The 5 Best Summer Rock Classics That Are Not By The Beach Boys…

...with special thanks to your Blimp's legendary A-to-Z archives, there are a couple on here you're not likely to catch anywhere else! Turn 'em up on your way to Sebago Lake:

"Summertime Girls" - Y & T (1985): Though they had maybe 4 or 5 albums before fading away, Y&T were essentially one-hit wonders from Oakland and their sound was quintessential mid-'80's Cali-pop-metal -- They were known first as Yesterday & Today (taken from The Beatles album) and boy-oh-boy they sure loved the glossier end of the Van Halen spectrum. Works for us! Best line: "But I just like to pretend, yes/That I can have 'em all"...

"Summer Romance" - The Rolling Stones (1980). One of the bands best/most under-appreciated efforts -- Apparently, they recorded so much stuff for the "Emotional Rescue" album that several tracks were left off and saved for 1981's follow-up "Tattoo You", that's how in-the-groove they were at this point. With Mick in his best dirty old man mode, this track's a splendid celebration of true debauchery. Best line: "I'm a serious man/I got serious lusts"...

"Sausalito Summernight" - Diesel (1980). A ridiculously tight performance from another band that sounds like 100% West Coast sunshine despite the fact they were actually from the Netherlands -- The guitar licks echo like Steve Miller on steroids and the "All Aboard!" chants are way more infectious than most viruses. Weirdly and quite pleasantly, it actually reminds us of "Under The Boardwalk". Best line: "I'll have a burger and a root beer"...Of course!

"Sea And Sand" - The Who (1973). Part dreamy-beauty, part screaming ferocity, which pretty much sums up most of "Quadrophenia" -- Townshend's bashing vs. Daltrey's introspective parts makes for one of their most convincing buried treasures. Best line: "Nothing is planned/By the sea and the sand"...

"Girls In Their Summer Clothes" - Bruce Springsteen (2007). Probably the best song on the "Magic" album, Bruce's operatic mumbling nicely compliments the Phil Spector cinemascope sound -- A gorgeous track and a perfect summer sequel to "Thunder Road". Best line: "A breeze crosses the porch/Bicycle spokes spin 'round"...

See y'all soon at Ferry beach, six feet apart...