With the arrival of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, Americans turn to their favorite outdoor activities, including trips to the beach, camping in the mountains, or relaxing by the pool and soaking up some fun summertime music. A few time-honored summer songs sound great any time of the year.
The Jamies from Massachusetts only charted twice but both times it was for their "doo-wop" hit, "Summertime, Summertime." It reached the Top 40 in 1958, and again in 1962.
Singer Billy Stewart had better luck on the charts with "Summertime," hitting the Top 10 in 1966. A Washington, D.C. native, he put a Latin beat on George Gershwin's "Summertime."
One of the most notable one-hit wonders of all time is "In The Summertime" by British blues and skiffle quartet Mungo Jerry.
Named after a poem by T.S. Elliot, Mungo Jerry consisted of Mike Cole on bass, Paul King on guitar, kazoo and jug, Joe Rush on washboard and Ray Dorset on lead vocals. The summer anthem "In The Summertime" was so popular it's kept Mungo Jerry working steadily since hitting Number 3 in 1970.
Seven years earlier, singer Nat "King" Cole heated up the charts with a timeless summer classic. He could brighten any day with a voice as smooth as a calm sea at sunset. Yes, you really do wish summer could always be here when Cole sings "Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days Of Summer."
And what would summer be without the Beach Boys? Sunny Southern California was home to the five Beach Boys who dominated the airwaves with songs about pretty girls, fast cars, dancing, surfing and having fun all summer long. Forty years after their chart debut, the Beach Boys are still one of America's summertime concert favorites.
While Will Smith is best-known for his acting career, starring in the blockbuster movies "Independence Day," "Ali" and "Men In Black I and II," he first made his mark as a rap singer named The Fresh Prince. Smith and musical partner D.J. Jazzy Jeff teamed up for one of the biggest hits of 1991, "Summertime."