HERC was into The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy in the early Nineties so Michael Franti was on his radar but he had not kept up with the artist's continuing evolution, namely his continuing recordings with Spearhead. (Plus Franti and HERC are less than a week apart in age and each spends the majority of their lives barefoot by conscious choice.) So it was somewhat of a surprise when this song emerged in the Summer of 2009 and proceeded to climb seven(!) different Billboard charts simultaneously. "Say Hey (I Love You)" was one of those truly ubiquitous songs of Summer, heard in every public place and coming out of every car brave enough to roll their windows down with temps well over 100 degrees. Since then, it has been featured in movies, TV shows and commercials, only increasing it's exposure. "Say Hey (I Love You)" is as catchy as can be and so overtly romantic it almost misfires but the music keeps it grounded and chugging along.
Another Summer Song from 2009 (though it wasn't released as a single until 2010, HERC heard it on the album Up From Below shortly after it was released in July 2009) that sounds like it could have spontaneously broken out around a bonfire on the beach or on the back of a bus is titled simply "Home". Credited to Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, this song is slightly faster (112 BPM vs 93 BPM) and slightly longer (5:03 vs 3:56) than "Say Hey (I Love You)" but both songs have basically the same theme: love. Although "Home" appeared in several movies, television shows and commercials, it never got the radio traction needed to get on the Hot 100. HERC digs it and that's all that really matters here and now.
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