# Suggest your swanky summer songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 12, 2005, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704 "2005-08-12T07:57:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jellyblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@jellyblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellyblue)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/1 "2005-08-12T07:57:21Z")
…for my Farewell to Summer Soiree. I’m having a cocktail party Labor Day weekend and want to put together some music for it. Here’s what I have so far: Bewitched - Peggy Lee Girl from Ipanema - Walter Wanderley Ain’t That A Kick In The Head - Dean Martin That Old Black Magic - Louis Prima & Keely Smith The Pink Panther Theme - Hollywood Studio Orchestra Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody - Louis Prima Band of Gold – Freda Payne Mack the Knife Dancin’ in the Moonlight – King Harvest Summer Wind – Sinatra Hot Fun in the Summertime – Sly & the Family Stone California Dreaming What’s Up Pussycat – Tom Jones Summertime – Billy Holiday Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffet Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran So, fellow Dopers, what would you want to listen to as you downed your last martini of the summer? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/2 "2005-08-12T10:20:48Z")
Our household default summer album is Pink Martini’s _Sympathique_. Of note: “Amado Mio,” “Brazil,” “Donde Estas, Yolanda?”, and the rest of the album (as well as their second one, _Hang On, Little Tomato_) is excellent as well. ---
**Author:** ![RitzyRae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@RitzyRae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitzyRae)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/3 "2005-08-12T17:10:16Z")
_A Summer Song_ – Chad and Jeremy and try Michael Buble’s version of _Summer Wind_, too. I adore it! ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/4 "2005-08-12T17:19:28Z")
The theme from **A Summer Place** as well as the theme from **Summer of '42**. For the record, I would have given my virginity to Jennifer O’Neil in a nanosecond. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/5 "2005-08-12T17:34:36Z")
“Summer In the City” by Lovin’ Spoonful? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/6 "2005-08-12T18:30:01Z")
Nat King Cole **That Sunday, That Summer** Newborn whipoorwhills were callin’ out their skills… ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/7 "2005-08-12T18:38:47Z")
Boys of Summer, by Don Henley. ---
**Author:** ![Winnie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e480ec/32.png) [@Winnie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winnie)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/8 "2005-08-12T18:39:21Z")
**Summer Breeze** by Seals and Croft ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/9 "2005-08-12T18:40:14Z")
“Suddenly, Last Summer” by the Motels? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/10 "2005-08-12T18:51:19Z")
_The Summer Knows_ – Michel Legrand from **Summer of 42** _The Things We Did Last Summer_ – no specific artist to recommend _Early Autumn_ – anybody’s version will work – ideal for this time of year _Summer Samba_ – also known as _So Nice_ – Sergio Mendes among others ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/11 "2005-08-12T20:50:34Z")
“Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer” – Nat King Cole And even though it’s not “swanky” in the sense of the Rat Pack or 50’s-60’s lounge, you could put on side 2 of [Something Else](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:8sq8g4gttv1z) by The Kinks (beginning with “Love Me Till the Sun Shines” and it would be perfect. Those are beautiful, elegaic, elegantly crafted songs about summer, sunshine, some sort of ending, or a combination of the above. The whole album’s an absolute gem. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/12 "2005-08-12T20:53:22Z")
_:: Looks over preceding suggestions, confused ::_ Ohhhh. S_w_anky. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/13 "2005-08-12T20:59:58Z")
Ummm… try “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” by B.J. Thomas and “The Fool on The Hill” by Sergio Mendes and Brazil '66 and Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World.” **jellyblue.** I’ve never even heard of Walter what’s his name – what’s wrong with “The Girl From Ipanema” by Austrud Gilberto and Stan Getz??? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/14 "2005-08-12T21:06:32Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Ummm… try “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” by B.J. Thomas and “The Fool on The Hill” by Sergio Mendes and Brazil '66 and Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World.” > > **jellyblue.** I’ve never even heard of Walter what’s his name – what’s wrong with “The Girl From Ipanema” by Austrud Gilberto and Stan Getz??? Walter Wanderley played organ and did at least one album backing Astrud Gilberto. Nice bossa nova sound. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/15 "2005-08-12T21:11:22Z")
Just a piece of Stan Getz trivia. When he was in the Woody Herman band (where he became one of the Four Brothers at one point) Getz’s solo over the Ralph Burns chart of _Summer Sketches_ later got recorded as _Early Autumn_ and Johnny Mercer provided lyrics to it. It was a big hit for Herman and was associated with Getz for most of his career, even after the bossa nova splash. Mercer’s lyrics were eerily evocative of the dying days of the big band era. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/16 "2005-08-12T21:19:48Z")
> [@Tracy Lord](#): > > Our household default summer album is Pink Martini’s _Sympathique_. Of note: “Amado Mio,” “Brazil,” “Donde Estas, Yolanda?”, and the rest of the album (as well as their second one, _Hang On, Little Tomato_) is excellent as well. Wow, beaten to the punch in one post. Here’s another vote for Pink Martini! Also of note: - Marc Cohn’s _Silver Thunderbird_ - Barenaked Ladies _Enid_ or _Little Tiny Song_ (great filler, that one) - Phish’s _Lawn Boy_ - Pretty much anything from Me First and the Gimme Gimmes’ album “Blow in the Wind” (punk covers of 60s folk tunes) - Vince Guaraldi’s _Linus and Lucy_ - Anything that fits the mood by Brubeck - They Might Be Giants’ _Dr. Worm_ (dig those HORNS, baby) - Beth Orton’s _Carmella_ - …almost anything by Cake, but _Short Skirt / Long Jacket_ and _Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps_ come to mind. - Beck sings great summer songs; try _Guero_, _Girl_ (“my summer girl”), and _Tropicalia_. - “The West Wing” viewers may appreciate Ronny Jordan’s _The Jackal_ – probably the swankiest song here. If your crowd isn’t paying attention to the lyrics, or if you really do want a menage a trois with two of your guests, then Snake River Conspiracy’s _You and Your Friend_ is plenty… slinky. Maybe not “swanky” but very slinky. ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/17 "2005-08-12T22:28:06Z")
More swank: “A Summer Wasting” and “Asleep on a Sunbeam” – Belle & Sebastian “Cold Beverage” – G Love and Special Sauce “Indian Summer” – Britta Phillips & Dean Wareham “Beach Party Tonight” and “Season of the Shark” – Yo La Tengo “It’s Summertime” – The Flaming Lips “Here Comes the Sun” – The Beatles Not so swank but still summer: “AFK” – Pinback (Do you remember the summer in Abaddon?) "Summer Babe (Winter Version) – Pavement ---
**Author:** ![jellyblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@jellyblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellyblue)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2005, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/18 "2005-08-13T16:42:06Z")
Wow, thanks for all the suggestions, everybody! **Askia** : I don’t know who Walter Wanderly is either, but thanks to **Zeldar** for that stellar explanation 🙂 . **Jurph** : No! No threesomes! Just me and my intended in bed after the guests leave, thanks very much. Getting a tad old for THAT kind of action…I’m going to have to listen all the same, though. Slinky, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/19 "2005-08-13T21:57:41Z")
Summertime - Sublime ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704/20 "2005-08-13T22:01:00Z")
I love Marianne Faithfull’s _Summer Nights_. It has a very '60s sound to it, so maybe I love it because it reminds me of my youth. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-your-swanky-summer-songs/316704.md?page=2)