Food? Check. Beer? Check. Various outdoor games? Check. Jorts? Check. (Wait, nevermind that last one.)
Your Memorial Day BBQ/cookout/insert your preferred term here appears to be in great shape. But where’s the music?
In case you’re still scrambling for a playlist, we’ve got you covered. Below, the UPROXX staff picks their favorite songs for the occasion. At the bottom we’ve made it even easier for you with a nifty Spotify playlist. (Oh, and follow us on Spotify, we’ll be doing a lot more there soon.)
The Ramones – “Commando”
I tend to listen to The Ramones when I grill because none of their songs are long enough that you’d get annoyed by them. And “Commando” always seems apt on Memorial Day? “Bonzo Goes To Bitburg?” Not so much. – Dan Seitz
Marvin Gaye – “Got To Give It Up”
Know why Robin Thicke and Pharrell lifted from “Got To Give It Up” and landed a hit with “Blurred Lines?” Because Marvin Gaye’s late ‘70s jam had an undeniable groove that will last from here to eternity. No matter the age, race, or gender, no one can ignore the urge to sing, sway, or dance when this one comes on. – John Gotty
Pavement – “Summer Babe (Winter Version)”
The only song I can think of with “BBQ” in the title is “Snowshoe BBQ” by Atom and His Package, but that doesn’t feel like it fits, and my initial instinct in situations like this is to go with a choice that provides ironic juxtaposition for humorous effect. However, I’ll go with “Summer Babe” because it is a great song, it has “summer” in the title, and it might make people appreciate some burgers in lieu of eating their fingers like they’re just another meal. – Chris Morgan
DJ Quik – “Summer Breeze”
The Quiksta’s music has been instrumental in my life for quite some time, and this warm weather jam from his classic Safe + Sound album is a perennial staple in my CD player during every Gemini season. Built on a bumping bass groove, spirited rhythm guitars and personable lyrics that describe his growth from a young thug into an adult, the feel-good track embodies everything we love about not only summer, but good music in general. – BEWARE
Every track on CVS Bangers 2
It is with a heavy heart that I learned both Vols. 1 and 2 of DJ Hennessy Youngman’s tour de force, CVS Bangers, were recently taken off Soundcloud, but I wish to believe it just means he has something big in store for us, and not that they’re gone forever. If you are one of the lucky ones who found a way to download them before they vanished, you have my respect. (I did, somewhere, on an old computer or something – I’ll find it soon enough.) Pretty much any CVS Bangers will do, but Vol. 2 brings it from the get-go, starting with Toto’s “Africa” and giving us two Steve Winwood (DOUBLE WINWOOD) songs along the way. But I guess this isn’t really my favorite cookout song/album as much as it is my favorite thing to play any time the weather is good. So just put Vol. 3 on, since it’s still out there for us to enjoy, and revel in its majesty. – Martin Rickman
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – “Summertime”
A little on the nose? Yeah, sure. But it’s my barbecue and if you don’t like my music you can take your busted-ass crew and go to Wendy’s. I don’t have to explain myself to you people. – Danger Guerrero
The Rentals – “My Head Is in the Sun”
Cookout playlists are usually full of bangers, singalong songs everyone can get behind, and rightly so. Cookouts are fun! But there’s a comedown point. Bellies are full, the keg is close to being kicked, conversation dies down a little, and everyone finds themselves sitting there just quietly appreciating the moment and how lucky they are to have good times with good people in good weather. It’s a little moment of recharge. And at that moment, “My Head Is in the Sun” is the choicest cut of calm bliss. – Tom Mantzouranis
The Brothers Johnson – “Strawberry Letter 23”
Memorial Day is the kickoff to summer. It’s not quite a sweltering heat, the one that causes you to linger in front of your open refrigerator just a little longer. It’s still habitable in your backyard. On a good day, it might even be breezy. That’s why “Strawberry Letter 23” is the perfect tune for a BBQ playlist. It’s somehow laid back yet danceable, sweet but still funky as hell. It’s soaked with all of the optimism that something like summer on the horizon should bring. Then, all of a sudden, it’s August and you wonder where it all went. – Michael Depland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC1TBxflN2I
Big K.R.I.T. – “Get Right”
Few rap artists embody the south, a BBQ haven, like Big K.R.I.T. There are so many groovy songs from his discography to choose from, but “Get Right” is in the “extra laid-back” category. The synthesizer in this track sounds like it was taken right out of a scene in Miami Vice. Whether you’re manning the grill or driving to a crowded grocery store, this song fits anywhere. – Ryan Alfieri
Goodnight, Texas – “Jesse Got Trapped in a Coal Mine”
The American south might boast its own summertime culinary delights, but Texas is the unquestionable center of all things barbecue. I am an unapologetic native, and my early education centered on three things: brisket, old-time country music, and two-stepping. (C’mon, Texas Monthly — a regular National Magazine Award winner and nominee — has a designated Barbecue Editor.) Listening to Americana is mandatory when firing up the grill, and Goodnight, Texas’s “Jesse Got Trapped in a Coal Mine” has just the kind of infectious beat a good backyard barbecue needs. I dare you to try and not listen to it on repeat. – Andrew Husband
Mark Morrison – “Return of the Mack”
Listen, “Return of the Mack” is a song that’s pretty much perfect in any situation, and if anyone ever has a problem with it being played, you should swiftly remove that person from your life. The song has a chill, laid-back vibe with a danceable beat and a catchy, singable hook to get the party going. It’s just one of those songs that makes people feel GOOD, which is the most important part of a cookout soundtrack. – Pete Blackburn
Pere Ubu – “I Hear They Smoke the Barbecue”
Pere Ubu singer David Thomas is an overweight, crotchety middle-aged weirdo who, the one time I saw him in concert, didn’t even bother to stand up at any point during the show. One of his songs, “I Hear They Smoke the Barbecue,” is about aliens that love watching Yogi Bear and how we’re on “the dark side of forever, I fear them hard times are beginning for real.” Basically, he’s my hero. Oh, and the song’s super catchy. Don’t let the whole “we’re doomed” message ruin your potato salad. – Josh Kurp
Hiss Golden Messenger – “Saturday’s Song”
The North Carolina-based musician’s entire fourth album, Lateness of Dancers, is one long folky summer jam. But “Saturday’s Song” is about drinking whiskey and feeling no pain and enjoying your dang weekend, which are all things I associate with grilling meats. At least that’s what it’s about on the surface. It probably has some deeper meaning that would just make us depressed if we thought about it too much. – Chris Mottram
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqPC9M8q3Es
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “The Waiting”
I like a song with some bounce to it; something I can saunter around the deck too. A song where I know at least 40% of the words and definitely know the chorus is a winner too because who doesn’t like to sing while they’re grilling? I also like a song that can be twisted into being relevant to what I’m doing. I’m pretty sure TP wasn’t talking about waiting on burgers to cook when he wrote this song, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t make it about that. I’m sure he’d understand. – Ryan O’Connell
Weezer – “Surf Wax America”
It was tough to pick just one song from Weezer’s Blue Album, but like any early Weezer song, “Surf Wax America” has a catchy chorus that everyone can sing along to, killer guitar riffs, and an incredible bridge that could pass as a Beach Boys passage. A song with all those components that just happens to be about ditching everything and going surfing sounds like the perfect song for any BBQ this summer. – James Sullivan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk9SJva85Bs
Wham! – “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”
Sometimes, and this is just between us, I play “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” while grilling because it helps me pass the time. And, sometimes, I actually dance and flip my burger while George says, “Jitterbug.” Sure, it’s childish and stupid, but, then again, so is everything else I do. – Andy Isaac
