Whether youโre a full-blown sun worshipper or somebody who enjoys catching the occasional ray once every blue moon, the right music can make or break an afternoon spent lounging in the sunshine. The wrong playlist makes the whole affair boring, sweaty, and stagnant. But with the right songs in the queueโlike these four 1973 tracksโyour day of soaking up sunshine becomes relaxing and rejuvenating.
โAny Colour You Likeโ by Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd released โAny Colour You Likeโ on their 1973 magnum opus, Dark Side Of The Moon. The song begins right at the tail-end of โUs And Themโ, and if weโre being honest, the transition between these two songs is one of the best moments of the entire album. But for lounging in the sunshine specifically, โAny Colour You Likeโ is the way to go. It swirls and swells as the song continues, reflecting the dappling sunshine in a peaceful, almost trance-like way.
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โDโyer Makโerโ by Led Zeppelin
Itโs hard not to hear the reggae influence of Led Zeppelinโs โDโyer Makโerโ from Houses Of The Holy and not hear sunshine. The doo-wop-esque track practically oozes sunlight and warm weather, despite the band recording the song in the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, they imbue the track with a hint of Caribbean flavor that was divisive but enduring. Love it or hate it, โDโyer Makโerโ is one of Led Zeppelinโs most ubiquitous hits, thanks to its release as a single.
โDesperadoโ by The Eagles
Although it was tempting to put โTequila Sunriseโ on this list of 1973 songs that seem to radiate sunshine, we decided to go with โDesperadoโ. The imagery of this classic song seems to have an exceptionally warm hue to it, almost as if the sun were permanently fixed just above the horizon, casting a golden glow over everything and everyone. This one serves as a gentle reminder that every day of lounging in the sunshine has to end with a sunset eventually.
โBig Manโ by Charlie Daniels
Finally, weโll wrap this list of 1973 sunshine lounging songs with a tune that sounds like it could be by anybody but Charlie Daniels. Yet, lo and behold, the man behind โDevil Went Down To Georgiaโ is the very same fiddler scratching and strutting his way through the surprisingly funky deep cut โBig Manโ. Lyrically, the song doesnโt have much to do with being in the sun or outdoors or nature at all. This is more about capturing a specific vibe.
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