The Summer
Yo La Tengo Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

On darkened streets tonight
I see a simple time
I see the warning light
And the summer comes undone
No sorry closing eyes
No cutting down to size
No other thoughts arise
And the summer come undone

On darkened streets tonight
I make a wrong turn right
Take in the lonely sight
And the summer comes undone

And I won't wait
And I won't have to
I just waste me time alone
'til the summer comes undone




'til the summer comes undone
'til the summer comes undone

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Yo La Tengo's song "The Summer" explore a sense of reflection on a past time of simplicity that is no longer present. Despite the reference to darkness and loneliness, the memories of the summer are still vivid and alive. The warning light may represent the end of an era, a change that is about to happen or has already occurred, to bring about the end of the innocent time period that the singer is lacking. However, there is a sense of acceptance and surrender that pervades the lyrics. The singer understands that things cannot be undone and that they are powerless to change the situation at hand.


In the second verse, the singer takes a wrong turn, but it is not a mistake that they regret. They are rather able to appreciate the moment of solitude that they find themselves in. There is a bittersweet quality to the lyrics that shows that while the summer has come undone, the memories still bring the singer comfort in their current state of being.


Overall, the song portrays a sense of melancholy and nostalgia for a time that has passed. The singer is openly reflective on their experiences and expresses a complex mixture of emotions towards them. The focus on summer as the time period and the source of inspiration for the song suggests that this could also be a romanticized memory of adolescence or a simpler time of life.


Line by Line Meaning

On darkened streets tonight
Amidst the poorly lit streets of night


I see a simple time
I recollect a time of ease and simplicity


I see the warning light
I am aware of the danger's premonition


And the summer comes undone
The idyllic season is unravelling


No sorry closing eyes
There is no remorseful end to an era


No cutting down to size
There is no reduction in size or stature


No other thoughts arise
There is no other alternate thought process


And the summer come undone
The idyllic season is unravelling


On darkened streets tonight
Amidst the poorly lit streets of night


I make a wrong turn right
I turn off into the 'right' direction, even if wrong


Take in the lonely sight
I witness the isolated and solitary view


And the summer comes undone
The idyllic season is unravelling


And I won't wait
I will not wait for a preferable time


And I won't have to
I do not have the need to wait


I just waste me time alone
I simply squander away my moments of solitude


'til the summer comes undone
Until the idyllic season completely unravels


'til the summer comes undone
Until the idyllic season completely unravels


'til the summer comes undone
Until the idyllic season completely unravels




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GEORGIA MIA HUBLEY, IRA DAVID KAPLAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

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

jess


on Pencil Test

why pretend that you join my side
it won’t be such a thrill
to see you
I’m not impressed
that more or less
everyone’s just dying to meet you

doo doo doo doo
erasing you
doo doo doo doo
I’m done chasing you

asking ??
??
are you so sure of what you’re doing
how many ways
can you read your own gaze
before you get tired of you

doo doo doo doo
erasing you
doo doo doo doo
I’m done chasing you

doo doo doo doo
erasing you
doo doo doo doo
I’m done chasing you

doo doo doo doo
erasing you
doo doo doo doo
I’m done chasing you

doo doo doo
doo doo doo
doo doo doo
doo doo doo.....

More Versions