The Other Side of Summer
Elvis Costello
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The sun struggles up another beautiful day And I felt glad in my own suspicious way Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Despite the contradiction and confusion Felt tragic without reason There's malice and there's magic in every season From the foaming breakers of the poisonous surf The other side of summer To the burning forests in the hills of Astroturf The other side of summer The automatic gates close up between the shanties and the palace The blowtorch amusements, the voodoo chalice The pale pathetic promises that everybody swallows A teenage girl is crying 'cause she don't look like a million dollars So help her if you can 'Cause she don't seem to have the attention span From the foaming breakers of the poisonous surf The other side of summer To the burning forests in the hills of Astroturf The other side of summer Was it a millionaire who said "imagine no possessions"? A poor little schoolboy who said "we don't need no lessons"? The rabid rebel dogs ransack the shampoo shop The pop princess is downtown shooting up And if that goddess if fit for burning The sun will struggle up the world will still keep turning Madman standing by the side of the road saying "Look at my eyes, look at my eyes, look at my eyes, look at my eyes" Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Now you can't afford to fake all the drugs your parents used to take Because of their mistakes you'd better be wide awake From the foaming breakers of the poisonous surf The other side of summer To the burning forests in the hills of Astroturf The other side of summer The mightiest rose The absence of perfume The casual killers The military curfew The cardboard city An unwanted birthday The other side of summer The dancing was desperate, the music was worse They bury your dreams and dig up the worthless Goodnight God bless And kiss "goodbye" to the earth The other side of summer The other side of summer The other side of summer The other side of summer The other side of summer The other side of summer The other side The other side The other side, oh
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Written by: DECLAN MACMANUS
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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12 facts about this song
Song Origins"The Other Side of Summer" is a song by Elvis Costello, an English musician, singer-songwriter, and producer known for his unique lyrics and eclectic style.
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Album InformationThe song is featured on the album "Mighty Like a Rose," which was released in 1991. This is the 13th studio album by Elvis Costello.
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Chart performanceThe song was a commercial success, reaching No. 43 in the UK Singles Chart and No.15 in the Modern Rock Tracks in the United States.
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Song ProductionThe track was produced by Mitchell Froom, Kevin Killen, and Elvis Costello himself. The trio had previously collaborated on "Spike," another of Elvis’ albums.
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Song Theme"The Other Side of Summer" is known for its satirical lyrics, taking a cynical view of the typical idolization of summer and the commercialization of holidays.
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Music StyleDespite its bed of breezy melodies, rich harmonies and upbeat tempo, it has a dark undertone, a trait often found in Costello's music.
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Beach Boys ParodyThe song has been interpreted as a parody of The Beach Boys' music, using upbeat tunes to mask the darker commentary on contemporary society.
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Video ProductionUnusual for Costello, a music video was produced for this song, directed by Evan English.
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Political CommentaryCostello uses the song to criticize political events of the time, including the Gulf War and environmental destruction.
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Song ReceptionCritics have called "The Other Side of Summer" a finely crafted song whose sunny pop sound belies its darker lyrical content. It is considered one of Elvis Costello's masterpieces.
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Song InspirationCostello revealed that the song was inspired by reading George Orwell’s novel "1984," where the author talks about the endless summer where the strawberries never go out of season because they are artificially grown.
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Album Cover ArtworkCostello appears on the cover of the "Mighty Like a Rose" album wearing a thick beard and sunglasses, which became a famous image around the time of the album's release.
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