7 Must Have Songs For Your Memorial Day BBQ Playlist
BBQ grills will be lit during this Memorial Day weekend, and we want to make sure that you are fully prepared.
With music, that is. Below are seven songs that you must have on your Memorial Day BBQ playlist. And if they’re not, it is safe to assume that all of your dishes are store-bought, and nobody is coming to your BBQ anyway.
1. Frankie Beverly and Maze “Before I Let Go”
If you know, you know. Frankie Beverly and Maze’s 1981 classic hit “Before I Let Go” is the ultimate BBQ staple. Do NOT replace it with Beyonce’s cover. Her version can be added to the list, but it certainly is not a replacement. Pay homage, and play the original version first.
2. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince “Summertime”
DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith’s (Formerly The Fresh Prince) 1991 hit “Summertime” is the perfect way to get amped for summer, and it’s a known fact that Memorial Day Weekend is the precursor to summertime vibes.
3.The Gap Band “Outstanding”
The Gap Band’s 1981 song “Outstanding” is sure to get everyone doing the electric side, and almost serves as an auntie roll call. Once your aunt, who is appointed to make the potato salad, hears “Outstanding,” everyone is going to follow her to whatever open space and follow her dance lead.
4. 2pac “I Get Around”
Tupac’s “I Get Around,” which was released in 1993, is sure to get the younger generation of aunties snapping their fingers and all of the cousins moving. Just be prepared to explain to all of the younger Migos fans how much of a mood “I Get Around” is.
5.Bell Biv DeVoe “Poison”
Bell Biv DeVoe’s 1990 hit “Poison” is an ode specifically for all of the big booty cousins. Remember, “never trust a big butt and a smile.”
6. Chaka Khan “I Feel For You”
Chaka Khan’s “Sweet Thing” could have easily be on this list too, but her 1984 single “I Feel For You” is more dance invoking. Save it for later on during the fete, when everyone’s belly is full of BBQ and booze, and all of the “I’m only staying for a minute. I have to work tomorrow,” folks are long gone.
7. Tom Browne “Funkin For Jamaica”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-yaWMvpeUU
Your uncle who always tends to the meat on the grill wants to hear Tom Browne’s 1980 single “Funkin For Jamaica” so he can sway in his Jesus sandals. He’s making sure that everyone’s chicken wings and ribs are well done, so don’t deny him of his opportunity to bust a move.
Glennisha Morgan is a Detroit-bred multimedia journalist and writer. She writes about intersectionality, hip-hop, pop culture, queer issues, race, feminism, and her truth. Follow her on Twitter.
