Ten Best Island Songs

A colleague of mine recently won tickets to the Pro Bowl, the annual NFL All-Star game in Hawaii. Unfortunately, he cannot attend because his job prevents him from taking those days off. He is a school teacher, a profession that makes it difficult to take vacation days in February. He is currently contemplating whether to sell his Pro Bowl tickets on eBay, or whether to present them as a gift for someone in his family.

He likes his profession, and appreciates the summer months that allow him to spend extended vacations each year. When that Pro Bowl rolls around this year, with its beautiful island imagery of beaches, palm trees, and bikinis, he is going to wish for that one day at least that he had chosen a different career.

The other teachers in his department have decided to make him a mix tape to console him during that regretful day that serves as the official end of the NFL season. We brainstormed a list of songs that feature the word "Island" in their titles. Our hope is that when he hears it he'll see in his mind those palm trees, beaches, and bikinis he could be viewing first hand and for free.

10. "Islands in the Stream" by The Bee Gees: Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers scored a bigger hit with this love song, but the Brothers Gibbs wrote it and made a superior version for an anthology album.

9. "Lady of the Island" by Crosby, Stills and Nash: This beautiful acoustic track written by Graham Nash tastefully complements some of the political ballads on the Crosby, Stills, and Nash album.

8. "Rock Island Line" by Johnny Cash: The deep vocal of Cash is perfect for this old folk song about a "Northbound train on a southbound track." I love the way the song speeds up just as the train does.

7. "Island" by The Moody Blues: The island in this track from Seventh Sojourn does not represent the usual romantic paradise prevalent in other tunes. Rather, the band asks, "Are you sitting on a tiny island as the tide rolls in on you?"

6. "Coney Island Baby" by Lou Reed: It is quite a treat to hear Lou Reed vocalize about wanting to play football for a man coach in this title track from one of his most famous albums.

5. "Fire Island" by Fountains of Wayne: The slow, mellow song is a teenager's diary, opening with "Driving on the lawn, sleeping on the roof, drinking all the alcohol." It serves as a perfect conclusion to Welcome Interstate Managers.

4. "Thunder Island" by Jay Ferguson: After leading rock band Spirit in the 60s and Jo Jo Gunne in the 70s, Ferguson struck lightning with this pop tune about making love in the rain and basking in the sun.

3. "Island in the Sun" by Weezer: The album offered the controversial "Hashpipe" as its first single, but this more accessible, mellow tune about a fantasy vacation is the more enduring track.

2. "Gilligan's Island Theme" by Sherwood Schwartz and George Wyle (performed by The Wellingtons): Few theme songs have been as catchy as this tale of the shipwrecked characters from the Minnow. The second version is the more preferable, since it includes the Professor and Mary Ann, both of whom were omitted in the tune from the earlier seasons.

1. "Island Girl" by Elton John: Lyricist Bernie Taupin may have been at his poetic peak on this tune from Rock of the Westies. It is filled with delicious imagery, such as "She'll wrap herself around you like well-worn tire."