The Boys of Summer

In the highly competitive world of major label artists, doing whatever it takes to expose new audiences to your original music occasionally involves this theoretical deal with the devil, and it doesn't always work out as planned.

In the case of the Ataris, their cover of Don Henley's The Boys of Summer was never intended to be a single.

When LA's famous rock radio station K-Rock started playing it, however, the song took on a life of its own, cracking the top 20 at a time where the charts were otherwise dominated by hip-hop.

This week, we're slapping those black flag stickers on our Cadillacs and diving into the story, career, and music of the Ataris.

So we had like three different opinions.

So if a song was number one on that combined chart, I remember The Boys of Summer by Don Henley.

We all loved that song.

And that was a huge hit on our combined chart.

Well, Henley comes out in November of 84, Building the Perfect Beast.

And the first single is one of the great rock singles of all time, The Boys of Summer.

which we've talked about here.

I think briefly in the Petty episode, right? So Campbell, like Felder, like we said, had a bunch of guitar riffs and had the Boys of Summer one.

You know, you guys are...

And sent it to Petty.

From there, it all happened fast.

I played it for Don and he wrote it, put down the vocal quick.

Okay, next.

Don Henley's The Boys of Summer.

Okay.

Another Mike Campbell composition.

Okay.

Okay.

Don Henley's The Boys of Summer is another Mike Campbell composition.

However, when the Heartbreakers guitarist presented to Tom Petty, Petty turned it down.

Okay,

Take On Me by Aha! Or The Boys of Summer by Don Henley.

Oh, that's a good song.

That's a good fucking song.

What is it?

The absolute 80s classic, The Boys of Summer by Don Henley.

This song is kind of like the litmus test for my state of mind because I can remember actually in depression hearing Boys of Summer and hearing that amazing intro and really worrying because it didn't do anything for me because it was a song I'd enjoyed all my life.

And it's one of the most pleasurable songs for me to listen to.

And how do you feel hearing it today?

I feel that beautiful, bittersweet sense of nostalgia you're meant to feel when hearing Boys of Summer.

Don Henley and the Boys of Summer.

Matt Haig, your first three novels were published in the mid-2000s.

But I know a lot of people love it.

It's Boys of Summer by Don Henley.

which was released in 1984.

The synth melody in particular gives us the main melodic hook at the start of the song, and it's got this quiet longing about it.

And the outro guitar refrain is really beautiful.

So this is a fantastic song.

It's my number one, Boys of Summer.

I agree.

You're fourth in covers.

Don Henley and the Ataris both had success with their versions of the song Boys of Summer, but what artist's tribute to high school football titled The Boys of Fall hit number one on the U.S. country chart in 2010? Kind of tangentially backed you into this country music question.

Yes.

I might have two strikes against me really quickly.

Empty lake, empty streets, the sun goes down alone.

Oh no, you're not hurting But I can see you Your brows get shattered in the sun You got your hair cut and blackened Your sunglasses on, baby I can tell you my love for you will still be strong After the boys of summer have gone I never will forget those nights I wonder if it was a dream Remember how you made me crazy Remember how I made you scream I don't understand what happened to our love But babe, I'm gonna get you back.

I'm gonna show you what I'm made of.

I can see you.

It's like you're everyone.

I can tell you my love for you will still be strong.

After the boys of summer have gone.

Thank you.