The Song == “Girlfriend” by Matthew Sweet
Welcome to the 2010 Song of the Summer (SoS). Welcome (back) to the email that unofficially marks the beginning to our summers. Welcome (back) to the contest where we all try to hear one Song on the Radio, only on the Radio, for the whole Summer.
Summertime is all about unadulterated fun and the SoS taps into that vein. You’ll have fun. You’ll have
fun playing. You’ll have fun not playing. You’ll have fun complaining that
you’ve never once heard one Song ever. An SoS bystander will hear you exclaiming that you heard a
song or that you have never once heard a song and will assume you’re a Loony.
You are a Loony. That’s why we like you. If I haven’t told you that for a
while, well, I’m sorry but that’s what this email is intended to rectify. You Loony.
Now that the email has served that purpose it may now get around to letting
everyone know that the 2010 Song of the Summer is
“Girlfriend” by Matthew Sweet. That’s it: your 2010
Song of the Summer. I heard this song at least seven (7) times last summer. Of
course, I’ve since completely changed radio locals and haven’t heard it once
since becoming a New Englander*. But I did just hear it in the original SoS radio market (Philadelphia)
last weekend. I wish you all good luck.
*By the way, Mike Lennon now lives in on the east side of Providence in the state of Rhode Island. Feel free to pop by for a coffee milk or a waterfire.
The SoS Rules*. The rules have not changed. I’m told that this email gets forwarded around to people that may or may not have the inclination to read a 2,000 word email on their iPhones. So I’m going to attempt to be brief with this email*. So while the rules have not changed, their presentation might look different.
*Damn right.
**Sure you can laugh. Yes, this is Mike Lennon showing restraint and email brevity. The full blown long winded version will appear on the Official Song of the Summer website and blog sometime soon.
The SoS Rules*: You have to hear the Song on the Radio. You have to hear the Song in its Entirety. Your listen must be Random. These three rules breakdown like this:
*I can dig it.
Rule #1 – Radio Rule: You have to hear the Song on a Radio. If you are questioning whether or not you are actually listening to a Radio, ask yourself this: “Is a DJ* deciding what is going to play next and chatting with me from time to time?” If you answered no, then you are probably not listening to a Radio.
Rule#2 – Entirety Rule: You have to hear the Song from first note played to last note played. Pull your car over. Don’t drive through tunnels. Stay away from powerful bursts of magnetic energy. Wear sunscreen.
Rule#3 – Randomness Rule: Your listen must be random. Feel free to request the Song, but don’t count the listen. You may intentionally turn on the radio –but after that you’re on the SoS Fate rollercoaster.
*The SoS loves DJs.
That’s it. There are no more rules. You are now free to enter into the Great American Existential Pastime. Play well. Listen hard. Don’t cheat*.
*Everyone will claim that you did.
The Song of the Summer officially begins at 5pm on the Friday before Memorial Day. It ends at midnight on Labor Day. That’s Summer. It may not be the Sun’s definition, but it is how the SoS rolls. Feel free to tune into the long winded Announcement where you’ll learn* about previous Songs, the Legacy Bonus, the anti-Song, mountains, restaurant etiquette, new nieces, and who knows what else.
*SoS Counsel: The SoS long winded email does not guarantee any content other that what is stated in the official announcement will actually be in the long winded version. We say this since the long winded version has clearly not been written we are still hoping the allegedly brief one comes in at under 1,000 words.
Have a great Summer. The SoS is about to turn 17! Here are your previous Songs (for those that are only tuning in here):
2009 “Clocks” – Coldplay
2008 "American Girl" – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
2007 "Me & Bobby McGee" – Janis Joplin
2006 "I Love Rock 'N Roll" – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
2005 "Paint It, Black" – The Rolling Stones
2004 "Sultans of Swing" – Dire Straits
2003 "Even Flow" – Pearl Jam
2002 "Pour Some Sugar On Me" – Def Leppard
2001 "Solsbury Hill" – Peter Gabriel
2000 "Summertime" – DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
1999 "Paradise City" – Guns 'n Roses
1998 "End Of the World as We Know It" – R.E.M.
1997 "Pride and Joy" – Stevie Ray Vaughn
1996 "Crazy On You" – Heart
1995 "Don't Fear the Reaper" – Blue Oyster Cult
1994 "Lola" – Kinks
Take care,
Mike