Boys of Summer

Boys of Summer Music Video: http://vimeo.com/38296751

This week, the song is by a great artist by the name of Don Henley, a man who used to sing and play drums for The Eagles. The song is called Boys of Summer, one many of you have probably heard on the radio at some time or another, and it was released in 1984 on the album Building the Perfect Beast.

                The meaning of this song is pretty straightforward, unlike many of the other songs I’ve posted on this blog. It’s about nostalgia, lost love, and growing up. He begins the song by describing the emptiness of the “road,” “beach,” and “streets,” which reveal the emptiness he feels without his past relationship. The chorus speaks of the great memories he had, and how his love continued indefinitely, even when the beaches and bikinis were gone. He comes to the realization halfway through the song that he can’t keep living in the past; he tells himself “don’t look back, you can never look back” to try to convince himself to move on. It’s hard to move on though, whether it’s from a relationship or simply a happy memory that once was. Henley shows this by ending the song with his chorus of happy memories. He feels those memories are more important than letting go because they aren’t just a failed relationship but his life and his youth. He was once a “boy of summer,” and as we grow up, we don’t want to give that away.

                This is a great, powerful song, and I hope you get as much out of it as I do every time I hear it. The music video fits perfectly with the song, creating an air of nostalgia that can almost be pictured. Until next time!

Boys of Summer Lyrics:

Nobody on the road 
Nobody on the beach 
I feel it in the air 
The summer's out of reach 

Empty lake, empty streets 
The sun goes down alone 
I'm driving by your house 
Though I know you're not home 

But I can see you 
Your brown skin shining in the sun 
You got your hair combed back and your 
Sunglasses on baby 
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong 
After the boys of summer, have gone 

I never will forget those nights 
I wonder if it was a dream 
Remember how you made me crazy 
Remember how I made you scream 
Now I don't understand 
What happened to our love 
But babe I'm gonna get you back 
I'm gonna show you what I'm made of 

I can see you 
Your brown skin shining in the sun 
I see you walking real slow 
Smiling at everyone 
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong 
After the boys of summer, have gone 

Out on the road today 
I saw a deadhead sticker on a cadillac 
A little voice inside my head said: 
"Don't look back, you can never look back" 
I thought I knew what love was 
What did I know? 
Those days are gone forever 
I should just let them go but, 

I can see you 
Your brown skin shining in the sun 
You got the top pulled down 
Radio on baby 
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong 
After the boys of summer have gone 

I can see you 
Your brown skin shining in the sun 
You got your hair slicked back and those 
Wayfarers on, baby 
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong 
After the boys of summer, have gone