Here’s the premise: because of personal experiences/memories, certain songs will always remind us of certain seasons.
I’m not talking about “Jingle Bells” and winter. No. Or even connecting the Beach Boys with summer.
I’m talking about the fact that every time I hear “Amie” from Pure Prairie League I think of summer. Maybe it’s because it came out during the summer when I was a kid (I’ve never checked it out–don’t really want to ruin the mystique)…maybe it’s because it brings back memories of my older sister putting on her cut-offs and tank top in preparation for a hot date…I don’t know.
Am I nuts? Any songs just feel like a specific season to you?
Yes, mostly because of the season in which they hit the Top 40. Hall & Oates’ “Out of Touch” and Stevie Wonder’s “I Just Called to Say I Love You” are indelibly associated with that warm, muggy October of 1984 in my mind; Prince’s “When Doves Cry” and Bananarama’s “Cruel Summer” with two months earlier.
Weezer’s “Island in the Sun” always makes me think of summer. I think it’s cause it was released in the summer, but it also has that “feel” to it, ya know? Also, it has the word sun, and that’s associated with summer.
“The Zephyr Song” by Red Hot Chili Peppers is the same way for me. Makes me think of summer, just cause that’s how the song feels.
Folk/country/blues songs in general have a “summer” feel to me. The rural, earthy feel of the acoustic guitars, etc. “Amie” is a perfect example. “Night Moves” by Bob Seger also comes to mind. . . though I think that song’s about summer, so maybe that’s cheating.
As a footnote, if I had to nominate one artist/group whose entire canon just breathes summer, it’d be CCR.
Although a big chunk of James Taylor music reminds me of winter…
I’m glad to know that other people have the same “feeling” about certain songs.
Oh…I’ve got another one…“Here Comes the Sun” will always be spring to me. Just the chilly rainy weather out here mixed with that “feeling” that warmer weather is coming…
Chad and Jeremy’s “A Summer Song,” mostly because it’s about having to break up in fall. I lived that song in 1972. And who needs LSD for those kind of flashbacks?
Just this weekend, I was listening to Hall and Oates’ greatest hits CD and when “Out of Touch” came on, it really screamed ‘October 1984’ to me, too. I saw them in Lake Placid that month and the song had just come out not too long before the concert.
The following are just off the top of my head–the strongest “season feeling” 1. songs".
Summer songs:
“I Love You” by the Climax Blues Band
“Little Jeanie” by Elton John
the entire Blow Monkeys album
and I agree with Khadaji–Breakfast in America reminds me of summer, too.
Fall:
“Valotte” by Julian Lennon
“Never Let Me Down Again” by Depeche Mode
Winter:
Meh–who wants to remember winter? Nothing’s pinging for me there.
Spring:
“Dear God” by XTC (also reminds me of my grandmother’s death around that time)
“April Fool” by Chalk Circle
A big chunk of classic 70s music reminds me of summer…sitting in the old Pontiac behind the barn…pretending to drive…listening to the radio…running down the battery.
Don’t tell my dad. Man was he mad when the “damned car” didn’t start.
I got Valotte for my birthday, so it will always remind me of spring.
My son, who (bless his heart) will search for old tunes for me online, wants to make a cd of “seasonal” music. But we argue because I say “Boys of Summer” is a winter song…
Well, I’ll give you that one. I remember having the one-and-only Thanksgiving dinner in a restauant and listening to my brother explaining the relevance of a “deadhead sticker on a Cadillac.”
Now, if I could only remember long division with such clarity…
Boy, no kidding. When I listen to my local 70s and 80s station, and sing along, I always wonder why I can remember all the words to songs that old (and can remember where I was when it was really popular), but I can’t remember crap like long division…
And do you know why?
We’re word people…and because music makes us happy.
…so, why did I marry a math wizard?
That’s right…to do the long division for me.
