Almost anything by the Push Kings. Or Tullycraft.

I second the nomination for Tullycraft, especially "Beat Surf Fun."

For me it's the first B-52s release. I spent many a mid-1980s summertime afternoon cruising around in my sister's brown Reliant K blasting that cassette.

That would've been right around the time this happened (even though it's from a different record):

I have a sunny day walk mix! Because I cannot drive yet!

We Are The Sleepyheads - Belle and Sebastian
The Birds and the Bees - Patrick and Eugene
Spectacular Views - Rilo Kiley
Popsickle - Starlight Mints
Pretty Eyes - Mirah
The Nature Anthem - Granddaddy

Oh Kiku, that's so CUTE!!!

Kevin Cole has gotten in on the Solstice summer song fun, and is taking requests on KEXP right now. Current song: "Hot Fun in the Summertime."

anything by supergrass

I always go for Archer Prewitt's In the Sun, a perfect summer record if ever there was one.

You can't go wrong with the Dazed and Confused soundtrack. It will always remind me of the last day of school.

I've had Pharcyde's "summertime" in my head the last few days, I think I'll email a request to Kevin!

The first two Fountains of Wayne albums always get thrown into my roadtripping cycle, with heavier play on the self-titled. Can't stand their new pop crap, though.

I can't believe this is the 10th comment and no one has said "Summertime" by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. It is THE summer song.

I mentioned Pharcyde's "summertime" (pharcyde..sublime... whatever..), but actually just remembered an even better Pharcyde summer song:

I'm going with anything by the B-52's and The Beatles. 'Good Day Sunshine' & 'Here Comes the Sun' are musts!

The All Girl Summer Fun Band!

This is a little embarrassing and shows my age...but my summer guilty pleasure song to listen to in the car with the windows down is Don Henley's Boys of Summer..

Well, of course, there's "Soul Meets Body" by Death Cab... but I also like this new east side band called Isenheart. It's all summmery and happy and golden and full of love.

i've put a ridiculous amount of thought into this (read: my friend and i made 5 CDs worth of summer music); here are some excerpts

the shins - phantom limb
the monkees - daydream believer
LFO - summer girls
polaris - hey sandy
the lightning seeds - change
third eye blind - semi-charmed life OR never let you go

Okay, I noticed that no one has any butt rock out there, so just to be unique, here goes - Def Leppard's Pyromania.

Oh yeah, two groups that i've always associated with summer, for some reason, are Luna (especially "Bewitched") and A Tribe Called Quest (especially "Midnight Marauders").

Also: Super Furry Animals, Gay Dad, and Pat Benatar.

Come summer, I always have 2 l.p.'s that I will listen to without fail. If I don't listen to them, summer officially doesn't happen:
the Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
the Ataris - Blue Skies, Broken Hearts...Next 12 Exits [don't laugh]

I'm driving down to North Carolina after work today with an old bandmate for the Smashing Pumpkins shows at the Orange Peel in Asheville. 12 hours, and all we're bringing (as is the typical for these long, ill-conceived road trips) is Tom Waits' early stuff, Amon Tobin, and the Allman Brothers.

The greatest summertime road trip song of all time is Tom Waits' "Ol' 55"--with the windows down, the A/C off, and all the freeways, cars, and trucks.

Warmer Corners by The Lucksmiths is one of my favorite summer albums...

I always listen to The Halo Benders The Rebels Not In on the first day it hits 70 degrees outside. Automatic For The People is good for sticky summer nights.

Agreed Jen, especially the second side. 'Find the River' is the night-time summer anthem

so far this summer i have been super rockin portland homeboy, YACHT's new album, I Believe In You, Your Magic Is Real.

a recent discovery to me, but loving it from last year, this year's summer jam album: Light In The Attic's Jamaica to Toronto: Soul, Funk & Reggae compilation

also, my mp3 driving cross country with the windows down jam of the summer, lindsay buckingham - holiday road (click here to download)

love you ladies,
xoxo

Rick's Mid-June All Summer Fun Mix:

1. TIDAL WAVE / Apples In Stereo
Because let's face it: Everything AIS does is hilarious and happy and makes you hyper and happy.

2. HOW MANY TIMES / Beatnik Termites
Every single Beatnik Termites song sounds like the soundtrack to a punk rock Annette Funicello movie. And that's a good thing.

3. BEEP BEEP / The Automatics
Not summer-specific, but a minute-and-a-half of cuteness, and a good transition to...

4. WILD SUMMER WOW! / Bunnygrunt
Of course, anything by Bunnygrunt is summer-perfect, but this has the wa-waoo that goes well with something cute like lemonade.

5. EXTRA-ORDINARY / Dressy Bessy
Again, not specifically summer, but great and a good way to transition to...

6. PEAQUOD / The Hi-Fives
I dare you to listen to this while driving. You WILL step on it, while bouncing up and down and singing along. And while you're at it:

7. I NEED A VACATION / The Smugglers
Somewhere between the crazy bassline and the backing vocals and the, "I JUST WANNA GO / ALL OVER THE WORLD!", this song actually equals summertime.

8. BANNED FROM TEEN ARTS / None More Black
Because really, it can't all be cute. And "I was born in New Jersey" is just fun to sing along with.

9. MUTANT OUTRAGE / The Truents
At this point the mix has gone from cute to upbeat and singalong-y, so this goes in just to keep the energy level up. Plus, wow, what a great two-minute song (though the wanky guitar part in the middle kinda stinks)

10. FOR THE GIRL / The Fratellis
la la la la la-la-la-la LA! Don't fall for that 'Flathead' nonsense. This is far and away the best tune on that album, and perfect for driving fast(er)

11. AFTER MIDNIGHT / Thee Milkshakes
Since we're in the semi-lo-fi part of the mix, in goes the bounciest, happiest Billy Childish song ever.

12. WITHOUT YOU / The Exploding Hearts
There's just a hint on some kind of keys in there, and despite this entire album making me kinda sad, this is awfully summetime. Plus, they mention Seattle.

13. WILD BIKINI / Tullycraft
Let's face it: Just about anything by Tullycraft is perfect for summertime-slash-driving, but any song that includes "Dashboard light martinis" is the Best Song Ever.

14. LAST PLACE YOU LOOK / Get Up Kids
So yeah, suddenly the mix takes a weird left turn. From the cute to the sorta-morose, but this song (like so many GUK songs) is all about going and coming back and winter and next year and really, it just has to go on there.

15. I JUST DO / Go Sailor
So yeah, "Last Year" would compliment the last song more ("The smell of January makes me think of / This time last year when we were both so in love..."), But this particular song is why I'm in love with Rose Melberg and this is my mix tape, so shuddup.

16. 38 CALAMET / Jejune
Just kinda how any mix should end: "We'll be back in early spring / UNless this van decides to blow."

Honrable Mention:

When Summer's Over Will We Dream Of Spring / Cursive
Because it's the (second) best track on one of the (very) best albums ever recorded, and it mentions summer. But this is a late-November record. Too glum to listen to when it's sunny.

You know Rick, I really wish you'd put a bit more thought into your posts before you blog them, sheesh! ;)

heh heh.

I'll uh, burn a copy of that for you now.

Having now gone driving around during the summer this weekend, I can attest to two more summerfuntime bands I forgot:

Soul Coughing (especially anything from Ruby Vroom)
Ted Leo/Pharmacists (especially Hearts of Oak)

the Ataris! well played...Blue Skies is a perfect choice, i'll defend you against anyone who laughs

the Panda Conspiracy, Lunar Migration. Pretty much the whole album. Next time you are in going somewhere on a hot day crank it up in your car and you will see what I am talking about.