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Following my Return To Reighton Gap post, this seemed apt. You may be going on holiday soon. You may just have come back. Either way, here's ten seaside songs that might get you in the mood / jog your memories. I could easily have made this a Top 20 or 30 but I'm trying to reign myself in and stop boring your speedos off.
10. Led Zeppelin - Down By The Seaside
(From 'Physical Graffiti'.)
The sea air makes messrs. Page and Plant go all mellow. Nice.
9. Queen - Seaside Rendezvous
(From 'A Night At The Opera'.)
It has the opposite affect on Mr. Mercury, sending him quite, quite bonkers. Not that he has very far to travel.
8. The Kooks - Seaside
(From 'Inside In/Inside Out'.)
I like the way they've recorded the acoustic guitar on this track. It sounds like he's busking on the sea front. Without the seagulls stealing coins from his hat.
7. Kirsty MacColl - He's On The Beach
(From 'The Best of Kirsty MacColl'.)
Poor old Kirsty, she's doesn't have much luck with men. This bloke tells her he's going on holiday without her... next thing she knows she's getting a postcard from the seaside. Sydney, Australia.
And he says it's brilliant there
There's something in the air
There's sunshine everywhere
He's on the beach
Was it something she said?
6. Bruce Springsteen - 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
(From 'Greetings From Asbury Park N.J.')
Being brought up in Asbury Park, Bruce had a lot of seaside stories to tell on his early records. This one brings a tear to my eye if I'm in the right mood (melancholic).
Every summer when the weather gets hot
They ride that road down from heaven
On their Harleys, they come and they go
And you can see 'em dressed like stars
In all them cheap little seashore bars
Parked making love with their babies
Out on the Kokomo
I've never been to Asbury Park, but for some reason I imagine it to be like the New Jersey equivalent of Blackpool.
5. Rialto - Summer's Over
(From 'Rialto'.)
A song that obviously owes an enormous debt to our number two record this week (no jumping ahead, kids, we'll get there soon enough). It's no worse off for that.
Kamikaze seagull planes fighting over chip shop take-away remains
When you're walking on the cliffs
You can't help thinking of how far down the sea is
And what if it should give...
Quite beautiful.
4. Squeeze - Pulling Mussels From A Shell
(From 'Greatest Hits'.)
I never really understood the innuendo of this song, but it's obviously a gloriously mucky tale of a holiday romance and what goes on behind the chalet. If anyone wants to explain just what Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook mean by "pulling mussels from a shell", you know where the comments box is.
On second thoughts...
3. The Drifters - Under The Boardwalk
(From 'The Very Best of the Drifters'.)
If this song doesn't make you want to go lie on a blanket down by the sea, you're obviously dead from the sunglasses down.
Just be thankful this child of the 80s didn't inflict the Bruce Willis version on you. (One of the first records I ever bought!) Hey, Bruno...!
2. Morrissey - Everyday Is Like Sunday
(From 'Bona Drag: 20th Anniversary Edition'.)
Hands up if you thought this would be number one? Well, yes, it is one of Mozzer's best. And it is wonderfully evocative of those dreary seaside towns where the highlight of the week was sharing some grease tea and celebrating winning a cheap tray on the bingo. But hey, Morrissey - I actually like those tacky resorts. I can think of far better places to bring down your nuclear bombs. Is is really so bad that Every Day Is Like Sunday?
1. Beach Boys - Surfin' USA
(From 'Surfin' Safari/Surfin' USA'.)
I'm sure that seaside holidays are completely different kettles of fish in the USA, but nothing says sun and sand and sea to me more than the Beach Boys and nothing gets me more in the mood for a holiday. I'm waxing down by surfboard as I type...
(No, that's not a Squeeze-esque euphemism, Steve!)
So those were my bucket and spade / sandcastle / ice cream on the beach songs... but what song reminds you of seaside holidays gone by... or gets you in the mood for future ones?
