Summer Song #29... Summer, Highland Falls

They say that these are not the best of times

But they're the only times I've ever known

& I believe there is a time for meditation

In cathedrals of our own

Now I have seen that sad surrender

 in my lovers' eyes

I can only stand apart and sympathize

For we are always what our situations hand us

It's either sadness or euphoria

& so we'll argue & we'll compromise

& realize that nothing's ever changed

For all our mutual experience

Our separate conclusions are the same

Now we are forced to recognize our inhumanity

A reason coexists with our insanity

& so we choose between reality & madness

It's either sadness or euphoria

How thoughtlessly we dissipate our energies

Perhaps we don't fulfill each other's fantasies

& as we stand upon the ledges of our lives

With our respective similarities

It's either sadness or euphoria

Billy Joel

1976

Summer Songs #26... Crash Into Me

You've got your ball

You've got your chain

Tied to me tight tie me up again

Who's got their claws

In you my friend

Into your heart I'll beat again

Sweet like candy to my soul

Sweet you rock

& sweet you roll

Lost for you I'm so lost for you

You come crash into me

& I come into you

I come into you

In a boys dream

In a boys dream

Touch your lips just so I know

In your eyes, love, it glows so

I'm bare boned & crazy for you

When you come crash

Into me, baby

& I come into you

In a boys dream

In a boys dream

If I've gone overboard

Then I'm begging you

To forgive me

In my haste

When I'm holding you so

Close to me

Oh & you come crash

Into me, baby

& I come into you

In a boys dream
 In a boys dream

Oh I watch you there

Through the window

& I stare at you

You wear nothing but you

Wear it so well

Tied up & twisted

The way I'd like to be

For you, for me,
 come crash
Into me

Who got you off when you got yours?

Who was the first to spill your soul?

Who got you off? Well, I'm the one

Dreamed of doing it day & night

Oh sweet like candy to my soul

Sweet you rock & sweet you roll

Oh I swear over & over

It's you like a wave into me

When you come crash into me baby

Please come crash into me

Come crash into me

In a boy's dream

In a boy's dream

What runs your way?

Who runs up side you & begs everyday?

Who's watching you through your window?

Night Comes

Who celebrates with the moon?

That you're like a wave come again

Come & crash into me 

& I come into you

In a boy's dream

In a boy's dream

Oh now it's here I build my soul

I swear, friend, don't you know

I'm bare boned & crazy for you

Oh when you come crash into me yeah

& you come into me

& you come into me

Hike up your skirt a little more

& show the world to me

Hike up your skirt a little more

& show the world to me

In a boy's dream 

In this boy's dream

Crash into me

Crash into me

Crash into me

Crash into me

I want to play with you

 Dave Matthews

1997

Summer Songs #25... Me & My Arrow

Me & my Arrow

Straighter than narrow

Wherever we go, every one knows

It's me & my Arrow

Me & my Arrow

Taking the high road

Wherever we go, everyone knows

It's me & my arrow

& in the morning when I wake up

She may be gone, I don't know

& we make up just to break up

I'll carry on, oh yes I will

Me & my Arrow

Straighter than narrow

Wherever we go, every one knows

It's me & my arrow

Me & my Arrow

Harry Nilsson

1971

Summer Song #24... Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay

Sittin' in the mornin' sun

I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come

Watching the ships roll in

& then I watch 'em roll away again

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay

Watching the tide roll away

I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay

Wastin' time

I left my home in Georgia

Headed for the 'Frisco bay

'Cause I've had nothing to live for

& look like nothin's gonna come my way

So I'm just gonna sit on the dock of the bay

Watching the tide roll away

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay

Wastin' time

Look like nothing's gonna change

Everything still remains the same

I can't do what 10 people tell me to do

So I guess I'll remain the same

Sittin' here resting my bones

& this loneliness won't leave me alone

It's 2000 miles I roamed

Just to make this dock my home

Now, I'm just gonna sit at the dock of the bay

Watching the tide roll away

sittin' on the dock of the bay

Wastin' time

Otis Redding

1967

Summer Songs #23... The Things We Did Last Summer

The boat rides we would take

The moonlight on the lake

The way we danced & hummed our favorite song

The things we did last summer

I'll remember all winter long

The midway & the fun

The kewpie doll we won

The bell I rang to prove that I was strong

The things we did last summer

I'll remember all winter long

The early morning hike

The rented tandem bike

The lunches that we used to pack

We never could explain that sudden summer rain

The looks we got when we got back

The leaves begin to fade like promises we made

How could a love that seemed so right go wrong

That things we did last summer

I'll remember all winter long

Sammy Kahn

1946

Summer Songs #22... The Age Of Aquarius

When the moon is in the Seventh House

& Jupiter aligns with Mars

Then peace will guide the planets

& love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius

The Age of Aquarius

Aquarius!

Aquarius!

Harmony & understanding

Sympathy & trust abounding

No more falsehoods or derisions

Golden living dreams of visions

Mystic crystal revelation

& the mind's true liberation

Aquarius!

Aquarius!

When the moon is in the Seventh House

& Jupiter aligns with Mars

Then peace will guide the planets

& love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius

The Age of Aquarius

Aquarius!

Aquarius!

Rando & Ragni

1967

 

Summer Songs #21... Grass

Laying on the grass my heart it flares like fire

The way you slap my face just fills me with desire

You play hard to get

'Cause you're teacher's pet

But when the boats have gone

We'll take a tumble excuse for a fumble

Shocked me too the things we used to do on grass

If you fancy we can buy an ice-cream cone

Your mate has gone he didn't want to be alone

I will pounce on you

Just us & the Cuckoos

You are helpless now

Over & over we flatten the clover

Shocked me too the things we used to do on grass

It would shock you too the things we used to do on grass

Grass, grass.

Things we did on grass

Andy Partridge

1986

Summer Songs #20... Down By The Water

See this ancient river bed

See where all my follies led

Down by the water & down by the old main drag

I was just some tow-head teen

Feeling 'round for fingers to get in between

Down by the water & down by the old main drag

The season rubs me wrong

The summer swells anon

So knock me down, tear me up

But I would bear it all broken just to fill my cup

Down by the water & down by the old main drag

Sweet descend this rabble 'round

The pretty little patter of a seaboard town

Rolling in the water & rolling in the old main drag

All dolled up in gabardine

The lash-flashing Leda of pier 19

Queen of the water & queen of the old main drag

The season rubs me wrong

The summer swells anon

So knock me down, tear me up

But I would bear it all broken just to fill my cup

Down by the water & down by the old main drag

The season rubs me wrong

The summer swells anon

So knock me down, tear me up

But I would bear it all broken just to fill my cup

Down by the water & down by the old main drag

Down by the water & down by the old main drag

Colin Meloy

2011

Summer Song #19... Raining In My Heart

A week of rainy days with temperatures in the low 70s in Portland, Oregon, brought back the memory of this song.

Pitter, patter what's the matter with me?

Pitter, patter rain is all that I see.

Where is my raincoat?

It's here somewhere.

Why wear a raincoat

The weather's fair.

But ever since I saw him depart

It's been raining, raining in my heart.

Where are my rubbers to ford the storm?

What good are rubbers outside its war

But ever since heaven fell apart

It's been raining, raining in my heart.

Once I saw a cottage on sunshine lane,

A fairy palace in disguise.

I don't see it now it must be rain that’s getting in my eyes.

Where’s my umbrella & where’s my guy?

I need my fella to keep me dry.

It won't help if the sunshine should start

‘cause it's raining, raining in my heart.

Haimsohn & Miller

1968

Today's Summer Song is from the musical Dames At Sea. This is a show that I was in twice & both times it was a lovely experience. I had once considered doing this song in my act, but that bitch Bernadette Peters, who originated the role of Ruby in Dames At Sea, does it in her concerts & let's face it, my talent has many appealing, charming & ingenious facets... but, Bernadette Peters I am not. In the photo below, there is our hero front right, very young & very inspired:



Summer Song # 18... I'll Be Home

I'll Be Home

I'll Be Home

When your nights are troubled

& you're all alone

When you're feeling down

& need some sympathy

& there's no one else around

To keep you company

Remember, baby,

You can always count on me

I'll Be Home

I'll Be Home

I'll Be Home

I'll Be Home

I'll Be Home

Wherever you may wander

& wherever you may roam

You come back

I'll be waiting here for you

No one else will ever love you

The way I do

I'll be here to comfort you

& see you through

I'll Be Home

I'll Be Home

I'll Be Home

Randy Newman

1968

Summer Song #17... It Might As Well Rain Until September

I had been grousing about a week in mid-July with temperatures in the high 60s- low 70s & lots of rain in Portland. On the good side, the garden welcomes this weather. The grounds of our spot are lush right now. I have not watered in more than a week. The rest of the country seems to be in deep sizzle. I imagine that there are readers of Post Apocalyptic Bohemia willing to swap places.

Another stunner for readers: we have most of our windows open & there are no bugs. Although our humble home & garden are the original world wide web, with arachnids aplenty, but we have rarely see a fly or mosquito. Nice, huh?

I have a smart series of Summer Songs planned, yet I can not be truly inspired to add a song such as Cole Porter's Too Darn Hot when the temperatures are hovering around 68 degrees.

What shall I write?

What can I say?

How can I tell you how much I miss you?

The weather here has been as nice as it can be

Although it doesn't really matter much to me

For all the fun I'll have while you're so far away

It might as well rain until September

I don't need sunny skies for thing I have to do

'Cause I stay home the whole day long
 & think of you

As far as I'm concerned each day's a rainy day

So It might as well rain until September

My friends look forward to their picnics on the beach

Yes everybody loves the summertime

But you know darling
 while your arms are out of reach

The summer isn't any friend of mine

It doesn't matter whether skies are grey or blue

It's raining in my heart 'cause I can't be with you

I'm only living for the day you're home to stay

It might as well rain until September

It might as well rain until September

King & Goffin

1962

Summer Song #16... A Summer Song

Trees swayin' in the summer breeze

Showin' off their silver leaves

As we walked by

Soft kisses on a summer's day

Laughing all our cares away

Just you & I

Sweet sleepy warmth of summer nights

Gazing at the distant lights

In the starry sky

They say that all good things must end some day

Autumn leaves must fall

But don't you know that it hurts me so

To say goodbye to you

Wish you didn't have to go

No no no no

& when the rain

Beats against my window pane

I'll think of summer days again

& dream of you

They say that all good things must end some day

Autumn leaves must fall

But don't you know that it hurts me so

To say goodbye to you

Wish you didn't have to go

No no no no

& when the rain

Beats against my window pane

I'll think of summer days again

& dream of you

Stuart & Clyde

1964

Summer Song #15- I Could Have Been A Sailor

I'm a happy man

I made my choice in life

I chose to settle down

I chose to take a wife

& I take pleasure in my quiet

Hearth & happy home

I never gave my heart

Its chance to roam

I could have been a sailor

& sailed the seven seas

The wind in my face all day

Can you taste the salty breeze?

I could have been a lover

Watchin' waves before me part

But I settled for safer harbors of my heart

I'm a lucky man

I'm the envy of my peers

I never ask for favors

& I never show my fears

Surrounded by too many friends

I am a one-man band

With all the trappings of a life

Lived second-hand

I could have been a sailor

Rollin' through the night

My sails before the wind

Where the star's my only light

I could have been a dreamer

But dreams just fall apart

I settled for safer harbors of my heart

& I take pleasure in my quiet

Hearth & happy home

I never gave my heart

Its chance to roam

I could have been a sailor

& sailed the seven seas

Is the wind in your face all day

Can you taste the salty breeze?

I could have been a dreamer

& watch the waves before me part

But I settled for safer harbors

Oh, sailor, sailed the seven seas

Is the wind in your face all day?

I can taste the salty breeze

Oh lover, I can see the waves before you part

Well, I settled for safer harbors of my heart,

Of my heart

Peter Allen

1979

Summer Song #14... Let's Get It On

Summer is my favorite season & there is something about the heat, heaviness of the garden, & headiness of suntan lotion & sweat, that finds me just ripe for the picking. I know, I know: "Stephen, you are horny in the winter when you want to cuddle by a fire. You want to get physical in the spring when little things are popping up & blooming. You adore amour in the autumn when the air is crisp, crunchy & the close of day is in early evening."

But it is Summer has swayed me to sun & sex for 45 years. Summer of 1973, this song brought out the impetuosity & intensity of my already inflammable libido.
 

I've been really tryin', baby

Tryin' to hold back this feelin' for so long

& if you feel like I feel, baby

Then come on, oh, come on

Let's get it on

Let's get it on

Let's love, baby

Let's get it on, sugar

Let's get it on

We're all sensitive people

With so much to give

Understand me, sugar

Since we got to be

Let's live

I love you

There's nothin' wrong

With me lovin' you

Baby, no, no

& givin' yourself to me can never be wrong

If the love is true

Oh, baby

Don't you know

How sweet & wonderful life can be?

I'm askin' you, baby

To get it on with me

I ain't gonna worry, I ain't gonna push

Won't push you, baby

So come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, baby

Stop beatin' 'round the bush

Let's get it on

Let's get it on

You know what I'm talkin' about

Come on, baby,

Let your love come out

If you believe in love

Let's get it on

Let's get it on, baby

This minute

Let's get it on

Please, please, get it on

I know you know

What I've been dreamin' of

Don't you, baby?

My whole body is in love

I ain't gonna worry, no, I ain't gonna push

I won't push you, baby

Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, darlin'

Stop beatin' 'round the bush

Gonna get it on

Beggin' you, baby, I want to get it on

You don't have to worry that it's wrong

If the spirit moves you, let me groove you good

Let your love come down

Oh, get it on, come on, baby

Do you know I mean it?

I've been sanctified

You give me good feelings

Nothin' wrong with love

If you want to love me

Just let yourself go

Oh, baby

Let's get it on