The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
The Hippos, "Summertime" from The Hippos (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: Unusually, The Hippos' self-titled album ('03) was their farewell, not their debut (Forget the World, '97); as with many others, by the end of the road The Hippos weren't really a ska band anymore. For a while, the attrition of all the great late '90s/early '00s third-wave ska bands—through both breakup and conversion to other sounds—was nearly unbearable; the passage of time has, if not healed those wounds, dulled their pain, leaving me grateful simply still to have the music.

"As darkness turns to light,
Everything's gonna be all right.
When summertime is here,
There's nothin' left to fear,
Yeah, summertime is here
And I'm so happy! Oh yeah!"