But don’t you know that it hurts me so/
To say goodbye to you.

Chad and Jeremy’s “Summer Song” is a beautiful song about a man reminiscing about a former summer fling. This is not the song of a bitter breakup or of a deep sorrow. The narrator feels a bittersweet pang for his youth while remembering the fun time he had with a girl one summer when he was younger. Chad and Jeremy sing of the new love of summer with its soft breezes and soft kisses and beautiful leaves.

But then Autumn came–and with it the rain, and the end of a love. Perhaps due to school, we don’t know. The lyrics are simple and express a common motif—the transition of summer to autumn is similar to the way a new love can turn to an old love. Paul Simon was fond of this imagery: he used it in Leaves that are Green and April Come She Will.

The chord progression on “Summer Song” is simple and this is a fun song for a beginning guitar student. The magic comes from the harmonies between Chad & Jeremy and the lovely melody. They sing the song with tenderness. There is an innocence to the lyrics. This song has one of the best bridges of any song (“They say that all good things must end…”). It is a great transition and the mood is a contrast to the upbeat tone of the rest of the song. We feel as if the narrator is getting down but then springs out of the dark mood and ends with an overall positive memory.

A Summer Song Lyrics

Trees swayin’ in the summer breeze
Showin’ off their silver leaves
As we walked by

Soft kisses on a summer’s day
Laughing all our cares away
Just you and I

Sweet sleepy warmth of summer nights
Gazing at the distant lights
In the starry sky

They say that all good things must end some day
Autumn leaves must fall
But don’t you know that it hurts me so
To say goodbye to you
Wish you didn’t have to go
No, no, no, no

And when the rain
Beats against my windowpane
I’ll think of summer days again
And dream of you

They say that all good things must end some day
Autumn leaves must fall
But don’t you know that it hurts me so
To say goodbye to you
Wish you didn’t have to go
No no no no

And when the rain
Beats against my windowpane
I’ll think of summer days again
And dream of you
And dream of you

Songwriters: Clive Metcalf / David Stuart / Keith Noble