A few days ago in another music post, I mentioned Seals & Crofts, and our good friend Keith wondered whether there might be a follow-up, a Seals & Crofts post, coming soon. I liked the idea, but hadn’t yet had the energy or the motivation to create another music post from scratch. Tonight, I reviewed my archives and found this one that I did in September 2019, over two years ago, and I thought it might fill the bill until I get the energy to do a new one!
Summer is winding down … or so they say, though you couldn’t prove it by me, for it’s been hovering around the 90° mark here for days now. But, since soon enough we will be seeing the leaves don their autumn colours, smell the autumn smells, and already the Hallowe’en candy and decorations have filled the stores … I thought a nice summer song would be appropos tonight. I dug through my list of TBP songs (to be played), and came up with this one …
Summer Breeze is one of those songs that has been recorded by two artists I like, very different sounding versions, yet I like them both. Just depends, I think, on my mood of the moment which I prefer on a given day.
The more popular version in the U.S. was that by the writers of the song, Seals & Crofts, as in James Eugene “Jim” Seals and Darrell George “Dash” Crofts. Released in 1972, this was their first hit single. According to Seals, this was …
“A very simple song about a man coming home from work and hearing the dog barking and things like that, and to a lot of people the song’s about looking for security. Our meaning goes further than that, for a prison can be the prison of self and a person can become insecure and paranoid if he doesn’t have a direction in his personal life. We operate on a different level, we try to create images, impressions and trains of thought in the minds of our listeners.”
One thing I did not know about Seals and Crofts is that Jim Seals is the brother of Dan Seals, who was “England Dan” in the duo England Dan and John Ford Coley.
Two years later, the Isley Brothers recorded their version which is more … um … sultry? More like soul music, I think. The Isleys’ version is notable not only for the harmonies of the three vocal Isleys, O’Kelly, Rudolph and lead singer Ronald but also for the guitar solo by younger brother Ernie. The Isleys’ version did better in the UK than in the U.S., though I’m not quite sure why.
Summer Breeze
Seals & Crofts
See the curtains hangin’ in the window, in the evenin’ on a Friday night
A little light a-shinin’ through the window, lets me know everything is alright
Summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind
Summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind
See the paper layin’ in the sidewalk, a little music from the house next door
So I walked on up to the doorstep, through the screen and across the floor
Summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind
Summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind
Sweet days of summer, the jasmine’s in bloom
July is dressed up and playing her tune
And I come home from a hard day’s work
And you’re waiting there, not a care in the world
See the smile a-waitin’ in the kitchen, food cookin’ and the plates for two
Feel the arms that reach out to hold me, in the evening when the day is through
Summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind
Summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind
Songwriters: Darrell Crofts / Jimmy Seals
Summer Breeze lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Universal Music Publishing Group
Hi Jill! Your posts weren’t showing up on my Reader! Now I am thrilled to see them. Love this song and ready for summer, its COLD outside! LOL!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wonder why they weren’t showing up? Maybe because I didn’t post for three months they thought I had quit? Anyway, glad you’re back! Yes, it’s cold here, too, but supposed to get unseasonably warm later this week. I’m ready for some S-N-O-W!!! 🏔️
LikeLike
Yes if its going to be cold make it pretty with Snow!! 😊❄❄❄❄☃️☃️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. 22° here now, but no snow and in fact the mowers mowed today! Also, got your card today … THANK YOU!!!
LikeLike
Wow on mowers mowing!
Yay on getting my card in time! Most welcome! Merry Christmas my dear! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sheila introduced me to this one in our early days together, nice song, it always marks for me the final echoes of the ‘flower power’ era.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You said almost exactly the same thing last time I played this a couple of years ago! I think you should put it on speaker and you and Sheila should dance to it tonight! Speaking of your gorgeous wife, give her a hug for me!
LikeLiked by 1 person
When I pressed ‘send’ there was this drifting familiarity with the words🤔…..
Ah well; worth repeating I guess😊.
Hugs on the way! 🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
A super lovely song and great share. TY Jill! Most of the time i prefer the original to the cover, the Isley Bros performed beautifully, a joyous interpretation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! I prefer the Seals & Crofts version, but only by a little, for I also enjoy the Isley Brothers’ version.
LikeLike
Jill, well done, the first and second time around. I will write a post and realize from the suggested reading I have written a similar one before. Seals and Crofts are great road trip with friends listening. All can sing along. Thanks for the redux. Keith
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Keith! You were the inspiration! I’ve done so many music posts over the years that I’ve forgotten what songs I have played! Glad you enjoyed this one!
LikeLike
I love this song, I remember my sisters listening to it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so glad you like it! Your mother had good taste in music!
LikeLike
Oops … I meant your sisters ….
LikeLike
I think the reason the Isleys did better here is simple: we knew them but had never heard of Seals and Crofts, and I’m betting their record company put little effort into promoting them here. I knew both versions on release, and have always much preferred the original – the Isleys messed around with it too much for me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I suspect you’re right on all counts. I prefer the Seals & Crofts version, but I also like the Isleys’ version, just not quite as much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was a hunch, but a fair bet, I think.
LikeLiked by 1 person
First hearing, unless I listened to it the first time, the Isley Brothers certainly played it up differently than S&C, but I like it, especially the guitar solo. Verging on psychedelia, to paraphrase Jimi, it “moves me”!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m surprised you hadn’t heard it before, but glad you liked it!
LikeLike
I stopped listening to the radio in the later 70s. Disco ruined music for me. I met my ex around 76, and she was not a radio person either. Music left my life for awhile, except what I brought with me from the 60s. I guess I missed a lot of good stuff in those days…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, you probably missed some good stuff, but also avoided some garbage, of which there was plenty!
LikeLike
FRANKly speaking, before there was a SUMMER BREEZE, there was a SUMMER WIND. It’s on one of the many Sinatra LPs I own:
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh i really like this one! ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m glad!!!
LikeLike
Heh heh … when I was a child, my mother was a HUGE Sinatra fan … she even said that she would divorce my dad (whose name was also Frank) to marry Sinatra if she had the chance! So, I hated Sinatra during my youth (I was a rebellious kid and if my mother liked it, I was bound to hate it). However, somewhere along the line I realized just what a beautiful voice he had and how appealing his music was, and now I am a fan!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: SUMMER BREEZE ( REDUX ). | Ramblings of an Occupy Liberal
I enjoyed both versions. Thanks, Jill
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure, John! I prefer Seals & Crofts, but I don’t dislike the Isley Brothers’ version, either.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for the song. I realized I knew it but had forgotten the title. And looking at Seals and Croft, made me smile we ever wore our hair that long… lol.
May the summer(winter) breeze help your recovery. 🙏🏻
LikeLiked by 1 person
You cannot remember wearing your hair that long. So sad. You cannot feel bad when your locks are flowing around your shoulders. I don’t have to remember, luckily. My locks are still flowing at 72.
What I wish we still had are flared jeans. They gave us a feeling of total freedom as we travelled the world in them. We might still have them, if Charles A. REICH had never written ” The Greening of America.” He let out some of our secrets, and flared jeans were one of the best.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I do remember actually. Compliments on your locks.
Merry Christmas.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think it is the indigenous part of me. Little facial hair, but lots of head hair. You don’t see too many bald First Nations people, do you? Helluva reason to intermarry white with red. GIVE YOUR SONS BEAUTIFUL HAIR FOREVER. MARRY A RED PERSON TODAY. And save money on razor blades while you’re at it! (lol)
LikeLiked by 2 people
LOL.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And Happy Holidays to you too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you… 🙏
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you liked it, Brian! Heh heh … we forget things from our wilder young days, don’t we? 😉 A summer breeze would be nice … and seeing flowers in bloom!
LikeLiked by 1 person
IU’ll try to share flowers in bloom. The privilege of living here. They never stop. But that will be after New year. My last two posts are on their way. One already posted actually.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I shall look forward to it! My flowers have all died and are now just a mess of stalks, since I haven’t been able to get outside to clean up the yard! Thanks, Brian!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Spring will come… 💐
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll be waiting and watching! 🌻
LikeLiked by 1 person
3 months from now? It will fly, and time will heal and you will recuperate…
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can’t get into this song in DECEMBER.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can. December IS summer in Aotearoa New Zealand 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ahhh yes, so it is!
LikeLike
Heck, it was so warm here one day last week (64° F) that I felt like it was summer!
LikeLike
Reblogged this on OPENED HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The mood of the past. Can it be, but i remember these songs are background music of some movies, Jill. Best wishe, and have a beautiful weekend! xx Michael
LikeLiked by 1 person
I looked it up and it turns out the song was featured on many movies and even a few television shows! I hope you’re enjoying a beautiful weekend as well, my friend! xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great! I remembered it correctly. 😉 Thank you, Jill! I hope you also will enjoy the weekend! xx Michael
LikeLiked by 1 person
The weekend was good … the girls got all the Christmas shopping finished and most everything wrapped without me having to lift a finger! xx
LikeLike