I had two or three months to make this song, but I wrote it mostly in the final 48 hours before the deadline, and recorded it almost exclusively in the 24 hours before the deadline. Procrastination! It's just my way. For awhile I wasn't really too happy with how it all turned out, even if it did incorporate some song elements that I had that I didn't really know what to do with; but ultimately it's grown on me and seems to be a live favorite among certain circles (my pals Chelsi & Grace, mostly).
Anyway basically this feller J. Wood put together a compilation of artists in the midwest writing and recording a song with very specific parameters/guidelines. Gloom Balloon apparently recommended me to J. Wood, who was a complete stranger (and whom I still have never met in person, as far as I know) for the project (Gloom Balloon were part of it, too; the only other act on it that I know).
"THE GUIDELINES WERE...
Write & record a song in 4/4 time with vocals using any instrumentation. The song must be set at 116 beats per minute & be between 3:30-4:30 minutes in length. The lyrical theme is ‘Summer in the Midwest’-whatever summer means to you (happy or sad etc.) Somewhere within the song you must feature a background sound/field recording such as a train in the distance, or birds chirping, or children playing etc. Use whatever chords you want as long as any form of the G & C chords are used in the song. The song structure is as follows:
instrumental intro, first verse, chorus, instrumental bridge, second verse, chorus, bridge, chorus"
So this song was the result of THAT! Of course the phone-ringing sound at the part where I am talking to Michael on the phone was my "field recording."
One morning in May, early June at the latest, ya wake up a-covered in sweat;
Pajamas stuck to yer body, 'cuz the fan a-blowin' at ya ain't enough to keep from gettin' ya wet!
So you open more windows, ya turn on more fans, and you attempt to keep cool in the heat;
But the summer is here, and there's no use denyin', that the spring is complete, obsolete!
Turn on that air conditioning, just succumb to the summer's whim;
For just a coupla months now yer electric bill's gonna be grim!
And ya know what they say about that Midwestern summer
(Oh, you don't? Well they say:)
Summer good, summer great! Summer hot dogs on my plate!
Summer slow, summer fast! Summer never meant to last!
Summer hot, summer cold! Summer never, ever, ever growing old!
I was talkin' to my man Michael just the other day;
No not the "time-to-cook" Michael, but a different Michael, one who lives in Georgia State!
He called me to inform me of summertime priority number one;
"It's as simple as this, Googz, you already know it--just be sure you're having fun!"
I told him "Michael, you're wise, when it comes to the summer, there's a reason you know best;
Well maybe not just one reason, heck the reasons are endless, but for starters you're from the Midwest!
'Cuz ya know what they say about that Midwestern summer
(Oh, you don't? Well they say:)
Summer good, summer great! Summer hot dogs on my plate!
Summer slow, summer fast! Summer never meant to last!
Summer hot, summer cold! Summer never, ever, ever growing old!
And I'm well on my way, to bein' right back where my summer started;
And that's okay, because I live to see waters uncharted, and
Summer my way, isn't always for the faintly-hearted, and
Before you can say, "August is over," summer has departed
But for now...yes for now...
Summer good
Summer great
Summer hot dogs on my paper plate
Summer short
Summer long
Midwest summer in a song
Summer stormy
Summer fair
Look inside your heart and summertime is
(inside your heart and summertime is)
(inside your heart and summertime is)
(inside your heart and summertime is)
(inside your heart and summertime is)
(inside your heart and summertime is)
(inside your heart and summertime is)
(inside your heart and summertime is...)
Summer good
Summer great
Summer hot dogs on my paper plate
Summer short
Summer long
Midwest summer in a stupid song
Summer stormy
Summer fair
Look inside your heart and summertime is there
credits
released August 19, 2014
Accordion, Ukulele, Piano, Bass, Whistling, Vocals: Googolplexia
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