7 summer songs

a blogger friend of mine - ill mami - posted her seven summer songs of 08 and then she CHALLENGED me to do the same ... so the tape above plays the 7 songs that came to my mind when she said SuMMER (stop the page music and click on the tape and it will play or use the other player below)... here's the rundown:

1) august day song by bebel gilberto: duh --- AUGUST ... i also associate this whole genre of music (bassanova, brazillian modern pop jazz etc) with hot days ... samba, drums, brasil ... it's summer all year round there ya dig.

2) love come down by evelyn champagne king: what?! classic. it just makes me think of summer love ... in summer all love is possible. it also makes me think of summer house parties that happened before i was born.

3) planet rock by afrikaa bambaataa and the soulsonic force: breakin on cardboard was more of a summer activity ... it's too cold to be doin that shit in the winter in nyc. sooooo, this is ultimate summer hip hop to me ... it is the foundation for bootyshake which put daisy dukes on the map ... see how it's all connected? poppin- lockin-bootyshake-bootyshorts-and hot NY concrete in the summer ...

4) summer rain by carl thomas: another no-brainer. hot summer lovin in the steamin rain ... summer don't get no better.

5) suffering & smiling by fela kuti: this may just be me but when i think of summer i often think of african street festivals ... odunde in philly ... afrikan street festival in bed stuy ... where they put the lemonade in a tupperware container ... and the fried chicken wings or vegan tofu blah blah is erywhere ... summer is when we take a break from our slavery ... and this song is all about how to smile through your suffering. so summer.

6) mainstream by outkast: hear the water splashing? i designate this as a summer song cuz it reminds me of fishing. hot, hazy days by the river throwing a line out ... or on a boat in the middle of the bay with the sun blazing on your fishing hat ... the music and lyrics also make me think of swimming ... of course outkast and goodie m.o.b. are only talking about streams METAPHORICALLY ... but the track and the vibe is all SUMMER to me. never mind that the content is dope as well.

7) thin by the underwolves: this is an underground joint i learned about from dj rich medina many moons ago. but i love it and it is a summer classic. if you can't understand the lyrics what she's saying is "on this thi-i-i-in summer's day." if you wanna come by my way ... i immediately picture 'around the way' and being from brooklyn that means brownstone stoops when the block is hot ... and young teenage lovers walking each other home ... in the summertime.