‘Summer in the City’ is a song by the American folk rock band the Lovin' Spoonful. Written by John Sebastian, Mark Sebastian and Steve Boone, the song was released as a non-album single in July 1966 and was included on the album Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful later that year. The single was the Lovin' Spoonful's fifth to break the top ten in the United States and their only to reach No. 1.
A departure from the band's lighter sound, the recording features a harder rock style. The lyrics differ from most songs about the summer by lamenting the heat, contrasting the unpleasant warmth and noise of the daytime with the relief offered by the cool night, which allows for the nightlife to begin. Boone later expressed pleasure that the song departed from the band's softer image, helping to quickly change the attitudes of those who asked him when they were going to make "a real rock song".
‘Summer in the City’ was released as a single on July 4, 1966. The single's release corresponded with a record heat wave in New York City – peaking in June and July at 102 °F (39 °C) and 90 °F (32 °C) in August – and came shortly after a similar heat wave experienced by Britain in the end of June. An advertisement promoting the single was published in the July 2 issue of Billboard magazine, promising it would "capture the feel ... of Summer in the City"
The song was the Lovin' Spoonful's fifth single, and one of six released between December 1965 and December 1966 that reached the top ten in the US. The release rose quickly; Billboard classified it as a breakout single across the U.S. on July 16, and it jumped from No. 21 to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 on July 30. On August 13, it overtook the Troggs' "Wild Thing" to become the Lovin' Spoonful's only No. 1. In addition to reaching No. 1 on Cash Box and Record World's Top 100 charts, it was No. 1 in Canada and No. 8 on the U.K.'s Record Retailer Chart.
Moviegoers will remember hearing ‘Summer in the City’ playing during the explosive opening scene of the 1995 Bruce Willis film, Die Hard with a Vengeance.
Songwriters – John Sebastian, Mark Sebastian, Steve Boone
Producer – Erik Jacobsen
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city
All around, people looking half-dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head
[Chorus]
But at night it's a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come on, come on, and dance all night
Despite the heat, it'll be alright
And babe, don't you know it's a pity
The days can't be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the city
[Verse 2]
Cool town, evenin' in the city
Dressin' so fine and lookin' so pretty
Cool cat, lookin' for a kitty
Gonna look in every corner of the city
'Til I'm wheezin' like a bus stop
Running up the stairs, gonna meet you on the rooftop
[Chorus]
But at night it's a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come on, come on, and dance all night
Despite the heat, it'll be alright
And babe, don't you know it's a pity
The days can't be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the city
[Bridge]
[Verse 1]
Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city
All around, people looking half-dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head
[Chorus]
But at night it's a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come on, come on, and dance all night
Despite the heat, it'll be alright
And babe, don't you know it's a pity
The days can't be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
Summer in the city