I have always been attracted to Marianne Faithfull's "Summer Nights." It's a song about a feeling or a seasonal change. Her approach is folk but filtered through a London aesthetic that was happening at the time. The harpsichord is the first instrument one notices, and the chorus of the 'at a cafe' with the hand claps gets me all the time. It's a beautiful record on many levels. And so short. Only one minute and fifty seconds. It comes and goes, like a strong crush on a girl you see walking down a street. Also, the pitch and speed march on, it's not a song of reflection, but manic intensity. The chorus is a relief of the tension. I have read somewhere that The Smiths used to cover this song as part of their live act, at the beginning of their career. Now, that I would love to hear.
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