This post contains affiliate links and we make a small commission for purchases made using these links.
Every summer, somewhere around late May, I turn into the kind of person who thinks music should probably be playing quietly from a tinny little porch speaker at all times.
Not party music. Not “everybody jump in the lake” music. Instead, more like pie baking, porch sitting, fireworks in the distance, dad guarding the grill like it’s a full-time job kind of music (you know exactly what I’m talking about).
Basically, it’s this old-fashioned patriotic summer playlist.
I originally made this playist for the Fourth of July several years ago, but honestly, it’s become my soundtrack for the entire summer. It’s what I put on while slicing strawberries in the kitchen, washing deviled egg dishes after dinner, or even sitting outside “for a minute” and accidentally staying there until it’s dark.
The whole thing feels nostalgic without trying too hard. It’s a little patriotic. A little country. A little Americana. The kind of songs that make you remember summers you forgot you even remembered. And really, that’s what summer music is supposed to do.
There’s Willie Nelson. Ray Charles. Dolly Parton. Johnny Cash. Otis Redding. Patsy Cline. Songs that somehow make folding lawn chairs and melting popsicles feel emotional.
Honestly, that’s kind of the whole point.
A Few of My Personal Favorites From the Playlist
- “America the Beautiful” – Ray Charles
- “Take Me Home, Country Roads” – John Denver
- “Jolene” – Dolly Parton
- “Chicken Fried” – Zac Brown Band
- “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” – Otis Redding
- “You Are My Sunshine” – Johnny Cash
- “Southern Nights” – Glen Campbell
- “Fishin’ in the Dark” – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Of coures, there are a bunch more on there too, but that’s the general mood. Very “paper plates and rickety old lawn chairs”, but in such a good way.
download our free
Deep Cleaning Guide
for a well-kept home
You can listen while making pie, driving home at sunset, cleaning up after dinner, or hiding in the kitchen pretending you’re “checking on something” for a little peace and quiet (and AC, if you’re absolutely dying in the Arizona heat too).
This playlist is for the in-between parts of summer. The late sunsets. The monsoon clouds rolling in. The sound of sprinklers running somewhere down the street. Grandbabies giggling and running through the yard. The fireworks you can hear three neighborhoods over while you’re carrying watermelon back inside.
Honestly, those are usually the best parts anyway. At least, they are for me anyway.
Also, if “America the Beautiful” comes on and suddenly you need to stare into the distance for a second, don’t worry about it. It’s probably just allergies.
The full playlist is on Spotify and Apple Music.
