(2) One of the most accessible of all jazz pianists, Gene Harris' soulful style (influenced by Oscar Peterson and containing the blues-iness of a Junior Mance) was immediately likable and predictably excellent. After playing in an Army band (1951-1954), he formed a trio with bassist Andy Simpkins and drummer Bill Dowdy which was, by 1956, known as the Three Sounds. The group was quite popular, and recorded regularly during 1956-1970 for Blue Note and Verve. Although the personnel changed and the music became more R&B-oriented in the early '70s, Harris retained the Three Sounds name for his later Blue Note sets. He retired to Boise, ID, in 1977, and was largely forgotten when Ray Brown persuaded him to return to the spotlight in the early '80s. Harris worked for a time with the Ray Brown Trio and led his own quartets in the years to follow, recording regularly for Concord and heading the Phillip Morris Superband on a few tours; 1998's Tribute to Count Basie even earned a Grammy nomination. While awaiting a kidney transplant, he died on January 16, 2000, at the age of 66. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi
SUMMER
Gene Harris Lyrics
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And the sun was a demon
The clouds were afraid, 110 in the shade
And the pavements were steaming
I told Billy Ray in his red Chevrolet
I needed time for some thinking
I was just walkin' by when I looked in her eye
She was thirty-one and I was seventeen
I knew nothin' 'bout love, she knew everything
But I sat down beside her on a front porch swing
And wondered what the coming night would bring
The sun closed her eyes as it climbed in the sky
And it started to swelter
Sweat trickled down the front of her gown
And I thought it would melt her
She threw back her hair like I wasn't there
And she sipped on a Julep
Her shoulders were bare and I tried not to stare
When I looked at her two lips
And then she looked at me, I heard her softly say
I know you're young, you don't know what to do or say
But stay with me until the sun has gone away
And I will chase the boy in you away
And then she smiled and we talked for a while
Then we walked for a mile to the sea
We sat on the sand and a boy took her hand
But I saw the sunrise as a man
Ten years have gone by since I looked in her eye
But the memory lingers
I go back in my mind to the very first time
And feel the touch of her fingers
The lyrics to Gene Harris's "Summer" tell a story of a teenage boy who meets a woman on a hot summer day in the last day of June. The sun is scorching, and the pavement is steaming; it is so hot that even the clouds are afraid. As the boy is walking, he notices a woman who he thinks gives him a wink. He soon finds out that the woman is thirty-one years old, and he is only seventeen. As the day wears on and the sun beats down, they start talking and getting to know each other. The woman seems to know all about love, but the boy is inexperienced. However, as they spend time together, he begins to feel like a man.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of tension between the two, maybe because of the age difference or maybe because they come from different worlds. Nevertheless, she takes him under her wing, teaches him a thing or two about love, and chases the boy in him away. As the sun begins to set, they walk towards the beach, where they sit on the sand, and a boy takes her hand. The singer sees the sunrise as a man and remembers the touch of her fingers.
The lyrics of the song capture a moment of summer love, leaving the listener with bittersweet feelings of memories that have faded but never forgotten. It is a story of a special moment between two people who come together on a hot summer day and find out that age is just a number.
Line by Line Meaning
Twas a hot afternoon, the last day of June
It was a scorching day on the last day of June.
And the sun was a demon
The sun was blazing hot.
The clouds were afraid, 110 in the shade
It was so hot even the clouds were retreating, while the temperature reached 110 degrees in the shade.
And the pavements were steaming
The pavements were evaporating due to the intense heat.
I told Billy Ray in his red Chevrolet I needed time for some thinking
I told my friend Billy Ray, who drove a red Chevrolet, that I needed some alone time to reflect.
I was just walkin' by when I looked in her eye and I swore it was winkin'
While walking by, I noticed a woman and it seemed as though she was winking at me.
She was thirty-one and I was seventeen
She was much older than me, at 31, while I was only 17 years old.
I knew nothin' 'bout love, she knew everything
I was naive when it came to love, but she had much more experience in that area.
But I sat down beside her on a front porch swing
Despite the age difference and my lack of experience, I sat next to her on a porch swing.
And wondered what the coming night would bring
I was curious about what might happen later that night.
The sun closed her eyes as it climbed in the sky
The sun was blindingly bright, causing her to close her eyes as it rose higher into the sky.
And it started to swelter
The heat was becoming unbearable.
Sweat trickled down the front of her gown
She was sweating profusely, causing her dress to be damp in the front.
And I thought it would melt her
I was concerned she might melt due to the extreme heat.
She threw back her hair like I wasn't there
She brushed back her hair as if I didn't exist.
And she sipped on a Julep
She drank a refreshing julep to cool off.
Her shoulders were bare and I tried not to stare
She was wearing a revealing outfit, and I tried my best not to stare.
When I looked at her two lips
When I looked at her lips.
And then she looked at me, I heard her softly say
She looked at me and whispered softly.
I know you're young, you don't know what to do or say
She knew I was inexperienced and unsure of what to do or say.
But stay with me until the sun has gone away
She asked me to stay with her until sunset.
And I will chase the boy in you away
She promised to help me grow up and become a man.
And then she smiled and we talked for a while
She smiled, and we talked for a long time.
Then we walked for a mile to the sea
We walked a long way to reach the ocean.
We sat on the sand and a boy took her hand
We sat on the sand, and another boy took her hand.
But I saw the sunrise as a man
Despite losing her to someone else, I felt like a mature adult after that experience.
Ten years have gone by since I looked in her eye
Ten whole years have passed since I last saw her.
But the memory lingers
The memory of that day still remains vivid in my mind.
I go back in my mind to the very first time
I often revisit that moment in my mind.
And feel the touch of her fingers
I can still feel the sensation of her fingers on my skin.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOBBY GOLDSBORO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@carification
Gene Harris had to be one of the first pioneers to bring the systhesizer to music. Summer (The First Time) has a heavenly (those voices) even surreal feel to it. My favorite. Thanks.
@jonathanbreakfast1209
Beautiful song, great sample too
@koj021
I have to thank my dad for my love of 70's jazz funk and this album. If fact I have this record in my garage.
@jerryjordansr4411
A beautiful grove that takes you to another place and time ...very nice
@Wilmus
Yes, strangely, this piece is fascinating
@errolhammock6469
One of my all time best lay back and get in to the grove
@Poopdestroy
Wonderful
@nilsknospe5033
👍
@TheRealSTR
Jake One. Freddie Gibbs
@mindsigh_
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