I know this isn't the type of decade to be associated with summer music like the 60s, 70s or 90s even, but what songs are there that have a summer vibe to them?  Were there any in 1980, by any chance?  That doesn't seem very summery to me from what I gathered, but that's just me.

My list:
Walking On Sunshine
Love Shack
Kokomo
Summer of 69
We Got the Beat
Tell It to My Heart
If This Is It
Stuck With You
Walk Like an Egyptian

It's cool - I understand what you're saying.

I guess two things -- in any decade -- make up "summer" music: If they actually mention the season, or vacationing, etc. in the lyrics, or just if the song itself sounds bright and happy.

A few that come to mind off the bat:

If This is it - Huey Lewis
Magic - The Cars
All Night Long - Lionel Richie
Even the Losers - Tom Petty (from '79, but too good to leave out!)
Cruel Summer - Bananarama
Easy Lover - Phil Collins
Hot in the City - Billy Idol
Rock & Roll Girls - John Fogerty
Emergency - Kool & the Gang
Boys of Summer - Don Henley

I was mostly thinking about music that sounds like the Beach Boys and such, but those are good choices too.  80s music is mostly new wave or valley-chick pop(both of which I like just as much), so it's not very commonly known to have much summer music(though it does).

Anothe one I thought of:
Only In My Dreams (Debbie Gibson), 1987

Let's Dance -Chris Rea
Holiday -Madonna
I Want Candy -Bow Wow Wow
Beach Party -Uncanny X-Men
Let's Hear It For The Boy -Denise Williams

Does anyone remember the Summer compilations that came out in the 80s? (Summer'87, Summer '88 etc.)

Summer music in the 1980s?

For me these are some that come to mind


Rock Lobster -- The B-52s
Cruel Summer -- Bananarama (already mentioned)
Holiday Road -- Lindsey Buckingham (from National Lampoon's Vacation movie)
Sailing -- Christopher Cross
Sausalito Summernights -- Diesel
Capitol Tropical -- Two Man Sound

Boys (Summertime Love) -Sabrina
Barbados -The Models
Club Tropicana -Wham!
One Summer -Daryl Braithwaite
Touch Of Paradise -John Farnham
This Is Australia -Gang Gajang
Holiday Rap -can't remember who done it.
Jump -Van Halen (only cos a TV station used it as a filler, with a guy water-skiing)
Need You Tonight -INXS

I have to add a few songs:
Samantha fox - Nothing's gonna stop me now
Righeira - Vamos a la playa
Bon Jovi - 99 in the shade

Anything New Wave.

Summer Rain - Belinda Carlisle

"Rain In The Summertima" from The Alarm  8)

Boys (Summertime Love) -Sabrina
Barbados -The Models
Club Tropicana -Wham!
One Summer -Daryl Braithwaite
Touch Of Paradise -John Farnham
This Is Australia -Gang Gajang
Holiday Rap -can't remember who done it.
Jump -Van Halen (only cos a TV station used it as a filler, with a guy water-skiing)
Need You Tonight -INXS


Mc Miker g And Deejay Seven were the ones who did the Holiday Rap, hope it helps.

1980 - Steal Away - Robbie Dupree

1981 - Unchained - Van Halen

1982 - Hurts So Good - John Cougar

1983 - Every Breath You Take - The Police

1984 - Drive - The Cars....Missing You - John Waite....I Can Dream About You - Dan Hartman....and Go Insane - Lindsey Buckingham

1985 - Careless Whisper - Wham!

1986 - Dreams - Van Hagar

1987 - I Just Died In Your Arms - Cutting Crew

1988 - Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard.....The Flame - Cheap Trick

1989 -  Toy Soldiers- Martika......So Alive - Love And Rockets

All I can think of is Rio- Duran Duran

More keep coming to mind!
Calafornia Girls -Van Halen
Just Like Paradise -David Lee Roth
Conga -Gloria Esteffan & The Miami Sound Machine
Rythm Of The Night-?
Endless Summer Nights -Richard Marx
Sealed With A Kiss -Jason Donovan (much as I dislike it!)

Not quite sure which year this one came out (and it could well be late 70's)

Give It Up - KC and the Sunshine Band.

I remember hearing it a lot when we were driving to one particular holiday destination so it sort of stuck in my mind for that reason.

Also another I'm not sure of the year

Tarzan Boy - Baltimora

Not quite sure which year this one came out (and it could well be late 70's)

Give It Up - KC and the Sunshine Band.

I remember hearing it a lot when we were driving to one particular holiday destination so it sort of stuck in my mind for that reason.

Definitely 80s, karen...1983 to be precise - one of my favourite years...

Also another I'm not sure of the year

Tarzan Boy - Baltimora


Oh, guilty pleasure! I first heard that when holidaying in Malta in 1985 where it was played incessantly...like most holiday records, it followed everyone back to the UK where it hit later that same year...

A few more from that golden year of '83...

'Big Log' - Robert Plant
'It's Over' - The Funkmasters
'The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)' - Level 42
'Long Hot Summer' (which it was...) - The Style Council
...and a long-lost one from my 'soul-boy' era...
'Explain The Reasons' - First Light (featuring a very young Paul Hardcastle)

Ah! The memories...

Definitely 80s, karen...1983 to be precise - one of my favourite years...



Funny how your mind plays tricks. I'd 've put money on it being 1981!!




Oh, guilty pleasure! I first heard that when holidaying in Malta in 1985 where it was played incessantly...like most holiday records, it followed everyone back to the UK where it hit later that same year...




I think there were some more 'Euro' hits like this that year and the year or two after.  That is ones that started off in the Med clubs and then came back here as people tried to recapture their holiday.

Circle in the Sand-Balinda Carlisle
Rock Lobster-B52s





Cat

What about "Summer Girls" from Dino.  :D  ;D  :)

La Bamba/Come On, Let's Go -Los Lobos -most definitely summer music! 8)
Caribean Queen -Billy Ocean
New Attitude -Patty La Belle
Do Ya Do Ya Wanna Please Me? -Sam Fox
New Groove -Rockmellons
Just about anything by UB40

Tears for Fears-Everybody wants to the rule world reminds me of later 80's summer for some reason.

That Tears for Fears song is from summer of 85. Everytime I hear that song, I think about that moment in time. Kinda makes me sad.