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Strange as it sounds, the best beach music isn't exclusively about 'babe-watch' friendly beats. After all, whether you're a board shorts guy or a speedo-slinging sand strutter, chanting Sisqo's "Thong Song" just isn't going to impress that "California Girl" in her "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini". Good thing is that everyone from The Beach Boys to Bob Marley have gone to the beach. Which means that this summer you can shake the sand out of those inane beach anthems (sorry Mungo Jerry) and tune into your every own Classic Beach Songs Soundtrack. We're talking everything from sun-soaked reggae spliffs, rocking wave riders and chilled jazz cocktails to a "Surf's Up" selection of frisbee-flinging, beach party starting sounds.
12 Classic Beach Songs
1. The Ramones: "Rockaway Beach". Car overheated in bumper to bumper traffic and you're nowhere close to the Camps Bay strip? No sweat. Tune into this high-octane primitive punk ode to beach bum escapism and you'll have hitched a ride before you can say "Wipe Out". Listen: Rockaway Beach
2. Bob Marley: "Sun is Shining". "Sun is shining, the weather is sweet, yeah/Make you wanna move your dancing feet now". The quintessentialy mellow, kinky reggae party starting classic. Listen: Sun is Shining
3. The Beach Boys: "Good Vibrations". Blue skies, pristine sand, blonde babes…that carefree summer feeling. Has any other pop song captured everything that the beach promises so sublimely? Listen: Good Vibrations
4. Fun Lovin' Criminals: "Love Unlimited". "Barry White, saved my life...!" Well, as long as you have to wear that Hawaiian shirt and those Bermuda shorts…lounge on back to the days when dudes ruled the beach in wraparound shades, smoking fat Cuban cigars with a bikini babe on each arm. Watch: Love Unlimited
5. Kid Rock: "All Summer Long". Bare-chested blokes booze cruising? Bikini babes poledancing on speed boats? Yep, who esle but Pam's ex could pull off a song about good old Southern guys and babe watch gals doing what they do best. Watch: All Summer Long
6. Gregory Isaacs - "Night Nurse". Few feelgood vibes ease you into a sweaty, sensuous reggae groove better than this blunted spliff from The King of Lovers Rock. Listen: Night Nurse
7. Michael Franks - "Barefoot on the Beach". Impeccably cool sun-tanned vocals backed by an airy smooth jazz groove that actually sounds like what wet sand feels like between your toes. Listen: Barefoot on the Beach
8. The Drifters - "Under the Boardwalk". A soul-soaked smooch. The perfect soundtrcak for those lovers who aren't afraid of a romantic walk, rather than the same old 'sex on the beach'. Watch (and sing karaoke): Under the Boardwalk
9. Chris Rea: "On the Beach". That sexy vocal rasp just oozes midnight skinny-dipping, romantic rendezvous magic, doesn't it? Watch: On the Beach
10. Jack Johnson: "Gone". Ex-pro surfer takes his acoustic guitar on such a feel-good blues and slow funk foamed amble along the beach that you'll forget you ever had a 9 to 5 office job. Watch: Gone
11. Herbie Hancock: "Cantaloupe Island". A cocktail quaffing post sunburn pick-me-up whose effortlessly hip funky jazz grooves are ideal for a stroll along the boardwalk after a hard day spent soaking up the sun. Watch: Cantaloupe Island
12. The Surfaris: "Wipe Out". An instantly addictive surf-punk anthem soaked in guitar reverb that swells with busty blonde surfer girls and the promise of endless after sunset action to come. Listen: Wipe Out
Okay, okay, if you really must, tune into:
Brian Hyland: "itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini". Songs about pretty girls in bathing suits who're too shy to show off their booty seldom come as cute as this vintage novelty pop ditty. Listen: itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikinis
Sisqo: "Thong Song". Hip-pop has always been about glorifying the booty. Just ask Sisqo who milked his 15 minutes of fame with this classic ode to the G-string. Watch: Thong Song
12 Classic Beach Songs
1. The Ramones: "Rockaway Beach". Car overheated in bumper to bumper traffic and you're nowhere close to the Camps Bay strip? No sweat. Tune into this high-octane primitive punk ode to beach bum escapism and you'll have hitched a ride before you can say "Wipe Out". Listen: Rockaway Beach
2. Bob Marley: "Sun is Shining". "Sun is shining, the weather is sweet, yeah/Make you wanna move your dancing feet now". The quintessentialy mellow, kinky reggae party starting classic. Listen: Sun is Shining
3. The Beach Boys: "Good Vibrations". Blue skies, pristine sand, blonde babes…that carefree summer feeling. Has any other pop song captured everything that the beach promises so sublimely? Listen: Good Vibrations
4. Fun Lovin' Criminals: "Love Unlimited". "Barry White, saved my life...!" Well, as long as you have to wear that Hawaiian shirt and those Bermuda shorts…lounge on back to the days when dudes ruled the beach in wraparound shades, smoking fat Cuban cigars with a bikini babe on each arm. Watch: Love Unlimited
5. Kid Rock: "All Summer Long". Bare-chested blokes booze cruising? Bikini babes poledancing on speed boats? Yep, who esle but Pam's ex could pull off a song about good old Southern guys and babe watch gals doing what they do best. Watch: All Summer Long
6. Gregory Isaacs - "Night Nurse". Few feelgood vibes ease you into a sweaty, sensuous reggae groove better than this blunted spliff from The King of Lovers Rock. Listen: Night Nurse
7. Michael Franks - "Barefoot on the Beach". Impeccably cool sun-tanned vocals backed by an airy smooth jazz groove that actually sounds like what wet sand feels like between your toes. Listen: Barefoot on the Beach
8. The Drifters - "Under the Boardwalk". A soul-soaked smooch. The perfect soundtrcak for those lovers who aren't afraid of a romantic walk, rather than the same old 'sex on the beach'. Watch (and sing karaoke): Under the Boardwalk
9. Chris Rea: "On the Beach". That sexy vocal rasp just oozes midnight skinny-dipping, romantic rendezvous magic, doesn't it? Watch: On the Beach
10. Jack Johnson: "Gone". Ex-pro surfer takes his acoustic guitar on such a feel-good blues and slow funk foamed amble along the beach that you'll forget you ever had a 9 to 5 office job. Watch: Gone
11. Herbie Hancock: "Cantaloupe Island". A cocktail quaffing post sunburn pick-me-up whose effortlessly hip funky jazz grooves are ideal for a stroll along the boardwalk after a hard day spent soaking up the sun. Watch: Cantaloupe Island
12. The Surfaris: "Wipe Out". An instantly addictive surf-punk anthem soaked in guitar reverb that swells with busty blonde surfer girls and the promise of endless after sunset action to come. Listen: Wipe Out
Okay, okay, if you really must, tune into:
Brian Hyland: "itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini". Songs about pretty girls in bathing suits who're too shy to show off their booty seldom come as cute as this vintage novelty pop ditty. Listen: itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikinis
Sisqo: "Thong Song". Hip-pop has always been about glorifying the booty. Just ask Sisqo who milked his 15 minutes of fame with this classic ode to the G-string. Watch: Thong Song
