Summer tunes for summer moods

Whether you're barbequing in the back garden, bronzing on the beach or picnicking in the park, summer is a truly blessed event for us Brits.

Unfortunately, it's usually as brief as it is blissful.

So, with autumn rains looming, how best to savour every sun-soaked day to the full?

Simple. Kick back, take lots of photos, and make sure the ten best summer songs of all time are playing non-stop from May to August.

But what are they? With so much choice it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.

10. Doin' Time (Sublime): A bit of West coast ska-punk always goes well with the sunshine, and this laid-back, bass-drenched track is no exception, filled with smooth beats and samples of Herbie Mann's 'Summertime'.

9. Wish I (Jem): Whether it's the lilting Caribbean vibes or Jem's dreamy dulcet tones, this song will lull you into a deep summery daze whether you like it or not.

8. No Worries (Simon Webb): Just try to listen to this song without smiling - it's simple, fresh and catchy enough to stay in your head without driving you slowly insane.

7. Girls Of Summer (Aerosmith): This underrated jewel from 2002 will have you hunting for beaches and summer flings alike, I guarantee it.

How best to savour every sun-soaked day to the full? Simple. Kick back and make sure the 10 best summer songs of all time playing non-stop from May to August.

Gemma Knight

6. Time Of The Season (The Zombies): Grab a cold one and find a shady spot while the slow beats of The Zombies' classic take you back to the Summer of Love.

5. Boys Of Summer (Don Henley): As the summer evening draws in, let the iconic chords of this tune swell on the breeze and enjoy the buzz.

4. In The Summertime (Mungo Jerry): A little chauvinistic, yes, but if you fancy a bit of bubbly 70s summer fun that reminds you of every sunny day since you were five, this one's probably for you.

3. Smooth (Santana ft. Rob Thomas): Suave, exhilarating guitar riffs and lyrics so good you can almost taste the sweat. If there's a steamier summer song out there I haven't heard it.

2. Summer Of '69 (Bryan Adams): Another classic, so good that twenty years of karaoke haven't killed it yet, enough said.

1. Kokomo (The Beach Boys): 'Aruba, Jamaica...' I defy anybody to pick just one song from the godfathers of the summer melody themselves. Still, you can't go far wrong with images of steel drums, Florida sunshine and Tom Cruise in 'Cocktail'.