Founded by Farrell and original bass guitarist Eric Avery, following the disintegration of Farrell's previous band Psi Com, Jane's Addiction was one of the first bands from the early 1990s alternative rock movement to gain both mainstream media attention and commercial success in the United States. Jane's Addiction's first release was a self-titled live album in 1987 and quickly caught the attention of Warner Bros. Records. The band's first two studio albums, Nothing's Shocking (1988) and Ritual de lo Habitual (1990), were released to widespread critical acclaim, and an increasing cult fanbase. As a result, Jane's Addiction became icons of what Farrell dubbed the "Alternative Nation". The band's initial farewell tour, in 1991, launched the first Lollapalooza, which has since become a perennial alternative rock festival.
The band briefly reunited in 1997, with Flea, of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, replacing Avery on bass guitar. In 2001, a second reunion took place, with Martyn LeNoble—and later Chris Chaney—occupying the role of bass guitarist. In 2003, the band released its third studio album, Strays, before dissolving again the following year.
In 2008, the band's original line-up reunited and embarked on a world tour. Eric Avery, however, subsequently left the band in early 2010 as the group began working on new material. The band released its fourth studio album The Great Escape Artist in 2011, with Chaney returning to the band for its recording and subsequent tour. In 2016, Jane's Addiction were nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Summertime Rolls
Jane's Addiction Lyrics
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A sea of grass
And disappeared among
The shady blades...
Children all
Ran over me
Screaming tag!
You are the one!
He trips her as
Her sandals fail
She says stop!
I'm a girl...
Whose fingernails are made
Of mother's pearl...
Yellow buttercup
Helicopters
Orange buttercat
Chasing after
The crazy bee
Mad about somebody...
Me and my girlfriend
Don't wear no shoes
Her nose is painted pepper
Sunlight...
She loves me
I mean it's serious
As serious can be...
She sings a song and
I listen to what it says:
If you want a friend
Feed any animal...
There was so much space
I cut me a piece
With some fine wine
It brought peace to my mind
In the summertime...
And it rolled
Summer.... oh...
Oh.... the summertime rolls
"Summertime Rolls" by Jane's Addiction is a song that creates a vivid picture of the free and uninhibited lifestyle of summer. The lyrics suggest a carefree, almost surreal feeling of being lost amidst the beauty of summertime. The opening stanza speaks of "disappearing among the shady blades," which represents the feeling of getting lost in the tall grass. The children playing and running around top of the persona as they scream "tag" adds a layer of playfulness to the song.
The second stanza describes a romantic scenario in which a man trips a woman and her sandals fall, and as she falls, she says "stop! I'm a girl." The fact that her fingernails are made of mother pearl adds a level of beauty and fantasy to the scene. The third stanza speaks of nature, butterflies, bees, and an orange butterfly chasing after the bee. The man and his girlfriend do not wear shoes, adding to the idea of freedom and living off the land. The peppery nose of the girlfriend is a detail that adds to her unique and eccentric persona.
The fourth stanza speaks of the girlfriend singing a song and the persona listening to the lyrics that suggest feeding any animal will make it your friend. This ties into the overall theme of living life freely without any inhibitions. The fifth and final stanza talks about "cutting a piece" of space with some fine wine that brings peace to the mind. The summertime rolls, and the song ends with the repetition of the word "summer."
Line by Line Meaning
Fell into
I stumbled upon
A sea of grass
An open, endless expanse of greenery
And disappeared among
I got lost within it
The shady blades...
The dark, cool foliage...
Children all
The little ones
Ran over me
They came running towards me
Screaming tag!
Yelling a playful game's name
You are the one!
Claiming that I'm it
He trips her as
He accidentally makes her fall
Her sandals fail
Her footwear malfunctioned
She says stop!
She pleads for him to quit
I'm a girl...
As a female, I'm vulnerable
Whose fingernails are made
My nails consist of
Of mother's pearl...
A precious material inherited from my parent
Yellow buttercup
A type of flower with a yellow coloration
Helicopters
Another word for seeds attached to 'whirligigs'
Orange buttercat
A reference to the color and texture of a certain feline
Chasing after
Pursuing
The crazy bee
The insane insect
Mad about somebody...
Infatuated with an individual
Me and my girlfriend
My significant other and I
Don't wear no shoes
We go barefoot
Her nose is painted pepper
She applies spices to her nostrils for medicinal reasons
Sunlight...
The sun's radiance
She loves me
She has affection for me
I mean it's serious
It's a deep and meaningful connection
As serious can be...
As serious as it can get
She sings a song and
She performs a musical piece and
I listen to what it says:
I pay attention to its lyrics
If you want a friend
To gain companionship
Feed any animal...
One could provide food to a creature
There was so much space
There existed such copious area
I cut me a piece
I removed for myself a portion
With some fine wine
Joined by a bottle of high-quality fermented grape juice
It brought peace to my mind
It calmed me and cleared my headspace
In the summertime...
During the season where warmth is at its peak
And it rolled
And everything kept moving forward
Summer.... oh...
The season of sun, heat, and outdoor fun
Oh.... the summertime rolls
The time of year continues to progress and evolve
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ERIC ADAM AVERY, PERRY FARRELL, DAVID NAVARRO, STEPHEN PERKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind