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We’re all so excited for our spring break prompt that we decided to get started a little early. So, a quick miniprompt from today, where we asked our contributors to tell us the first song(s) that come to mind when they think of SPRING BREAK ANTHEMS.
Get ready. We’re about to bring back some hazy memories.
Katrina Dunn
“Give Me Everything” – Pitbull
Anything by Pitbull. In Pitbull’s world, misogyny and poor life choices aren’t just NBDs, they’re kind of fun. Pitbull’s lyrics include all the elements of spring break: hotel rooms, beaches, alcohol, flings, and spending your rent money on everything but rent. On his own or featuring other Top-40 artists, Pitbull manages to be both corny and cool—now that’s range. Is it Latin? Is it dance? Is it hip hop? Who cares! What it is, is fun for everyone. Pitbull is all about elevating your party game as you progress through life. He’s graduated from a boy on Calle Ocho to Mr. Worldwide—and he wants the same for you. Work hard, play hard, and tonight let’s enjoy life.
Lauren McMahon
“Ride Wit Me” – Nelly
Nelly’s “Ride Wit Me” is mandatory playlist material for myself and others of my vintage. It was on serious repeat during Senior Week 2001 in Ocean City, MD, where the motels were grimy and the tunes were sparklin’. Oh, to be 18 (18) with an attitude again…
Zach Straus
“Thong Song” – Sisqo
At its heart of darkness, Spring Break is a hormone and Boone’s Farm fueled quest for perfection. Perfect bodies, perfect parties, perfect strangers. If you’re not down here looking for the best of the best, you might as well have stayed in Bloomington.
In honor of the One Bacchanal to Rule Them All, I present to you the most perfect of Spring Break songs. The Padre-Islandest, underage-drinkingest, twelve-Deltas-in-a-single-Courtyard-Inn-roomiest, and suprisingly-body-positivitiest of songs.
The thongiest of songs.
Four minutes and thirteen seconds. Undeservedly classy strings. 110 unique words. Countless grunt breaths. The best slant-rhyme triplet in the history of songwriting. “She had dumps like a truck, truck, truck. / Thighs like what, what, what. / Baby, move your butt, butt, butt.”
Thong Song is universal. Timeless. Back in the real world, there are things that divide us. Race and class and politics age and gender and sexuality. But not tonight. Man and woman, Kappa and Alpha, Hoosier and Hawkeye, we all drove hundreds of miles to be here. This sandy dance floor is all we’ve got. And we all love butts.
“I think I’ll sing it again.”
Kelaine Conochan
“U Don’t Have to Call” – Usher feat. Ludacris
OK, let’s check our spring break anthem checklist. Does it feature:
✅ A legendary Neptunes beat?
✅ A young, attractive, likely shirtless lead vocalist?
✅ An optional remix with a popular rap artist?
✅ An empowering chorus about doing whatever the fuck you want?
Not sure if you went to Prague for your spring break, but all I see are Czechs.
Josh Bard
“I Love College” – Asher Roth
As an alum of Punta Cana and Puerto Vallarta Spring Breaks (classes of ’04 and ’06 respectively) many memories have blurred together like songs in a DJ-set after nine Red Bull Vodkas and no dinner. Which is to say, I obviously cannot differentiate songs from trips or years. Whenever I try to think about what Spring Break was like, I always think about Asher Roth’s “I Love College.” Sure, it didn’t come out until 2009, but it feels like the result of someone trying to guess what college (or Spring Break) was, without ever having been there. CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! DO SOMETHING CRAZY! DO SOMETHING CRAZY! KEG STAND! KEG STAND!
Monica McNutt
“Pieces of Me” – Rare Essence (go-go cover of Ashlee Simpson)
Pardon me for my seasonal confusion, as I think my choices were actually summer hits but undoubtedly Nelly “Hot In Herre” and “Shake Ya Tailfeather” (aka the Bad Boys II anthem). Honorable mention goes to Lil Jon & the Eastside Boys for “Get Low.” We could get away with Nelly with Mom Dukes although the idea of taking your clothes off got major side eye. I’ve also got some memories attached to Ashlee Simpson’s “Pieces of Me,” probably because the DMV Go-go cover by Rare Essence was🔥🔥🔥.
MK McWeeney
“Starships” – Nicki Minaj
I challenge everyone not to sing “Let’s go to the beach, each let’s go get away” as they beach it up on spring break. Also, I co-sign Monica’s “Shake Ya Tailfeather.” It’s a banger.
Jillian Conochan
“What’s Luv” – Fat Joe feat. Ashanti and Ja Rule
“One More Time” – Daft Punk
At Louie’s on South Padre Island, TX, every night began with a demand from Fat Joe:
And culminated with the anthem begging for an encore:
Spring Break was also the first time I remember hearing “Pussy Control” (“What song is THIS?”/”Are they saying ‘Pussy Control’?”/”They CAN’T be saying ‘Pussy Control’!”) and having no idea it was by Prince. That’s why you won’t find it on this playlist; here at The Prompt Magazine we respect Prince’s wishes to eschew digital distribution. Rest in Purple. ☮️
Melissa Wyatt “We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off” – Jermaine Stewart
An oldie but a goodie, offering solid advice to the young spring breakers of the world:
We don’t have to take our clothes off / To have a good time, Oh no! / We could dance & party all night / And drink some cherry wine, Uh huh!
Erin Vail
“Just Give Me a Reason” – Pink feat. Nate Ruess
Last year, my sister Shannon came to visit me for her Spring Break, and here is what we scream-sang the entire trip. We sing this every time we drive together. It’s just one of our many legendary car duets, and it’s perfect for when you want to blow out your ear drums and point-dance. The point of spring break, right?
Mike Stiriti
Dabbling in assorted artists and dating the fuck out of myself with these, but:
“Smack That” – Akon
“Chain Hang Low” – Jibs
“Shake That” – Eminem
“Shake That Ass Bitch” – Booty Bass
“Laffy Taffy” – D4L
Jay Kasten
“Year 3000” – Jonas Brothers
Spring Break actually brings about a solemn memory for me- a story from one year in college: A couple weeks before an annual Spring Break road trip to Chicago, I got really sick. I have Crohn’s Disease and wasn’t taking well enough care of myself. My symptoms flared up and, after a trip to the emergency room, I wound up in the hospital for a week stay, followed by a week of at-home recovery. I had to miss that year’s road trip. I was devastated. This drive was something I’d looked forward to for months. Maybe if I’d listened better to my body and kept out a keener eye for looming trouble, I could have joined my friends in the Windy City.
It’s a lesson that has stuck with me, even when considering my spring break anthem.
Did we miss your favorite fire jam? Tweet us or leave us a comment on Facebook and we’ll add your tracks to our Spring Break Anthem Spotify Playlist.
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