Welcome back, readers, to another sunny day at the Harvard of Medford/Somerville! With all of this pleasant weather we’ve been having, and the existential dread about the coming of winter that only a Californian first-year can have, I’ve been trying to enjoy the outdoors as much as I can. And as everyone knows, if there’s one place on campus that’s perfect for relaxing in the sun while procrastinating your (i.e., my) psych reading, it’s the President’s Lawn. So next time you’re hanging there on a nice day, slap these 12 songs for a good time:
- “Speaking Sonar” by Summer Salt
- “Barbados” by the Polar Boys
- “24 / 7 / 365” by Surfaces
- “Gallipoli” by Beirut
- “I Turned My Back on the Written Word” by Generationals
- “Sitting In The Palmtree” by ABBA
- “Marcel” by Her’s
- “Busy Doin’ Nothin’” by The Beach Boys
- “Rockaway” by Summer Salt
- “Congratulations” by MGMT
- “Your Sufferin’ Heart” by Born Ruffians
- “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” by Talking Heads
Summer Salt was heavily influenced by bossa nova, a Brazilian music style developed in the mid-20th century which mixed samba and jazz music, and is commonly thought of as “cafe music.” Generally, lyrics were focused on an easy-going lifestyle, also reflected by its characteristic swaying rhythm.
On this playlist, the influences of bossa nova go beyond just Summer Salt. For example, “24 / 7 / 365” (2017) by Surfaces is essentially a modern remake of “The Girl from Ipanema” (1964), perhaps the most well-known song of the genre. “24 / 7 / 365” combines the tradition of “The Girl from Ipanema” with contemporary music-making technology that creates a cool mix of the new and the old. Also, “Busy Doin’ Nothin” (1968) by The Beach Boys was described by its leader, Brian Wilson, as “inspired by bossa nova in general.” The song describesWilson’s lazy afternoon lounging in his house and is backed up by its bossa nova roots to echo the leisure of the lyrics. Unsurprisingly, The Beach Boys (who are also my favorite all-time band), have plenty of other songs that would fit well into the playlist, especially some of their lesser-known songs such as “Please Let Me Wonder” (1965) and “Your Summer Dream” (1963).
With that final note, stop reading this column and head outside to enjoy "The Warmth of the Sun" (1964) (another great Beach Boys song — god, they’re great) while you still can!
Link: bit.ly/preslawn
