Playlist: Songs of Summer (2013 Edition)

 
Hand-Painted Production Cel From the Memorable
Opening Sequence of Snoopy Come Home (1972)

Image Courtesy of Tracy Cochran
PEANUTS © 2013 PEANUTS Worldwide, LLC

It's only four weeks into Summer 2013, and temperatures across the U.S.A. have heated up considerably... it's my favorite time of year, and the best place to enjoy these days is among the sand and surf. Whether you swim, sail, surf, or bask in the sun, here are some summer playlist suggestions with a beach-going theme. Sampling the songs below will help discover some new tracks to incorporate into your own perfect summer playlist.

 

Beach Goers Flank the Shoreline Off California's Historic Santa Monica Pier

Photo © by Dan Cunningham

There's a fun variety of lesser-known, but perfect beach songs suggested (and believe it or not, The Beach Boys aren't included this time around.) What's listed is a blend of old and new audio, sure to set the mood for getting sand in one's shoes.

 

Remember to Apply Sunscreen With an SPF of at Least 15

Image © & Courtesy of Bridge to Beauty

A new track that sounds old by The Young Veins prompt you to take a vacation, Cayucas provides a look at those brief summer romances, then the crunchy, garage sounds of Surfer Blood and Vivian Girls will get you in the water. Tennis returns to the playlists with the title track from Cape Dory, and we get something perfect to cruise around to courtesy of The Ramones and (of course) Annette Funicello.

Original One-Sheet Poster for Bikini Beach (1964)

Starring Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon

Image Courtesy of Burning Settler's Cabin

As in previous posts, the 9th song is a FREE MP3 download to get you started, and this song is something special, not available on CD or digital download. If the surfing beagle at the top of this post stirred up any memories, it might give you a clue... the downloadable MP3 is "At The Beach" from the 1972 animated feature Snoopy Come Home.

The World Famous Surf Pro Takes to the Waves

August 6, 1965 Peanuts Daily Comic Strip by Charles M. Schulz

PEANUTS © 2013 PEANUTS Worldwide, LLC

While Vince Guaraldi's jazz stylings will always be foremost associated with the music of animated PEANUTS projects, Charles M. Schulz and Producer Lee Mendelson chose the songwriting team of Richard and Robert Sherman (Mary Poppins, Winnie The Pooh, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Charlotte's Web) to write and compose the songs for the second PEANUTS feature film.

 Legendary American Songwriters

Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman (Circa 1972)

Image Courtesy of npr.org

On a roll after their Oscar-winning decade at Walt Disney Productions, the Sherman Brothers produced a memorable set of songs that fit perfectly into Schulz's world: fun, poignant, glorious, and sometimes just outright sad. Like the PEANUTS comic strip, the family film never talked down to the audience—Snoopy Come Home is considered one of the finest animated PEANUTS projects ever produced. "At The Beach" sparkles with expert wordplay by the Sherman Brothers, and the light, catchy tune paints a picture of a summer's day we'd all surely like to play in.

 

Album Art for Summer 2013 Playlist Suggestions

Each song listed below is available on Amazon.com and iTunes. As usual, direct links to albums for both stores are provided below the description of each song, where you can listen to audio samples and purchase those that you might want to use to create your own beach-bound playlist. Please note: I don't get a piece of the profits if you make a purchase—the links are there to make things easy. While sampling, you might discover some new favorites in the process.

Sage Wisdom From Jeff Spicoli:

"All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I'm fine."

Take A Vacation!
Artist: The Young Veins
Album: Take A Vacation!
Amazon  |  iTunes

Beach Party
Artist: Annette Funicello
Album: Annette's Beach Party
Amazon  |  iTunes

A Summer Thing

Artist: Cayucas
Album: Bigfoot
Amazon  |  iTunes 

Cape Dory
Artist: Tennis
Album: Cape Dory
Amazon  |  iTunes

King of the Beach
Artist: Wavves
Album: King of the Beach
Amazon  |  iTunes

Surfin' Away
Artist: Vivian Girls
Album: Surf's Up—Single
Amazon  |  iTunes

Swim

Artist: Surfer Blood

Album: Astro Coast
Amazon  |  iTunes

Rockaway Beach
Artist: The Ramones

Album: Weird Tales Of The Ramones (1976-1996) (Digital Version)
Amazon  |  iTunes

At The Beach
Writers/Composers: Richard M. & Robert B. Sherman
Artist: Studio Orchestra and Chorus
Album: Snoopy Come Home Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

CLICK HERE FOR FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD

"At The Beach" © 1972 Sony/CBS Records and Cinema Center Films. Audio file intended for historical and entertainment purposes only, and not intended for resale or commercial release. I Can Break Away does not promote, advocate or approve of music piracy. If you hold the copyrights for the music track promoted here and would like your song file removed, please contact me and it will be removed within 24 hours.