Retro Dee writes about music, fashion and other trends of the 1950s on this site. Check out her blog, Retro Dee’s Guide to the Best Era Ever here, and her column here every week.
Hi folks and Welcome to another Retro Dee Reveals!
This very special post is going to reveal my votes for The Grooveyard 2021 Summer Song Survey!
Due to unprecedented circumstances, there was no Summer Song Survey in 2020. So join me as I Welcome the survey back with splish-splashin’, sun-sizzlin’, crowd-cheerin’, easy breezy fanfaring fun when I reveal the 10 songs I voted for below.
The way the Summer Song Survey works, is each year the survey counts down 50 songs in order of the way they were voted for by listeners. We had from the end of May to June 5 to vote once per day, for up to 10 songs.
Listeners were encouraged to vote for songs that they love and/or remind them of great summer memories. This year, I’m staying very true to the “SUMMER” theme. I accept no substitutes!
So let’s have a look at how it turned out:
Retro Dee’s Summer Survey ’21 Picks:
#20 “Vacation” by Connie Francis
Admittedly, I’m not the biggest Connie Francis fan, but this song is so much fun. It encapsulates the excitement of summertime. It goes: “V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N! In the Summertime!” Anyhow, I think this summer anthem deserves a spot on the survey, and this year, that spot happens to be Number 20. Connie Francis also returns on the survey at Number 16 with “Where The Boys Are”, written by Neil Sedaka.
#19 “In The Good Ole Summertime” by Les Paul and Mary Ford
This oldie just about predates Rock N Roll, but something about it conjures up the feeling of America in the good ole days during the summertime. It makes you wanna take a trip back to simpler times, where sitting on a porch swing with some lemonade was really all you needed.
#18 “School Is Out” by Gary US Bonds
What’s better than Gary US Bonds? Gary US Bonds singing about school being out! I still have nightmares about being in school, but if Gary US Bonds says it’s out, all’s good in the hood. Earlier in the survey we heard Mr. Bonds at Number 27 with “Quarter To Three”, also a great song by an amazing artist.
#13 “One Summer Night” by The Danleers
If there is one thing I’m a sucker for, it’s romance. And summer romance even more so. This beautiful song by The Danleers was a hit in the Summer of 1958. Can’t you just picture it?
#12 “Poison Ivy” by The Coasters
One down side to being outdoors in the summertime is poison ivy. But the bright side of poison ivy is the song “Poison Ivy”, by The Coasters. This is my favorite of their hits. Great music, fun lyrics, if not a bit itchy.
#6 “Summertime Summertime” by The Jamies
At first, I thought the name of the group was “The JAMMIES”, like pajamas. When I realized it’s actually The Jamies, I laughed til I peed. And then I laughed at that. Seriously, this song is a great example of carefree, 1950’s summer fun.
#5 “Dream Lover” by Bobby Darin
This is the one and only song I voted for that doesn’t have a solid summer theme. But D.J. Alan Seltzer also encouraged us to vote for songs that might have a great summer memory. Well, I don’t know about “great”, but I do remember the summer when I was 12, I was the only one my age who I knew of that listened to Golden Oldies, and “Dream Lover” was one of my very favorites.
#4 “Sea of Love” by Phil Phillips
Here’s another summer memory, from only a few years ago when I first started listening to The Grooveyard. “Sea of Love” was Number One in 2018 and 2019. This year it falls 3 spots to the Number 4 slot. It reminds me of the fun I’ve had in previous years listening to the survey.
#3 “Summertime Blues” by Eddie Cochran
If anything should be Number One on a Summer Song Survey, its good ole “Summer Time Blues”. But it didn’t quite make it to Number One. It’s Number 3, like it was in 2019. I’m still glad to see it made it this far. To me, this is the quintessential Summer Song of the 1950’s era.
And the Number One Song (which I also voted for) is…
#1 “Here Comes Summer” by Jerry Keller
I think this is second only to “Summertime Blues” as the perfect retro summer hit. So I’m pleased to see it made Number One on this year’s survey, up four spots from 2019.
So that’s what I voted for on this year’s Grooveyard Summer Song Survey!
I didn’t vote for Buddy Holly or the Everly Brothers this time, because I was sticking strictly to the Summer Theme. But they did make the survey, so check out the full results from the 2021 Summer Song Survey HERE . You can also view the video versions of all 50 songs here.
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