Come on, sing it with me: island girl/living in a somethin’ somethin’ world/island girl…I have got to figure out those middle lyrics. That song was stuck in my head when I went to bed, and it was there when I woke up. I figure it’s a sign that not only should I learn those middle lyrics, but I should also write about island songs. So here are my top ten songs about islands!
1. “Jungle Love” by the Steve Miller Band. To me, this is the top island song. It’s catchy, it’s fun, and it’s got that really cool beginning with lasers and whistling and stuff. Besides, how can you turn down a guy who brings you a crate of papaya?
2. “Louie Louie” by the Kingsmen. Not once is an island mentioned per se, but this guy is longing for his girl under the Jamaica moon, while he sails the sea all alone worried to death he’ll never see her again. He’s clearly heading for the islands. Does he make it? We’ll never know.
3. “Island Girl” by Elton John. Ok, the only part I got right about those middle lyrics is the word “world”. Here they are: Island Girl/what you wanting with the white man’s world/Island Girl. Lo and behold, Island Girl works the red light district! I did not know that.
4. “Kokomo” by The Beach Boys. This song does have a sort of relaxed island feel, slow and kind of dreamy. Lots of islands are mentioned: Aruba, Bermuda, Bahamas, Jamaica, Port-au-Prince in Haiti. Wait – Port-au-Prince! Are they crazy? Americans get kidnapped there all the time! Wait, they do mention only catching a glimpse of Port-au-Prince. Good idea.
5. “Gilligan’s Island” by, um… You KNOW I can’t put together an island song list without this time-honored gem of American culture. Fateful trip, skipper brave and true, a three-hour tour. It was a catchy tune to sing to each week, lovey.
6. Elvis. He sang lots of islands songs: “Hawaiian Sunset”, “Hawaiian Wedding Song”, “Queenie Wahine’s Papaya”, “Rock A Hula Baby”, “Aloha Oe”, “Beach Boy Blues” (still in Hawaii), “Ku-u-i-po” (Hawaiian for…. something). Nope. I haven’t heard any of them either, but it’s Elvis. The king has to be included on the island song list.
7. “Rock Island” by Jethro Tull. Jethro has himself a whole album called Rock Island. I guess it’s named after the song “Rock Island. And then they go on and sing about “Rock Island”. It’s sort of a rockin’ song.
8. “Islands in the Stream” by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. It’s all about love and nothing in between them and they’re in love forever blah blah blah. I only include this song because it so obviously mentions islands, but I have to say – I really hate this song. Maybe it’s just too predictable. Maybe it’s just too mushy. Maybe it’s because an old high school boyfriend of mine and his girlfriend after me adopted this song as “theirs”. Gag me. Bitter? Maybe I should get over it. After all, I am 40 now.
9. Insert Favorite Island Song Here. I just don’t have an opinion on other island songs. Really, it’s because I can’t think of any others. So I did what any modern American would do and searched the Internet. Turns out islands are mentioned in lots of songs by lots of different artists. I’ll mention some in #10 (gotta fill out the list).
10. A Sampling of Island Songs. Here we go: “The Island” by Barbra Streisand; “Blue Island” by the Bee Gees; “Ellis Island” by Big Head Todd and the Monsters; “Island of Lost Souls” by Blondie; “Goodbye to the Island” by Bonnie Tyler; “Hush-A-Bye Island” by Frank Sinatra; “Christmas Island” by Jimmy Buffet; “Island of Domination” by Judas Priest; “Rollin’ on the Island” by Kid Rock; “Islands” by Oingo Boingo; “Island of Emotion” by Sesame Street; “In the Middle of an Island” by Tony Bennett; “Coney Island Steeplechase” by Velvet Underground; and “Desert Island” by XTC. Oh there’s more. Feel free to search at your leisure.
Thanks for indulging me on my island song list. The good thing is that I no longer have that Elton John song repeating in my head. Instead, there are laser sounds and whistling, but I don’t mind. Steve Miller is at the top of my list after all.
Reference:
- Find song lyrics at www.lyrics.com, www.lyricsfreak.com, or www.songlyrics.com
