Despite his fame and fortune, Bruce Springsteen has proven time and again his ability to resonate with common folks. Occasionally, that means writing from the perspective of someone who might be a bit down on his luck.
“Girls In Their Summer Clothes”, from Springsteen’s album Magic, stands out musically as a shimmering piece of throwback pop. But listen closely to the lyrics, and you’ll discern a character who can’t find his place in the modern world.
“Summer” Blues
You can make the case that Magic, released in 2007, was the first album utilizing the full strengths of The E Street Band in 23 years. Do the math, and you’ll know that we’re going back to Born In The U.S.A. in that comparison.
Bruce Springsteen released a bunch of solo and quasi-solo albums in the interim (along with one by the “Other Band”). Although the E Street Band technically reunited on The Rising in 2002, that album was so burdened by the solemnity of the theme (Springsteen’s reflections on 9/11) that it didn’t feel like they could cut loose.
Magic was a different story, as songs like “Girls In Their Summer Clothes” demonstrate. The song swings on a loping R&B groove not unlike some of Springsteen’s favorite 60s hits. When you add in the soaring string arrangement, this track shines with wistful beauty.
Which is what makes the subject matter a bit subversive. Listening to the buoyant music surrounding him, you want to believe the narrator is reveling in all this. But Springsteen undercuts these hopes by presenting a character sketch of a guy who fails to make any kind of impression or impact on his surroundings.
Behind the Lyrics of “Girls In Their Summer Clothes” by Bruce Springsteen
In “Girls In Their Summer Clothes”, Bruce Springsteen takes a great deal of time to describe the idyllic setting all around our hero. These descriptions put us right in the scene with the protagonist, and we can see why this guy is so enamored of it all. But we keep finding out bits of information that suggest that all is not well with him.
In the first verse, even the name of the street (Blessing Avenue) hints at bliss. Couples stroll by holding hands, kids whip around on bicycles, and a benevolent breeze twirls through the twilight. That’s what makes the narrator’s choice of words so quirky: “Tonight I’m going to burn this town down.” It’s as if he’s trying too hard to make himself seem effective.
The second verse presents more of the same, with allusions to the town bank and kids playing ball. His optimism is measured, however. “Things been a little tight,” he says. “But I know they’re going to turn my way.” In the bridge, he describes the neon sign of a diner, “Like a cross over the lost and found.” It feels like he’s waiting on some kind of redemption. Even the waitress pities him.
Finally, he explains why he’s in such a rut. “She went away,” he explains. “She cut me like a knife.” He then sees someone new and, perhaps kidding himself, believes he might just be onto something good. “Love’s a fool’s dance,” he explains. “I haven’t got much sense, but I still got my feet.”
In the chorus, Bruce Springsteen tells us that, “The girls in their summer clothes / Pass me by.” If we didn’t just hear the evidence he’s provided us throughout the song, we might believe that they’d turn back. Instead, it feels like those girls are just going to keep right on walking, leaving this poor sap in a perpetual state of delusion and heartache.
Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic
