Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
School got out
And summer arrived
We kicked things off with a water fight
There we were
Just a moment in time
Looking back
It was the time of our lives
It was a summer made of dreams
And it had just begun
Sunrise woke me with a beautiful song
A brand new day in a beautiful world
Ran through the backyard's cool morning shadows
My friends next door would meet me by the wall
Our lives as free as a fantasy
Wide awake in a dream
It was the summer of fun
And you know that's what we had
It was the summer to which
I will always look back
We were kids growing up
Walking a straight path
Having the times of our lives
In the summer of '89
The doors to my dad's store closed for good
Filled the fridge with candy
Who drank all the Yoo-hoo
Sang along to Pirate Radio
Pretended I was a DJ as I taped the songs
I still laugh thinking when my cousin said, “Women are all like snakes”
We packed our bags and flew to Washington
My cousin's wedding, family reunion
Another plane, we're off to Montreal
Road trip with Zou Zou to Niagara Falls
Richard Marx woke us to, “Right Here Waiting For You”
It was the summer of fun
And you know that's what we had
It was the summer to which
I will always look back
We were kids growing up
Walking a straight path
Having the times of our lives
In the summer of '89
I remember the late night barbeques
Spin the bottle in the family room
Picking peaches from our yard of fruits
You sang La Bamba and I yelled “Shut Up!”
Tied a string to a beetle, watched it fly like a kite
I liked to tape record everyday life
It was the summer of fun
And you know that's what we had
It was the summer to which
I will always look back
We were kids growing up
Walking a straight path
Having the times of our lives
In the summer of '89
And summer arrived
We kicked things off with a water fight
There we were
Just a moment in time
Looking back
It was the time of our lives
It was a summer made of dreams
And it had just begun
Sunrise woke me with a beautiful song
A brand new day in a beautiful world
Ran through the backyard's cool morning shadows
My friends next door would meet me by the wall
Our lives as free as a fantasy
Wide awake in a dream
It was the summer of fun
And you know that's what we had
It was the summer to which
I will always look back
We were kids growing up
Walking a straight path
Having the times of our lives
In the summer of '89
The doors to my dad's store closed for good
Filled the fridge with candy
Who drank all the Yoo-hoo
Sang along to Pirate Radio
Pretended I was a DJ as I taped the songs
I still laugh thinking when my cousin said, “Women are all like snakes”
We packed our bags and flew to Washington
My cousin's wedding, family reunion
Another plane, we're off to Montreal
Road trip with Zou Zou to Niagara Falls
Richard Marx woke us to, “Right Here Waiting For You”
It was the summer of fun
And you know that's what we had
It was the summer to which
I will always look back
We were kids growing up
Walking a straight path
Having the times of our lives
In the summer of '89
I remember the late night barbeques
Spin the bottle in the family room
Picking peaches from our yard of fruits
You sang La Bamba and I yelled “Shut Up!”
Tied a string to a beetle, watched it fly like a kite
I liked to tape record everyday life
It was the summer of fun
And you know that's what we had
It was the summer to which
I will always look back
We were kids growing up
Walking a straight path
Having the times of our lives
In the summer of '89
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
Summer of '89 Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
It's just about looking back on the gold old days. Great song.
It's just about looking back on the good old days. Great song.
I Love this song. Its everything anyone hopes for in a summer, and reminds you of every summer that you had a blast with friends, hookups, and just fun.
its the summer I've always wanted to live in
i accidently downloaded this as an angels and airwaves song. new it was too good for them hahah
*knew
Hahaha yeah that happened to me also, but then afetr i downloaded so many of their songs and found out it wasnt them, i fell in love with drowning fish... it was great.
same here