{"id":6105,"date":"2026-08-19T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/?p=6105"},"modified":"2026-08-18T22:31:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T02:31:52","slug":"songs-of-the-summer-an-ig-staff-playlist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/2026\/08\/19\/songs-of-the-summer-an-ig-staff-playlist\/","title":{"rendered":"Songs of the Summer: An IG Staff Playlist"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"seriesmeta\">This entry is part 11 of 11 in the series <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/series\/playlists\/\" class=\"series-44\" title=\"Playlists\">Playlists<\/a><\/div>\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">By Imaginary Gardens Staff, Introduction by Emma G. Harrison, Editor-in-Chief<br><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-spotify wp-block-embed-spotify wp-embed-aspect-21-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: Songs of the Summer\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/playlist\/4QuZJYGHwXm1FqU7ZW6har?si=114RhfxcSVKipGHAi02Gpw&amp;utm_source=oembed\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ever need a taste of summer as school starts? From groovy beats to beachy vibes, <em>IG<\/em>\u2019s \u201cSongs of the Summer\u201d playlist has you covered as you settle into the semester.\u00a0<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Fall-2026-Cover-Graphics-960x1200.png\" alt=\"a cartoon record\" class=\"wp-image-6112\" style=\"width:604px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Fall-2026-Cover-Graphics-960x1200.png 960w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Fall-2026-Cover-Graphics-400x500.png 400w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Fall-2026-Cover-Graphics-768x960.png 768w, https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Fall-2026-Cover-Graphics.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Songs of the Summer | Jacqueline Ayala, Social Media Editor<br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Addison Chrivia, Managing Editor<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u201cCheck the Rhime\u201d by A Tribe Called Quest<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This summer I chilled to a lot of 90\u2019s hip-hop, mostly A Tribe Called Quest. Their groovy beats and witty lyrics leave you in awe; I particularly enjoyed their album <em>The Low End Theory. <\/em>You might know them for their hit song \u201cCan I Kick It?\u201d I really just love their relaxed sound and the catchy rhythm that makes you wanna sing in your car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Rebecka Jones, Staff Writer<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u201cSurfin\u2019\u201d by Stray Kids<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I started a new obsession this summer: K-pop! I\u2019ve been exploring popular K-pop groups such as BTS and Stray Kids and got hooked on a lot of their songs, but I want to share one from Stray Kids that felt like summer: \u201cSurfin\u2019\u201d is a beachy song sung by three members of Stray Kids, and it is a fun song to listen to while lying back and enjoying the sunshine. This song will transport you to a beautiful beach with soft sand, calm waves, and a fun game of volleyball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>John Medina, Staff Writer<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u201cYoshinoya\u201d by Childish Gambino<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the summer, I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Japan for an English course. Every time I visit a new city or country, I like to make a dedicated playlist so that I can look back at the songs I had on repeat during my trip. One artist I had a sudden rejuvenation with over the summer is Donald Glover, also known by his musical alias Childish Gambino. One of the songs added to my playlist is \u201cYoshinoya\u201d from his most recently released album. Would you believe me if I said I actually tried the restaurant that the song is named after? Yoshinoya is a long-standing restaurant chain in Japan that has been serving rice and protein bowls since 1899. Yoshinoya, the song, is a rap cut from the new album, where Glover takes clear shots at another rapper who was in his own rap beef months prior: Drake. The title is a play on the meaning of \u201crap beef.\u201d And while Glover mentions eating \u00e1 l&#8217;oignon soup from Yoshinoya, I, on the other hand, got Cheese Beef Kalbi Donburi as well as crispy fried chicken. Definitely stop by if you get the chance; it&#8217;s really delicious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Emma G. Harrison, Editor-in-Chief<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u201cSteal Away\u201d by Robbie Dupree<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Picking just one song to talk about was quite the challenge since my summer was full of late-night jams and concerts, from a hometown gig to a full-on immersive, psychedelic performance. However, with all of my \u201cSongs of the Summer\u201d having memories attached to them, one stood out the most. It was a random Thursday night in Salzburg, Austria; my study abroad group was just a few days from heading back home (shout-out to TBR Global Studies), and two friends and I had just had the most perfect day walking around, seeing new sights, and eating the most amazing food. We ended the night by taking a long walk down the empty streets of Old Town Salzburg, winding up on a bench next to the Mozartplatz around midnight. We sat there laughing and reminiscing on the weeks past, fully sitting in the presence of our unspoken sadness that this was a fleeting moment. One of my friends began playing music; \u201cSteal Away\u201d by Robbie Dupree was one of the many songs we sang that night. This song will forever hold a tender place in my heart as it reminds me of that night when I knew we created a memory that will last a lifetime.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Jackie Ayala, Social Media Editor<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u201cCaress Me Down\u201d by Sublime<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can\u2019t have a summer playlist without Sublime! My summer was unfortunately spent indoors working every day; the very few times I got to go out and enjoy the summer heat, it was Sublime all day. From lying in the sun by the pool or driving too fast with the windows down, \u201cCaress Me Down\u201d was the best music to vibe to with my friends to forget about our work lives. So next summer, put your sunglasses on and just vibe to the groovy and carefree lyrics of this song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Heather Lee Schroeder, Faculty Advisor<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u201cEnough\u201d by That Woman<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The album <em>Find Joy<\/em>, the debut of That Woman, the solo project of Josephine Vander West, best known for her work on Oh Wonder, was on repeat all summer for me. The entire album offers a meditation on being a woman, a mother, a muse, and a creative. From the opening song \u201cSpace Time &amp; Peace,\u201d in which Vander West questions her role in the world, the listener is taken on a journey of self-discovery, but it\u2019s in the final song of the album, \u201cEnough,\u201d that Vander West settles the question of whether she can be <strong><em>enough<\/em><\/strong> in a world that wants everything from women. When she sings, \u201cThe world conspires the day you surrender yourself to being yourself in all your glory in all your guts and fuck-ups and magic mistakes that made you exactly the way you woke up today: imperfect and uncompromising,\u201d the listener knows she\u2019s come to this knowledge through the hardest-walked path. She asks at the end of the song, \u201cOr will you see that\u2026 everything you need is right here?\u201d The listener knows the answer is, of course, yes. Yes indeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Trent Eades, Faculty Advisor<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I chilled with some of my favorites \u2013 Leonard Cohen\u2019s \u201cFirst We Take Manhattan,\u201d Snarky Puppy\u2019s \u201cLingus (We Like It Here),\u201d Tom Waits\u2019 \u201cWalking Matilda,\u201d Lucinda Williams\u2019 \u201cCar Wheels on a Gravel Road.\u201d As you can see, I lean toward the evocative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Ruby Caver, Graphic Designer<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u201cVentura Highway\u201d by America, George Martin<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If I were to describe my music taste, it would be a 70-year-old man. I love driving to some soft rock; it always brightens my day. I sometimes like to imagine myself as a cowboy riding into the sunset, and 70\u2019s music really sets the entire mood, for sure.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Anna Matsen Cantrell, Faculty Advisor<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u201cShort Skirt\/Long Jacket\u201d by Cake<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A worthy summer song, possessing both richly clever lyrics and a loaded beat one can contentedly bop their head to while taking a long, breezy drive. In addition to its engaging, crowd-sourced echoes, its brassy \u201cna na na nas,\u201d and its ever-elongating \u201clonnnnnnng\u201d \u2014 Cake\u2019s \u201cShort Skirt\/Long Jacket\u201d further stands out for its brashly refined irony. That a song conflating a man\u2019s physical lust with his financial greed remains so delightfully upbeat makes this innocent tune almost criminally catchy. Bottom line: who <em>doesn\u2019t<\/em> dream of a bank-visit meet-cute where loaning one\u2019s pen yields dating a hottie with \u201ca mind like a diamond,\u201d and \u201ceyes that burn like cigarettes?\u201d Most of all, though, I would count it a fortunate bonus indeed if the object of my interest habitually cut through red tape with a machete \u2014 making my life as easy as cake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"seriesmeta\">This entry is part 11 of 11 in the series <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/series\/playlists\/\" class=\"series-44\" title=\"Playlists\">Playlists<\/a><\/div><p>By Imaginary Gardens Staff, Introduction by Emma G. Harrison, Editor-in-Chief Ever need a taste of summer as school starts? 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