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Eddie Cochran recorded some of the best songs of the rock ‘n’ roll era before his tragic death, including this week’s Song of the Week “Summertime Blues.” “Summertime Blues” was released in June 1958 as the B-side of “Love Again” but was soon elevated to the A-side.

“Summertime Blues” is a song about the frustrations of teenage life, with a solid and infectious rock ‘n’ roll beat and great vocal and guitar work from Cochran. The deep spoken parts at the end of each verse give the track a humorous quality, but a political point is also raised about voting age which was still 21 at this time in the US.

This song was a turning point in Eddie Cochran’s career. There had already been some good material, including “Twenty Flight Rock”, but “Summertime Blues” was a truly classic recording and would be followed up immediately by the equally superb “C’mon Everybody.” These tracks, along with “Somethin’ Else” from the following year, are the songs that Eddie is best remembered for and rightly so.

Authorship

Eddie Cochran and his manager Jerry Capehart co-wrote “Summertime Blues.” Capehart also co-wrote Cochran’s classic “C’mon Everybody” which was the next single after “Summertime Blues.”

Recording date/location

“Summertime Blues” was recorded at Goldstar Studio, Hollywood, CA on March 28, 1958.

Musicians

The following musicians appeared on “Summertime Blues”:

• Eddie Cochran – vocals, guitar
• Earl Palmer – drums
• Connie ‘Guybo’ Smith – electric bass.

Eddie Cochran performed the deep spoken parts at the end of the verses.

The handclapping was most likely provided by Jerry Capehart and Cochran’s girlfriend Sharon Sheeley.

Chart performance

“Summertime Blues” was Eddie’s most successful single in the US. It hit number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1958 and peaked at number 18 in the UK.

Covers

The Who – “Summertime Blues”

The Who performed “Summertime Blues” for many years in concert from 1967, including during their legendary Woodstock performance in 1969.

The Who released “Summertime Blues” on single in 1970 and this hit 28 in the US and number 37 in the UK. The single was taken from the Who’s first live album, “Live at Leeds.” Look out for the 40th anniversary collector’s edition of “Live at Leeds” which is due out on November 8.

T. Rex – “Summertime Blues”

T. Rex included an acoustic version of “Summertime Blues” on the B-side of their 1970 single “Ride A White Swan.”

The band took a more explosive approach to the song in later live versions.

Brian Setzer – “Summertime Blues”

Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats played Eddie Cochran in the 1987 movie La Bamba and recorded “Summertime Blues” for the soundtrack album, which was number one in the US for two weeks in September 1987.

Setzer recorded another version of “Summertime Blues” for his 1998 album “Rockin’ by Myself” which also featured covers of Cochran’s “C’mon Everybody” and “Twenty Flight Rock.”

There will be a new Song of the Week on October 4.

“Summertime Blues” is available on many Eddie Cochran compilations, including the 2-CD “The Best of Eddie Cochran” and the 4-CD box set “The Eddie Cochran Story.”

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The Best of Eddie Cochran (2 CDs)	Buy Now	Buy Now	N/A	Buy Now
The Eddie Cochran Story (4 CDs)	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now