Music Contest - Small, Crappy, Prize!!

If there was a 12 step program for music junkies I would need to join.  Mind you, I am not a music trivia expert ... I just like music, a lot!  Briefcase tells people that the "best gift" he ever gave me was my first iPod and he means it.  He will list other gifts he's given me over the years like vaccuum cleaners weekend trips, cleaning products, sex toys the size of dinosaur appendages jewelry, hairy neon-colored sweaters, etc., and then state that none have been appreciated as much as my iPod.  He's right.  

I confess ... I've now gone through several iPods.  Not because I want or need the latest and greatest gadget, but because my music library keeps outgrowing my storage capacity.  Finally, last Mother's Day, I received the iPod Classic which holds more songs than I think even I could ever own.  I imagine it will break or get lost long before I ever fill it to capacity.  My problem now is trying to organize all the music I have.  With at least 2,100 songs to organize the task seems overwhelming.

I have a wide variety of musical tastes.  I listen to a lot of the same music as my teens.  I also love all the old classic rock.  My iPod runs the gamut from alternative, rock, pop, jazz, R&B and yes, even rap.  Embarassingly enough, I have Elvis and Kanye West on some of the same playlists. 

I have a "Summer Playlist" that currently has 125 songs on it.  They are songs that are about summer (Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffett, LFO etc.) or remind me of summer because I listened to them a lot in past summer's.  This is the playlist I listen to as I'm driving to and from the beach or sitting out by the pool.  The problem is, 125 summer songs are not enough.  (This is where my addiction becomes evident!)  I need more.   

I am turning to you for suggestions.  I know a lot of my readers are lurkers.  Yeah, I mean you, the shy ones who read but don't comment.  I need help and I'm hoping you'll step out of your comfort zone, click on the "comment" button at the end of this post and help me out.  What is your favorite summer song?  Or if you have several, feel free to list them.  They don't have to be about summer, they can just remind you of summer.  I'm hoping you'll help me come up with a lot of new songs to download onto my "summer" playlist. 

To help motivate you, I am offerring a prize!  I wish I could give you a Zune like Pioneer Woman.  Or fame, like Dooce.  But folks - I am a newbie blogger.  I have no sponsors and I can't give you any such shit.  I can, however, offer a $25 iTunes gift card to the winner.

Here are the rules of my oh-so-simple contest.  All you have to do is leave a comment listing at least one suggested song for my summer playlist.  Remember, the song does not have to have lyrics actually referring to summer.  It can just be a great song to listen to during the summer.  You may enter more than once if you want and/or you may list multiple songs under one comment.  The contest is open until 7 p.m. Pacific Time this Wednesday, July 16th.  I will put names on slips of paper and have Briefcase randomly pick one out of a hat.  The winner will receive an iTunes gift card worth $25.  (Even if you don't use iTunes yourself you can give it as a gift!)  If you want to leave song suggestions, but don't want to be in the contest  you can let me know that when you leave your comment.  I will announce the winner on either Friday, July 18th or Monday, July 21st depending on the insanity of my week.

Comments

[alntv]

Now THIS is my kind of contest! YES! I wanna win! I wanna win!!!

Okay...here ya go until I start thinking of more songs...

Songs With Summer In The Title:
Don Henley - Boys Of Summer
Will Smith - Summertime
Fountains Of Wayne - It Must Be Summer
Frank Sinatra - The Summer Wind
Justin Timberlake - Summer Love
Blonde Redhead - Spring And By Summer Fall
Bruce Springsteen-Girls In Their Summer Clothes
Bryan Adams - Summer Of '69
Joe Satriani - Summer Song
The Raveonettes - Noisy Summer

Non-Summer Songs That Remind Me Of Summer:
Tom Petty - Change Of Heart
Prince - Pop Life
Michael Stanley Band - He Can't Love You
Boston - More Than A Feeling
REO Speedwagon - Anything Off "High Infidelity"
The Cars - Magic
Gordon Lightfoot - Carefree Highway
Carolina Liar - I'm Not Over (my pick for best summer hit this year!)
Oingo Boingo - Dead Man's Party
Heavy D - Now That We Found Love
Guns N Roses - think About You
The Outfield - Your Love
The Cure - Just Like Heavan...

Is this enough? 'Cause I CAN go on...

[alntv]

Crap...forgot Weezer's "Island In The Sun", The Beatles "Good Day Sunshine", Lupe Fiasco's "Sunshine", Simply Red's "Sunrise" and Alexander O'Neal's "Sunshine"...

[Lynn K.]

I got a 30 gig Ipod video last year for my birthday. I love it. I have just over 1000 songs on it, over 200 being Christmas songs. I swear you are my twin though....I also have a summer playlist, yes called summer, that has Jimmy Buffet, beach boys, Club Trini and some Bob Marley. I'll have to check my list and see what I can suggest, but my favoarites are Jimmy Buffet....the Volcano Song (have to sing along) and Banana Wind (just a really cool insttrumental).

And I just bought 30 songs off Itunes 2 weeks ago....I think a gift card is a great prize! So, I'll be back with more comments : )

[Janie]

No ipod summer playlist is complete without Kenny Chesney's "Summertime" "When The Sun Goes Down" & last but not least "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems".
I'm an iPod/iPhone junkie and listen to music all the time.

[danielo]

I start my cycling playlist (what's more summer than a bike ride?) with "Breathe" by Telepopmusik. Great rhythm to get my cadence down.

[jo]

I'm also a music junkie...my ipod nano has enabled me to keep listening regularly.....seemed to get away from it over the last few years. I love all music except opera....gets on my nerves for some reason. Over the recent years I have been drawn to music with a Celtic flavor, especially New England contradance-style music. I have been trying to teach myself to play the banjo...if I had time fiddle would be next on list. My living room now consists of a piano, violin, flute, bass clarinet, clarinet, trumpet, two acoustic guitars and one Fender Strat. Yes, we love music.
Anyhow, all time favorite summertime tune....Doobie Brothers: China Grove....followed by B-52's: Love Shack. Favorite contradance music...Airdance (Rodney Miller)....great for running.

[Joan]

My all-time summer favorite is "Hot Fun in the Summertime" by Sly and the Family Stone... closely followed by "Break My Stride" by Blue Lagoon (not the extended version). And "Love Shack" never fails to put me in a happy summertime mood! I keep meaning to make myself some playlists but haven't gotten any further than scribbles on Post-Its. Low-tech, eh?

[EricaB]

I just posted something VERY similar...though there is no contest (sorry). I LOVE my MP3 player and music is so important in my life. During tough times (like the one I am going through right now) I put the headphones on full blast, drown out the world and whatever is going on in my head.

ANYWAY, my very favorite latest summer song is "All Summer Long" by Kid Rock.

Come comment on my blog your 10 "must have" songs...or more than 10. I recently "splurged" and bought myself a $30 ITunes card. It really is a splurge for me and I want every suggestion I can get so I make the best purchases possible :)

[Romi]

How about,

Walk This Way/Aerosmith

For What It's Worth/Buffalo Springfield

God Only Knows/The Beach Boys

Smells Like Teen Spirit/Nirvana

ABC/Jackson Five

Soldier of Love/Donny Osmond

Big Ten Inch Record/Ted Nugent

[Channah]

"Summertime Blues" - but I like the Who's cover of this one.
"What was I thinkin'" by Dirks Bentley
"Vacation" by the Go-Gos.

[Channah]

Oh yeah, and "Downtown" by Petula Clark.

Anything by Jan and Dean.

And of course, anything by the Beach Boys (I like "Kokomo").

[A Lurker.... ;)]

Love Song by Sarah Bareilles

I'm Yours by Jason Mraz (or anything else from his new CD)

Plenty more too....but these from the top of my head. Love reading your adventures.

[jo]

another favorite that reminds me of summer.....
Magic Carpet Ride...Steppenwolf!

[Miss Britt]

Anything by Prince.

Anything.

[Kelly]

I love Dancin' In The Moonlight, Summer Breeze, Sunglasses at Night, The Heat is On (glenn frey) and Ventura Highway.

[RGP]

If you haven't listened to Gogol Bordello yet, then I highly suggest you give them a try. Great get up and go music which to me is necessary in summer heat!

Also, "Ramblin' Man" by the Allman Brothers and "New Soul" by Yael Naim. Some great summery tunes!

Good luck on your playlist!

[Lurker (again)]

Also, the Free Fallin' cover by John Mayer. My fiance kinda rolls his eyes a bit, but I like it. :)

[Lurker]

Embarassing to comment 3 times, but I think this is the last one that I'll add (at least today) :)

Pocketful of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield

Very Summer and upbeat.

[niv]

Enjoy the silence - Depeche mode.
Hella good - no doubt
Ready to go - Republica
My sharona - The knack
Cannonball - The breeders

[joan]

Me again. How could I have forgotten "Dancing in the Moonlight"? And my favorite summer album is "Gratitude" by Earth, Wind and Fire. I think my age is showing...

[EricaB]

Last night, after posting my top 10 absolutely necessary songs, I can up with a few more:

One Headlight - Wallflowers (Jacob Dylan is YUMMY)

Handle With Care - Traveling Wilburys

Summertime - Fresh Prince (aka Will Smith)

Summer Love - Justin Timberlake

And while we are discussing JTs...

Fire and Rain - James Taylor

I'm sure I will be back for more...I love this!

Thanks for your blog comment...yes, indeed, time to start a private blog.

[Lynn K.]

I really, really like reggae music and nothing reminds me of summer more than some steel drums.

"Club Trini" is great steel drum and piano band. I like all their songs, so I can't pick just one. They also headline for Jimmy Buffet here and there.

Okay, and how about
"come sail away" - styx
"beyond the sea" - kevin spacey
"somewhere over the rainbow" - IZ
"calypso jam" - Barrage
"vahevala" - kenny loggins
"life is a highway" - tom cochrane

I'll be back later : ) I have to get some work done. And listen to some music now too.

[Joanne]

In The Summertime, 1970 by Mungo Jerry is my all time favorite
"Sunshine" by Roy Ayres of his "yellow ball" ALBUM ( a long time ago)
The remix(sunshine) is not half as cool.
Beatles "Here comes the sun"
any beachboys track.Especially "wouldn't it be nice"

[alntv]

Had to come back for even MORE songs!

Van Halen - Why Can't This Be Love?
Ringo Starr - Photograph
Bob Seger - Mainstreet
a-Ha - Take On me
The English Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom
Del Shannon - Runaway
REM - I Am Superman
Sammy Hagar - Two Sides Of Love
Lobo - Me & You And A Dog Named Boo
Elvis Costello - Every Day I Write The Book
Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
The Dream - Fast Car
Prince - When Doves Fly
Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime
Sir Douglas Quartet - Mendicino

And I might have more tomorrow...

[Joanne]

here is a link to the Mungo Jerry song. I forgot how weird we looked back then!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm6dPae09s0

[Beth]

Beach Baby by First Class
Pleasant Valley Sunday by the Monkeys
Afternoon Delight by ???
Pretty much all Abba
Evermore - The Irish Rovers

[Beth]

Forgot one - America by Neil Diamond

[Bev]

I love anything by ZZ Top. Sharp Dressed Man makes me want to dance!!

Here are some from my pod:

Walk this way...Aerosmith
Sister Golden Hair...America
Ventura Highway...America
Same old love...Anita Baker
Freeway of Love...Aretha!!
Old time rock and roll..Bob Seger
Livin on a prayer...bon jovi
Let's give em something to talk about...Bonnie Raitt
Summer of '69...Bryan Adams
Suite Judy Blue Eyes..Crosby,Stills
Hello I love you...Doors
What a wonderful world..Louis
Armstrong
Take the Highway...Marshall Tucker
In the Living Years..Mike & the
Mechanics

I have over 1,500 songs. I could go on ad nauseum.

B