I grew up with three very different summers - Saudi Arabia (hot and dry), Hong Kong (hot and damp), and England (rainy, grey, often cold, miserable). So my summer soundtrack is full of energetic numbers that force you to get up and dance like a loon (either because they remind me of the great mood a sunny day can put you in, or because of the memories of dancing to keep warm - ah, good ol' British summertime!), and a couple of bittersweet songs which remind me summer has to come to an end at some point, so I should make the most of it!
U2's Stuck in a Moment
This song was something of an anthem during my university finals. The chorus lines 'You've got to get yourself together/You've got stuck in a moment, now you can't get out of it' gave me the kick in the pants I needed to get down to some serious revision. It's not an especially summery song, but it takes me back to that June, and the relief when I put a full stop at the end of my final paper!
Michael Jackson's Don't Stop Til You Get Enough
Summer wouldn't be summer without the late, great MJ. I hardly know where to start - but perhaps the beginning, as Maria Von Trapp says, is best, so I'll pick an early tune, Don't Stop Til You Get Enough, for its irresistible disco beat. If you like this, you won't be able to stop for a long time: you can never get enough of MJ!
Curtis Mayfield's Move On Up