Some songs just make you feel like the world is at your feet and summer is the perfect season to play your favorite jam and strut your stuff. Throughout the month of July, we asked our patrons and staff "What song adds a little pep to your step?"
We met online on Tuesday, July 27, at noon to share and discuss these songs in our monthly music discussion group, Music Talk. The full Music Talk: Summer Strut playlist is now up on Spotify and you can follow Alachua County Library District's account for more playlists to come. Check out our catalog for the CDs that many of these songs can be found on.
These are the summer songs we strut to.
"Anything for You" by Snow
Nicole says "I remember spending the summer in Jamaica and
"Bad Habits" by Ed Sheeran
Jordyn says "I definitely get 'driving to the beach with the windows down, dancing along to the beat vibes' when I listen to it and can’t help but dance when I hear it!
“Down at the Twist and Shout” by Mary Chapin Carpenter
Beth says "I like listening to this when I’m getting ready to go out. It pumps me up for a night on the town."
“Estamos Bien” by Bad Bunny
This song always puts Assh "in a great summer mood... sometimes you just wake up and it’s all good – and you can roll out to the beach and lay back with a Mai Tai with all your friends feeling the same. No worries, no complications, no cares, just good company and a great time.
Danie says "Camping trips were the hallmark of my family’s summers, whether to fulfill merit badges or to see a new national park. When I first heard “Fireflies”, I felt it caught the feeling of that hot night when my brothers woke me up, opened the tent flap, and I saw my very first fireflies like I was standing in the middle of starry night."
John says "It’s the rhythm, the handclaps, the juke joint piano, the chorus; put all that together and I can even forgive the truck driver’s gear change at the end."
“Here’s to Us” by Halestorm
Demaris says "This song is an anthem to living with your mistakes, learning from them, and not wanting to trade any of them because they made you who you are. And who cares what anyone else thinks!"
“I Feel Lucky” by Mary Chapin Carpenter
Beth says "This song always makes me laugh (especially when she talks about Dwight and Lyle). Even though I might feel crappy in the morning, I can put this song on and it cheers me up and makes me want to move. And how great would it be to win the lottery?"
“I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston
Linda says, of this song and DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince's "Summertime", "I love these songs because they always take me back to a place when life was fun, and I felt free, happy, and filled with energy and life.
“I’m Still Standing” by Elton John
Demaris says "because even after all of the times life has knocked me down...I’m still standing."
“In the Colors” by Ben Harper
Joanne says this song "gives me that special strut. It is joyful
“Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra
John says "This makes me happy even without Baby Groot dancing. There must be something especially draining about British winters, that they resulted in both this and “Here Comes the Sun.”
“She’s Country” by Jason Aldean
Because, according to Demaris, "you can take the girl out of the country but you will never take the country out of the girl."
“Smooth” by Santana feat. Rob Thomas
"Smooth" makes Odette "want to move and brings the summer heat to mind."
“Summer Rain” by The Primitives
Patti "love(s) "Summer Rain" by the Primitives. Being alone isn’t necessarily a bad thing."
“Summertime” by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince
Nicole says "It takes me back to my childhood. It is so mellow and smooth. It helps me picture myself driving, windows down by the beach, or just hanging with family at a backyard BBQ. It definitely gets me in the mood to chill.
Fiona and Cindy both chose this 80s classic. Cindy says "I had this one song immediately pop into my head. It’s an oldie, but a goodie. Why? Well it’s UP beat, and it’s upbeat! Great positivity and you can definitely jam out to it."
“Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles
Coleen says "It has some summer themes in the lyrics and makes me want to sing every time I hear it! Makes me feel upbeat and like I’m on vacation."
“We’re Through” by The Hollies
John finds "something invigorating about a cheerful kiss off song. This one doesn’t give me quite as much life as Cee-Lo’s, but it’s up there."
“Work, B**ch” by Britney Spears
To Tyjan, this song "encapsulates the true meaning of “strut your stuff”. If you don’t believe me, the many hours I put into the Just Dance video game to memorize the dance routine will say otherwise. If there ever was a song that will put a little pep in your step, this summer, it’s definitely this!
We also loved: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and
Don't forget to mark your calendar for next month's music discussion group! We'll meet on Tuesday, August 24 at 12 p.m. on Zoom for Music Talk: At the Movies. Some songs we will forever associate with the movies they soundtrack. We'd like to know what movie and song pairing was so perfect, you can't hear it without the scene playing in your head. Send an email to librarian Cameron Burris with the song title, the movie it appears in, and a sentence or two about why you chose it. He'll add it to the Spotify playlist and have it queued up to play for the live program. If you don't have a particular song or movie scene in mind, come to the program anyway to hear some great music and join in on the conversation!