"A Summer Song" (cover) by Chad & Jeremy

[Glennwillow]

This is my cover of Chad & Jeremy's "A Summer Song" first published in 1964. I remember this song from my first day at college in the fall of 1966 with everyone playing this song out their dorm windows. It's certainly a reminder of being young and in love.

I thought of this song recently as the rain was pounding against my windows during the November gales out in the USA Pacific Northwest. Thank you for listening!

Note that Chad & Jeremy played this in the key of A with no capo. I'm playing this in G with a capo on the 2nd fret (still in the key of A) because I preferred the fingering and access to the notes I wanted while also singing. The guitar is my Olson SJ from 1995.

- Glenn

[Chickee]

You go CoolCat!! We do this song at a guitar MeetUp I attend, but needless to say it doesn’t come out as clean and sweet as this. Happy Thanksgiving my friend.

[Rogerblair]

Nice job, Glenn. You made that your own. I remember those days as well…just like yesterday. Pretty special time in my life, almost enchanting as I look back. As they say, we didn’t know how good we had it.

Best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving, Glenn.

Roger

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Chickee

You go CoolCat!! We do this song at a guitar MeetUp I attend, but needless to say it doesn’t come out as clean and sweet as this. Happy Thanksgiving my friend.

Hi Frank!

Thank you so much for checking this out and taking time to comment here! I'm glad you feel this came out well!

It would be wonderful to be able to attend one of your Meetup musical get-togethers!

And Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, as well, Frank! I love this time of year and Thanksgiving, especially!

I hope all is well for you there!

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Rogerblair

Nice job, Glenn. You made that your own. I remember those days as well…just like yesterday. Pretty special time in my life, almost enchanting as I look back. As they say, we didn’t know how good we had it.

Best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving, Glenn.

Roger

Hi Roger!

Thank you for your kind comments! It was a special time! Time moves by so fast, it really does seem like yesterday when this song was so alive in our lives. Enchanting is the right word!

Thank you for your kind words! I slowed the tempo down a little from where Chad & Jeremy sang this. Somehow the song felt like it needed more time for breathing and contemplation after all these years.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your wife and family, too, Roger!

- Glenn

[TBman]

I enjoyed that Glenn, thanks for the reminder of younger days

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by TBman

I enjoyed that Glenn, thanks for the reminder of younger days

Thank you, Barry!

I'm glad you remember this! I think you have to be at a certain age to know this song!

And thank you for taking time to watch and comment! Enjoy Thanksgiving with your family, Barry!

- Glenn

[jnidoh]

Well done with singing and playing Glenn. Your version takes me back to a slower, mellower time of life and actually stirs more memories then the original by C & J.

You have a way of putting your own stamp on the song and your added backup vocals give them a very pleasing sound. Thanks for posting Glenn.

john

[FingahPickah]

Bravo Glenn! Great song choice and so well done. It evoked pleasant memories of a simpler time .. and that never gets old.

[cedartop52]

Always a joy to go for a ride in your melodic time machine Glen! They say that certain odors are great for triggering distinct memories but for me it seems to be music. Thanks for the wonderful tune and stimulating fond memories from simpler innocent times. Dan

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by jnidoh

Well done with singing and playing Glenn. Your version takes me back to a slower, mellower time of life and actually stirs more memories then the original by C & J.

You have a way of putting your own stamp on the song and your added backup vocals give them a very pleasing sound. Thanks for posting Glenn.

john

Hi John,

Thank you for your kind comments, which are very much appreciated!

Your comments are interesting to me because I have much the same feelings about this song. When I played this from memory, I found that I sang and played this at a noticeably slower tempo than the original song. As you say, in my memory it was a slower, mellower time, too.

Regarding putting my own stamp on a song, it just seems to happen. I don't particularly do it on purpose, but music taps into our psyche somehow and so I suppose a person's personality comes out in the performance of a song like this.

I'm also glad you thought the vocal harmony worked out okay. I simplified the Chad & Jeremy harmony somewhat to what I felt were the essential parts. I debated whether to leave the harmony in, but I had some good advice from my wife that was helpful.

Thanks, John, for taking time to listen and comment.

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by FingahPickah

Bravo Glenn! Great song choice and so well done. It evoked pleasant memories of a simpler time .. and that never gets old.

Hi FP!

Thank you! I'm so glad you like this!

I do agree that this particular song brings back floods of memories for me, too. And at least for us, as younger people just trying to grow up and not yet in any kind of control, it was a simpler time.

Thank you for watching and for your comments! Much appreciated!

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by cedartop52

Always a joy to go for a ride in your melodic time machine Glen! They say that certain odors are great for triggering distinct memories but for me it seems to be music. Thanks for the wonderful tune and stimulating fond memories from simpler innocent times. Dan

Hi Dan!

Thank you for taking time to watch and comment!

Yes, music is a bit of a time machine, isn't it... Simpler, more innocent times they certainly were! Thank you very much for joining the short little 3-minute ride!

I do think odors are also a powerful memory trigger, especially odors that we don't experience very often. I was a competitive swimmer from age 7 to age 18 and put in a huge number of hours swimming up and down various pools, being tired and having my eyes burn from the effects of chlorine. Before swimming meets and competitive races, a lot of guys in high school used to rub their muscles down with oil of wintergreen. I'd come into the locker room to get dressed before the meet and the whole place would smell like wintergreen.

Today if I come upon that wintergreen smell -- and it's not very often that I do, maybe somebody is chewing wintergreen gum -- it instantly makes me nervous and gives me a shot of adrenaline, as if I have just walked into a locker room before a swimming meet.

Enjoy the holidays, Dan!

- Glenn

[islandguitar]

Hi Glenn....ah yes, the memories! We started college the same year, so this song, along with "Cherish" (#2 of the most popular that fall) flood my brain with those long ago times. Really enjoyed your rendition. Thanks.
Have a great T' Day....best wishes,
Fred

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by islandguitar

Hi Glenn....ah yes, the memories! We started college the same year, so this song, along with "Cherish" (#2 of the most popular that fall) flood my brain with those long ago times. Really enjoyed your rendition. Thanks.
Have a great T' Day....best wishes,
Fred

Hi Fred!

Thank you very much for listening and for your comments here!

Oh, yes, I forgot about "Cherish." Great song. I got to see The Association perform in The Hall of Music at Purdue while I was there. Man, they were so good! But "Cherish" was a hard song to do for a solo player on a guitar. I'll have to go look that up and refresh my memory of that song.

I'm glad you enjoyed this cover! And Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, also! This is a wonderful time of the year!

Be well, Fred!

- Glenn

PS: I wonder if I missed one of your song threads. I just listened to your "Evening Rain" piece and it's just lovely! Beautiful job on this recording!