311 was formed in 1990 in Omaha, Nebraska, United States by singer/guitaris… Read Full Bio ↴311 was formed in 1990 in Omaha, Nebraska, United States by singer/guitarist Nick Hexum, singer S.A. Martinez, guitarist Tim Mahoney, drummer Chad Sexton and bassist P-Nut. The band now resides in Los Angeles, California.

311 mix rock, rap, reggae and funk into their own unique sound. After years of consistent touring, 311 have developed a reputation as one of the hardest working, most influential and most entertaining live bands in the U.S.

311 have released ten studio albums, one live album, one greatest hits album and three dvd's - and have sold over 8.5 million albums in the U.S. Seven of their albums have reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Top 200 Sales Chart...and 9 of their singles have reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Alternative Rock Radio Chart (including the #1 singles Down, Love Song & Don't Tread On Me. Along with Amber, All Mixed Up, Come Original, Creatures For Awhile, Hey You, and Sunset in July).

311’s newest album, Universal Pulse, released in Summer 2011, was produced by Bob Rock, mixed by Chad Sexton and debuted at #7 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart.

The band's celebratory live shows & incessant touring schedule have earned them a massive grassroots following nationwide. Since its inception in 2004, 311’s annual summer headlining amphitheatre run, Unity Tour, has become one of the largest modern rock concerts of the summer. Support acts on previous Unity Tours have included Sublime with Rome, The Offspring, Snoop Dogg, The Roots, Papa Roach, The Wailers, O.A.R., Matisyahu, and Ziggy Marley. Unity Tour 2012 will feature support from Slightly Stoopid.

311 BIO/HIGHLIGHTS:

* 311 was formed in 1990 in Omaha, Nebraska by vocalist/guitarist Nick Hexum, vocalist/dj SA Martinez, lead guitarist Tim Mahoney, drummer Chad Sexton and bassist P-Nut. The band now resides in Los Angeles.

* 311 has sold over 8.5 million units in the U.S.

* 311 has had 8 albums reach the Top 10 on Billboard’s U.S. Top 200 Sales Chart

* 311 has had 9 singles reach the Top 10 on Billboard’s U.S. Alternative Chart (including the #1 singles “Down”, “Love Song” & “Don’t Tread On Me” along with “Amber”, “All Mixed Up”, “Come Original”, “Creatures (For a While)”, “Hey You” and "Sunset in July")

* 311’s new album, Universal Pulse, debuted at #7 in July 2011 and was produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Aerosmith).

* 311’s new album, due summer of 2011, was produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Aerosmith).

* 311’s sound is a unique hybrid of rock, reggae, hip-hop & funk. A balance of hard rocking anthems and melodic reggae grooves - with an underlying message of unity & positivity.

* After years of incessant touring, 311 has developed a reputation as one of the most influential & most entertaining live bands in the U.S.

* With their celebratory live shows, 311 has earned a massive grassroots following. For the past nine years, 311 has headlined their summer “Unity Tour” in ampitheatres across the U.S.- drawing crowds of 10,000 to 18,000 people in Atlanta, Boston, DC, New Jersey, Los Angeles, St. Louis, West Palm, Charlotte, VA Beach, Denver, etc. The tour is consistently one of the largest modern rock concerts of the summer in the U.S.

* Past 311 tours have included an impressive array of opening acts. Bands such as No Doubt, Korn & Incubus all supported 311 on U.S. tours before they became headliners.

* Support acts on 311’s Unity Tour have included :
Sublime With Rome, The Offspring, Snoop Dogg, The Roots, Papa Roach, The Wailers, O.A.R., Matisyahu and Ziggy Marley.

* 311 has always stayed true to their own approach and their underlying message of unity and positivity. That message still rings true for them today…in their lyrics and at their celebratory live shows. Singer Nick Hexum typically ends each show with the words, “Stay Positive and Love Your Life.”

• Every other year on March 11th (“3-11 Day”), 311 holds a special concert event that attracts thousands of 311 fans from around the world. The show includes an extended setlist (5 hours / 60+ songs) and state of the art production. Last year the band sold-out the Mandalay Bay Arena and tickets were sold to fans in all 50 U.S. states and 13 different countries. 311 fans traveled from around the globe to meet each other and to celebrate 311 Day together.

Summer of Love
311 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I thought about my scene today
And I've finally got the words to say
The truth is cutting like a knife
Gonna use it to cut away my strife
The grass is green and the sky is blue
My head is clear and my thoughts are true

Callin' out young and old

We got a thing that can't be sold
The time that takes to rise above
In the summer of love

It's the summer
It's the summer
It's the summer of love I say

It's the summer
It's the summer
It's the summer of love I say

It's the summer
It's the summer
It's the summer of love I say

It's the summer
It's the summer
It's the summer of love I say

I wake up each day to the sun
And it's hard to chose what to do for fun
A blissful world surrounds me
And my brothers and sisters love is always free
Don't you know that I've waited my whole life
Just to show what's inside and let my love flow
That's what I'm sayin'

Callin' out young and old
We got a thing that can't be sold
The time that takes to rise above
In the summer of love

It's the summer
It's the summer
It's the summer of love I say

It's the summer
It's the summer
It's the summer of love I say

It's the summer
It's the summer
It's the summer of love I say

It's the summer
It's the summer
It's the summer of love I say

(Dub break (figure it out)

It's the summer
It's the summer
It's the summer of love I say

It's the summer
It's the summer
It's the summer of love I say

It's the summer
It's the summer
It's the summer of love I say

It's the summer
It's the summer
It's the summer of love I say

I said it's the summer of love
My head is clear, and my thoughts are true

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Summer of Love" by 311 reflect a feeling of contentment and joy in the present moment. The singer reflects on their life and scene, finally finding the words to express their truth. They find solace in the beauty of the world around them, with clear thoughts and a head that's free. The singer calls out to everyone, young and old, for a thing that can't be sold, the time to rise above in the summer of love.

The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "It's the summer of love," giving the song a nostalgic feel that references the hippie movement of the 1960s. The singer cherishes the simple pleasures of life and values the love and camaraderie of family and friends, which is reflected in the line, "my brothers and sisters love is always free." The song's dub break adds an element of experimentation that's also reminiscent of the counterculture music of the 60s.

The song's message is simple yet impactful, reminding listeners to appreciate the present moment and the love in their lives. Overall, "Summer of Love" is a timeless feel-good anthem that celebrates the beauty of life and the power of love.

Line by Line Meaning

I thought about my scene today
I reflected on my life today

And I've finally got the words to say
And I've finally found the words to express my thoughts

The truth is cutting like a knife
The truth is painful and raw

Gonna use it to cut away my strife
I'm going to use the truth to remove my troubles

The grass is green and the sky is blue
The world is beautiful and tranquil

My head is clear and my thoughts are true
I am in a good state of mind and I am being honest with myself

Callin' out young and old
I'm reaching out to everyone

We got a thing that can't be sold
We have something valuable that can't be bought or sold

The time that takes to rise above
It takes time to overcome problems

In the summer of love
During a period of love

I wake up each day to the sun
I start each day in a positive way