Summer (The First Time): Difference between revisions

"Summer (The First Time)"
"Summer (The First Time)"
Single by Bobby Goldsboro
from the album Summer (The First Time)
B-side	"Childhood—1949"
Released	June 29, 1973
Recorded	April 11, 1973
Studio	The Sound Shop, Nashville, Tennessee
Genre	Pop
Length	4:37
Label	United Artists Records
Songwriter(s)	Bobby Goldsboro; Ashley Abram; Timmy Tappan;
Producer(s)	Bob Montgomery and Bobby Goldsboro
Bobby Goldsboro singles chronology

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"Summer (The First Time)" is a song by American singer Bobby Goldsboro, recorded for his album of the same name and released as a single in June 1973. It was written by Bobby Goldsboro, Ashley Abram and Timmy Tappan, and produced by Goldsboro and Bob Montgomery.

Background

According to Bobby Goldsboro, the song was loosely based on something that happened to him with someone older, but not as romantic as that depicted in the song.^[2] The song was recorded largely as Goldsboro had envisioned apart from the piano riff that started the song and repeated throughout the song as well as the ending descending scale, which were written by his pianist conductor Timmy Tappan. The song was preceded by the sounds of ocean waves and seagulls, taken from a sound effect library. The label had wanted to remove these sounds to shorten the song, but Goldsboro insisted that they be kept.^[3]

The song is about someone reminiscing about being a 17-year-old boy in his first romantic experience with a 31-year-old woman during the summer. Using a repeating piano riff, 12-string guitar, and an orchestral string arrangement (engineered by Ernie Winfrey), the song was suggestive enough to spark some controversy at the time. The sound of seagulls combined with the string arrangement at the start of the record, which last 57 seconds until the vocals come in, creates the impression of being on a beach in mid-summer. Whilst Goldsboro was writing the music, he and his band made a television appearance on The Tonight Show.^{[citation needed]} During this appearance Goldsboro played part of the song on guitar when musician Tappan first played the piano riff that dominated part of the song.^{[citation needed]}

It has been suggested that the musical theme of the song may have provided inspiration for Jean-Claude Borelly's 1975 hit "Dolannes Melodie".^[4]

Chart history

The song was Goldsboro's second UK hit recorded on United Artists Records UP35558 and peaked at number nine in the UK Singles Chart, spending 10 weeks in the UK chart.^[5] It reached number seven in the Australia, and became a Top 40 Pop and Adult Contemporary hit in both the U.S. and Canada.

Weekly charts

Chart (1973–74)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[6]	7
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)^[7]	15
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[8]	29
Ireland (IRMA)^[9]	16
New Zealand (Listener)^[10]	11
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[11]	16
UK Singles Chart^[5]	9
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[12]	21
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[13]	18
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[14]	100
U.S. Cash Box Top 100^[15]	17

Year-end charts

Chart (1973)	Rank
Australia ^[6]	79
Canada ^[16]	162
U.S. (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)^[17]	150

Cover versions

Although the German song "Und Es War Sommer" (1976) by Peter Maffay, covers the same subject as Goldsboro's song,^[18] it can not be considered as a cover, as the melody is different.

Millie Jackson recorded a cover of "Summer (The First Time)" as the closing track of her 1974 album, Caught Up. It was sung from the female perspective with only a few adjustments made to the lyrics.

References

^ "Songs of Bobby Goldsboro" (PDF). Billboard. 5 October 1974. p. BG-20. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
^ Bobby Goldsboro Interview (2011), Stuart Cameron. Event occurs at 20:20–21:10 – via Spotify.
^ Bobby Goldsboro Interview (2011), Stuart Cameron. Event occurs at 21:20–24:00 – via Spotify.
^ Simpson, Kim (April 27, 2014). "Early '70s radio: Bobby Goldsboro and Jeane-Claude Borelly". Early70sradio.com. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Search | Official Charts". Officialcharts.com.
^ ^a ^b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 4922." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 100213." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Summer (The First Time)". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
^ "Flavour of new zealand - search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Bobby Goldsboro" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
^ "Bobby Goldsboro Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
^ "Bobby Goldsboro Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
^ "Cash Box Top 100 11/17/73". Tropicalglen.com.
^ "Image : RPM Weekly". Library and Archives Canada. July 13, 2017.
^ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
^ "The Originals © by Arnold Rypens - UND ES WAR SOMMER". Originals.be.

External links

"Bobby Goldsboro's Biography". All Music.
"Bobby Goldsboro's charting singles". All Music.
Bobby Goldsboro – Summer (The First Time) on YouTube

[BB74-1] "Songs of Bobby Goldsboro" (PDF). Billboard. 5 October 1974. p. BG-20. Retrieved 26 September 2024.

[2] Bobby Goldsboro Interview (2011), Stuart Cameron. Event occurs at 20:20–21:10 – via Spotify.

[3] Bobby Goldsboro Interview (2011), Stuart Cameron. Event occurs at 21:20–24:00 – via Spotify.

[4] Simpson, Kim (April 27, 2014). "Early '70s radio: Bobby Goldsboro and Jeane-Claude Borelly". Early70sradio.com. Retrieved June 19, 2023.

[auto1-5] "Search | Official Charts". Officialcharts.com.

[auto-6] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[sc_Canadaadultcontemporary_-7] "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 4922." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.

[sc_Canadatopsingles_-8] "Top RPM Singles: Issue 100213." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.

[sc_Ireland2_-9] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Summer (The First Time)". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 16, 2018.

[10] "Flavour of new zealand - search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz.

[sc_Dutch40_Bobby_Goldsboro-11] "Nederlandse Top 40 – Bobby Goldsboro" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.

[12] Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X

[sc_Billboardadultcontemporary_Bobby_Goldsboro-13] "Bobby Goldsboro Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.

[sc_Billboardcountrysongs_Bobby_Goldsboro-14] "Bobby Goldsboro Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.

[15] "Cash Box Top 100 11/17/73". Tropicalglen.com.

[16] "Image : RPM Weekly". Library and Archives Canada. July 13, 2017.

[17] Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.

[18] "The Originals © by Arnold Rypens - UND ES WAR SOMMER". Originals.be.

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@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 | artist     = [[Bobby Goldsboro]]
 | album      = Summer (The First Time)
-| B-side     = Childhood - 1949
+| B-side     = Childhood—1949
-| released   = {{Start date|1973|06|29|df=y}}
+| released   = June 29, 1973
-| format     = [[Vinyl record|Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM]]
+| recorded   = April 11, 1973
+| studio     = The Sound Shop, [[Nashville, Tennessee]]<ref name="BB74">{{cite magazine|title=Songs of Bobby Goldsboro|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1974/Billboard%201974-10-05.pdf|magazine=Billboard|date=5 October 1974|access-date=26 September 2024|page=BG-20}}</ref>
-| recorded   =
-| studio     =
 | venue      =
 | genre      = [[Pop music|Pop]]
@@ Line 17: / Line 16: @@
 | writer     = {{hlist|[[Bobby Goldsboro]]|Ashley Abram|Timmy Tappan}}
 | producer   = [[Bob Montgomery (songwriter)|Bob Montgomery]] and [[Bobby Goldsboro]]
-| prev_title = Honey
+| prev_title = [[With Pen in Hand]]
-| prev_year  = 1968
+| prev_year  = 1972
-| next_title = Hello Summertime
+| next_title = [[Hello Summertime]]
 | next_year  = 1974
 }}
-"'''Summer (The First Time)'''" is a song by American singer [[Bobby Goldsboro]], recorded for his album of the same name and released as a single in June 1973. It was written by Bobby Goldsboro, Ashley Abram and Timmy Tappan, and produced by Goldsboro and [[Bob Montgomery (songwriter)|Bob Montgomery]]. The song was Goldsboro's second UK hit recorded on United Artists Records UP35558 and peaked at number nine in the [[UK Singles Chart]], spending 10 weeks in the UK Top 50 singles chart.<ref>[http://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/summer-(the-first-time)/ UK Official Charts, 4 August 1973]</ref>  It reached number seven in the Australia, and became a Top 40 Pop and Adult Contemporary hit in both the U.S. and Canada.
+"'''Summer (The First Time)'''" is a song by American singer [[Bobby Goldsboro]], recorded for his album of the same name and released as a single in June 1973. It was written by Bobby Goldsboro, Ashley Abram and Timmy Tappan, and produced by Goldsboro and [[Bob Montgomery (songwriter)|Bob Montgomery]].
+==Background==
-The song is a 1973 reminiscence about a 17-year-old boy's first romantic experience with a 31-year-old woman.  Using a repeating piano riff, 12-string guitar, and an orchestral string arrangement, the song was suggestive enough to spark some controversy at the time.  The sound of seagulls combined with the string arrangement at the start of the record, which last 57 seconds until the vocals come in, creates the impression of being on a beach in mid-summer.
+According to Bobby Goldsboro, the song was loosely based on something that happened to him with someone older, but not as romantic as that depicted in the song.<ref>{{cite AV media |url= https://open.spotify.com/track/5JBFh2mjUWvSarLCbXyG1f|title=Bobby Goldsboro Interview (2011), Stuart Cameron |via=Spotify|time=20:20–21:10}}</ref> The song was recorded largely as Goldsboro had envisioned apart from the piano riff that started the song and repeated throughout the song as well as the ending descending scale, which were written by his pianist conductor Timmy Tappan. The song was preceded by the sounds of ocean waves and seagulls, taken from a sound effect library. The label had wanted to remove these sounds to shorten the song, but Goldsboro insisted that they be kept.<ref>{{cite AV media |url= https://open.spotify.com/track/5JBFh2mjUWvSarLCbXyG1f|title=Bobby Goldsboro Interview (2011), Stuart Cameron |via=Spotify|time=21:20–24:00}}</ref>
+The song is about someone reminiscing about being a 17-year-old boy in his first romantic experience with a 31-year-old woman during the summer.  Using a repeating piano riff, 12-string guitar, and an orchestral string arrangement (engineered by Ernie Winfrey), the song was suggestive enough to spark some controversy at the time.  The sound of seagulls combined with the string arrangement at the start of the record, which last 57 seconds until the vocals come in, creates the impression of being on a beach in mid-summer.  Whilst Goldsboro was writing the music, he and his band made a television appearance on ''[[The Tonight Show]]''.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}  During this appearance Goldsboro played part of the song on guitar when musician Tappan first played the piano riff that dominated part of the song.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}
-It is believed{{by whom|date=January 2020}} the song was inspired by the film ''[[Summer of '42]]'', a coming-of-age comedy-drama released in 1971.
+It has been suggested that the musical theme of the song may have provided inspiration for [[Jean-Claude Borelly]]'s 1975 hit "Dolannes Melodie".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Simpson |first=Kim |date=April 27, 2014 |title=Early '70s radio: Bobby Goldsboro and Jeane-Claude Borelly |url=https://www.early70sradio.com/2014/11/bobby-goldsborojeane-claude-borelly.html |access-date=June 19, 2023 |website=Early70sradio.com}}</ref>
 ==Chart history==
+The song was Goldsboro's second UK hit recorded on United Artists Records UP35558 and peaked at number nine in the [[UK Singles Chart]], spending 10 weeks in the UK chart.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/summer%20(the%20first%20time)/?artists=0&albums=0&films=0|title=Search &#124; Official Charts|website=Officialcharts.com}}</ref>  It reached number seven in the Australia, and became a Top 40 Pop and Adult Contemporary hit in both the U.S. and Canada.
-{{col-begin|width=67%}}
+{{col-begin|width=80%}}
 {{col-2}}
 ===Weekly charts===
 {| class="wikitable sortable"
 |-
-!Chart (1973-74)
+!Chart (1973–74)
 !Peak<br />position
 |-
-|Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref>{{cite book|first= David |last= Kent |authorlink= David Kent (historian) |title= [[Kent Music Report|Australian Chart Book 1970-1992]] |publisher= Australian Chart Book |location= [[St Ives, New South Wales|St Ives]], N.S.W. |year= 1993 |isbn= 0-646-11917-6}}</ref>
+|Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref name="auto">{{cite book|first= David |last= Kent |author-link= David Kent (historian) |title= [[Kent Music Report|Australian Chart Book 1970-1992]] |publisher= Australian Chart Book |location= [[St Ives, New South Wales|St Ives]], N.S.W. |year= 1993 |isbn= 0-646-11917-6}}</ref>
 | style="text-align:center;"|7
 |-
+{{singlechart|Canadaadultcontemporary|15|chartid=4922}}
-|Canada ''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'' Adult Contemporary
-| style="text-align:center;"|15
 |-
+{{singlechart|Canadatopsingles|29|chartid=100213}}
-|Canada ''RPM'' Top Singles
-| style="text-align:center;"|19
 |-
-|{{singlechart|Ireland2|16|song=Summer (The First Time)|accessdate=July 16, 2018}}
+{{singlechart|Ireland2|16|song=Summer (The First Time)|accessdate=July 16, 2018}}
 |-
-|New Zealand (''[[New Zealand Listener|Listener]]'')<ref>[http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qsongid=4066#n_view_location Flavour of New Zealand, 11 March 1974]</ref>
+|New Zealand (''[[New Zealand Listener|Listener]]'')<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search+listener&qsongid=4066#n_view_location|title=Flavour of new zealand - search listener|website=Flavourofnz.co.nz}}</ref>
 | style="text-align:center;"|11
 |-
+{{singlechart|Dutch40|16|artist=Bobby Goldsboro|song=Summer (The Frist Time)}}
-|[[UK Singles Chart|UK]] <ref>[http://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/summer-(the-first-time)/ UK Official Charts, 4 August 1973]</ref>
+|-
+|[[UK Singles Chart]]<ref name="auto1"/>
 | style="text-align:center;"|9
 |-
@@ Line 58: / Line 62: @@
 | style="text-align:center;"|21
 |-
+{{singlechart|Billboardadultcontemporary|18|artist=Bobby Goldsboro}}
-|U.S. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Adult Contemporary (chart)|Adult Contemporary]]
-| style="text-align:center;"|18
 |-
+{{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|100|artist=Bobby Goldsboro}}
-|U.S. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot Country Songs|Country]]
-| style="text-align:center;"|100
 |-
-|U.S. [[Cash Box (magazine)|''Cash Box'']] Top 100<ref>[http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19731117.html Cash Box Top 100 Singles, November 11, 1973]</ref>
+|U.S. [[Cash Box (magazine)|''Cash Box'']] Top 100<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19731117.html|title=Cash Box Top 100 11/17/73|website=Tropicalglen.com}}</ref>
 |align="center"|17
 |-
@@ Line 76: / Line 78: @@
 ! style="text-align:center;"|Rank
 |-
+|Australia <ref name="auto"/>
-|Australia <ref>{{cite book|first= David |last= Kent |authorlink= David Kent (historian) |title= [[Kent Music Report|Australian Chart Book 1970-1992]] |publisher= Australian Chart Book |location= [[St Ives, New South Wales|St Ives]], N.S.W. |year= 1993 |isbn= 0-646-11917-6}}</ref>
 | style="text-align:center;"|79
 |-
-|Canada <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=9481&|title=Image : RPM Weekly|first=Library and Archives|last=Canada|date=July 13, 2017|publisher=}}</ref>
+|Canada <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=9481&|title=Image : RPM Weekly|website=[[Library and Archives Canada]] |date=July 13, 2017}}</ref>
 | style="text-align:center;"|162
 |-
-|U.S. ([[Joel Whitburn]]'s ''Pop Annual'')<ref>{{cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |date=1999 |title=Pop Annual |url= |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |publisher=Record Research Inc. |page= |isbn=0-89820-142-X}}</ref>
+|U.S. ([[Joel Whitburn]]'s ''Pop Annual'')<ref>{{cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |date=1999 |title=Pop Annual |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |publisher=Record Research Inc. |isbn=0-89820-142-X}}</ref>
 | style="text-align:center;"|150
 |-
 |}
 {{col-end}}
+==Cover versions==
+Although the German song "Und Es War Sommer" (1976) by [[Peter Maffay]], covers the same subject as Goldsboro's song,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.originals.be/nl/originals/6561|title = The Originals © by Arnold Rypens - UND ES WAR SOMMER|website=Originals.be}}</ref> it can not be considered as a cover, as the melody is different.
+[[Millie Jackson]] recorded a cover of "Summer (The First Time)" as the closing track of her 1974 album, ''[[Caught Up (Millie Jackson album)|Caught Up]]''. It was sung from the female perspective with only a few adjustments made to the lyrics.
 ==References==
+{{Reflist}}
-<references />
-== External links ==
+==External links==
-*{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p4381/biography|pure_url=yes}} |title= Bobby Goldsboro's Biography |publisher=All Music}}
+*{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4381/biography|pure_url=yes}} |title= Bobby Goldsboro's Biography |publisher=All Music}}
-*{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p4381/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}} |title= Bobby Goldsboro's charting singles |publisher=All Music}}
+*{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4381/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}} |title= Bobby Goldsboro's charting singles |publisher=All Music}}
+* {{YouTube|wfj8ihmHZ-Y|Bobby Goldsboro – Summer (The First Time)}}
 {{Bobby Goldsboro}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Summer (the first time)}}
+[[Category:Songs about nostalgia]]
 [[Category:1973 singles]]
 [[Category:Song recordings produced by Bob Montgomery (songwriter)]]
 [[Category:1973 songs]]
 [[Category:Bobby Goldsboro songs]]
-[[Category:Song recordings produced by Bob Montgomery (songwriter)]]
-[[Category:Songs about nostalgia]]
 [[Category:United Artists Records singles]]
+[[Category:Songs about casual sex]]

v t e Bobby Goldsboro
Studio albums	Honey (1968)
Singles	"Molly" (1962) "See the Funny Little Clown" (1964) "Whenever He Holds You" (1964) "Little Things" (1964) "It's Too Late" (1966) "Honey" (1968) "Autumn of My Life" (1968) "The Straight Life" (1968) "I'm a Drifter" (1969) "Muddy Mississippi Line" (1969) "Watching Scotty Grow" (1970) "With Pen in Hand" (1972) "Summer (The First Time)" (1973) "Hello, Summertime" (1974) "Goodbye Marie" (1980) "The Cowgirl and the Dandy" (1980)
Related	Discography