Haha, Bob! I spent some time in The Sunshine State, and BOY does it live up to that title. Glad you liked the choices. And there are MANY, so many recordings of this song to choose from.
One of my favorites, there are few versions I have heard I don't enjoy. I fell in love with the song first through a live recording by Stefon Harris and Blackout, a funk and soul inspired jazz take. The studio recording on their album Evolution is similar.
Estimates vary on the times this song has been commercially recorded, but there's NO doubt that it is the most-recorded American song ever, anywhere. Somewhere between 60K and 70K however. How's that for a record???
Among my favorites. I don’t think there’s any other song that evokes the dog days of summer like Summertime. Everything about it reminds me of hot humid days sitting under the grapevine eating peaches and watermelon in my early youth.
Yes, that's what I thought, too. I found out about THIS kind of summertime when I went away to college -- at Tulane, in New Orleans -- from New Jersey! Talk about culture shock! And I had climate shock, in a big way!!
Dear Debra: Wonderful music that you’ve chosen to highlight the word of the week. I must admit, though, that I was hoping for the anthem of my 1968 Freshman year in High School: “Sunshine of Your Love”. All the Best. Eddie
He, Eddie! You know, when I went looking, I found SO MANY sunshine songs in the 1960's. It must have been the "flower child" effect. I was leaning toward "A Place in the Sun," a big hit for Stevie Wonder .. and that would have fit because of our movie. But I recall hearing "Sunshine of Your Love" on the school bus, always tuned to the NYC pop channel. The Beatles had "Here Comes the Sun" and "I'll Follow the Sun," and there was an upbeat song called simply, "Sunshine." But I had just dropped into the sixties with the Beatles' "Long and Winding Road" recently, so I decided to go back to the American Songbook for the most-recorded ever song in the world. :)
Thanks for your comment, Debra. Very much enjoyed reading your thoughts. Let Tony know that his reading of Huckleberry Finn is another 1968 memory for me. It was on my Summer reading list before Freshman Year HS, along with The Hobbit, To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men. Be Well. Eddie
That's a great summer reading list. We did Tom Sawyer in grade school, but I read Huck Finn on my own. We did To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men and a great number of novels in high school, back when schools were schools and kids could read. We were very fortunate, weren't we?
Haha, well, I liked John Denver, but he was I think a singer/songwriter for his time. Gershwin is for the ages. But boy! Were there a lot of sun songs in the 60's/70's!
Excellent choices. I am going to put them on heavy rotation for the rest of the summer (which here in south Florida never ends).
Haha, Bob! I spent some time in The Sunshine State, and BOY does it live up to that title. Glad you liked the choices. And there are MANY, so many recordings of this song to choose from.
One of my favorites, there are few versions I have heard I don't enjoy. I fell in love with the song first through a live recording by Stefon Harris and Blackout, a funk and soul inspired jazz take. The studio recording on their album Evolution is similar.
Estimates vary on the times this song has been commercially recorded, but there's NO doubt that it is the most-recorded American song ever, anywhere. Somewhere between 60K and 70K however. How's that for a record???
Wow!
Love your “liner notes”!
Aw shucks! Thank you. I do love writing about great songs! :)
Among my favorites. I don’t think there’s any other song that evokes the dog days of summer like Summertime. Everything about it reminds me of hot humid days sitting under the grapevine eating peaches and watermelon in my early youth.
Yes, that's what I thought, too. I found out about THIS kind of summertime when I went away to college -- at Tulane, in New Orleans -- from New Jersey! Talk about culture shock! And I had climate shock, in a big way!!
You can’t beat the Ella Louis combo!
That, you can't!
Dear Debra: Wonderful music that you’ve chosen to highlight the word of the week. I must admit, though, that I was hoping for the anthem of my 1968 Freshman year in High School: “Sunshine of Your Love”. All the Best. Eddie
He, Eddie! You know, when I went looking, I found SO MANY sunshine songs in the 1960's. It must have been the "flower child" effect. I was leaning toward "A Place in the Sun," a big hit for Stevie Wonder .. and that would have fit because of our movie. But I recall hearing "Sunshine of Your Love" on the school bus, always tuned to the NYC pop channel. The Beatles had "Here Comes the Sun" and "I'll Follow the Sun," and there was an upbeat song called simply, "Sunshine." But I had just dropped into the sixties with the Beatles' "Long and Winding Road" recently, so I decided to go back to the American Songbook for the most-recorded ever song in the world. :)
Thanks for your comment, Debra. Very much enjoyed reading your thoughts. Let Tony know that his reading of Huckleberry Finn is another 1968 memory for me. It was on my Summer reading list before Freshman Year HS, along with The Hobbit, To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men. Be Well. Eddie
That's a great summer reading list. We did Tom Sawyer in grade school, but I read Huck Finn on my own. We did To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men and a great number of novels in high school, back when schools were schools and kids could read. We were very fortunate, weren't we?
I'm glad you dug a little deeper than Sunshine On My Shoulders. A fine song, in its way, but this one is WAY finer!🥰
Haha, well, I liked John Denver, but he was I think a singer/songwriter for his time. Gershwin is for the ages. But boy! Were there a lot of sun songs in the 60's/70's!
Debra, you’ve certainly spread summer sunshine with these two incomparable versions of an American classic!
Thanks, Ed. I could write a book about this one song. So many stories intersect in it.
I am so taken with the instrumental version. Yes!
Me, too. What talent!