rain – Johnny Rivers (1967)
- Groovy Summertime – The Love Generation (1967)
- Summer’s Almost Gone – The Doors (1968)
- Summertime Blues – Blue Cheer (1968)
- Hot Fun In The Summertime – Sly & The Family Stone (1969)
- Summer Wine – Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood (1969)
- In The Summertime – Mungo Jerry (1970)
- On The Beach (In The Summertime) – The 5th Dimension (1970)
- Summertime Blues – The Who (1970)
- Summer Sand – Tony Orlando & Dawn (1971)
- Theme From Summer Of ’42 – Peter Nero (1971)
- It’s Summer – The Temptations (1971)
- Summer Breeze – Seals & Crofts (1972)
- Summer (The First Time) – Bobby Goldsboro (1973)
- How I Spent My Summer Vacation – Cheech & Chong (1974)
- Wombling Summer Party – The Wombles (1974)
- Summer Love – Sherbet (1975)
- Summer – War (1976)
- Summer Nights – John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John [Grease] (1978)
- Hot Summer Nights – Night (1979)
- Summertime Blues – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts (1982)
- Suddenly Last Summer – The Motels (1983)
- Cruel Summer – Banarama (1984)
- The Boys Of Summer – Don Henley (1984)
- Farewell My Summer Love – Michael Jackson (1984)
- Summer Of ’69 – Bryan Adams (1985)
- Summer Of Love – The B-52’s (1985)
- Summertime Girls – Y & T (1985)
- Summer Nights – Van Halen (1986)
- Rain In The Summertime – The Alarm (1987)
- Endless Summer Nights – Richard Marx (1988)
- Summer Wind – Desert Rose Band (1988)
- Summer Of Love – Jefferson Airplane (1989)
- Summertime – DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (1991)
- The Other Side of Summer – Elvis Costello
- Summer Song – Joe Satriani (1992)
- That Summer – Garth Brooks (1993)
- Summertime Blues – Alan Jackson (1994)
- Summer’s Comin’ – Clint Black (1995)
- Summertime – Sundays (1997)
- Cruel Summer – Ace Of Base (1998)
- Summer Girls – LFO (1999)
- Six-Pack Summer – Phil Vassar (2001)
- Girls Of Summer – Aerosmith (2002)
- The Boys Of Summer – The Ataris (2003)
- Summertime – Kenny Chesney (2005)
- Sunshine & Summertime – Faith Hill (2006)
- Summertime – Bon Jovi (2007)
- Summer Love – Justin Timberlake (2007)
- All Summer Long – Kid Rock (2008)

JUST UPDATED: Over 50+ New Songs have been added since the original list above that I posted last summer…
UPDATED ALPHABETICAL LIST of SUMMER SONGS
July/2010
- A Summer Song – Chad & Jeremy (1964)
- A Warm Summer Night – Chic
- All Summer Long – The Beach Boys (1964)
- All Summer Long – Kid Rock (2008)
- Can’t Wait For Summer – Steve Lawrence (1957)
- Celebrated Summer – Husker Du
- Cruel Summer – Banarama (1984)
- Cruel Summer – Ace Of Base (1998)
- Dusk & Summer – Dashboard Confessional (2006)
- Electric Music & The Summer People – Beck
- Endless Summer Nights – Richard Marx (1988)
- Farewell My Summer Love – Michael Jackson (1984)
- Feel Good Hit of The Summer – Queens of The Stone Age
- Feels Like Summer Again – The Wallflowers
- Flip Flop Summer – Kenny Chesney (2007)
- Girls In Their Summer Clothes – Bruce Springsteen (2007)
- Girls Of Summer – Aerosmith (2002)
- Green Leaves Of Summer – Brothers Four (1960)
- Groovy Summertime – The Love Generation (1967)
- Happy Summer Days – Ronnie Dove (1966)
- Happy Summer Time – R. Kelly
- Here Comes Summer – Jerry Keller (1959)
- Hot Fun In The Summertime – Sly & The Family Stone (1969)
- Hot Summer Day – It’s A Beautiful Day
- Hot Summer Day – Danny Kirwan
- Hot Summer Girls – Flash Cadillac & The Continental Kids
- Hot Summer Nights – Night (1979)
- Hot Summer Nights – Walter Egan
- How I Spent My Summer Vacation – Cheech & Chong (1974)
- Idiot Summer – Gin Blossoms
- In The Good Old Summer Time (?)
- In The Summertime – Mungo Jerry (1970)
- In The Summertime – Shaggy featuring Rayvon
- Indian Summer – Sidney Bechet
- Indian Summer – The Doors
- Indian Summer – Poco
- Indian Summer – Brooks & Dunn
- It’s Summer – The Temptations (1971)
- It’s Summertime – The Flaming Lips
- Jewel of the Summertime – Audioslave
- Last Summer – Lost Prophets
- Lazy Summer Night – The Four Preps (1958)
- Lonely Summer – Shades Of Blue (1966)
- Lonely Summer Nights – Stray Cats
- Long Hot Summer Night – Jimi Hendrix
- Long Summer Days – EMF
- Looking For The Summer – Chris Rea
- My Summer Love – Ruby & The Romantics (1963)
- On The Beach (In The Summertime) – The 5th Dimension (1970)
- One Summer Dream – Electric Light Orchestra
- One Summer Night – The Diamonds
- One Summer Night – The Danleers (1958)
- Our Last Summer – ABBA
- Picnic In The Summertime – Deee-Lite
- Rain In The Summertime – The Alarm (1987)
- Sausalito Summer Nights – Diesel (1981)
- Six-Pack Summer – Phil Vassar (2001)
- Soft Summer Breeze – Eddie Heywood (1956)
- Someone Somewhere In Summertime – Simple Minds
- Song For A Summer Night – Mitch Miller & His Gang (1956)
- Suddenly Last Summer – The Motels (1983)
- Summer – War (1976)
- Summer – John Denver
- Summer – Smashing Pumpkins
- Summer – Sum 41
- Summer (The First Time) – Bobby Goldsboro (1973)
- Summer Babe – Pavement
- Summer Breeze – Seals & Crofts (1972)
- Summer Breezin’ – Diana King
- Summer Cannibals – Patti Smith
- Summer Day – Dar Williams
- Summer Day – Sheryl Crow
- Summer Days – Bob Dylan
- Summer Days – Blackfoot
- Summer Fling – k. d. lang
- Summer Girl – Jessica Andrews (2005)
- Summer Girls – LFO (1999)
- Summer Holiday – Cliff Richard (1963)
- Summer Holiday – Chris Isaak
- Summer In Siam – The Pogues
- Summer In The City – The Lovin’ Spoonful (1966)
- Summer Lady – Santana
- Summer Love – Sherbet (1975)
- Summer Love – Justin Timberlake (2007)
- Summer Madness – Kool & The Gang
- Summer Means Fun – Bruce & Terry (1964)
- Summer Moved On – A-Ha
- Summer Nights – Marianne Faithfull (1965)
- Summer Nights – John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John [soundtrack from Grease] (1978)
- Summer Nights – Van Halen (1986)
- Summer Of ’69 – Bryan Adams (1985)
- Summer of Love – Melanie
- Summer of Love – Jefferson Airplane (1989)
- Summer of Love – The B-52’s (1985)
- Summer of Love – 311
- Summer Rain – Johnny Rivers (1967)
- Summer Rain – Belinda Carlisle
- Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song) – Incubus
- Summer Samba (So Nice) – Walter Wanderley (1966)
- Summer Sand – Tony Orlando & Dawn (1971)
- Summer Side of Life – Gordon Lightfoot
- Summer Soft – Stevie Wonder
- Summer Song – Joe Satriani (1992)
- Summer Souvenirs – Karl Hammel Jr. (1961)
- Summer Sunshine – The Corrs
- Summer Was A Bummer – Wade Hayes
- Summer Wind – Frank Sinatra (1966)
- Summer Wind – Desert Rose Band (1988)
- Summer Wine – Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood (1969)
- Summer’s Almost Gone – The Doors (1968)
- Summer’s Comin’ – Clint Black (1995)
- Summer’s End – Foo Fighters
- Summer’s Here – James Taylor (1981)
- Summer’s Gone – Paul Anka (1960)
- Summerday Sands – Jethro Tull
- Summertime – George Gershwin (?)
- Summertime – Billie Holiday (1936)
- Summertime – Sidney Bechet
- Summertime – Sam Cooke (1957)
- Summertime – Billy Stewart (1966)
- Summertime – Janis Joplin
- Summertime – DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (1991)
- Summertime – The Sundays (1997)
- Summertime – Kenny Chesney (2005)
- Summertime – Bon Jovi (2007)
- Summertime Blues – Eddie Cochran (1958)
- Summertime Blues – Blue Cheer (1968)
- Summertime Blues – The Who (1970)
- Summertime Blues – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts (1982)
- Summertime Blues – Alan Jackson (1994)
- Summertime Fever – Tracy Byrd
- Summertime Girls – Y & T (1985)
- Summertime Summertime – The Jamies (1958)
- Sunshine & Summertime – Faith Hill (2006)
- Sweet Summer Lovin’ – Dolly Parton
- That Summer – Garth Brooks (1993)
- That Sunday, That Summer – Nat King Cole (1963)
- The Boys Of Summer – Don Henley (1984)
- The Boys Of Summer – The Ataris (2003)
- The First Day of Summer – Tony Carey
- The Last Day of Summer – The Cure
- The Other Side of Summer – Elvis Costello
- The Summer – Yo La Tengo
- The Things We Did Last Summer – Shelley Fabares
- Theme From A Summer Place – Percy Faith & His Orchestra (1960)
- Theme From Summer Of ’42 – Peter Nero (1971)
- This Ain’t The Summer of Love – Blue Oyster Cult
- Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer – Nat King Cole (1963)
- What’s Gonna Happen When Summer’s Gone – Freddy Cannon
- Wombling Summer Party – The Wombles (1974)
- Wonderful Summer – Robin Ward (1963)
___________________________________________________________________________
Honorable Mention: Here are some other infectious songs of the season, however these do
not contain the word “summer” or “summertime” in the title but deserve a plug here anyway.
School’s Out (Alice Cooper), Soak Up The Sun (Sheryl Crow), The Rain The Park & Other Things (The Cowsills), Beach Baby (First Class), Vacation (Go Go’s), Lazy Day (Spanky & Our Gang), Groovin’ (The Rascals), Saturday In The Park (Chicago), See You In September (The Happenings), Dock Of The Bay (Otis Redding), Penny Lane (The Beatles), Fishing In The Dark (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), WipeOut (The Surfaris), Pipeline (The Chantays), Walking On Sunshine (Katrina & The Waves), Take It Easy (The Eagles), Drift Away (Dobie Gray & Uncle Kracker), Heads Carolina, Tails California (JoDee Messina), Chattahoochee (Alan Jackson), Pacific Coast Party (Smash Mouth),
Pinch Me (Barenaked Ladies), American Dream (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), Seminole Wind (John Anderson), Watermelon Crawl (Tracy Byrd), Too Much Fun ( Daryle Singletary), Sunshine On My Shoulders (John Denver), Dancing In The Streets (Martha & The Vandellas), Sunny Afternoon (The Kinks), School Is Out (Gary US Bonds), Palisades Park (Freddy Cannon), Beach Party (Annette Funicello), Centerfield (John Fogerty), Vacation (Connie Francis), Girl Watcher (The O’Kaysions), etc, etc, etc….
There are also several artists who have multiple songs reminiscent of summertime such as The Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, The Drifters, The Rascals, Chicago, America, Jimmy Buffett, Bob Marley, Lovin’ Spoonful, The Monkees, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Dick Dale & The Deltones, etc…
Any additional songs or input are always welcome and encouraged. Did I leave out any of your favorite summer songs? – Let me know with a comment below.
Your comments are also encouraged as well as suggestions for futures “theme” lists.
What are your favorite summer song memories?

Filed under: Song Lists, Summertime | Tagged: song list, songs about, songs about summer, summer, summer songs, summer tunes, Summertime, summertime music, summertime songs, sun, sunshine | 3 Comments »