Song of the Summer

My vote for Song of the Summer would have to be Panic in the Disco’s amazing song “When the Day Met the Night.” It’s everything a summer song should be – poppy, happy, optimistic, frothy and catchier than an old Grass Roots 45.

The lyrics aren’t the focus in a song like this, so nobody’s going to confuse them for great poetry, but they’re perfect for the tune and I like them a lot. It’s about a typical summer romance, but there’s a fragility given to the two characters that makes you root for them all the more as the song swells into the chorus.

When the moon found the sun 
He looked like he was barely hanging on 
But her eyes saved his life 
In the middle of summer

and

So he said, “Would it be all right 
If we just sat and talked for a little while 
If in exchange for your time 
I give you this smile?” 

So she said, “That’s okay 
As long as you can make a promise 
Not to break my little heart 
Or leave me all alone in the summer.” 

It’s all extremely charming and fetching, just like the entire song.

The only thing that confounds me is why this song hasn’t become a hit. It practically demands to be played from every boombox on every beach, from every open window of every car driving down the road. The song is from an album (Pretty. Odd.) that was released back in March, and I only now happened to stumble upon it. How did that happen? Aren’t there any independent radio programmers left that are looking for songs like this?

If you want to listen to the type of song radio stations should be playing, check out this one. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.