There’s something inherent to the summer season that requires different music to go along with it. It might be the fact that the warm weather lends itself to lots of open air concerts and festivals. Maybe it’s the cliché summer flings or some overplayed song you hear everywhere on your vacation abroad that keeps taking you back to that time. I don’t know, but I like the idea of summer being different. It’s calmer, I don’t have classes to deal with, the days are longer and there’s more time to go to baseball games and concerts.
Last summer was tough for a whole bunch of reasons and music helped me through it. I listened to Limón y Sal by Julieta Venegas more times than I care to admit. I also got more familiar with new-to-me music like Chetes, los Bunkers, Instituto Mexicano del Sonido and Maneja Beto. Some of the individual songs that come to mind from last summer are:
- “Canto Funebre” by Maneja Beto
- “First of the Gang to Die” by Morrissey
- “Happy” by Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins
- “Se Fue el Dolor” by Chetes
- “Un Pato” by Natalia y la Forquetina
- “Cumbia de Mole” by Lila Downs
I’m not sure if any of those fit the summer music prototype, but they worked for me and that’s all that matters.
La pregunta: What songs will be playing on your summer soundtrack?
Hmm…Here’s my list for the last week or so: Something (Sam Prekop), So here we are (bloc party), Wouldn’t it be nice (beach boys), Faking the books (lali puna), Sabor a mi (los panchos), Quedate Luna (Devendra Banhart)… some nouvelle vague…and that’s it for now! hehe..but its still early in the summer. and I have a feeling I’ll be making and rec’g some mixes in the weeks to come w/new summer music.
Limon y sal was my soundrack last year too. This year? No se todavia. Alas, the summer has just begun.
What about a live summer soundtrack? Mine’s (?!) the Mariachi Festival at the Bowl, La Loteria at CSULA, La Guelaguetza in Oaxaca, and (summer wouldn’t be complete without it!) the Beenie Man and Damian Marely mix dancehall reggae CDs blasting during hot summer LA traffic… can’t wait!
“Humo” La Union
“U-Love” by J Dilla
“Bala Perdida” by Francisco “Charro” Avitia
“El Carro del Sol” by Luis Perez Meza
“La Rondalla” by Luis Perez Meza
“Highwayman” by Johnny Cash
“Goodbye Horses” by Q Lazzarus
“The Unforgettable Fire” by U2
“El Juego” by Moenia
“Smile” by Lily Allen
“Young Folks” by Peter Bjorn and John
“Classic (Better than I’ve Ever Been)” by KRS-One, Kanye West, Nas & Rakim
Pan’s Labyrinth Soundtrack
While searching for “Canto del Bracero” by Pedro Infante on a disc.
“Palomas que andan volando” Antonio Aguilar
“Chapala” Vicente Fernández
“Palabra de rey” Vicente
“Hermosisimo lucero” Chalino Sánchez
“Pescadores de Ensenada” Chalino
“Contrabando en la frontera” Chalino
“Querido amigo” Saúl Viera “El gavilancillo”
“Máquina 501″ Los 4 de Arranque
“Durango, Durango” Francisco “Charro” Avitia
“El corrido de Santa Amália” Francisco “Charro” Avitia
“Mi casa nueva” Los Invasores de Nuevo León
“El Espinazo del Diablo” Los Tigres del Norte
And anything played/backed by a banda sinaloense. It’s classic summer music for me.
After reading your post, I posed the same question on my blog.
Limon y Sal was my jam last summer as well. I just downloaded a preview ep of the next Mexican Institute of Sound album on itunes and I’m loving it. Hmmmm, I think this has inspired me to write my own summer songs blog.
Que bonita pagina!!!!!! I love it!!!!!
La cancion de este verano para mi va ser “Umbrella” de Rahiana (yo creo). En Spanish, a ver . . . dejame pensar . . .
MyGrito es tu grito. Visitenos, apoyenos: abran su cuenta con nosotros. Pongan el grito en el cielo.
Que corra el grito.
http://www.mygrito.com
These are the rollas I’m defining my summer:
“Nada Es Gratis en La Vida” by El Cuarteto De Nos
“Be Thankful” by Charlotte Hatherley
“Piropo” by Liquits
“Kids” by The Concretes
“With Everyheartbeat” by Kleerup featuring Robyn
“Heretics” by Andrew Bird
“Yo No Sé Ni Donde Estoy” by Volován
“Black Winged Bird” by Nina Persson
“Computer Camp Love” by Datarock
“Myth Takes” by !!!
You have to blast some “Complemento” by Aterciopelados. I just saw Manu Chao at the Sports Arena, so anything Manu is cool.
And for old school purposes SUMMERTIME by the Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
greeeeeat pregunta.
…gotta say some Manu, Aterciopelados, Smiths, Peter Bjorn and John, Pixies, new Beastie Boys, Rodrigo y Gabriela, an just to keep it nostalgic…some Cure y Prince.
aaaaahhhhh, nothing says summer like Prince.