“Starry, starry night

Paint your palette blue and gray

Look out on a summer’s day… “
Happy Summer Solstice!

{these magical words are from the iconic song “Vincent” by Don McLean}

… and Happy 1st
“Music on Monday” of the Summer!
We’re celebrating those days of soda & pretzels & beer …

When I was a little kid there was one song on the radio that always “panged me” right in the heart as a true sign of summer. In the early 60’s I’d hear it play on the family car’s radio as we’d be heading out west to spend the summer at our cabin. Excitement would rise up from my tummy to my heart at the words, the velvet vocals, and the images the lyrics put into my head about what lay stretched out before me… long, lazy, carefree summer days at The Lake.
As I grew older, and to this day, when I hear this song I get such a huge hit of nostalgia that I can feel my heart swell. It swells with a longing sadness though – for the uncomplicated days of childhood, for lost youth, for the good old days when families were always together, for the love and protection of my parents, for the closeness of my siblings, for a time when life’s demands were simple and everyone felt safe. And for having two whole months away from school and homework!
I love this song with a bittersweet kind of love…

THOSE LAZY-HAZY-CRAZY DAYS OF SUMMER:

Nat King Cole
Released May, 1963

I didn’t realize who the singer of this song was. As a little kid, I probably never gave it much thought. Maybe later at one time I knew who it was and then forgot. So when I started to write about it today, I was surprised to learn that it was Nat King Cole. I would have thought I’d remember that. Especially with my memory of the smooth, soothing voice delivering such memorable lyrics…

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

Just fill your basket full of sandwiches and weenies
Then lock the house up, now you’re set
And on the beach you’ll see the girls in their bikinis
As cute as ever but they never get ’em wet

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You’ll wish that summer could always be here

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

Don’t have to tell a girl and fella about a drive-in
Or some romantic movie scene
Right from the moment that those lovers start arrivin’
You’ll see more kissin’ in the cars than on the screen

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You’ll wish that summer could always be here
You’ll wish that summer could always be here
You’ll wish that summer could always be here …

Songwriters
TOBIAS, CHARLES/CARSTE, HANS/BRADTKE, HANS
Published by
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., DOWNTOWN MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

LEARN >
This is a lovely biography. Nat King Cole left us too soon at the young age of 45 in 1965… http://www.biography.com/people/nat-king-cole-9253026#awesm=~oHXDeoVpY8wo96

WATCH >
This isn’t my favourite version of this song (background vocals are so operatic and shrill), but this is the only version I could locate with Nat King Cole himself. The audio recording (below) is much better in my opinion. This is an excerpt from a BBC television show from 1963. Too bad he couldn’t have learned just a couple ukelele chords! But I guess it just wasn’t that important…

LISTEN >

 MORE Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Songs of Summer are coming up on MUSIC MONDAYS.
Thanks for coming by and have an AWESOME WEEK!
If you find yourself working too hard, just hum a few bars and be whisked away, back in time to those long carefree days…

All images and information are from sources on the internet.
This article is just for fun! The writer assumes no liability and is not responsible for errors or omissions.
No copyright infringement is intended.
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