Summer
The Duke Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

See me
Standing on the other side
Living
With little more than my pride
Don't need to question who I'll be
My future or my memory
Cause I've climbed the mountains of my life
Springtime
Mistakes help the wise man grow
And my life has had many winding roads
Don't need no one to carry me
Or to tell me who I need to be
Cause I'll face what others need to hide
Reflecting on days gone by

You are the summer of my life
The leaves are turning beautiful
But they're dying anyway
And you are the summer of my life
What we had seemed so long ago and so far away

I stood by my father in his final days
And wondered how it would feel to take his place
Reflecting on days gone by

As the sun sets on the summer of my life
It's hard to believe all the things I've seen
And I go stronger as the days go by

You are the summer of my life
The leaves are turning beautiful
But they're dying anyway
And you are the summer of my life
What we had seemed so long ago and so far away





You are the summer of my life
And you are the summer of my life

Overall Meaning

The Duke’s song Summer is a reflective ballad of a man who has reached his later years and is taking stock of his life’s journey. He is standing on the other side, with little else but his pride, reflecting on his past, present and future. The song’s opening lines set the stage for a man who has overcome obstacles, climbed mountains to get where he is today. The past has taught him lessons and helped him become wiser. He doesn’t need anyone to carry him, nor does he need anyone to tell him who he needs to be. The powerful line “Don’t need to question who I’ll be, my future or my memory” shows the man’s confidence and acceptance of who he is.


The second verse moves on to the springtime, a season of growth and renewal. The singer notes that mistakes help the wise man grow, and his life has had many winding roads. He has faced what others need to hide, and he is reflecting on those days gone by. As the chorus comes in, it is clear that the “Summer of his life” represents that time in his past where everything was perfect, and he was happy. But that moment is gone, and he can never go back. He is now in the autumn of his life, where the leaves are turning beautiful but are dying anyway.


In the final verse, the song takes a more somber and reflective tone. The singer stood by his father in his final days and reflected on how it would feel to take his place. The sun is setting on the summer of his life, and he cannot believe all the things he’s seen, but he’s grown stronger as the days go by. The final chorus repeats that the listener is “the summer of his life” and wonders how something so great could seem so long ago and so far away.




Line by Line Meaning

See me
I am here, visible.


Standing on the other side
I am on one side, separated from something or someone on the other side.


Living
I am alive, existing.


With little more than my pride
I have little else but my self-respect and self-esteem.


Don't need to question who I'll be
I am confident and resolved about who I will become.


My future or my memory
I am not concerned about what lies ahead or what is behind me.


Cause I've climbed the mountains of my life
I have faced and overcome many challenges in my life, just like climbing a mountain.


Springtime
A time of growth and renewal.


Mistakes help the wise man grow
Through trial and error, one can learn and become wiser.


And my life has had many winding roads
My journey through life has been filled with unexpected twists and turns.


Don't need no one to carry me
I don't need anyone to support or carry me through life.


Or to tell me who I need to be
I know who I am and don't need anyone else to tell me how to live my life.


Cause I'll face what others need to hide
I am ready and willing to confront the difficult things that others try to avoid.


Reflecting on days gone by
I am looking back on my past and taking stock of what I've experienced.


You are the summer of my life
You are the best and happiest time of my life.


The leaves are turning beautiful
The changing of the seasons is beautiful and natural, but it is also a sign of decay and death.


But they're dying anyway
Despite their beauty, the leaves will eventually wither and fall off the trees.


What we had seemed so long ago and so far away
The happy times we shared in the past now seem very distant and hard to recapture.


I stood by my father in his final days
I was with my father during the end of his life, providing support and care.


And wondered how it would feel to take his place
I thought about what it would be like to be in his position and face the end of my own life.


As the sun sets on the summer of my life
As I approach the end of my own life, like the setting of the sun at the end of a summer day.


It's hard to believe all the things I've seen
I have experienced so many things in my life that it is almost overwhelming to think about.


And I go stronger as the days go by
I am becoming stronger and more resilient with each passing day.


You are the summer of my life
You are the happiest and most fulfilling time of my life.




Contributed by Hannah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions