Talky Songs #2: David's Last Summer

If I'm going to do a series on Talky Songs, the sooner I get to Jarvis Cocker, the better. Jarvis is a master, and I can guarantee it won't be long before he features here again and again.

2. Pulp - David's Last Summer

I chose this one to start with as we've had some pretty fine weather of late. The weather people are  reporting that it'll continue. I've even heard tell that "the last time we had greenfly swarms like these was just prior to the summer of '76". Wow.

Of course, as I write this on Tuesday the 22nd of May, I can all but guarantee that by the time I publish it the temperature will have dropped by fifteen and the Daily Express will be predicting snow again. But it's nice to dream of summers being "like they were when we were young".

David's Last Summer is about one of those mythical endless summers of our youth. As much as we enjoy them while they're happening, there's always a part of us waiting for them to end. The title is ambiguous. Is it David's last happy summer? Is it his last summer with the girl in question? Is he waiting for their relationship to end just as summer eventually will because he knows good things do not last? Or did all this happen last summer and is all this just regret that it's now a distant memory?

Whatever the truth, you won't find a better evocation of summers past than in this talky song...

We made our way slowly down the path that led to the stream,
Swaying slightly,
Drunk on the sun, I suppose.
It was a real summer's day.

The air humming with heat whilst the trees beckoned us into their cool green shade.
And when we reached the stream I put a bottle of cider into the water to chill,
Both of us knowing that we'd drink it long before it had the chance.