Summer of Love
The Bacon Brothers Lyrics
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"Written from the perspective of a young man attending Woodstock '99." KB
Me and Joey came a long way, to hear that singer
Play the one that we know so well
He got up there and gave us the finger
Told me and Joey to go straight to hell
Me and Joey in a blacktop garden
A big old burnin' sun above
And the fires will soon be starting
But this ain't no summer of love
Me and Joey had a good time with some farmer's daughter
Left her lyin' in a muddy hole
You charge an arm and a leg for a bottle of water
Well hey, I guess that's rock and roll
Me and Joey in a blacktop garden
A big old burnin' sun above
And the fires will soon be starting
But this ain't no summer of love
Now me and Joey's in his dad's car, overheating
Two hundred miles I-95
Joey's dad gives him a hell of a beatin'
Says we was lucky just to be alive
Someone's knockin' on the back door, momma's crying
And my head is hurtin' mighty bad
Tell you old man, and I ain't lyin
Best damn time I ever had
Me and Joey in a blacktop garden
A big old burnin' sun above
And the fires will soon be starting
But this ain't no summer of love
The Bacon Brothers's song, Summer of Love, is a nostalgic narrative of a young man attending Woodstock '99. The lyrics start with the singer, Me and Joey, travelling a long distance to hear a particular singer who gives them the finger and tells them off. The song then transitions to the two friends in what the singer refers to as a "blacktop garden" with the blazing sun above and fires that would soon be starting but not for what would normally constitute as a "summer of love."
The lyrics go on to describe how Me and Joey had a good time with some farmer's daughter but left her lying in a muddy hole. There is a sense of carelessness and recklessness portrayed in the story, which can be attributed to the spirit of Woodstock. The duo then realizes that there is a steep price to pay for a bottle of water, which portrays the commercialization of music festivals.
The lyrics then change gears as Me and Joey are in the car, overheating while driving for 200 miles on I-95. Joey's dad gives them a beating, saying that they were lucky to be alive. However, Me and Joey agree that it was the best time they ever had. The song's recurring chorus, "But this ain't no summer of love," symbolizes the contrast between the Woodstock of the '60s and the commercialized, distasteful version of Woodstock '99.
Line by Line Meaning
Me and Joey came a long way, to hear that singer
I traveled a long distance with my friend Joey to hear a specific musician perform.
Play the one that we know so well
We were hoping he would play a song we were familiar with.
He got up there and gave us the finger
To our surprise, the musician made an obscene hand gesture towards us.
Told me and Joey to go straight to hell
He unexpectedly insulted us by telling us to go away in a rude way.
Me and Joey in a blacktop garden
Joey and I were in a place that was covered in asphalt, like a parking lot.
A big old burnin' sun above
The sun was shining hot and bright overhead, making us uncomfortable.
And the fires will soon be starting
We were aware that fires were about to break out due to high temperatures and dry conditions.
But this ain't no summer of love
Despite the festival being advertised as a peaceful and loving event, it had turned out to be quite the opposite.
Me and Joey had a good time with some farmer's daughter
Joey and I had a pleasant experience with a girl who lived on a farm.
Left her lyin' in a muddy hole
We left her in a hole that was filled with muddy water.
You charge an arm and a leg for a bottle of water
We were outraged that vendors were charging exorbitant prices for basic necessities like water.
Well hey, I guess that's rock and roll
We resigned ourselves to the fact that overcharging fans at music festivals is just part of the industry.
Now me and Joey's in his dad's car, overheating
Joey and I were in his father's car, but it was starting to overheat due to prolonged use and high temperatures.
Two hundred miles I-95
We were driving on Interstate 95 for a distance of about 200 miles.
Joey's dad gives him a hell of a beatin'
When we arrived back, Joey's dad was furious and physically punished him for going to the festival.
Says we was lucky just to be alive
Joey's dad believed that we could have been hurt or killed at the festival and that we should be grateful to have made it back in one piece.
Someone's knockin' on the back door, momma's crying
At the present moment, there was a knock at the back door of Joey's house, and Joey's mother was crying, suggesting something was wrong.
And my head is hurtin' mighty bad
Additionally, I had a terrible headache, which was causing me pain and discomfort.
Tell you old man, and I ain't lyin
Despite the negative consequences we faced, I truly believe that this was one of the greatest experiences of my life.
Best damn time I ever had
In summary, despite the festival not living up to its advertised message of love and peace, Joey and I still had a phenomenal time and created unforgettable memories.
Contributed by Wyatt B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.