Playlist: Eternal Sunshine of the Summer Mind

After what felt like the longest, darkest, winter ever, summertime is so close! Soon, it will be time for porch sitting (or stoop sitting if you’re above the Mason-Dixon), sounds of children playing, driving with the windows down, drinking cold boozy drinks and wearing your best lingerie around the house because you live in a collective and they’re committed to “lowering our carbon footprint” and won’t turn on the goddamned air conditioner EVEN THOUGH IT’S BEEN 90 degrees the past five nights. It’s fine, y’all. I actually do love summer.

Because summer is my favorite time of year, I try to make it feel like summer however I can. In the winter, that usually means a sun lamp and this playlist full of early 2000s jams. Once Cash Money Records took over for the 99-2000, they set into play an eternal summer that kept on going until at least 2009. Whenever it’s feeling a little too dark and gloomy for me, this playlist makes me remember that summer is just a little bit away; I want to show off my midriff and shake my ass. Hopefully, it’ll do the same for you too.

Play this when you’re feeling cold and dismal, and you’ll be on your way to living your best life.

Eternal Summer of the Summer Mind

I’m Still In Love With You (feat. Sasha) — Sean Paul
Flap Your Wings — Nelly
Lose Control (feat. Ciara & Fat Man Scoop) — Missy Elliot
Milkshake — Kelis
Crazy in Love — Beyonce, Jay Z
Jenny from the Block — Jennifer Lopez
In Da Club — 50 Cent
Goodies — Ciara
Hollaback Girl — Gwen Stefani
Promiscuous — Nelly Furtado, Timbaland
Señorita — Justin Timberlake
Right Thurr — Chingy
One, Two Step — Ciara, Missy Elliot
Snap Yo Fingers —Youngbloodz, Sean Paul, E-40, Lil Jon
Shake it Off — Mariah Carey
Independent Women, Pt. 1 — Destiny’s Child
Always on Time — Ja Rule, Ashanti
Izzo (H.O.V.A) — Jay Z
Grind on Me — OG Ron C
Freek-A-Leek — Petey Pablo
Yeah! — Usher
Get Low — Ying Yang Twins
Because I Got High — Afroman
Shake Ya Tailfeather — Nelly, Diddy, Murphy Lee
Gasolina — Daddy Yankee
Como Estas —T-Pain (feat. Taino)
Move B*tch — Ludacris
Hey Ma — Cam’Ron
Bring Em Out — T.I.
Peaches & Cream — 112 (feat. Diddy)
Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’) — T-Pain
Back That Azz Up — Juvenile

https://open.spotify.com/user/1229950546/playlist/659CmJMf9bmaInJY8F5rfE

Before you go! Autostraddle runs on the reader support of our AF+ Members. If this article meant something to you today — if it informed you or made you smile or feel seen, will you consider joining AF and supporting the people who make this queer media site possible?

Join AF+!

Ari

Ari is a 20-something artist and educator. They are a mom to two cats, they love domesticity, ritual, and porch time. They have studied, loved, and learned in CT, Greensboro, NC, and ATX.

Ari has written 330 articles for us.

3 Comments

  1. Maybe it’s cause I’m from one two places(LA) the Fresh Prince & DJ Jazzy Jeff live(d), but their song Summertime is total summer classic out here imo. Such so, that even in Winter the song still works.

  2. This is AMAZEBALLS

    THANK YOU! you are a wonderful human bean! I wish I could give you a hug (if you wanted it and you were in the mood) GOSH i’m going to blast this tomorrow morning!

Comments are closed.