John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John’s Summer Nights

La canción con la que arranca uno de los musicales más exitosos de todos los tiempos es un relato contradictorio y a dos voces sobre el típico romance de verano.

Fergal Kavanagh

Bandera USA
Molly Malcolm

Speaker (American accent)

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The story of a teenage summer romance in the 1950s, as told from the different points of view of Danny Zuko, a US high school student, and Sandy Olsson, an Australian who has moved to America, Summer Nights was a massive hit in 1978. It will always be associated with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, who performed it for the film version of the musical Grease. However, the song, written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, was first recorded by Barry Bostwick and Carole Demas for the 1972 Broadway production.

At the start of the new high school year, Danny, a macho womaniser, brags about the physical aspects of his fling to his gang, the T-Birds, exaggerating or even inventing some parts. Meanwhile, strait-laced Sandy shares her far more innocent (and accurate) version to the Pink Ladies, referring mainly to her emotions. The song is a stereotypical depiction of the alleged difference between teenage boys and teenage girls. In today’s wider woke culture, some lyrics have provoked controversy, particularly the boys’ question “Did she put up a fight?”

The lyrics are a succession of rhyming couplet and are almost all in the simple past tense, with their friends using the imperative to ask the storytellers to “tell me more”. The song winds down with the revelation that the relationship has ended. Little do Danny and Sandy know that they are now at the same high school — fans of Grease know what happens next!

Summer loving, had me a blast

Summer loving, happened so fast

I met a girl crazy for me

Met a boy cute as can be

Summer days, drifting away

To-ah! Oh, the summer nights

 

Well-a, well-a, well-a, huh

Tell me more, tell me more

Did you get very far?

Tell me more, tell me more

Like, does he have a car?

Uh huh (doo doo)

 

She swam by me, she got a cramp

He ran by me, got my suit damp

I saved her life, she nearly drowned

He showed off, splashing around

Summer sun, something’s begun

But ah! Oh, the summer nights

 

Well-a, well-a, well-a, huh

Tell me more, tell me more

Was it love at first sight?

Tell me more, tell me more

Did she put up a fight?

Dow, doobie do, doobie do

 

Took her bowling in the arcade

We went strolling, drank lemonade

We made out under the dock

We stayed up ‘til ten o’clock

Summer fling, don’t mean a thing

But ah! Oh, the summer nights

Whoa, whoa, whoa

 

Tell me more, tell me more

But you don’t gotta brag

Tell me more, tell me more

‘Cause he sounds like a drag

Shoo bop bop, shoo bop bop

 

He got friendly, holding my hand

Well, she got friendly down in the sand

He was sweet, just turned eighteen

Well, she was good, you know what I mean

Summer heat, boy and girl meet

But ah! Oh, the summer nights

Whoa, whoa, whoa

Tell me more, tell me more

How much dough did he spend?

Tell me more, tell me more

Could she get me a friend?

 

It turned colder, that’s where it ends

So I told her we’d still be friends

Then we made our true love vow

Wonder what she’s doing now

Summer dreams, ripped at the seams

But, oh

Those summer

Nights!

(Tell me more, tell me more, more, more)

 

Portada ESP 456

Este artículo pertenece al número de Agosto 2023 de la revista Speak Up.

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