This feature was originally published on July 2, 2014.
In the popular imagination, summer is the season of mindlessness. Summer films mean big, dumb blockbusters that allow, even require, you to suspend your critical faculties and revel in the exploding superheroes. Likewise with summer reading, summer love, summer jams: The emphasis is always on escape and carefreedom, the joys of indulgence and insubstantiality. Songs about the season, by everyone from George Gershwin to Mungo Jerry, invariably sell this same bill of goods: In summertime, the livin’ is easy; two bare feet on the dashboard/young love and an old Ford; everybody frontin’ and maxin’/chillin’ in the car they spent all day waxin’; we’re always happy; a regular free-for-all.
Well, not for all.
