Bright Summer's Day '68
Curved Air Lyrics
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With the sun shining down, my baby left town,
My brother broke jail.
Then my Daddy shot Mom, so I've written this song,
Just to tell all you folks out there cracking them jokes,
how I felt all along.
Oh, you came along, oh, you've heard my song,
Oh, you've got me wrong. (You never told me it'd be like this!)
Oh, you came along, oh, you found this song,
Oh, you've got me wrong. (I can't stop thinking about that bright summers day!)
On a bright summer's day, in the middle of May,
With the sun shining down, my baby left town,
My brother broke jail.
Oh, you came along, oh, you've heard this song,
Oh, you've got me wrong. (And I never wanted it to be like this!)
Oh, you came along, oh, you found this song,
Oh, you've got me wrong. (Now wait 'till I tell my Daddy about you!)
On a bright summer's day, in the middle of May,
With the sun shining down, my baby left town,
My brother broke jail.
The song "Bright Summer's Day '68" by Curved Air tells a story of a tragic event that happened to the singer's family. On a bright summer's day in the middle of May, the sun was shining down when the singer's baby left town and their brother broke jail. However, things turned even darker when the singer's father shot their mother, and the singer subsequently wrote this song to express their feelings about the situation, hoping to show those who may be making light of it that this was a serious matter that had affected them deeply. The singer seems to have met someone (the ambiguous "you") who misunderstands the gravity of their situation, and has become fixated on the idea of that fateful summer day.
The lyrics suggest that the events of that day have left a lasting impact on the singer, even as the rest of the world moves on. The repetition of the line "on a bright summer's day, in the middle of May" highlights the vividness with which the singer remembers that moment in time, and the weight that it carries for them. Despite the upbeat tone of the music, the tragedy that the lyrics describe is undeniable, urging listeners to pay attention to the pain that is sometimes hidden beneath the surface of seemingly happy moments.
Line by Line Meaning
On a bright summer's day, in the middle of May,
It was a sunny day in May when everything changed.
With the sun shining down, my baby left town,
The departure of my lover coincided with the brightness of that day.
My brother broke jail.
My brother's prison escape added to the chaos of the day.
Then my Daddy shot Mom, so I've written this song,
A tragic event that occurred later that day inspired me to write this song.
Just to tell all you folks out there cracking them jokes,
I wrote this song to share a serious message with those who make light of what happened.
how I felt all along.
It's a personal expression of how I've been feeling throughout the ordeal.
Oh, you came along, oh, you've heard my song,
The listener is acknowledging the audience and their attention.
Oh, you've got me wrong. (You never told me it'd be like this!)
The songwriter feels misunderstood and let down by someone or something.
Oh, you came along, oh, you found this song,
The listener is taking credit for discovering the song.
Oh, you've got me wrong. (I can't stop thinking about that bright summers day!)
The songwriter can't help but associate the song with the bright summer's day it came from.
Oh, you came along, oh, you've heard this song,
The listener continues to be acknowledged.
Oh, you've got me wrong. (And I never wanted it to be like this!)
The songwriter is still feeling misunderstood about their motives for writing the song.
Oh, you came along, oh, you found this song,
The listener continues to be praised for discovering the song.
Oh, you've got me wrong. (Now wait 'till I tell my Daddy about you!)
The songwriter is going to share the story of the listener with their father, suggesting it will be significant.
On a bright summer's day, in the middle of May,
Repeating the opening line confirms the importance of that specific day and its significance to the songwriter.
With the sun shining down, my baby left town,
The songwriter associates their lover leaving with the brightness of the day.
My brother broke jail.
Repeating the detail about the brother's escape reinforces the chaos of the day.
Contributed by Lauren L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.