The summer of 2000 belonged to 'Thong Song' and 'Who Let the Dogs Out.' The dog days of 1997 would have been unrecognizable without 'MMMBop.' But the truly timeless songs of summer are the ones written about the season itself. These all-time summer hits are hotter than black vinyl car seats in Arizona and more fun than running through the sprinkler.

10. 'In the Summertime,' Mungo Jerry

Sun-soaked lyric: "When the weather's fine, you got women, you got women on your mind"

Not a lone bloke named Jerry but a British jug band named after a T.S. Eliot poem. This warm-weather classic is dated by its no-no suggestion of road beers ("Have a drink, have a drive"). But it was also ahead of its time: Check the pre-hip-hop beatboxing.

The Rules for Battle: Each week, we pit versions of the same song by two different artists in a head-to-head death match for musical supremacy. (Sometimes it will be the original recording vs. a cover version; other times it will be two different covers.) Then it's up to you to decide: Listen to and vote on which version you think should emerge victorious and which should be sent packing. May the best band win!



The Song: 'Girl Don't Tell Me'

The Contestants: The Beach Boys vs. Vivian Girls

In This Corner -- The Beach Boys: Taken from 1965's 'Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!),' 'Girl Don't Tell Me' also served as the B-side to their smash hit single 'Barbara Ann.' Vocal duties are handled by Wilson brother Carl (one of the first tracks he sang for the Beach Boys), and he delivers up a sweetly plaintive account of a young romeo's cruel treatment at the hands of an unrequited summer love. It's rough out there, you know?

The Beach Boys, 'Girl Don't Tell Me'


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On This Date in 1983: Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson drowns after diving off his boat in Marina Del Rey, Calif.

The Almanac Advises for December 28: "Part of any safe boating practice is knowing and heeding the following rules: 1. Attend a boating safety course in your locality. 2. Always have life preservers and life jackets handy and available for all boaters. 3. Avoid 'BUI' -- boating under the influence."

On This Date in 1964: Brian Wilson has a panic attack on board a flight during a Beach Boys tour, which leads to his quitting the road for several years.

The Almanac Advises for December 23: "A fear of flying can often be overcome through techniques such as hypnosis. It can also be controlled by certain drugs or through psychotherapy."

On This Date in 1988: Stan Love, former Beach Boys manager and brother of frontman Mike Love, is sentenced to five years' probation for embezzling $300,000 from the band.

The Almanac Advises for November 16: "Sibling rivalry is a reality that every parent should be prepared to encounter. Be prepared to mediate when, for example, your child claims his brother's toys for his own."

On This Date in 1974: 'Endless Summer,' a compilation of the Beach Boys' 1960s hits, crests to the No. 1 position on the Billboard 200 Albums chart.

The Almanac Advises for October 5: "Some climatologists worry that as a result of global warming, summer is beginning earlier and ending later. An extended summer season will wreak havoc on the ecosystem, these experts fear."

Just when you thought you had every iteration of the Beach Boys catalog, America's inventors of pop-rock make another contribution to record collectors worldwide with their first complete collection of early Capitol Records singles, spanning from 1962-1966. The limited-edition box o' goodness is packed with 16 CDs of original A- and B-sides, along with alternate takes including additional mono and stereo mixes of live recordings. This 66-track mecca of Beach Boys gems also boasts eight previously released tunes.

Hear the collection after the jump.