When you travel on vacation or need some on the beach songs do you always make a list of your perfect tunes?
I would guess that you do make music a part of your travels.
Of all the places I go, the beach is the one special location where I really want to listen to music. If you’ve had a cold winter you especially understand.
Planning to vacay somewhere with sand and seagulls?
I’ve got a list of 97 on the beach songs that will be just perfect for any moment in the sun.
This is a variety of songs that include mostly Shagging Music –
Sticking with the genre of songs from the Carolinas and Virginia they’re perfect to put you in a good mood.
You can relax by blue water and palm trees and take the sounds of the summer along.
Here’s how to plan your on the beach songs play list.
I have found a list of 97 songs.
They are compiled by category and there’s such a variety everybody will enjoy at least five or six of these songs.
If you only take a few songs- these are classic-
1. Sixty Minute Man – Dominoes
2. Carolina Girls – General Johnson & the Chairmen of the Board
3. I Love Beach The Jackie Gore original Music the anthem of this special style that resonates with thousands of fans and is played at most every shagging occasion.- Embers
4. Ms. Grace – Tymes
5. Summertime’s Calling Me – Catalinas
6. Stay – Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs
7. My Girl – Temptations
8. Cool Me Out – Lamont Dozier
9. Under The Boardwalk – Drifters
10. Myrtle Beach Days – Fantastic Shakers
Tradition
I have a soft spot for music I grew up with and I’m sure you do too.
That’s what makes great memories. Especially when you go to the beach and you smell the salt air and hear the seagulls. The waves crashing off in the distance and that summer breeze bring these classic tunes home and they really hit the spot.
My Girl, Get Ready, Brown Eyed Girl, Into the Mystic, Build Me Up Buttercup, Gypsy Woman, Love Potion Number 9, Do You Love Me (from Dirty Dancing.)
11. Brenda – O.C. Smith
12. One Mint Julep – Clovers
13. It Will Stand – Showmen
14. Rainy Day Bells – Globetrotters
15. Lady Soul – Temptations
16. Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy – Tams A legendary Beach Music group
17. You’re More Than A Number In My Little Red Book – Drifters
18. Hey Baby – Bruce Channel
19. With This Ring – Platters
20. Nip Sip – Clovers
Many Motown songs are reminiscent of Carolina Fun in the Sun and of course Bill Deal and the Rhondels with their fantastic versions of songs like I’ve Been Hurt, May I, and What Kind Of Fool plus songs by the fabulous Tams.
Any Beach playlist needs slow romantic songs to bring back memories of a first kiss. Nothing takes you back like the sound of sea gulls off in the distance and the smell of coca butter suntan lotion. Obviously we’ve got plenty of Marvin Gaye, Four Tops, and the Queen – Aretha Franklin
Traveler tip- I enjoy making a playlist on my phone and then take along an external speaker (waterproof of course) to play on the beach. Easy to toss in a bag and the sound quality is a lot better.
Upbeat happy songs
21. Party Time Man – Futures
22. Club Savoy – Rockin’ Louie & The Mamma Jammers
23. Thank You John – Willie Tee
24. Think – The “5” Royales
25. (I’m Just Thinking About) Cooling Out – Jerry Butler
26. My Guy – Mary Wells
27. Come Get To This – Marvin Gaye
28. You Bring Out The Boogie In Me – Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee
29. Hello Stranger – Barbara Lewis (The Main Event Band covers this masterfully)
30. 39-21-46 – Showmen
31. Green Eyes – Ravens
There’s a place for Soul Classics and there’s a few new songs I like to play as well like Happy and every now and then I’ll throw in a funny song like Elvira. They always lighten the mood.
The following songs get on my list year after year- Miss Grace, Up On the Roof, Under the Boardwalk, So in Love by the Tymes, May I Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs, Soul Man Sam & Dave or the great version by The Blues Brothers.
32. It Ain’t No Big Thing – Radiants
33. Work With Me Annie – Midnighters
34. Anna – Arthur Alexander
35. Don’t Drop It – Wilbert Harrison
36. It’s All Right – Impressions
37. Baby I Need Your Lovin’ – Four Tops
38. Good Rockin’ Tonight – Wynonie Harris
39. I Got The Fever – Prophets
40. Just A Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody – Louis Prima
41. Safronia B – Calvin Boze
42. Going Back To Louisiana – Delbert McClinton
43. Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart – Coasters
44. This Old Heart Of Mine – Isley Brothers
45. Stubborn Kind Of Fellow – Marvin Gaye
46. You’re So Fine – Falcons
47. Searchin’ – Coasters
48. Drinkin’ Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee – Stick McGhee
49. The Entertainer – Tony Clarke
50. Lipstick Traces – Benny Spellman
51. She Shot A Hole In My Soul – Clifford Curry
52. Give Me Just A Little More Time – Chairmen Of The Board
There are times when we poke a little fun at country music mostly because we’re big fans of country music especially the Zac Brown Band. Some songs by The Oak Ridge Boys, Kenny Chesney, lots of Jimmy Buffett, some Willie, and Alabama of course who got their start playing at the Bowery in Myrtle Beach.
53. Just One Look – Doris Troy
54. But It’s Alright – J.J. Jackson
55. What Kind Of Fool (Do You Think I Am) – Tams
56. I Need Your Loving – Don Gardner & Dee Dee Ford
57. Easy Comin’ Out (Hard Goin’ In) – William Bell
58. Girl Watcher – O’Kaysions
59. White Cliffs Of Dover – Checkers
60. Annie Had A Baby – Midnighters
61. I Do Love You – Billy Stewart
62. A Quiet Place – Garnet Mimms & the Enchanters
63. Kissin’ In The Back Row Of The Movies – Drifters
64. I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) – Four Tops
65. Meet Me With Your Black Drawers On – Gloria Hardiman
66. Something Old, Something New – Fantastics
67. It Started With A Kiss – Hot Chocolate
68. Kansas City – Wilbert Harrison
69. Shakin’ The Shack – Fantastic Shakers
70. I Used To Cry Mercy, Mercy – Lamplighters
71. Walking Up A One Way Street – Willie Tee
72. Surely I Love You – Rosco Gordon
73. Kidnapper – Jewell & the Rubies
74. More Today Than Yesterday – Spiral Starecase
75. Across The Street – Lenny O’Henry
Soul Classics
If you have never heard Over the Rainbow by Jerry West with the band of Oz grab a copy of that and there’s a few other great rendition Now all you need is a pair of flip-flops sunscreen sunglasses and a hat let us know some of your favorite beach music songs.
76. Mercy Mr. Percy – Varetta Dillard
77. Jamie – Eddie Holland
78. I Got Loaded – Peppermint Harris
79. Hold Back The Night – Trammps
80. Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love) – Swingin’ Medallions
81. Wee Baby Blues – Joe Turner
82. Lonely Teardrops – Jackie Wilson
83. That’s Summertime To Me – Dale Van Horn
84. Rub A Little Boogie – Champion Jack Dupree
85. Flamingo – Earl Bostic
86. (Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean – Ruth Brown
87. Smoky Places – Corsairs
88. Cry To Me – Solomon Burke
89. I Love You 1,000 Times – Platters
90. Searching For My Love – Bobby Moore & the Rhythm Aces
91. Chicken Shack Boogie – Amos Milburn
92. May I – Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs
93. I Just Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind – Four Tops
94. Would You Believe – Tempests
95. Candy – Astors
96. The Last Of The Good Rocking Men – Four Jacks
97. I’m Gonna Miss You – Artistics
98. Ocean Boulevard – Band Of Oz
Note from the publisher of this original list
Criteria: These songs were ranked based upon their initial and lasting popularity among Beach good timing shagging Music good timing shagging fans, and on their impact and influence on Beach Music and its culture.
Edited By: Frankie C. www.beachmusic45.com
It’s no surprise that a great novelist would write a book and call it Beach Music. Pat Conroy of South Carolina fame did just that and to wide acclaim.
This book tells a story that stretches from South Carolina to Italy. It weaves meaning through characters that echo the darkness of the Holocaust.
The main character in the story lives in Rome remembering his American roots and his wife’s untimely suicide. When an in law asks him to return and others complete the nudge with a plea to help find a missing friend, he returns to the States and notably the South to continue the journey through this touching, dark, and memorable story. Pat Conroy writes with his well known flare and does not disappoint in Beach Music. The Charlotte Observer called it perhaps the most eagerly awaited book of the year.
