A KOOL Day for Music Summer Special pt. 1

With summer in full swing, a special summertime KOOL Day for Music. Compiling a list of songs that made it onto somebody’s playlist that brings to mind the lazy, hazy days of summers long ago (In no particular order).

The Jammies

Summertime, Summertime (1958)

The Jammies were a singing group from Boston, Mass who recorded their biggest hit in the Doo-Wop music style complete with acappella harmonies. Even though, they recorded several songs after this hit the charts, they couldn’t generate the amount of success as this did. The group even re-released the song in 1962, where it made another respectable position. The song came back later with versions from The Fortunes, Jan & Dean, Sha Na Na and the Doodletown Pipers as well as being used for television ad campaigns.

Johnny Rivers

Summer Rain (1967)

After recording cover songs and ballads for his own record label, Soul City Records, Rivers wanted to stretch his musical legs in a different direction. Deciding to embark into the psychodelic genre, he recorded this song that is considered to be his 6th greatest international hot that reached into the American Top 20

Sly & The Family Stone

Hot Fun In The Summertime (1970)

The song was released shortly after their memorable set during the Woodstock Music Festival which helped gain fans for a new audience. The song seems to be dedicated to summer fun, but if you listen closer, the song reveals layers of sadness and disappointment from the race riots of 1969. The song peaked at number one on the Soul Music chart, but was kept out the number one spot on the pop charts by ‘Cant Get Next To You’ by the Temptations.

Part 2 next time.