Comments on: In Defense of “Summer Girls”

By: Stand up and Sing « Ph.D. Octopus

Stand up and Sing « Ph.D. Octopus — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 06:47:32 +0000

[...] So, with all due respect to Andrew Sullivan (who I greatly admire), I would like to start our own little contest here at PhD Octopus. It’s entitled “Stand up and Sing.” It’s a chance for our readers and my fellow bloggers to submit the best pop songs (broadly defined) that deliver a political message (again, broadly defined). These are songs that provide pointed social commentary without falling over into smugness. It should go without saying that the entries should also be good songs. Here at PhD Octopus we’re all about quality and content. [...]

By: DRDR

DRDR — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 03:30:40 +0000

I had a similar reaction to another 1-hit wonder from Summer of 1999, Len’s “Steal My Sunshine.” Having grown up in awful weather in Massachusetts, I didn’t know much about what this thing called “sunshine” was, or how it could be stolen, but this and the exotic origins of this band (a mysterious place called Canada) certainly fascinated me.

I also agree 100% with Julie, though I remember hating “Girls of Summer” only when it started getting more play than “Steal My Sunshine.”

By: julie

julie — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:05:34 +0000

and most importantly, what most people seem to miss is that the song is tongue in cheek. the absurdity of what they are saying is not lost on these guys. i think it becomes more apparent when you listen to some of their other songs. i particularly recommend every other time if you don't believe that they're joking. (consider especially the lines "but then i think about the time when we broke up before the prom and you told everyone that i was gay... okay.) because i sympathize with the people who instinctively hate this song. when it came out, i was a high school student surrounded by spoiled brats who idolized abercrombie and fitch, and i hated it. it was only after i figured out the subtext that i decided i liked it.