91 Meanings
Add Yours
Share
Q&A

Summer Of '69 Lyrics

I got my first real six string
Bought it at the five and dime
Played it til my fingers bled
Was the summer of '69

Me and some guys from school
Had a band and we tried real hard
Jimmy quit and Jody got married
I shoulda known we'd never get far
But when I look back now
That summer seemed to last forever
And if I had the choice
Ya - I'd always wanna be there
Those were the best days of my life

Ain't no use in complainin'
When you got a job to do
Spent my evenin's down at the drive-in
And that's when I met you - ya

Standin' on your mama's porch
You told me that you'd wait forever
Oh and when you held my hand
I knew that it was now or never
Those were the best days of my life
Back in the summer of '69

Man we were killin' time
We were young and restless
We needed to unwind
I guess nothin' can last forever - forever, no...

And now the times are changin'
Look at everything that's come and gone
Sometimes when I play that old six string
I think about ya'n wonder what went wrong

Standin' on your mama's porch
You told me it would last forever
Oh the way you held my hand
I knew that it was now or never
Those were the best days of my life

Back in the summer of '69
Song Info
Copyright
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Writer
Bryan Adams, James Douglas Vallance
Duration
3:33
Submitted by
ice On May 23, 2001
Questions and Answers

Ask specific questions and get answers to unlock more indepth meanings & facts.

91 Meanings

Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.

Cover art for Summer Of '69 lyrics by Bryan Adams

It actually is a reference to the ol' 69er. There's a snip-it in a Rolling Stone magazine a couple of months ago with Bryan Adams admiting it and saying that he couldn't believe no one got it. But it still sounds better being the year 69 in my opinion. Adams' best song... cheese, yet still blissfully great.

@SimpleKindOfBoy In 1969 Brian Adams was 10 years old, so yeah, I got it. I tried to explain it to a few people over the years whenever the song comes on but they always got defensive. It's supposed to be funny. Oh well...

Cover art for Summer Of '69 lyrics by Bryan Adams

I think it means about how he wishes he could be in the summer of 69 forever and how it was so great. Remember, nothing lasts forever, so dont just sit there all day. Get up and do something fun because the time is limited. This summer, I will be sure to do everything I want to when I want to.

Cover art for Summer Of '69 lyrics by Bryan Adams

great song, reminds me of a summer i had with great friends and a great g/f i had.. good memories i wish they would of lasted hehe

Cover art for Summer Of '69 lyrics by Bryan Adams

first guitar, first band, job, and fallin in love over a summer...great song

Cover art for Summer Of '69 lyrics by Bryan Adams

Here's where Jim Vallance explains the full meaning of the song (from his perspective) -

http://www.jimvallance.com/01-music-folder/songs-folder-may-27/pg-song-adams-summer-of-69.html

Cover art for Summer Of '69 lyrics by Bryan Adams

this song makes me think of how i'm going to remember my summers. I hope i can look back 50 years from now and smile at the memories i've made. this song is so inspirational. i love it.

LOL... never heard oral sex described as "inspirational," but I suppose it's a fun way of looking at it ;) Hate the song for personal reasons and in all honesty I don't really care for the artist's voice (in any song). And, yes, Adams did state he wrote the song about all the "love" from his past summers...although "love" is obviously USED LOOSELY. (two interesting words:)

Not Valid
Cover art for Summer Of '69 lyrics by Bryan Adams

funny thing-- adams was nine years old in the summer of 69 :-p

Cover art for Summer Of '69 lyrics by Bryan Adams

that is funny. But great song, embodies the best summer everyone ever had while they were in highschool just hanging out with their friends. Damn reality bites we should all be able to jus stay in that summer forever.

Cover art for Summer Of '69 lyrics by Bryan Adams

this song always kind of reminds me of those american high school films and the great summers they have before heading off to college..... talks about the one ideal summer everyone seems to have in their teens..when everything is so great....''those were the days...''

Cover art for Summer Of '69 lyrics by Bryan Adams

The song takes place in 1969. It's not necessarily told from Bryan Adams personal experience. Remember, singers are storytellers.