A lot of us know Canadian artist Bryan Adams, especially those of us whose parents were young in the 1980s when Adams was at his best.
We all know the songs “I Do It For You,” “Run To You,” and “Heaven,” especially when someone brings out the karaoke at a party.
But “Summer of ’69,” his biggest song, is the one that people usually talk about.
It’s likely because the song isn’t truly about having fun in the beautiful summer of 1969.
Adams, who is now 63, debuted the number one hit song in 1984, and it quickly became a hit. Adams and his longtime collaborator Jim Vallance wrote the song. It featured on his album Reckless and then came out as a fourth single the next year.
Adams walks down a street with his guitar while his band plays in a decrepit garage. He sings, “I got my first real six-string / Bought it at the five and dime / Played it ’til my fingers bled / Was the summer of ’69.” There is also a part in the video where Adams spends “evenings down at the drive-in” movie theater, where he meets the song’s love interest.
Standing on your mom’s porch, You said you’d wait forever. Oh, and when you held my hand, I knew it was now or never. Those were the happiest days of my life. He goes on to say, “Back in the summer of ’69.” The lyrics also show how the two lovers were “young and restless” and “needed to unwind,” singing, “I guess nothing can last forever.”
Many lovers of the classic have sung along over the years, not knowing that they were actually jamming to a song about one of the more embarrassing s** positions: the 69.
In 2008, Adams talked to CBS News about his career and the song’s beginnings, and he confirmed this. Maggie Rodriguez, the reporter, questioned Adams if the song was “biographical.” Adams said, “Well, the song, actually… people think it’s about the year, but actually it’s more about a… It’s more about making love in the summertime.”
Then he said, “It’s a s**ual reference to 69.”
“69” is the s**ual position in which both participants give and receive oral s** at the same time. Don’t worry, this is as strange for you as it is for me. Rodriguez nervously said, “Ahh.” Okay… I didn’t know that Adams softly held her hand and joked, “It’s morning, I can talk about it, right?”
The singer told Loudersound that the song is “autobiographical” and that the lyrics are about love, nostalgia, being a poor musician, and making love.
I don’t know about you, but I can’t understand this at all. When I was a kid. Done for.