Beginning violin lessons at the age of 8, Stratton followed quickly with cello lessons at 10, the piano at 11, and guitar at 16. It was through the piano that Stratton discovered a passion for writing and performing songs. After moving to Los Angeles in 1995, Casey signed with Magic Records. Work then began on the recordings that would eventually become his first full-length release, The Giver and the Grave Digger, which was released in 1996.
In 1997, after deciding not to renew his contract with Magic Records, Stratton began his first self-produced album, Lily Sleeps.
In the summer of 2000 Stratton moved to Chicago where he began a nearly two year hiatus from the record industry. He immersed himself in writing and recorded an independent album called The Winter Children. Many of these tracks would be re-recorded later and included on his Sony release Standing at the Edge.
Stratton's 6th studio album, "DIVIDE", was released in October 2005 on Stratton's independent label, Sleeping Pill Music. His next album, The Crossing, was released in April 2007. This was followed by Orbit, digitally released on February 5, 2008.
Memories and Photographs was released in September 2009, followed by A Winter Moon, an album of holiday music, in December 2009. Casey's next project, Myth & Stars, largely based on Greek Mythology, was released on September 21, 2010.
SUMMER
Casey Stratton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lying in the warm grass
I was young then
We were two like the wind
Always rolling
Never really touching down
Not aware yet
Things would complicate themselves
Summer days here
Now I see it clear
I am older now
I have learned how
To close up
To deny us
Was in love once
Now I bury us
So please remind me
Why I shouldn't leave you
It's so hard to change
When you remain the same
Summer can wait
I must deviate
I can't keep you next to me
One too many times
Stabbed by your knife
Still my heart fights
With my rational mind
Summer days past
We were young then
We were happy then
The song "Summer" by Casey Stratton is a nostalgic reflection on the fleeting nature of youth, love, and the passing of time. The first verse reflects on memories of carefree summer days spent lying on the warm grass, without a care in the world. The singer acknowledges that they were young and carefree, rolling with the wind and never really landing. The second verse, however, is a reflection on the present, and how the singer has grown older and learned to close up, to deny love, burying the past. The lyrics speak of the struggle between the heart and the rational mind, and the tension between the desire to hold onto something and the need to let go.
Throughout the song, the repetition of the word "summer" serves as a metaphor for the passage of time and the transience of life. The changing seasons reflect the evolution of emotions, relationships, and personal growth, as the singer grapples with the past and the present. The chorus captures this tension, as the singer struggles to let go but finds it difficult to change, confronted by the reality that some things can never be the same.
Overall, "Summer" is a poignant and introspective song that captures the bittersweet feeling of growing older and looking back on the past. It reminds us of the way that memories can linger and haunt us, shaping our choices and our relationships in the present.
Line by Line Meaning
Summer days past
Reminiscing about past summer days
Lying in the warm grass
Remembering the peacefulness of lying down on warm grass
I was young then
Reflecting on the younger self
We were two like the wind
Describing the carefree nature of the relationship
Always rolling
Never being stationary
Never really touching down
Never really settling
Not aware yet
Being unaware of the complexities that would follow
Things would complicate themselves
Life would eventually become more complicated
Summer days here
Referring to present day summer days
Now I see it clear
Reflecting on how things have become clearer with time
I am older now
Noting the passage of time and corresponding life experience
I have learned how
Expressing the acquisition of knowledge
To close up
Being more guarded and reserved
To deny us
Suppressing past emotions and memories
Was in love once
Acknowledging past love
Now I bury us
Trying to forget about past love
So please remind me
Asking for help in remembering something important
Why I shouldn't leave you
Questioning the decision to leave someone
It's so hard to change
Acknowledging the difficulty of changing oneself
When you remain the same
Noticing that the other person has not changed
Summer can wait
Putting summer adventures on the back burner
I must deviate
Taking a different path
I can't keep you next to me
Acknowledging that the relationship is not possible
One too many times
Referring to past negative experiences
Stabbed by your knife
Feeling hurt by the other person's actions
Still my heart fights
Conflicted feelings, heart vs. mind
With my rational mind
Reasoning through emotions
Summer days past
Repeating earlier sentiment
We were young then
Repeating earlier sentiment
We were happy then
Recalling past happiness in the relationship
Contributed by Landon M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.