Prep Your Tropical Nights Playlist With the Five Greatest Beach Songs Ever

With trips being awarded each day this week and next to Tropical Nights- Boots in the Sand, February 23rd-27th, I want to get you in the mood for this dream vacation to the Mexican Riviera with my five favorite beach songs of all time.

You'll need to know a couple of rules and guidelines as I get underway with my 5 favorite beach songs.  First, this isn't a democracy.  I'm not taking input from the outside on this one.  You can have your opinion and you're welcome to share it, but I know my favorites.  Second, this is across more than just the country music genre.  I personally need a little reggae in my beach life.  Finally, "Margaritaville" will NOT be on this list.  After hearing & playing it so many times on the radio I'd rather spend a day locked in the porta-potty at the beach NOT listening to "Margaritaville" than splashing in the waves WHILE listening to "Margaritaville".  That is all.  Now let's do this!!

5.  "Chatahoochie"- Alan Jackson

This is a rather complicated song to put on the list because it's not necessarily a "beach" song.  It does, however, remind me of time spent at Lake Tenkiller as a kid during the summer.  My cousins played it all the time, and it reminds me of that time at the lake.  To this day it still reminds me of relaxing by the water.  Plus, it's a better choice than "Watermelon Crawl", which is the other song they listened to that reminds me of the lake.  I'm not such a big fan of that one.

4.  "Three Little Birds"- Bob Marley

This is a no-brainer.  Bob Marley, Mr. Reggae himself, has relaxing day at the beach written all over his music.  "Singin' don't worry, about a thing... 'Cause every little thing... Is gonna be alright".  That takes me away every time.

3.  "Summertime"- Will Smith

The youngsters out there may only know Will Smith as an action movie star, but at one point in time he was trying to sell us on the point that "parents just don't understand" as the Fresh Prince.  His sidekick, DJ Jazzy Jeff, (apparently) laid down the phat beats whilst Mr. Smith kicked the phunky-fresh beats... yo.  Maybe it's because this song reminds me of spring (even though it's got "summertime" in the title) in high school when the girls started wearing the short shorts to school, but this song always makes me want to take the day off and head to a large body of water with a drink in my hand.

2.  "Toes"- Zac Brown Band

This is, without a doubt, THE song that made me fall back in love with country music.  I'd began to have my doubts about the genre (read the earlier comment about "Watermelon Crawl") because of some of the badonka-donk-related shenanigans happening within country music.  I swear to you that I can ACTUALLY SMELL the coconut in the air when that song is playing.  It's one of a handful of songs that I'll stop what I'm doing in the studio just so I can crank up the volume and jam.

1.  "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay"- Otis Redding

From the first guitar strums and the sound of the waves crashing against the beach, this song transports me instantly.  My shoulders get less tense, the scowl on my forehead lessens and I breathe a little easier every time those waves crash and Otis starts singin' about leaving his home in Georgia.  I don't care about the fact that the song is about San Francisco (not exactly beach weather).  This is the song that'll make me melt into the sand in the midst of total relaxation.