Friday Five: Pool Party

June has arrived and summer is in full swing. Temperatures are rising to triple digits across the country and the humidity is stifling down in the southern states. For those lucky enough to have access to one, swimming pools are a refreshing respite. For those of us without pools, songs about pools will have to do. So take off those boots, throw on that old swimsuit and join us at the edge of the water where we celebrate five songs about swimming and pools.

5. Brad Paisley – “Water”

Brad Paisley celebrates everything pool-oriented in this music video for this recent hit. It could also be known as the biggest electrocution thrill/danger in country music history.

 

4. Blue Rodeo – “Piranha Pool”

This Canadian country-rock band has been going strong since 1984. If your thrill meter wasn’t going off enough after watching a waterlogged Paisley and his band handle electric guitars in the above video, perhaps you’d like to “lean over the piranha pool” instead.

 

3. Billy Currington – “Swimmin’ in Sunshine”

Every summer pool anthem needs incredible lyrics like the one in this Currington song.: “La da da da da da da da / La da da da da da da da da da.” Deep.

 

2. Homer and Jethro – “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini”

The Grammy-winning Country Music Hall of Fame duo covered this song, which was written by Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss and made most famous by Brian Hyland. Vance is quoted as saying that this song was a “money machine” and it made him several million dollars.

 

1. Hank Thompson – “Teach ‘Em How to Swim”

This great Thompson track isn’t quite the pool party that the others are, but where else but country music could you try and teach your troubles to swim, or float, at the bar?