Headphones On

Tomorrow marks the official start of summer and I have a major problem... no summer anthem yet. Every summer since I can remember summers there has always been one sum-it-all-up fabulous song. That song sets the tone of the summer festivities and often serves as a memory cue to transport me back to that point in time.

For instance...

2006 - Gotye - LearnALilGivinAnLovin
This was that song I had everybody singing along to by the end of the summer. It was thrown into every rooftop DJ set I spun (handy that it works in both an indiepop and soul set). It was constantly on my ipod. The *only* thing stopping this song from complete summer domination was the lack of a live performance... this is why the backup was 'Smiley Faces" by Gnarls Barkley¹

2005 - The Magic Numbers - Love Me Like You
Let's follow the time line... March 2004, my first Magic Numbers show in London at Water Rats, coincidentally the night the band signed to Heavenly Records. March 2005, my third and fourth Magic Numbers shows at SxSW. Summer of 2005... the first real release² with "Forever Lost". By the time they threw the debut record out into the world in June of 05, The Magic Numbers (and I) were on a roll. This record carried Ben and I through the summer oh-so-easily and culminated in that perfect show at Schubas where a few too many whiskeys were had with Sean and crew. The Magic Numbers were the soundtrack to every moment of summer sunshine in 2005.

2004 - Mint Royale - Don't Falter
I know this song didn't come out in 2004, but that doesn't matter in the slightest. This was the year that no matter where I went, "Don't Falter" (and the lovely Ms. Lauren Laverne) came following along. Hanging out at Panic with Kerry and friends, well what do you know, "Don't Falter". Hanging out in with the Brooklyn kids... "Don't Falter". This one wasn't intentional, and is odd considering it became my anthem four years after it's release³ but "Don't Falter" will always be the summer of 2004⁴. It also has perhaps the best possible chorus for a summer anthem... "Please... stay with me... Never miss a chance to kiss me. Babe... I love ya... when you're with me it's always summahhhh."

I could keep going back in time but I'm guessing you get the idea. So that brings me to 2007 and the problem... I don't even have any serious contenders. There's an Apples In Stereo song that could work as a backup anthem but what kind of summer is it going to be when the anthem i'm stuck with is "a backup"? Phht.

What do I need out of the ultimate summer anthem?

1. A spark or serious jolt of energy. In "Love Me Like You" it hits exactly at the one minute mark as Romeo, Michelle and Angela simultaneously break into the first chorus. But they aren't done yet and that adds to the appeal. At 2:41 they break the song down to the middle eight and slowly build-build-build-build it back up until it hits the absolute crescendo about 3:20 as Michelle starts into "Don't Fail Me Now"s by the four minute mark... it can't get any higher and you can feel them gasping for breathe. Perfect.
   
2. Uplifting or somehow empowering lyrics. I know, it shouldn't matter what they're singing if the beat is right but I can't get over the lyrics-do-matter hurdle. See "Don't Falter"
   
3. A huge stupid chorus. Seriously huge and stupid. This should go without explanation.

That's it. Those are my only requirements. You wouldn't think it would be so hard to find a summer anthem this year but for some reason I'm struggling. I am taking ANY AND ALL suggestions in the comments. Please, tell me what you think I should be listening to this summer.

¹ Well and"Smiley Faces" is the perfect song to spin out of "LearnALilGivinAnLovin"
² I'm not counting the "Hymn For Her" 7" as it was limited to 500 and had almost no distribution outside of London, (well 499 not including my copy).
³ Lauren singing on that Divine Comedy song "Come Home Billy Bird" also did bring her back to the forefront again.
³ AKA "The Summer of Fun"

Buy some: Gotye, The Magic Numbers, Mint Royale