LogFAQs > #957001759

54. Eddie Cochran Summertime Blues (1958)
non-album single

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C38Zevwyx4

Key lyrics:
Im gonna take my problem to the United Nations

Summertime Blues is an extraordinarily simple song. The simplicity is part of the enduring charm this is a track that feels emblematic of rock and roll at large. It is presented with the same youthful energy that would dominate the punk scene a couple decades on, a preeminent example of popular music as an expression of teenage angst. Cochrans problems feel as slight as they are hopeless. People idealize their youth, but Summertime Blues is a perfect reminder that it is a time dominated by others whims.

Cochrans delivery granted him a striking sense of personality that few rock stars of that era pulled off. The song repeatedly comes to a stop as he bellows out insulting phrases from adult figures in the most mocking tone he can manage. These instrumental pauses help highlight the simple yet frantic strums. Later lines accentuate his nave yet fitting perspective, calling upon the United Nations and U.S. senators to handle his monetary woes. Though he might be overstating things by a degree, it perfectly represents the dire feeling of being an actual teenager. What Summertime Blues lacks in depth is made up in its truth.

Though each part might be simple, the whole of Summertime Blues is ridiculously catchy. That rolling bassline gives a perfect groove, and the handclaps add a youthful energy. The lead guitar is as forceful as it is insistent. Though rock would add several layers of complexity as it evolved, Summertime Blues remains a perfect encapsulation of rock and roll in its rawest form.

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My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/