Search - Various Artists :: Summer & Sun

If the concept of overwhelming freedom during the nonschool months was invented, musically speaking, in "Summertime, Summertime" by the Jamies in 1958 ("It's time to head straight for the mills / It's time to live and have some thrills"), the Beach Boys' "All Summer Long" and "Girls on the Beach" moved it to the coast, where the surf is, and it rarely returned. "Beach Party," Annette Funicello's big hit, invited us to one, the Sandals' "Theme from 'Endless Summer'" made us long for one in the surf, and in case we had forgotten, the Rivieras reminded us of the importance of the "California Sun," the other side of which is described in Lesley Gore's "California Nights." "The livin' is easy," as we're told in Billy Stewart's version of the Gershwin classic, but we're brought back to reality by the Lovin' Spoonful's hot time, "Summer in the City." In all, there are 18 summer-obsessed songs on this CD, and every one of them rocks, some hard, some soft, from Eddie Cochran's cool guitar to the Jamies' hot harpsichord(!). And they all add up to a perfect escape. --Robert Levine