It’s the time of year to hit the beach and have a great time. Surf and sand, bon fires and volleyball – beach parties have it all. One of the most important things to make sure you’ve got handled is the music. After the food and activities, a party needs its music to really set the mood. One way to please a variety group of people is to have a nice assortment of songs, from different decades and artists. Here are my picks for some excellent tunes for your summer beach party:
Surfin’ USA, The Beach Boys – No beach party playlist would be complete without at least one Beach Boys song. They have the ultimate summer sound. This particular piece is really bouncy and fun, with a complete seaside vocabulary. “You see them wearing their baggies, huarachi sandals too…” It doesn’t get much better than that.
Love Shack, The B-52’s – This is a super familiar song to a lot of people, but it’s sure to get them dancing. It’s a tune that you can play at just about any party, and since everyone knows the lyrics, they will definitely sing along. Every time I have ever played it, the guests have gone wild.
Summer in the City, The Lovin’ Spoonful – One of my all-time favorite songs! Originally submitted to a literary magazine as a poem, the band made it into an upbeat hit. The song is full of great sound samples, from a car horn to a jackhammer. It’s been covered a few times, but I think that the best version is the original. It holds that forever sixties feel that contributes to a super beach party.
Let it Rock, Kevin Rudolf – A slightly more modern song, this has a great beat. You can’t go wrong with it. Everyone on the beach within listening distance will be moving like there’s no tomorrow. Trust me, you will enjoy the reaction.
Splish Splash, Bobby Darin – This is a bit of a silly song, but it’s still fun to play. Kids especially enjoy it. Lines such as “splish splash I was taking a bath” are the kinds of lyrics that they love to hear. But older ones will recognize it and sing along with it.
Wipe Out, The Surfaris – I know that most of these songs are great party songs because they’re familiar, and people know the lyrics, but sometimes you just can’t resist an instrumental. This is one of those you can’t not play at a beach party. Perhaps it’s most recognizable by its killer drum solo. As soon as it comes on, you try to imitate those pounding drums. You can’t help it. It is the lure of the song.
Yellow Submarine, The Beatles – Another silly one that people adore. It’s a classic for some really good reasons. The song has an excellent hook and hilarious lyrics. No one will question your addition of the song to your playlist.
Funkytown, Lipps Inc. – Disco pieces are so much fun at any party, but especially at a beach party. This particular song is great because it has a couple different sections that are really groovy. It’s super danceable on any beach.
Under the Boardwalk, The Drifters – This is a somewhat slower song than the others on the playlist, but welcome at a beach party. The lyrics have a great summer sound that just make you want to snuggle on a towel in the sand with your significant other.
Pulling Mussels (From a Shell), Squeeze – Squeeze is a British band with a really unique sound. This is an entertaining piece that describes a day at the beach. Most of your guests won’t have heard it, but your party will be a fantastic opportunity for them to learn a new piece from an underappreciated band.
Surf Wax America, Weezer – Yes, another song about surfing. But what beach party isn’t going to be full of surfing songs? This is a great tune because it doesn’t have the usual surf song feel to it. It will be an excellent addition to this mix, cooling things down a bit on the sand.
Pacific Coast Party, Smash Mouth – I love to dance to this piece. It’s so much fun. What I especially enjoy about it is its command, “If you got to work today, get yourself a new vocation.” There is no better way to set the mood for your party than a line like that. It just invites a person to relax and have a good time.
Hot Fun in the Summertime, Sly & the Family Stone – I can’t get enough of this tune. It is such a classic piece, just really mellow. Although most of these tunes are super upbeat, it’s important to have a song or two that let people sort of settle down and talk. You can’t dance all the time, you know.
Human, The Killers – Not really a beach song, but fun nonetheless. It’s very popular right now, but that’s because it’s so fantastic. The Killers, for one thing, are such an excellent band. I’ve really loved all of the music they’ve put out. This song, though, just really gets a person moving. Plus it has a techno sound that the other pieces on this playlist don’t have, so it will be a unique addition to your mix.
I Want You to Want Me, Letters to Cleo – First done in the 1970’s by Cheap Trick, the version by Letters to Cleo is really great. It is the cover that most people will recognize from 10 Things I Hate About You. The best aspect of this song is that it’s just great to sing along to. Every person at your beach party will be singing their heart out when this comes on.
These are just a few pieces to get you started for a rocking beach party this summer. They cover every decade from 1960 to now, so I’m sure that no matter who it is you invite, they’ll find something they really enjoy. Most of all, I hope you enjoy your party this summer and that this playlist will make it that much easier to make it all happen.
