Songs to Char a Marshmallow to

Culture

Whether you’re having a bonfire at the beach, or camping in the woods, s’mores season is officially here, and with it, a playlist to absolutely scorch your ‘mallows to. I’ll admit it, I have a LOT of hot takes, but this isn’t one of them: s’mores marshmallows have no right to be charred beyond recognition. But I think we can all agree that setting marshmallows on fire is the (mostly) innocent entertainment we all cherish. So, I made a playlist that you can enjoy while spending time with good company and lighting things on fire. What more could you want?

If you’re thinking something along the lines of a playlist with consistent genres, I hate to break it to you but that’s asking too much. As usual, this edition of Songs to do Something to covers a pretty broad range of genres and release dates, but my hope is that everyone can find something that resonates with their taste. Now, disclaimers aside, I hope you all enjoy your summers and get the chance to make some s’mores while listening to:

  1. Feels Like Summer — Childish Gambino
  2. Feels (feat. Pharrel Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean) — Calvin Harris
  3. Kings of Summer — aokay & Quinn XCII
  4. Feels Like We Only Go Backwards — Tame Impala
  5. Dancing In the Dark — Cannons
  6. Franklin’s Tower — Grateful Dead
  7. The Place That Makes Me Happy — The Moss
  8. Red Red Wine — UB40
  9. Doin’ Time — Lana Del Rey
  10. James Dean — Tash Sultana
  11. Sunflower Seeds — Bryce Vine
  12. Loving Is Easy (feat. Benny Sings) — Rex Orange County
  13. Just Like Heaven — The Cure
  14. Runnin’ — Wings of Desire
  15. This Summer — Maroon 5

QR code to Apple Music playlist, with picture of a charred marshmallow with eyes and a mouth

QR code to Spotify playlist, with the same picture

Spotify link

Hot takes from the chef:

Here we go again with reviews of songs on this week’s playlist that I’m particularly excited about!

For starters, I may not be from Jersey, but I can understand why people refer to Bruce Springsteen as “The Boss”. With so many iconic songs, he’s certainly had a major influence on music, one example of which being the large number of covers he’s inspired. That being said, I’m only slightly, lowkey obsessed with Cannon’s cover of Dancing in the Dark. For any of you who may have been around SoCal back in November of 2021, you may be aware that lovelytheband played at the Fonda that month, and Cannons was one of the openers. Overall, it was a killer show, and Cannons definitely did their share of contributing to the vibes. I’ve been following Cannons for a while now, and while all of their music is vibey and could make a case for being included on many summer-y playlists, I felt this cover was a great place to start. (Also — if you like Bruce Springsteen covers, I highly recommend Joe P’s version of I’m on Fire).

If we’re talking about phenomenal shows in LA, another great one was The Moss, who played at the Troubadour last fall. I don’t know how on earth I stumbled across The Moss, but they’ve consistently made my Apple Music Wrapped Top 10. I’d argue that the best way to imagine them would be to think of what Grateful Dead meets Backseat Lovers might sound like… You’re probably just better giving them a listen — it’ll probably do them more justice than an abstract description. Regardless, they have a super unique sound, and The Place That Makes Me Happy is like the audio equivalent to camping.

When looking at this playlist, I realize Red Red Wine is a bit of a black sheep in the crowd, but it’s just so good. My dad and I always had a joke that reggae is the ultimate summer genre, and anytime it’s playing, the temperature increases by 10 degrees. It just creates such a laid back energy, and it’s nearly impossible to be in a bad mood with UB40 in the room. In all honesty, I feel like I had the obligation — actually let’s call it the privilege — to include UB40 on this playlist, and I hope everyone else can appreciate it.

Finally, Just Like Heaven by the Cure exists in my mind amongst other songs like The Promise by When in Rome (for another great cover, check out the version by Jelani Aryeh and Samia) and Coming of Age by Blondes that feel like they belong in the end credits of your favorite 80’s movie. Talk about some MASSIVE main character energy. If that’s the atmosphere you want for your summer nights, then this song is for you.

Here’s to wrapping up the 2023-24 school year!

Wishing everyone a great summer ahead filled with friends, s’mores, lighting things on fire, and music for main characters!

[fire noise ASMR],
The New Graham Cracker Variety in Stock