It occurred to me the other day that this is the third summer since this site’s inception where I haven’t featured some sort of “summer” mix here, which, given my predilection for crafting mixes of the utmost triviality, seems a little odd. So when a friend recently asked me to compile a disc of “summer songs,” I thought I would take the opportunity to present it to the internets as my requisite hot-weather mix of the year.

Summer, for me, isn’t about dreamy indie pop, ‘90s G-funk, or breezy tropicália. It’s about Soul, specifically the kind recorded between the years1970 and 1979. I’d say about 75% of the Soul and R&B I listen to happens during the summer – there’s just something about the overall vibe of the music, whether it’s a pseudo-disco floor-stomper or a heart-crushing ballad, that’s complemented by the longer days and higher temperatures. My father also played a lot of Motown and Stax platters around the house when I was growing up, and I have vague recollections of hearing The Temptations and Otis Redding on summer evenings, echoing through the house and out the windows while I was running around outside. There isn’t anything particularly groundbreaking about this mix, and it isn’t packed full of obscurities and dusty funk rarities. Hell, even the title is a little uncreative and a weak attempt at alliteration. These sixteen songs are incredibly personal to me, however, and are the essence of summertime to these ears. I spent a lot of time on the sequencing and the tracks are blended together, so those looking to download in order to isolate one of them may be disappointed. Enjoy.

Seventies Summer Soulstice 68:52 (.zip – 93.85 MB at 192 kbps)

1. “Joy” – Isaac Hayes 6:06
from Joy (Stax 1973)

The slinky riff that provides the basis for “Joy” is one of the most addictive things I’ve ever heard. Hayes’ attempt to replicate the grandeur of “Walk on By” wasn’t anywhere near as successful, but the arrangements here – the forceful horns, the string charts, and especially Willie Hall’s drumming – are astonishing. I began fading near the six-minute mark; showcasing the full sixteen minutes of the track wasn’t something I was comfortable with.

2. “Day Dreaming” – Aretha Franklin 3:32
from Young, Gifted and Black (Atlantic 1972)

Aretha’s “Day Dreaming” perfectly captures the thick, almost surreal haze that descends upon my neighborhood on sticky summer evenings. The way her words tease and dance around the beat in the verses gets me every time.

3. “Thank You for Your Love” – The Dramatics 4:19
from Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get (Stax 1972)

A more obvious choice would have probably been “Hot Pants in the Summertime” from the Dramatics’ self-titled debut, but the lazy pace of “Thank You for Your Love” was much more suitable here. Sonically, it just doesn’t get any better than this: the hard panning of the drums in the left channel, the strings on the right, that oversaturated buzz of a guitar in the middle, and of course, the sweet harmonies of the quintet. “If you didn’t hear me the first time, I’m gonna say it again!” Phenomenal.

4. “You’re Welcome, Stop on By” – Bobby Womack 3:35
from Lookin’ for a Love Again (United Artists 1974)

This was always my favorite of Womack’s run of singles in the ‘70s, with a strong vocal performance and a nice blend of the guitars and keyboards in the mix. The way he could time his spoken-word intros to lead into singing on the downbeats was one of Womack’s many strengths, to say nothing of his fluid guitar comping.

5. “Move Me No Mountain” – Love Unlimited 3:46
from In Heat (20th Century 1974)

If I could find a flaw with the overlooked and criminally out-of-print catalogue of Barry White’s Love Unlimited ladies, it would be that there are far too many ballads dominating the material. Not that the trio couldn’t handle them, but they were at their best on mid-tempo grooves like “Move Me No Mountain,” which opens In Heat (1974). The flute that makes an appearance here is irresistibly sexy, and Nathan East once again proves why he was one of the most underrated session bassists of his time.

6. “The Day the Robin Sang to Me” – The Manhattans 3:40
from There’s No Me Without You (Columbia 1973)

This song slays me, plain and simple. I can’t think of a better tune to play on a warm morning in June. The backing vocals sound like they’re emanating from a break in the heavens. And don’t even get me started on that perfect touch of reverb that’s applied to the flute.

7. “Dreaming’s Out of Season” – The Montclairs 3:11
from Dreaming’s Out of Season (Paula 1972)

Phil Perry of The Montclairs was like the Mark Eitzel of ‘70s Soul – I wouldn’t call him a miserable bastard, but the dude excelled at penning ballads that weren’t far from genuinely depressing. Which is why I adore the group, naturally. “Dreaming’s Out of Season” was their most popular hit, meaning that only a few hundred could recognize the song these days. Admittedly, this may be my only ‘obscure gem’ concession to the mix.

8. “I Want to Be Free” – Ohio Players 6:43
from Fire (Mercury 1975)

It’s difficult to hear “I Want to Be Free” without picturing Mark Wahlberg diving into a swimming pool as the opening drum solo (what the hell is that all about anyway?) crashes on the downbeat. No summertime barbeque is complete without this song – it’s an absolute mess of tempos and disconnected sections, but that’s what makes it so charming.

9. “Blind Alley” – The Emotions 2:55
from Untouched (Stax 1971)

I included “Blind Alley” not only to keep the mix from slumping into an endless string of ballads, but because it’s one of the highlights of The Emotions’ earlier, more adventurous years. I could write a hundred-page analysis on the bassline alone – it’s truly a wonder to behold.

10. “Never Gonna Leave You” – Eddie Kendricks 4:07
from He’s a Friend (Motown 1975)

Kendricks was entering the autopilot phase of his career by the time of He’s a Friend (1975), but he stepped it up for this midnight ballad, an ode to his woman’s, erm, domesticity. The arrangements are a bit formulaic for 1975, but the rhythmic shift to a slight swing around the halfway mark is a nice touch.

11. “Take Me Just As I Am” – Lyn Collins 3:29
from Check Me Out if You Don’t Know Me by Now (Polydor 1975)

She’s Lyn Collins. Aka The Female Preacher. Aka Mama Feelgood. Aka one of the most sampled ladies in Soul. Aka the woman who can make your liver quiver. I dare you to hear this and sit still for its duration.

12. “Can’t Hide Love” – Earth, Wind & Fire 4:06
from Gratitude (Columbia 1975)

With so many warm-weather classics to choose from it’s hard to settle on one pick from Earth, Wind & Fire, but the sensual groove of “Can’t Hide Love” is especially fitting for a summer mix. Three listens in and I guarantee you’ll be attempting to reach the heights of Philip Bailey’s “bet-CHA!”s. The way the vocal lines hover over the chromatically descending progression during the coda is one of the most ingenious things the group ever did.

13. “People Make the World Go Round” – The Stylistics 5:59
from The Stylistics (Avco 1971)

“People Make the World Go Round” is the mix’s centerpiece, if you will, from what I feel is the quintessential Soul record of the 1970s: The Stylistics’ debut album. There isn’t another song that comes remotely close to its uniqueness: the revolutionary use of marimba, the 9/4 signature, the socio-political lyrics that still resonate nearly 40 years after it was recorded. Its timelessness is undeniable.

14. “Searching” – Roy Ayers 4:03
from Vibrations (Polydor 1976)

I got to flex my limited mixing skills with the transition into Roy Ayers’ “Searching,” which was entirely unintentional, I swear. This track is an effective hint at closure to the mix as it winds down, and sounds best accompanying a long sunset.

15. “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” – Marvin Gaye 4:26
from What’s Going On (Motown 1971)

I used to blare this song from my fourth-floor apartment on summer evenings when I was living in Virginia years ago. It would be easy to say that I included “Inner City Blues” here because of its chilling relevancy, but truthfully, it’s just one of my favorite Marvin Gaye songs.

16. “Neither One of Us” – Gladys Knight & The Pips 4:20
from Neither One of Us (Motown 1973)

Oh my God. Gladys’ “Neither One of Us” has got to be one of my top ten favorite songs of all time. I am rendered absolutely useless when this comes on; attempts at conversation or any kind of interaction with me are hopelessly futile. I can think of few Soul songs as wholly perfect as this (The Supremes’ “You Keep Me Hanging On” comes close) but none can hold a candle Gladys’ heart-wrenching performance here. How anyone even attempted to write or perform a ballad after hearing this is beyond my comprehension and a testament to the human will. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go melt somewhere.