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Celebrated Summer Lyrics
Love and hate was in the air, like pollen from a flower
Somewhere in April time, they add another hour
I guess I'd better think up a way to spend my time
Just when I'm ready to sit inside, it's summer time
Should I go fishing or get a friend to hang around
It's back to summer, back to basics, hang around
Getting drunk out on the beach, or playing in a band
And getting out of school meant getting out of hand
Was this your celebrated summer?
Was that your celebrated summer?
Then the sun disintegrates between a wall of clouds
I summer where I winter at, and no one is allowed there
Do you remember when the first snowfall fell?
When summer barely had a snowball's chance in hell?
I think it's a little more complex than a song about weather. Mould is using the seasons as a metaphor for the progress of a person's life, specifically the transition from childhood to adolescence (spring to summer right at the beginning of the song), summer being the exciting, tumultuous adolescence - everyone rushing from one carefree and fun activity to the next - finally the song culminating with the end of summer - the end of carefree youth represented by the first snowfall and the transition to the seriousness and somber attitude of adulthood represented by winter (of course winter is emblematic of death which is implied to be the only stage left after the transition to adulthood)
Anyway that's my two cents... could be wrong
I've somewhat recently gotten into Husker Du, and while I learned to appreciate their stuff a good bit, once I heard this song I was speechless.
This is the kind of song that is so beautiful it will change somebodies life. Wow.
@mtj027 Yeah I think I get what you’re saying. Husker Du didn’t hit me as immediately as, say, The replacements. Or maybe The Ramones is a more apt comparison; the Ramones have a 60s/surf/bubblegum vibe to a lot of their songs/sound, and I feel like they share quite a bit to how the rhythm guitars are played, of course Husker covered Sheena, a fitting cover. As was Eight Miles High, but the Byrds’ comparison I’ll save for another time. The driving/ buzzing guitars notwithstanding, Husker has a more bittersweet sound than, say, the Ramones’ bubblegum, I think Mould’s songs are...
@mtj027 Yeah I think I get what you’re saying. Husker Du didn’t hit me as immediately as, say, The replacements. Or maybe The Ramones is a more apt comparison; the Ramones have a 60s/surf/bubblegum vibe to a lot of their songs/sound, and I feel like they share quite a bit to how the rhythm guitars are played, of course Husker covered Sheena, a fitting cover. As was Eight Miles High, but the Byrds’ comparison I’ll save for another time. The driving/ buzzing guitars notwithstanding, Husker has a more bittersweet sound than, say, the Ramones’ bubblegum, I think Mould’s songs are like that, anyway, and sometimes it just knocks me on my ass. Celebrated Summer is one of those moments/songs.
this song si so innocant . the music and the lyrics work so well. its like watching a film of there life(getting drunk out on a beach or playing in a band) one of my favs
To me, this song is just about taking things for granted, and not realizing what you have (that is, celebrating it) until it is gone.
I think it's pretty clear that this song is about Summer and how it ends. Minnesota (Husker Du's home state) winters are cold, so I guess summer is a precious thing there.
It's a killer when this song breaks down in the middle for the acoustic part. "then the sun disintegrates between a wall of clouds". Being from Minneapolis I believe Effect is right on the money. 3 months of good weather out of the year and Summer becomes a very precious commodity in Minnesota where each warm day you try to make the most out of it.
@cmckinley I believe that’s PART of the song’s “meaning”, the preciousness/importance/stress (STRESS is a good adjective for this post; has double Meaning here) people - Older people, those in positions Of authority, those who have the power to “add another hour” to the day (so that it can be used against you yet again, as in, “Daylight savings time isn’t a THING just so you’ll have another hour to waste every day”. GTFO of the house”) - place upon warmer weather, so that it becomes just another thing your parents make you do.
@cmckinley I believe that’s PART of the song’s “meaning”, the preciousness/importance/stress (STRESS is a good adjective for this post; has double Meaning here) people - Older people, those in positions Of authority, those who have the power to “add another hour” to the day (so that it can be used against you yet again, as in, “Daylight savings time isn’t a THING just so you’ll have another hour to waste every day”. GTFO of the house”) - place upon warmer weather, so that it becomes just another thing your parents make you do.
“Was...
“Was THIS your (so-called) ‘Celebrated Summer’?!?…Pfftttt. All hype…
Mould is from Malone, NY not Minnesota. But from your descriptions of the weather, it sounds about the same. Lots of snow. Little sun. Gotta appreciate it while you can.
Mould was born in Malone, NY but he also lived in Minnesota
This song was potentially the inspiration for Buffalo Tom some ten years late in 'Summer'. Starmarket wrote a similar song and they're Swedish. It also influential upon a lot of 90's era emo songwriting themes about seasons, before that whole scene became corny.
i have absolutely nothing of use to add. i mean, good things end. the opening riff to this, teen age riot, bastards of young, marquee moon, one more hour, etc... make me cum. unfortunately, riffs end.