Turntable Talk #17 – Sum Sum Summertime

Welcome to my 17th contribution to Turntable Talk. Dave Ruch from A Sound Day has once again presented his “music folks” a monthly topic to write about. The topic this time is an easy one – Sum Sum Summertime. In his instructions, he says, “Just pick a song that really signifies ‘summer’ to you. It could be an obvious one about summer, or for that matter about school and end of summer I guess, or just one that either sounds very summery or brings back some great summertime memories for you.”

There are plenty of those “summer” songs to choose from! Off the top of my head:

• In the Summertime – Mungo Jerry
• A Summer Song – Chad and Jeremy
• Hot Fun in the Summer Time – Sly and the Family Stone
• Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams
• Vacation – The Go Go’s
• Summertime Blues – Eddie Cochran
• Cruel Summer – Bananarama
• The Boys of Summer – Don Henley
• Soak Up The Sun – Sheryl Crow
• Summer Breeze – Seals and Croft
• Pretty much ANY Beach Boys song

When I thought about Dave’s topic, I could have picked any one of the songs listed above. Then when I began to think about songs that brought back summer memories, there was only one that came to mind – Music Box Dancer by Frank Mills. They played it to death on the radio when we would vacation at my grandparents place up north. But even that one didn’t seem “summery enough for me.

I began to think about when I worked at Honey Radio in Detroit. Every summer, we’d add certain summer songs to the playlist, much like stations do with Christmas music around the holidays. We would play It’s Summertime by the Jamies, Here Comes Summer by Jerry Keller, Wonderful Summer by Robin Ward, California Sun by the Rivieras and so many others that got less airplay outside of the season.

As we focused on the “first decade” of rock and roll, we played music from 1955 (and a bit earlier sometimes) to 1965. Those early years would often feature Bill Haley, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Dean Martin, Chuck Berry and Perry Como. It was a big variety. There was one song that was added to the Honey playlist that I loved playing and it was not by a rock and roller. To me, it wasn’t summer until I got to spin the seasonal song from Nat King Cole – Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of summer.

The song was the title track from Nat’s 1963 album which included summer themed songs. The song was written by Hans Carste, but it was originally written “Du spielst ‘ne tolle Rolle”, with German lyrics by Hans Bradtke. It was first recorded under the German title a year earlier in 1962. When Nat recorded the song in 1963, it was recorded with English lyrics written by Charles Tobias and was a Top 10 record for Nat. It reached #6 on the Hot 100 Chart.

It was the opening track on the album. To me, it is the perfect song to open the album and it starts with no musical intro – it’s Nat deliberately prolonging the opening line: “Roll – out – those …. (uptempo music kicks in) lazy-hazy-crazy days of summer!”

From the moment the music kicks in, you can’t help but feel happy. It’s a bouncy nostalgic sound that just makes you feel good. Besides, it features a banjo AND mentions hot dogs and beer! Lawrence Welk, Tex Williams, and Lou Rawls all covered the song, but Nat’s version is the superior version.

Have a great summer!! Sing along and enjoy!

Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

Just fill your basket full of sandwiches and weenies
Then lock the house up, now you’re set
And on the beach you’ll see the girls in their bikinis
As cute as ever but they never get ’em wet

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You’ll wish that summer could always be here

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

Don’t have to tell a girl and fella about a drive-in
Are some romantic movie scene
Right from the moment that those lovers start arrivin’
You’ll see more kissin’ in the car than on the screen

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You’ll wish that summer could always be here

You’ll wish that summer could always be here
You’ll wish that summer could always be here