Top Ten Songs of the Summer
#3 – Rihanna – ‘Umbrella’ (2007)
Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ is the song that popularized the concept of the Song of the Summer. Following this smash hit, which spent seven consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, music writers and fans alike started speculating about which tune would claim the title each year.
So for kicking off this mad exercise, and also because it’s a great song, ‘Umbrella’ makes it to the top three.
Originally written for Britney Spears, the song was rejected by her management. It was kicked around by a few others artists, including Mary J. Blige, before landing with Rihanna.
Whether any of those singers would have had a hit with it is one of those sliding doors mysteries, but it’s hard to imagine anybody could have delivered a more iconic hit than Rihanna, whose Barbadian accent gave the perfect flavor to the “ay ay ay”s.
‘Umbrella’ was Rihanna’s second of 14 #1 songs, a number that trails only The Beatles, Mariah Carey, and Elvis Presley. She might have owned that record by now if she hadn’t stopped releasing albums eight years ago.
No clouds in my stones
Let it rain, I hydroplane in the bank
Comin’ down with the Dow Jones (Ayy, ayy, ayy)
When the clouds come, we go, we Roc-A-Fella (Ayy-ayy-ayy, ayy)
We fly higher than weather, in G5’s or better
You know me (You know me)
In anticipation for precipitation, stack chips for the rainy day
Jay, Rain Man is back (Ayy-ayy-ayy, ayy)
With Little Miss Sunshine, Rihanna, where you at? (Ayy-ayy-ayy, ayy)
[Verse 2]
You have my heart, and we’ll never be worlds apart
May be in magazines but you’ll still be my star
Baby, ’cause in the dark, you can’t see shiny cars
And that’s when you need me there
With you, I’ll always share because
[Chorus]
When the sun shine, we shine together
Told you I’ll be here forever
Said “I’ll always be your friend”
Took an oath, I’ma stick it out ’til the end
Now that it’s rainin’ more than ever
Know that we’ll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy
[Verse 3]
These fancy things
Will never come in between
You’re part of my entity
Here for infinity
When the war has took its part
When the world has dealt its cards
If the hand is hard
Together, we’ll mend your heart because
[Chorus]
When the sun shine, we shine together
Told you I’ll be here forever
Said “I’ll always be your friend”
Took an oath, I’ma stick it out ’til the end
Now that it’s rainin’ more than ever
Know that we’ll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy
[Bridge]
You can run into my arms
It’s okay, don’t be alarmed
Come into me
There’s no distance in between our love
So, gonna let the rain pour
I’ll be all you need and more because
[Chorus]
When the sun shine, we shine together
Told you I’ll be here forever
Said “I’ll always be your friend”
Took an oath, I’ma stick it out ’til the end
Now that it’s rainin’ more than ever
Know that we’ll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy
[Outro]
It’s rainin’, rainin’
Ooh, baby, it’s rainin’, rainin’
Baby, come into me
Come into me
It’s rainin’, rainin’
Ooh, baby, it’s rainin’, rainin’
You can always come into me
Come into me
It’s pourin’ rain
It’s pourin’ rain
Come into me
Come into me
It’s pourin’ rain
It’s pourin’ rain
Come into me
Meet Me In Montauk 
Candidly, I was never a big fan of this song, as I found the chorus to be annoyingly repetitive. With some distance from the constant radio play, I’ve come around to liking the song more than I used to.