The cicadas are chirping, the sun is setting a little earlier, and a cool breeze welcomes us when we wake up. That’s right, the end of summer is near. And while the dog days have their place, the turn of a season always feels like a sigh of relief. For many of us, this means taking advantage of these lingering warm nights with friends and family, gathered around a bonfire, or just swinging on the porch swing.
No matter how you’re bidding adieu to these last few weeks of summer, we’ve created a playlist to accompany it. We’ve asked our Marketing and Consulting teams to share their favorite end of summer hits. Whether nostalgic or reverent, all of these songs pair perfectly with your beverage of choice and the setting sun.
We’re Going to Be Friends – The White Stripes: “No matter how old I get (and especially now that I have a school-age kid in the house), I will always associate the end of summer with the beginning of a new school year. This song captures starting school and making a new friend in such a simple and childlike way, and it makes me remember the way I felt that first day climbing onto the bus each year.” – Kirk Gipson, Director, Proposals
Sunflower Vol. 6 – Harry Styles: “This song has a good vibe. I listened to it while kayaking this summer, so it makes me think of floating down the creek in the sunshine.” – Hannah Beaudoin, Proposal Writer
Parachute – Chris Stapleton: “There’s nothing better than driving with the windows down, blasting music with your friends in the summer.” – Fran Barchetti, Marketing/Proposals Coordinator
I Ain’t Worried – OneRepublic: “Mostly because that’s what we all want, to not worry. Second, the kids are super impressed when I whistle along.” – Amanda Jeffries, Associate Policy Consultant
All Summer Long – Kid Rock: “Reminds me of carefree summers and how simple life used to be.” – Romayne Dillner, Senior Policy Consultant
YMCA – Village People: “This is the first song that popped into my head. It made me literally giggle, and who doesn’t need a laugh at the end of a long summer.” – Pam Dunleavy, Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Sharks – Imagine Dragons: “The song has a really good beat, and it's easy to dance to!” – Sheila McKell, Director, Marketing
Twistin’ & Groovin’ – Leon Bridges: “Leon is a great storyteller in his songs. This one takes you on a journey with brassy, upbeat beats that force you to get up and dance (snapping your fingers in time with the beat is optional but encouraged).” – Lauren McKenna, Senior Proposal Writer
Manic Monday – Billie Joe Armstrong: “Brings me back to summers gone by long ago.” – Chuck Urishko, Proposal Writer
Age Six Racer – Dashboard Confessional: We couldn’t end this post without the song we stole our playlist title from. Like the singer, we hate saying goodbye to summer (but unlike him, we have nothing against the city of Lexington, which we hear is lovely in the fall).
To listen to the playlist, please visit this Spotify link.