The Fourth of July has always seemed to mark the mid-point of summer to me, especially when I was teaching and had my summers off. Therefore, since we celebrated said holiday last weekend, it seems apropos to select Elvis Costello's tune, "The Other Side of Summer", for Week One Hundred and Sixty-Seven.
This song is Costello's attempt at paying an homage to the Beach Boys. Interestingly enough, the Wiki page says that he also attempted his hand at creating Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" in this one by using two (2) guitars, two (2) basses, and fourteen (14) keyboards.
Speaking of Phil Spector, he was the one responsible for most of the lovely '60s Girl Groups like The Crystals and The Ronettes. Someone who just so happened to be a big fan of Girl Groups was Amy Winehouse. The documentary, Amy, is playing at The Angelika in Dallas. I went and saw it yesterday, and I was so touched by what director, Asif Kapadia, did to pay tribute to her short, but fascinating, life. The story of Amy's existence is so heartbreaking, but it moves me so emotionally and impacts me so severely that I had to come home and sleep for a few hours after viewing the film...but I can't wait to see it again soon. Do yourself a favor and go see it too if at all possible!!!
This song is Costello's attempt at paying an homage to the Beach Boys. Interestingly enough, the Wiki page says that he also attempted his hand at creating Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" in this one by using two (2) guitars, two (2) basses, and fourteen (14) keyboards.
Speaking of Phil Spector, he was the one responsible for most of the lovely '60s Girl Groups like The Crystals and The Ronettes. Someone who just so happened to be a big fan of Girl Groups was Amy Winehouse. The documentary, Amy, is playing at The Angelika in Dallas. I went and saw it yesterday, and I was so touched by what director, Asif Kapadia, did to pay tribute to her short, but fascinating, life. The story of Amy's existence is so heartbreaking, but it moves me so emotionally and impacts me so severely that I had to come home and sleep for a few hours after viewing the film...but I can't wait to see it again soon. Do yourself a favor and go see it too if at all possible!!!
The sun struggles up another beautiful day
And I felt glad in my own suspicious way
Despite the contradiction and confusion
Felt tragic without reason
There's malice and there's magic in every season
(chorus):
From the foaming breakers of the poisonous surf
The other side of summer
To the burning forests in the hills of Astroturf
The other side of summer
The automatic gates close up between the shanties and the palace
The blowtorch amusements, the voodoo chalice
The pale pathetic promises that everybody swallows
A teenage girl is crying 'cos she don't look like a million dollars
So help her if you can
'Cos she don't seem to have the attention span
(chorus)
Was it a millionaire who said "imagine no possessions"?
A poor little schoolboy who said "we don't need no lessons"?
The rabid rebel dogs ransack the shampoo shop
The pop princess is downtown shooting up
And if that goddess is fit for burning
The sun will struggle up, the world will still keep turning
Madman standing by the side of the road saying
"Look at my eyes, look at my eyes, look at my eyes, look at my eyes"
Now you can't afford to fake all the drugs your parents used to take
Because of their mistakes, you'd better be wide awake
(chorus)
The mightiest rose
The absence of perfume
The casual killers
The military curfew
The cardboard city
An unwanted birthday
The other side of summer
The dancing was desperate, the music was worse
They bury your dreams and dig up the worthless
Goodnight
God bless
And kiss "goodbye" to the earth
The other side of summer
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