Drawn from previous posts, this is not part of my book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1).
An infinite number of tracks can each be THE greatest record ever made, as long as they take turns. Today, this is THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE!
I hate hot weather. I hate cold weather, too; it's not an either/or situation, and it certainly makes sense to me to despise both extremes anyway. But when it's chilly, I can add extra layers of clothing. I can't peel off my skin when the temps pop to some unholy number that starts with a friggin' 9.
Even so, the residual little kid lurking within me retains an affection for summer. There's a sense of greater possibilities, a broader array of things to do, the elusive allure of vacation and fun.
It doesn't last as long so it means a little bit more.
"Syracuse Summer" was written by Gary Frenay of the Flashcubes, and released as a single by the Tearjerkers in 1980. Vocals are by Gary's long-time pal/Tearjerkers guitarist Charlie Robbins and Tearjerkers bassist Dave DeCirce, Gary and his fellow Flashcube Arty Lenin join Ducky Carlisle and Keith Vincelette on backing vocals (as Northside All-Star Singers), Gary sings the bridge, and Tearjerkers guitarist Dave Soule and drummer Larry Dziergas complete the magic of this perfect, perfect single.
This sublime tribute to the mercurial climate of Central New York--Seasons change and you live extremes/You got snowfall covering your sunny dreams--has owned a permanent berth on my all-time Hot 100 for more than four decades. Its only CD or digital appearance to date was on our 2013 compilation This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 3, which included a cool percussive intro that was omitted on the original 45. I find I can hate hot weather and still absolutely, unequivocally adore this song.
I believe "Syracuse Summer" transcends its point of origin and its Central New York perspective. It travels well, and it's instantly relatable to pop fans across all climates and conditions. The song was subsequently recorded again by Gary and Arty with their combo the FabCats, and I always wished the Flashcubes themselves would have been willing to take a stab at it. That was not to be. But I still wish it had happened.
Summer fades. Leaves fall. Temps drop. Bright lights dim. In Syracuse, the summers are not built to last. But we still play music, all year long, in snow or shine. Even in Syracuse, the best parts of summer can last forever.
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My new book of short stories Guitars Vs. Rayguns!! Short Stories And Other White Lies is out now, and you can get autographed copies of the new book and my previous book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) directly from me. You can still get my previous previous book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones from publisher Rare Bird Books, OR an autographed copy here. If you like the books, please consider leaving a rating and/or review at the usual online resources.
I compiled a various-artists tribute album called Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes, and it's pretty damned good; you can read about it here and order it here.
This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, streaming at SPARK stream and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. You can read about our history here
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