One of my favorite SG group threads is Song Titles A side / B side and one post of mine today is the now classic ode to Summer’s end originally recorded by Eagles member Don Henley.
Awhile ago I did a Spotify search with that song’s title and discovered two cover versions I’d somehow missed. They both stunned me! Simply by switching the narrative to a woman’s viewpoint, the song takes on an entirely new persona. Instead of the stoicism, elicited in the man’s view of waiting forever until his woman’s probable Summer dalliances are done, there is instead a palpable feeling of regret from her Summer flings.
Of course the words just written on paper could easily be misconstrued as one person always blaming the other, but these two carefully arranged covers take on an air that’s softly haunting and pleading for forgiveness.
Take a listen: they’re Spotify links, but easily found on other streams, and leave comments if you agree or not.
Bat for lashes - Boys of summer
