Summertime Blues
"Summertime Blues" is a song co-written and recorded by American rock artist Eddie Cochran.[2] It was written by Cochran and his manager Jerry Capehart.[3] Originally a single B-side, it was released in August 1958[1] and peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 29, 1958, and number 18 on the UK Singles Chart. It has been covered by many artists, including being a number-one hit for country music artist Alan Jackson, and scoring notable hits in versions by Blue Cheer, the Who and Brian Setzer, the last of whom recorded his version for the 1987 film La Bamba, in which he portrayed Cochran. Olivia Newton-John recorded this song for her Clearly Love album in 1975.
| "Summertime Blues" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Label of the 1958 US single | ||||
| Single by Eddie Cochran | ||||
| B-side | "Love Again" | |||
| Released |
| |||
| Recorded | March 28, 1958 | |||
| Studio | Gold Star Studios, Hollywood, California | |||
| Genre | Rock and roll | |||
| Length | 1:59 | |||
| Label | Liberty | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Eddie Cochran | |||
| Eddie Cochran singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Lyrics edit
The song is about the struggle between a teenager and his parents, his boss and his congressman during the summer.[4] The narrator resents having to take a job in order to earn pocket money, and he cannot go on a date with his girlfriend because his boss keeps scheduling him to work late.[3] After falsely telling the boss he is sick in order to get out of going to work, his parents will not let him use their car due to his laziness. Finally, he considers visiting the United Nations to complain about his situation; he settles for writing to his congressman, who brushes him off since he is too young to vote.[a]
Eddie Cochran version edit
"Summertime Blues" was recorded on March 28, 1958, at Gold Star Recording Studios in Hollywood, California. Eddie Cochran sang both the vocal and bass vocal (the "work-a-late" portions, Cochran's tribute to the Kingfish character from the Amos and Andy television series), played all the guitar parts, and added the hand clapping with possibly Sharon Sheeley. Connie 'Guybo' Smith played the electric bass and Earl Palmer drums.
Legacy edit
The 1958 Liberty Records single by Eddie Cochran was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 and the song is ranked number 73 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In March 2005, Q magazine placed it at number 77 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.[5] The song is also on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum list of "The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll".[6] The song appears in the films Caddyshack, This Boy's Life and American Shaolin, as well as season 4 of Beverly Hills, 90210.
Chart performance edit
Johnny Chester version edit
Australian rock 'n' roll singer Johnny Chester cited Cochran as one of his idols and had used the track when rehearsing his first band in 1959.[12] Chester released his cover version on W&G Records in 1962 and was backed on the recording by local instrumental group the Chessmen, with Bert Stacpool on piano, his brother Les Stacpool on guitar, Frank McMahon on bass guitar, and Graeme Trottman on drums.[13] In December it peaked at No. 30 on the Kent Music Report.[14][15]
Hep Stars version edit
| "Summertime Blues" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by the Hep Stars | ||||
| B-side | "If You Need Me" | |||
| Released | March 1965 | |||
| Recorded | December 1964 | |||
| Studio | Borgarskolan, Stockholm | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 1:52 | |||
| Label | Olga | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Åke Gerhard | |||
| The Hep Stars singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Swedish rock band Hep Stars recorded Summertime Blues as a single in late December 1964.[16] It was a six-hour, consecutive session in which the Hep Stars recorded six tracks: "Summertime Blues", "A Tribute to Buddy Holly", "Farmer John", "If You Need Me", "Bird Dog" and "Donna".[17] The sessions for these were the first professional recordings of keyboardist Benny Andersson, later of ABBA fame.[16][18][19] Their manager, Åke Gerhard had booked the recording sessions, as cheaply as he possibly could get away with. He booked Borgarskolan in central Stockholm and quickly turned it into a makeshift recording studio.[20] Andersson would later comment on the sessions:
It must have been one of the cheapest sessions in the history of recorded music, we put two microphones on the stage of the assembly hall in a school and then we just played
— Carl Magnus Palm, Bright Lights, Dark Shadows: The Real Story of ABBA
Of these tracks, only "A Tribute to Buddy Holly" was released as a single in February 1965.[18] While that initially failed to chart, their increasing popularity was fueled by their March 23, 1965 appearance on Drop-In which quickly made "A Tribute to Buddy Holly" climb the charts.[21] This prompted Gerhard and his record label Olga Records to quickly issue "Summertime Blues" "Farmer John" and "Cadillac" as singles in late March 1965. While "Farmer John", "Cadillac" and "A Tribute to Buddy Holly" peaked at number 1, 2 and 4 at the same time on Tio i Topp,[22] "Summertime Blues" missed the charts altogether. This was most likely due to the fact that guitarist Janne Frisk provided lead vocals on the track, as opposed to Svenne Hedlund singing it.[23] "Summertime Blues" and "A Tribute to Buddy Holly" became the Hep Stars only singles to feature Frisk on lead vocals.
While not issued on any album at the time, it, along with the B-Side were issued as bonus material on the 1996 remaster of their debut album We and Our Cadillac
Personnel edit
- Janne Frisk – guitar, lead vocals
- Christer Pettersson – drums
- Benny Andersson – keyboards, piano
- Lennart Hegland – bass guitar
Blue Cheer version edit
| "Summertime Blues" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands single picture sleeve, 1968 | ||||
| Single by Blue Cheer | ||||
| from the album Vincebus Eruptum | ||||
| B-side | "Out of Focus" | |||
| Released | 1968 | |||
| Recorded | 1967 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:43 | |||
| Label | Philips | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Abe "Voco" Kesh | |||
| Blue Cheer singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The American rock band Blue Cheer recorded their version of "Summertime Blues" in 1967 and included it on their 1968 release entitled Vincebus Eruptum. The single peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, pushing the sales of the album even higher to number 11.[26] It topped the Dutch charts for one week in 1968.[27] This version was ranked number 73 on the list of "The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time" of Rolling Stone.[28]
Chart performance edit
| Chart (1968) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Singles Chart[29] | 3 |
| Dutch Singles Chart[30] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[31] | 14 |
The Who version edit
| "Summertime Blues" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| German single picture sleeve, 1970 | ||||
| Single by the Who | ||||
| from the album Live at Leeds | ||||
| B-side | "Heaven and Hell" | |||
| Released | June 1970 | |||
| Recorded | February 14, 1970 | |||
| Venue | University of Leeds Refectory, Leeds, UK | |||
| Genre | Hard rock[32] | |||
| Length | 3:22 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | The Who | |||
| The Who singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The Who played "Summertime Blues" as a staple of their concerts from their early days up to 1976, with intermittent appearances thereafter.[3] It has not been played since the death of bassist John Entwistle in 2002. It was performed during the 1967 US tour, from which the first known Who recordings of the song were made, including a June 1967 date at the Monterey Pop Festival.
The first version to be released by the Who appeared on the 1970 album Live at Leeds.[3] The single from this album peaked at number 38 in the UK and number 27 in the US.[33] "I'm a big fan of 'Summertime Blues' on that album," remarked Rush bassist Geddy Lee, "which we covered [see below] to a large degree because of their version."[34]
This version by the Who differed from the original in both the sense of aggression and volume. As lead singer Roger Daltrey noted, "We'd taken the song from being in kind of a swing rhythm on the off-beat to a rock rhythm on the one."[3] Entwistle would sing the bass parts on the song, but the band struggled to capture the same energy of it in the studio. The live version recorded at the Leeds show managed to capture this fully.[3]
Studio version edit
The Who recorded at least two studio versions of this track in 1967. They went unreleased until 1998 and 2009, when they appeared on the remastered CD of Odds & Sods and the deluxe edition of The Who Sell Out, respectively. Other live versions from the Who are featured in the Monterey Pop Festival CD box set and the concert and documentary film Woodstock (1970), as well as Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 and the CD release of Live at the Royal Albert Hall.[3]
Critical reception edit
Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably, saying that the Who gave it a "wild updating" and was "certain to put them right up there at the top."[35]
Chart performance edit
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top Singles[36] | 8 |
| Dutch Singles Chart[37] | 25 |
| UK Singles Chart[3] | 38 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 27 |
Alan Jackson version edit
| "Summertime Blues" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Alan Jackson | ||||
| from the album Who I Am | ||||
| B-side | "Hole in the Wall" | |||
| Released | June 6, 1994 | |||
| Recorded | January 11, 1994[38] | |||
| Genre | Country, country rock | |||
| Length | 3:11 (album version) | |||
| Label | Arista Nashville | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Keith Stegall | |||
| Alan Jackson singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
American country music artist Alan Jackson recorded the song for his 1994 album, Who I Am. It was released in June 1994 as the lead single from the album and the song reached Number One on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and number 4 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 (equivalent to number 104 on the Billboard Hot 100). Jackson said that he was inspired by Buck Owens' version.[38]
Critical reception edit
Deborah Evans Price of Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably, saying that Jackson "gives the oft-covered Eddie Cochran oldie the full, twangy 'Chattahoochee' treatment." She goes on to say that "until the vocal starts, you may not know which song you're listening to. But who cares?" She says that with his "signature laid-back vocal style, the long, tall Georgian turns this '50s teen anthem into a '90s country classic."[39] Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe reviewed the song unfavorably, saying that Jackson blatantly attempted to recreate the "Chattahoochee" phenomenon. He goes on to say that the "charm of the Eddie Cochran original is lost by forcing those country line-dance beats into the backing track."[40]
Music video edit
The video was directed by Michael Salomon and was released in June 1994. Considered by Jackson as the "sequel" to his "Chattahoochee" video a year earlier, it was also the only video of his that Salomon directed. It begins with a shot of him water-skiing (which ends the "Chattahoochee" video) before transitioning to him and a band performing the song while seated in the bed of a pickup. Many 4-wheelers, ATVs and a limo full of middle-aged farmers are seen riding through the mud and getting stuck. Jackson, in a plain white t-shirt, is seen riding around in the mud in his pickup before getting out and walking in between many people fighting in the mud. However, he stays stainless until the very end, where he only gets one small spot of mud on the left side of his shirt before finally joining in the tussle. It ends with Jackson posing as a scarecrow.
Chart positions edit
"Summertime Blues" debuted at number 53 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of June 18, 1994.
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[41] | 1 |
| US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[42] | 4 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[43] | 1 |
Year-end charts edit
| Chart (1994) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[44] | 3 |
| US Country Songs (Billboard)[45] | 7 |
Johnny Hallyday version edit
| "La Fille de l'été dernier" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Johnny Hallyday | ||||
| Released | 1975 (France) | |||
| Label | Philips | |||
| Johnny Hallyday singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "La Fille de l'été dernier" (INA archive, 1975) on YouTube | ||||
The song was covered in French by Johnny Hallyday. His version (titled "La Fille de l'été dernier") was released in 1975 and spent one week at no. 1 on the singles sales chart in France (from May 10 to 16, 1975).[46]
Charts edit
| Chart (1975) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| France (singles sales)[46] | 1 |
Rush version edit
| "Summertime Blues" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Rush | ||||
| from the album Feedback | ||||
| Released | May 21, 2004 | |||
| Genre | Hard rock | |||
| Length | 3:43 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Rush singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Canadian rock band Rush released their cover as a single on May 21, 2004. It was later included on their cover EP Feedback, released on June 29. The song was the theme for the WWE SummerSlam event on August 15, 2004. The song was performed live during the band's 30th anniversary tour later that year, and was included on the R30: 30th Anniversary World Tour concert DVD. The fourth line of each verse is omitted.
Chart positions edit
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Rock Top 30 (Radio & Records)[47] | 12 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[48] | 30 |
Personnel edit
T.Rex version edit
| "Summertime Blues" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by T. Rex (band) | ||||
| A-side | "Ride a White Swan" | |||
| Released | October 9, 1970 | |||
| Recorded | July 1, 1970 | |||
| Genre | Rock and roll [49] | |||
| Length | 2:44 | |||
| Label | Fly | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Toni Visconti | |||
| T. Rex (band) singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The English rock band T.Rex recorded a cover during session recording for Ride a White Swan as an alternative B-side. In 2004 this was re-released on an expanded edition of the 1970 album T.Rex.
Notes edit
- ^ The minimum voting age in most of the United States was 21 when the song was written. It would be lowered to 18 in 1971, following ratification of the 26th Amendment. Cochran was 19 when he recorded the song.
References edit
- ^ a b Strong, M. C. (1995). The Great Rock Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate Books Ltd. p. 152. ISBN 0-86241-385-0.
- ^ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 11 - Tennessee Firebird. [Part 3], Big Rock Candy Mountain. [Part 1]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Padgett, Ray (2017). Cover me : the stories behind the greatest cover songs of all time. New York. pp. 78–85. ISBN 978-1-4549-2250-6. OCLC 978537907.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Mastropolo, Frank (7 June 2016). "Top 11 Songs About Teenagers". Rock Cellar Magazine.
- ^ "Rocklist.net...Q Magazine Lists". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
- ^ "Stories of Rock | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame". Rockhall.com. 2016-08-09. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
- ^ "Lescharts.com - Eddie Cochran: Summertime Blues". RPM. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
- ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - October 6, 1958".
- ^ a b "Eddie Cochran". 45cat. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ^ a b "Eddie Cochran". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ^ "Eddie Cochran Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ Johnston, Chris (26 October 2012). "Our First Rock Star". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
- ^ McFarlane, Ian (1999). . Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 6 August 2004. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
- ^ Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Turramurra, NSW: Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
- ^ Ryan (bulion), Gary (26 January 2012). "Chart Positions Pre 1989 Part 4 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung). Retrieved 1 April 2013.
- ^ a b "The Hep Stars - Summertime Blues". Thehepstars.se. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
- ^ Hep Stars, 1964–1969, EMI Svenska AB/Olga 7C1 38-35956/7, double album liner notes
- ^ a b "The Hep Stars - A Tribute To Buddy Holly". Thehepstars.se. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
- ^ "The Hep Stars - Farmer John". Thehepstars.se. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
- ^ Palm, Carl Magnus (2009-10-28). Bright Lights, Dark Shadows: The Real Story of ABBA. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-057-1.
- ^ Hallberg, Eric, 1949- (1998). Eric Hallberg, Ulf Henningsson presenterar Tio i topp med de utslagna på försök 1961-74. Henningsson, Ulf, 1965-, Kristianstads boktr.) (1. uppl ed.). Stockholm: Premium. ISBN 91-972712-5-X. OCLC 186200204.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Landén, Dan-Eric, 1954- (2004). Cadillac madness : den otroliga berättelsen om the Hep Stars. Palm, Carl Magnus, 1965-, Almqvist & Wiksell) (1. uppl ed.). Stockholm: Premium. p. 113. ISBN 91-89136-04-7. OCLC 186387535.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Palm, Carl Magnus (2009-10-28). Bright Lights, Dark Shadows: The Real Story of ABBA. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-057-1.
- ^ Leszczak, Bob (10 July 2014). Who Did It First?: Great Rock and Roll Cover Songs and Their Original Artists. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 208. ISBN 978-1-4422-3322-5.
- ^ Miller, Chuck (28 February 2011). Warman's American Records. Krause Publications. p. 103. ISBN 978-1-4402-2821-6.
- ^ Strong, M. C. (1995). The Great Rock Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate Books Ltd. p. 71. ISBN 0-86241-385-0.
- ^ "Top 40-lijst van week 25, 1968". Top40.nl. 1968-06-22. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
- ^ . Rolling Stone. 2008-05-31. Archived from the original on 2008-05-31. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - May 4, 1968" (PDF).
- ^ "Top 40 van week 25, 1968". Retrieved November 17, 2013.
- ^ "Blue Cheer Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ Kirby, Fred (August 23, 1969). "Who, B. B. King, Airplane Soar". Billboard. p. 19.
- ^ Strong, M. C. (1995). The Great Rock Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate Books Ltd. p. 897. ISBN 0-86241-385-0.
- ^ "Live albums". Classic Rock supplement: The Live Albums That Changed The World. December 2011. p. 5.
- ^ Billboard, July 4, 1970
- ^ . RPM. Archived from the original on 2012-10-23. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
- ^ "Lescharts.com - The Who: Summertime Blues". RPM. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
- ^ a b The Greatest Hits Collection (CD). Alan Jackson. Arista Records. 1995. 07822 18801.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Billboard, June 25, 1994
- ^ "Retro Single Review: Alan Jackson, "Summertime Blues" – Country Universe". Countryuniverse.net. 29 May 2012. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
- ^ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 2548." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. August 1, 1994. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
- ^ "Alan Jackson Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Alan Jackson Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1994". RPM. December 12, 1994. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
- ^ "Best of 1994: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1994. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
- ^ a b "La fille de l'été dernier - Johnny Hallyday - Hit-Parade.net". Retrieved 2017-11-13.
- ^ "RR Canada Rock Top 30" (PDF). p. 65. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ "Rush Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
- ^ Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "It Came From the Suburbs: Marc Bolan and David Bowie". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 329. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.