That Summer (song)

Last updated
"That Summer"
Garth-Brooks-That-Summer.jpg
Single by Garth Brooks
from the album The Chase
B-side "Dixie Chicken"
ReleasedApril 26, 1993
Recorded1992
Genre Country
Length4:47
Label Liberty 17324
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Allen Reynolds
Garth Brooks singles chronology
"Learning to Live Again"
(1993)
"That Summer"
(1993)
"Ain't Goin' Down ('Til the Sun Comes Up)"
(1993)

"That Summer" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Cam Bathras and Garth Brooks. It was released in April 1993 as the fourth and final single from his album The Chase and also appears on The Hits , The Ultimate Hits , The Limited Series and Double Live . It reached number-one on the Billboard Country Charts in 1993. The song was written by Brooks, Pat Alger, and Brooks' then-wife Sandy Mahl.

Contents

Background and writing

On the 1996 television special, The Garth Brooks Story, Garth talks about writing the song:

"That Summer started out as a single guy and a married woman meeting at a party. The married woman being ignored by whom she was with, and they snuck off together. Allen Reynolds told me, "Man, I just don't find myself pulling for these characters. It doesn't seem innocently cool." I was thinking that he was right. Going home that night in the truck I started singing she has a need to feel the thunder. Sandy started helping me write the chorus and we got the chorus done. Probably one of the neat things that I love about That Summer is that I think the song is very sexy." [1]

Content

The song is about a teenage boy "far from home" who goes to work for a "lonely widowed woman hellbent to make it on her own". The woman apparently lives on a wheat farm ("wheat fields as far as I could see").

The apparently much older woman slowly takes a liking to the young boy, to the point where one night she dons a dress "she hadn't worn in quite a while"; it is then implied by the rest of the second verse that the teenage boy loses his virginity by having sex with the more than willing older woman.

The third verse takes the now-adult man back to the scene of his coming of age, having not seen the woman (who has presumably died by then) since long ago. Although the man has been with several other women by this point, he still experiences flashbacks to his experience with the older woman.

Charts

"That Summer" debuted at number 54 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of May 8, 1993.

Chart (1993)Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) [2] 1
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [3] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1993)Position
Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) [4] 34
US Country Songs ( Billboard ) [5] 24

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia</span> 1972 ballad by Bobby Russell

"The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" is a Southern Gothic murder ballad, written in 1972 by songwriter Bobby Russell and first recorded by his then wife, singer, comedian, and actress Vicki Lawrence. Lawrence's version, from her 1973 album of the same name, went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart after its release. Of several cover versions, the one recorded by Reba McEntire for her 1991 album For My Broken Heart peaked at number 12 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

"Rodeo" is a song written by Larry Bastian and recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released in August 1991 as the first single from his album Ropin' the Wind. It peaked at number three on the U.S. country chart but reached number one on the Canadian country chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Take the Girl</span> 1994 single by Tim McGraw

"Don't Take The Girl" is a song written by Craig Martin and Larry W. Johnson, and recorded by the American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in March 1994 as the second single from his album Not a Moment Too Soon. It was McGraw's fifth single overall, and his first number-one single on the Hot Country Songs chart. It also reached number one on the Canadian country charts and it was a successful pop song, reaching number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Friends in Low Places</span> 1990 single by Garth Brooks

"Friends in Low Places" is a song recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released on August 6, 1990, as the lead single from his album No Fences. The song spent four weeks at number one on the Hot Country Songs, and won both the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association awards for 1990 Single of the Year.

"Unanswered Prayers" is a song by American country music artist Garth Brooks which hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart in 1991. It was released on October 12, 1990, as the second single from his album No Fences and also appears on The Hits, The Limited Series, Double Live and The Ultimate Hits. It was written by Brooks, Pat Alger and Larry Bastian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two Piña Coladas</span> 1998 single by Garth Brooks

"Two Piña Coladas" is a song recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released in March 1998 as the third single from his album Sevens. It hit No. 1 on the Billboard Country Charts in 1998. A concert version is available on Double Live. The song was written by Shawn Camp, Benita Hill and Sandy Mason. Camp provides an additional acoustic guitar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">If Tomorrow Never Comes</span> 1989 single by Garth Brooks

"If Tomorrow Never Comes" is a song by American country music artist Garth Brooks. Written by Brooks and Kent Blazy, it was released in August 1989 as the second single from his album Garth Brooks and also appears on The Hits, The Limited Series and Double Live. The track was his first number-one single on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, and Brooks refers to it as his signature song. "If Tomorrow Never Comes" was named Favorite Country Single in the American Music Awards of 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fever (Aerosmith song)</span> Song by Aerosmith

"Fever" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It is from the band's massively successful 1993 album Get a Grip. It was written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry and is the only Tyler/Perry song on Get a Grip written without the aid of "song doctors". The song is the fourth track on Get a Grip, running four minutes and 15 seconds. The song reached #5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and is one of seven tracks from Get a Grip to make a chart appearance on any chart.

<i>The Limited Series</i> (1998 album) 1998 box set by Garth Brooks

The Limited Series is a box set released by American country music artist Garth Brooks, released by Pearl Records on May 5, 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Please Come to Boston</span> 1974 single by Dave Loggins

"Please Come to Boston" is a song that was recorded and written by American singer-songwriter Dave Loggins. It was released in April 1974 as the first single from his album Apprentice and was produced by Jerry Crutchfield. It spent two weeks at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in August 1974 and one week atop the Billboard Easy Listening chart. It was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category Best Male Pop Vocal performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somewhere Other Than the Night</span> 1992 single by Garth Brooks

"Somewhere Other Than the Night" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Garth Brooks that reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, returning him to the top ten after his previous single "We Shall Be Free" became his first release to stall outside it. It was released in October 1992 as the second single from his album The Chase and his fifteenth overall. The song was written by Brooks and Kent Blazy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What She's Doing Now</span> 1991 single by Garth Brooks

"What She's Doing Now" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Garth Brooks. It was released in December 1991 as the third single from his album Ropin' the Wind. It spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It was co-written by Pat Alger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She's Every Woman</span> 1995 single by Garth Brooks

"She's Every Woman" is a song written by Victoria Shaw and Garth Brooks, and recorded by Brooks. It was released in August 1995 as the first single from the album Fresh Horses. It was a Number One hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts in October 1995, becoming his 14th Number One on that chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Beaches of Cheyenne</span> 1995 single by Garth Brooks

"The Beaches of Cheyenne" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Garth Brooks. It was released in December 1995 as the third single from his sixth studio album Fresh Horses. The song became Brooks's 15th Billboard Number One hit in March 1996. The song was written by Brooks, Dan Roberts and Bryan Kennedy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shameless (Billy Joel song)</span> 1991 single by Billy Joel

"Shameless" is a song written by American singer Billy Joel and recorded on his 1989 album Storm Front. His version peaked at No. 40 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts. Two years later, the song was covered by country music artist Garth Brooks on his third studio album, 1991's Ropin' the Wind. Brooks' rendering of the song was his seventh No. 1 hit on the Billboard country charts in late 1991. It also reached No. 71 on the UK Singles Chart.

"Callin' Baton Rouge" is a country music song written by Dennis Linde. The song has been recorded by multiple artists since its composition. It was notably recorded by American country singer and songwriter Garth Brooks whose version was a chart-topping single in the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Learning to Live Again</span> 1993 single by Garth Brooks

"Learning to Live Again" is a song written by Don Schlitz and Stephanie Davis, and recorded by American country music singer Garth Brooks. It was released in January 1993 as the third single from his album, The Chase and his sixteenth overall. This song peaked at number 2 on the U.S. Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, and reached number 5 on Canada's RPM country chart. This song is included on The Ultimate Hits collection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Midnight Cinderella</span> 1996 single by Garth Brooks

"It's Midnight Cinderella" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Garth Brooks. It was released in June 1996 as the fifth single from his album Fresh Horses. The song reached a peak of number 5 on the U.S. country charts in mid-1996. It was written by Brooks, Kent Blazy and Kim Williams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soon (Tanya Tucker song)</span> 1993 single by Tanya Tucker

"Soon" is a song written by Bob Regan and Casey Kelly, and recorded by American country music artist Tanya Tucker. It was released in October 1993 as the first single and title track from the album Soon. The song reached #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, behind Doug Supernaw's "I Don't Call Him Daddy".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lost in You (Chris Gaines song)</span> 1999 single by Chris Gaines

"Lost in You" is a song co-written by Gordon Kennedy, Wayne Kirkpatrick, and Tommy Sims. It was recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks under the fictitious persona of Australian alternative rock artist Chris Gaines. It was released in July 1999 as the lead single from the album Garth Brooks in...the Life of Chris Gaines. Originally, the album was intended to be the soundtrack for a movie called The Lamb that would star Brooks as a rock star recalling the different periods of his life. The single was purposefully released over a year in advance from the scheduled film release date to pique interest in Brooks performing rock instead of country. The Lamb, however, was never filmed due to financial and management problems. It debuted and peaked at No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, giving Garth Brooks his first, and only top 40 hit in his career.

References

  1. Rivers, Tom (1996). ""The Garth Brooks Story" (Interview with Garth Brooks by Tom Rivers)". Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
  2. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 1005." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. July 10, 1993. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  3. "Garth Brooks Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  4. "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1993". RPM . December 18, 1993. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  5. "Best of 1993: Country Songs". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media. 1993. Retrieved August 5, 2013.

See also