Track Review — HAIM: Summer Girl
Starting with some serious 90’s vibes, a steady drum beat, and smooth but hooky bass line (heavily influenced by Lou Reed), this song wears its heart on its sleeve. It wasn’t made to be the next layers deep track to be debated over and over, analyzed until it’s shred to pieces with opinions. It’s pure, it’s simple, it’s genuine, it’s heartfelt, it’s love.
As most who would even bother searching for a review of this track on medium would already know, this song was made for Danielle’s boyfriend who, at the time of its inception, had cancer. Danielle says on her instagram about the lyrics -
“I wanted to be this light that shined on him when he was feeling very dark. I wanted to be his hope when he was feeling hopeless.”
The soft sunlight type of warmth that you feel through her words are comforting and could pull someone out of any state of distress.
Guys- get yourself a girl who feels the same way about you as Danielle Haim feels about her man.
She breaks the romanticism for a moment to tell him that she sees what he’s going through — “The tears behind your dark sunglasses”, and that she is in no way leaving. “I need you to understand, these are the earthquake drills that we ran.” Even telling him what she needs from him, “Walk beside me, not behind me.” She takes up the place of being his rock; his grounding rod, and he’s safe with her.
Yet despite this songs simplicity, its melodies are infectious. They can’t help but make me “bum” along with the bass line, “Doo-doo” with the chorus, and scat with the sax. It’s not surprising that this track is so catchy with former Vampire Weekend member Rostam Batmanglij contributing and credited with much of the instrumentation.
By the hundredth repetition of the hook you’re already lost in the feelings of Danielle, because love is the same way. It’s not supposed to be one explosions of short lived flame after another that needs to constantly be fueled by something newer and even more “exciting” than that of the last roar of passion. It’s the things you could never tire of, the gentle and persistent feelings, the ones that grow gradually like the parts found in the song. Doing so in a way that is so subtle, you don’t even notice until something juts outs at you, like the saxophone or the slide guitar.
With each passing second of the track, you don’t look back towards the beginning thinking of the “what was”, you aren’t looking ahead needing something to reignite interest, you are completely in the there and now. Just like you should be when you’re in love.
