"Summer Breeze" is a song written and recorded by Seals and Crofts that has been covered by The Isley Brothers, Type O Negative, the Three Tenors, and many other artists. Seals and Crofts' original version, released in 1972, reached No. 6 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in the US. In 2013, it was ranked No. 13 in Rolling Stone′s "Best Summer Songs of All Time".
Original Seals and Crofts version
Released on their 1972 Summer Breeze album, Seals and Crofts' original version reached No. 6 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in the US that same year. Bruce Eder of Allmusic referred to it as "one of those relentlessly appealing 1970s harmony-rock anthems ... appropriately ubiquitous on the radio and in the memory".
Seals and Crofts performed the song live on the The Bobby Darin Amusement Company variety show in 1972.
The song was covered in a harder rock-soulful style by The Isley Brothers as a single in 1974. Issued also on their 1973 album 3 + 3, it reached number sixty on the pop singles chart, number ten on the R&B singles chart, and number sixteen on the UK singles chart. The Isleys' version is notable not only for the harmonies of the three vocal Isleys O'Kelly, Rudolph and lead singer Ronald but also for the guitar solo by younger brother Ernie.
The Isley Brothers performed it on a 1974 Soul Train show. It was also featured in a 2014 episode of Scandal and is sampled in the track "All In My Mind" released by MC Hammer along with his newly formed rap group called Oakland Fight Club featuring Mistah F.A.B. (2014).
Ronald Isley, O'Kelly Isley, Jr. and Rudolph Isley – lead and background vocals
Ernie Isley – electric and acoustic guitar & percussion
Chris Jasper – piano, keyboards
Marvin Isley – bass guitar and percussion
George Moreland – drums, percussion
Gothic metal band Type O Negative recorded a slower, doom metal version of the song for their 1993 album Bloody Kisses, and this version was featured during the opening credits of the 1997 horror film I Know What You Did Last Summer.
Ray Conniff, on I Can See Clearly Now with The Singers (1972)
Gabor Szabo, on his 1972 album Mizrab
Claude François sang a French cover of this song under the title "De la peine, pas de chagrin" in 1973.
Percy Faith and His Orchestra, on the 1973 album Clair.
Ramsey Lewis, on his 1974 album Solar Wind
The Main Ingredient in 1974
Caesar Frazier recorded an instrumental cover of this song on his jazz album '75 in 1975.
Stylus, on their 1975 album Where in the World
Nicki Richards in 1991.
Spiral featuring Lisa Lamb in 1995, later the vocalist with Peach Union
The Three Tenors during their 1996 farewell performance at the Coach and Horses Tavern in Windsor, Ontario
Mexican singer Yuri recorded a cover version in Spanish language titled "Soy Feliz" ("I Am Happy"), and released it as the second single from her studio album Huellas (1997)
Bob Baldwin, on Cool Breeze (1997) and Lookin' Back (2009)
Petty Booka in 1998
Aphrodite, a drum and bass version in 2000
Jason Mraz, on Everwood: Original Television Soundtrack (2004)
George Benson and Al Jarreau (collaboration) in 2006
Wayman Tisdale, on Way Up! (2006)
Blank & Jones, on Relax - Edition Three (2007)
The CompanY, on Destination: Bossa (2007)
Guru, Jazzmatazz, Vol. 4: The Hip-Hop Jazz Messenger: Back to the Future on the track "Fine and Free", sung by Vivian Green in 2007
Jed Madela, on Only Human (2007)
Shaw Blades (Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades), on their 2007 album Influence
Peter Bjorn and John from the Indie Rocks! compilation in 2009
Till Brönner, on At the End of the Day (2010)
Dale Ann Bradley, a bluegrass version on Somewhere South of Crazy (2011)
Maps & Atlases, for The A.V. Club's A.V. Undercover: Summer Break series (2011)
Sawyer Fredericks and Pharrell Williams, The Voice (2015)
Jackie Mittoo as a reggae version
Sampled by The Whitlams – "I Make Hamburgers" (1995)
Remade/sampled by Jody Breeze – "So Fly" (feat. Claudette Ortiz) (2005)
Sampled by J.K. Specific - "Summer Vacation"
Sampled by Griz - "Summer '97" (feat. Muzzy Bearr
The song was used in the 1993 cult film Dazed and Confused.
It appeared on the second soundtrack to the 1994 film Even More Dazed and Confused.
The track is heard in the "Dead Dogs and Gym Teachers" episode of Freaks and Geeks in 2000.
The track was remixed by Philip Steir and Ramin Sakurai in 2004 as part of What Is Hip? Remix Project Volume One, an album featuring remixes of Warner Bros. Records 1970s hits. This updated version, titled "Summer Breeze (Tsuper Tsunami Mix)", was also featured in two 2004 commercials by clothing retailer Gap, starring models Bridget Hall and Jessica Miller respectively.
It was used in the 2007 film King of California.
The track was used in the 2007 animated TV special Shrek the Halls and the 2009 movie, Land of the Lost.
"Summer Breeze" was featured on the 2011 season finale of CSI: Miami.
The track can be heard in the episode "The Return" in the first season of the TV show Girls in 2012.
The track is also featured in the 2015 comedy Vacation, as well as appears on the soundtrack.
