People from the Philadelphia area associate Jersey Shore beach bars with some very specific images.

The allure of freedom and an escape from all worries can creep into the minds of anyone looking for a few days off from work to enjoy the summer weather, and most of these visions include a cold drink underneath a peaceful sunset with family and friends.

In towns like Sea Isle, Wildwood, or Avalon, that could also mean an acoustic guitar player at a beach bar playing loudly enough to enjoy and softly enough to talk over.

These guitar players aren’t going to rock you out as hard as a Rolling Stones concert, but the best ones can create the perfect mood with the right selection of smooth classic rock songs.

Hit songs from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and Billy Joel probably race through your mind if you’ve ever been to some of these relaxing Jersey Shore beach bars for a summer happy hour.

Pretty much anything by Bruce Springsteen will please the crowd. The long-time Jersey Shore fanatic romanticized the feeling of freedom and peace of mind during the summer with lyrical references all throughout his career.

Plenty of his Rock & Roll counterparts also provided the peaceful, easy feeling that vacationers at the Jersey Shore look for during that short stretch of time when they get to avoid their problems.

• "American Girl" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

  It’s probably the most recognizable hit from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and it gets plenty of love because of its soft sound that sets a light mood. 

  Yeah, she could hear the cars roll by
  Out on 441
  Like waves crashin’ on the beach
  And for one desperate moment there
  He crept back in her memory

   

• "Piano Man" by Billy Joel

  Most people who hear “Piano Man” have an immediate association with a particular group of friends or some specific period of time in life when the song stirred some emotion.

  The authentic emotion sets a mood of community, especially when people sway their drinks back and forth in a “cheers” motion.

  It’s a pretty good crowd for a Saturday
  And the manager gives me a smile
  ‘Cause he knows that it’s me they’ve been comin’ to see
  To forget about life for a while

   

• ...Anything... by Bruce Springsteen

  He’s the hero the common man and the Rock & Roll legend that popularized the feeling of freedom associated with the Jersey Shore.

  Visit any beach bar within a few hundred miles of Philadelphia, and you’re bound to hear at least one song from The Boss. 

  “Thunder Road,” “Glory Days,” “Girls in Their Summer Clothes,” and “Born to Run” are some of the best go-to Bruce songs that pump up any crowd enjoying a cold beer in a relaxing environment.

  I think I’m going down to the well tonight
  And I’m gonna drink till I get my fill
  And I hope when I get old I don’t sit around thinking about it
  But I probably will

   

• "Jersey Girl" by Tom Waits

  The Bruce Springsteen version might’ve become more popular, but Tom Waits originally performed “Jersey Girl.”

  The lyrics hit home in an unmistakable way. 

  Tonight I’m gonna take that ride
  Across the river to the Jersey side
  Take my baby to the carnival
  And I’ll take her on all the rides

  ‘Cause down the shore everything’s all right
  You and your baby on a Saturday night
  You know all my dreams come true
  When I’m walking down the street with you

   

• "Peaceful Easy Feeling" by the Eagles

  No song will give you a more “Peaceful Easy Feeling” than the Eagles’ hit.

  And I got a peaceful easy feelin’
  And I know you won’t let me down
  ‘Cause I’m already standin’
  On the ground

   

• "Summer of '69" by Bryan Adams

  This one was a layup. 

  When I look back now
  That summer seemed to last forever
  And if I had the choice
  Yeah, I’d always wanna be there
  Those were the best days of my life

   

• "Running on Empty" by Jackson Browne

  The mild sound of Jackson Browne gives a sense of bringing back memories.

  Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
  Looking back at the years gone by like so many summer fields
  In sixty-five I was seventeen and running up one-on-one
  I don’t know where I’m running now, I’m just running on

   

• "Fool in the Rain" by Led Zeppelin

  The unmistakable background riff provides the perfect mix of a light sound and the hard rock style of Led Zeppelin.

  “Over the Hills and Far Away” is another often-used beach bar favorite. 

  Well there’s a light in your eye that keeps shining
  Like a star that can’t wait for night

   

• "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd

  It’s certainly not a song that’s centric to the Jersey Shore, but the smooth sound of the Lynyrd Skynyrd classic adds another light song from a Rock & Roll band into the mix.

  And they’ve been known to pick a song or two (yes they do)
  Lord they get me off so much
  They pick me up when I’m feelin’ blue
  Now how about you?

   

• "Against the Wind" by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band

  Bob Seger sang about memories and youth with authenticity.

  So many vacationers at the Jersey Shore think back to their childhoods and going on vacation with family as a warm memory of the past, even if the experiences weren’t always perfect.

  Against the wind
  We were running against the wind
  We were young and strong
  We were running against the wind

   

• "The Sweetest Thing" by U2

  The softer sound of a love song can create a peaceful mood in a relaxing setting. 

  You know I got black eyes
  But they burn so brightly for her
  This is a blind kind of love

   

• "Can’t You See" by The Marshall Tucker Band

  The sound of Southern Rock hits home just as well as Lynyrd Skynyrd with “Can’t You See” by the Marshall Tucker Band, a group that strangely doesn’t have a member named Marshall Tucker.

  Can’t you see, can’t you see
  What that woman, Lord, she’s been doin’ to me?

   

• "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" by Creedence Clearwater Revival

  The opening chords for “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” strike a crowd with a unique sound that sets the perfect relaxing mood.

  Someone told me long ago
  There’s a calm before the storm
  I know, it’s been comin’ for some time
  When it’s over, so they say
  It’ll rain a sunny day
  I know, shinin’ down like water

   

• "Maggie May" by Rod Stewart

  The lyrics might mislead listeners a little bit, but lines about a young man chasing an older woman set an intimate mood. 

  Wake up, Maggie, I think I got somethin’ to say to you
  It’s late September and I really should be back at school
  I know I keep you amused, but I feel I’m being used
  Maggie, I couldn’t have tried any more

   

• "Maybe I’m Amazed" by Paul McCartney

  The guitar solo is the appropriate level of classic rock for the setting without a wild “Won’t Get Fooled Again” type of sound. 

  Maybe I’m amazed at the way you love me all the time
  Maybe I’m afraid of the way I love you

   

• "Free Ride" by the Edgar Winter Group

  The opening verse of “Free Ride” invokes the feeling of freedom and life away from responsibilities, which is exactly what vacation is all about. 

  So I flew in to give you a hand
  And lead you into, the promised land

  Come on and take a free ride

   

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