Bryan Adams is known as one of Canada’s best exports, right up there with ice fishing and maple syrup creation. Reaching fame in the early 80s, Bryan Adams has put out 15 studio albums, selling somewhere over 75 million records over his career. But, one track stands out as Bryan Adams’ signature song.
If you’ve ever wondered about the meaning behind “Summer of ’69” by Bryan Adams, now’s your chance to find it out. This is a great Rock song with just enough reminiscing in it to make it quite a touching track. But what happened to Adams that summer? And what’s up with the 69? That’s what we’re about to explore.
Bryan Adams, Canadian Legend
Aside from maple syrup and the Biebs, you might find it hard to name a bunch of legendary Canadians. But Bryan Adams should be near the top of anyone’s list. He’s an extremely successful musician and also a professional photographer who continues living a life of art, joy, and exploration.
Bryan Adams started playing music in the 70s and eventually dropped out of school to pursue a music career. He put out his first record in 1979, but it was Bryan Adams’ third album, 1983’s Cuts Like A Knife, that really got him noticed. From there, his career took off.
He has had four #1 hits in the US, holds a Grammy Award, and 20 Junos (Canadian Grammys). His Rock songs like “Cuts Like a Knife” and “Can’t Stop This Thing We Started”, and romantic ballads like “Heaven”, “All For Love”, and “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” have gone down in history. He’s collaborated with greats from Tina Turner to Sting and Rod Stewart.
And, he’s still writing music…
With his latest album released in 2022, Bryan Adams is still a force to be reckoned with. So, let’s take a look at one of Bryan Adams’ most famous songs and see if we can’t pick out the meaning behind it.
History of “Summer of ’69”
The song “Summer of ’69” comes from Bryan Adams’ fourth studio album, Reckless. This album was released on November 5th, 1984, which was, incidentally, Adams’ 25th birthday. Wait, do the math. If he was 25 in November 1984, then he was just nine and a half in the summer of 1969! More on that later.
This song was written by Bryan Adams and his songwriting partner, Jim Vallance. They wrote the song together in Vallance’s basement studio, recording multiple versions trying to get the track perfect. The original title of the song was “Best Days of My Life,” and this is referenced in the song as the last line of the chorus.
The whole idea was to create a follow-up record to “Cuts Like a Knife” which saw massive success in Canada and the US. Adams wanted to cultivate more of a bad boy image for this album and worried that “Summer of ’69” wasn’t a strong enough song. So, they kept working at it, roughing up the edges and putting more of a Hard Rock edge on this otherwise Pop-Rock song.
When Adams finally decided to include it on the Reckless album…
The song didn’t do very well. Other Rock songs like “Somebody” and “It’s Only Love” (with Tina Turner) got a lot more attention. However, the song was still released as a single later in June 1985. Maybe it was the summer release that gave the song a whole new life.
It climbed up to the #5 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the most frequently played song by a Canadian artist played on Canadian radio before the year 1990.
Since then, Adams has played this song in concerts around the world to the point where it’s known as his signature song. He even played it for the opening of the 2011 Cricket World Cup. As well as a duet with Taylor Swift during her 2018 Reputation Tour. But what’s the song about? The lyrics tell two different stories, so you’ll just have to decide for yourself.
The Meaning of “Summer of ’69”
As I mentioned earlier, Bryan Adams wasn’t even ten years old when the summer of 1969 rolled around. So, we can already understand that this song, whatever meaning your choose to follow, isn’t a true story. Like so many artists, Adams takes some liberty here with the details. At the same time, a lot of this song comes from real events in his life.
Bryan Adams started playing guitar at age 10 when he was in the UK. But, he bought his first real guitar, an imitation Les Paul, in Ottawa in 1971. He was 11, so it wasn’t in the summer of ’69. But did he play it until his fingers bled? It would seem so since he ended up playing in numerous bands and dropping his first solo album by the age of 20.
There are also lines in the song about trying to make it as a young band of musicians. He talks about Jimmy and Jody leaving the band for personal reasons, and that reflects real life. Adams had been in a band with a drummer named Jimmy and had a sound manager who got married, whose name was Joey. But that didn’t exactly stop his career.
The rest of the song focuses on a romance that didn’t end up working out…
Adams talks about meeting a girl and making promises, as young people do, of eternal love. But he also talks about later playing his old guitar and thinking about what failed in the relationship.
The whole song is tremendously nostalgic. Focusing on the sunny days and the steamy nights of being a young and wild teenager without any real cares. This is a time in just about everyone’s life when memories are more vivid and intensely meaningful.
And, just as Cat Stevens wrote in “The First Cut is the Deepest”, this song looks back on Adams’ first significant relationship and the lingering effects it has had on his life. Wild summer adventures, first love, and Rock’ n’ Roll. This is what “Summer of ’69” is all about, and that’s why it rings such a true chord with so many fans.
But wait – why ’69?
There are two explanations. The first is that Bryan Adams was just 24 when writing this song. It’s way too nostalgic and reflective, really, for his age group. It would have been weird for him to write a song about when he was 18, only a few years earlier, in 1978. And “Summer of ’78” just doesn’t have a great ring to it, either.
At the same time, the summer of 1969 was also already known as the “Summer of Love,” thanks to Woodstock and the hippie movement. So, there were already a lot of positive associations with that summer in the popular psyche. That’s one explanation of why he chose this year.
The other reason is one that Bryan Adams has publicly stated. Adams gave an interview in 2008 where he said that the song was about the sexual position, the 69, rather than the year. Furthermore, as the song plays out, Adams can be heard singing a line about him and his girlfriend in this position – somehow, that got past the censors.
But, according to Vallance, this is just a joke…
They were both influenced by earlier songs and films that had nostalgic tones and simply chose a year that would sound good. So, there are two stories out there, and they don’t necessarily conflict. Therefore, you can choose whether you want to believe one or the other or both.
The Music Behind “Summer of ’69”
Now that we’ve talked about the meaning behind “Summer of ’69” by Bryan Adams, let’s look a little at the music. After all, you can’t build a legendary song on lyrics alone. Luckily, Adams’ years of guitar practice paid off, and he became adept at composing great songs that stand the test of time.
The song begins with a palm-muted guitar riff. This riff is clangy and rough and sets the stage for the Rock song to come. Adams comes in singing over the guitar for a part verse. Then, he starts singing about the band as the drums and bass come in to support the song.
The drumming is your typical Rock backbeat, but with a catch. They do a neat little stop at the end of the chorus, then some thudding on the toms to build the energy back up. Brilliant.
This song also has one of the best bridges from a song in the 80s…
There’s a little vocal bridge followed by a breakdown that’s driven by a bouncy synthesizer. The song is also supported by squealing organ chords, soaring lead guitar, and even a tambourine to add some intensity.
Of course, it’s the vocal work that makes this song what it is. Adams’ scratchy, gritty voice weaves the narrative of his wild youth during the verses. Then, the chorus comes around, and you get five of the most perfect sing-along, nostalgic, tear-for-your-first-love-and-lost-youth lines in 80s rock! Give me a second – I’ve got myself all worked up.
The Video Behind “Summer of ’69”
The music video for “Summer of ’69” was released in 1985. It follows a simple concept – there’s Adams in the present, filmed in color and telling his story. Then, we see parts of the past filmed in black and white to show a contrast.
The past shots show us Adams running around with members of his band, getting into trouble. And we also see him with a love interest who is later seen in color with her new guy. This cute video took a nomination for an MTV Music Video Award, although it didn’t end up winning.
Curious About the Meaning Behind Other Famous Songs?
If so, check out our thoughts on The Meaning Behind “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, The Meaning Behind “Cats in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin, The Meaning Behind “When Doves Cry” by Prince, The Meaning Behind “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals, or The Meaning Behind “Yellow Ledbetter” by Pearl Jam for more interesting song interpretations.
The Meaning Behind “Summer of ’69” by Bryan Adams – Final Thoughts
“Summer of ’69” is a classic 80s rock song that is probably one of Brian Adam’s best-loved songs of all time. It’s a song with a hard outer surface but a soft, romantic, nostalgic inner core that really pulls at the memories and the heartstrings. Even if you didn’t have your first love back in ’69, it’ll make you feel like you did.
This song was a hit when it was released in 1984. Since then, though, it has really stood the test of time, outliving much of Adams’ other work and still being played on summer radio today. It’s about young life, young love, and trying to make it in the music business. It may also be about sexy time. But, whatever it’s about, there’s no doubt that this is one great Rock song.
Until next time, happy listening.
