4 Songs From the 1970s That Feel Like Lounging in the Sunshine

Lounging in the sunshine is one of life’s greatest—and least expensive—pleasures, and there’s no better way to spend that time soaking up the rays than by listening to iconic 1970s songs like these.

“Everybody Loves The Sunshine” by Roy Ayers Ubiquity

The droning synthesizer in Roy Ayers Ubiquity’s 1976 track, “Everybody Loves The Sunshine”, seems to imitate the peaceful stillness that comes with lying in the sunshine. It’s a meditative and swirling track that seems to swell and fade with the sun as clouds pass in front of it, providing a few cool seconds of shadow. Despite only hitting No. 51 on the Billboard 200, “Everybody Loves The Sunshine” has remained in pop culture through hip-hop samples and, in the early 2020s, an iPhone 12 Pro ad.

“A Place In The Sun” by Pablo Cruise

California soft-rockers released A Place In The Sun in February 1977. The first single, “Whatcha Gonna Do?”, achieved Top 10 success on the Billboard Pop Singles chart. The follow-up single, the title track, saw less critical acclaim. Still, it serves as a quintessential 1970s song to listen to while lounging in the sunshine—literal or otherwise. “There’s a place in the sun where there’s hope for everyone / where my poor restless heart’s gotta run / There’s a place in the sun, and before my life is done, got to find me a place in the sun.”

“Sun Goddess” by Ramsey Lewis

Like the previous Roy Ayers Ubiquity track, “Sun Goddess” by Ramsey Lewis featuring Earth, Wind, and Fire, provides an infectiously smooth and soulful groove that is the perfect accompaniment for lying in the sun. Peaking at No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100, “Sun Goddess” certainly isn’t the best-known track to come out of the decade. But when it comes to the all-time greatest 1970s songs to listen to in the sun’s warm rays, it’s hard to beat this one.

“Children Of The Sun” by Billy Thorpe

Proggy, cinematic, and intense 1970s rock can be difficult to listen to when you’re trying to focus. However, this kind of music is ideal for the lucky occurrences when you can let your mind relax and wander while your body bakes under the warm sun. “Children Of The Sun” by Billy Thorpe grows in intensity as the song progresses, much like the sun’s heat. In reality, you’re probably lying on a towel or a lounge chair somewhere. But when you’re listening to this song, you’re flying through “the walls of time at the speed of light.”

Photo by Tom Copi/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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