Summer Fly

This is a great song that Cheryl almost never does live any more. The pace is quite brisk, and the lines quite complex. The song is about how your summer would fly by when you were young. Cheryl describes this song as "an encyclopedia of songs". It contains all kinds of ideas for songs.

This song has been recorded by Maura O'Connell on her album Helpless Heart (1989) Warner 26016. Another version by her is on the "Best of Mountain Stage Vol 2" (1991) on Blue Plate (BPM 002CD). Her arrangement is quite similar to Cheryl's.

When Maura O'Connell first recorded this song, audiences would request that Cheryl sing it. For a long time, she would decline, saying they should listen to Maura do it instead. Finally, Cheryl started doing it again.

I guess this shows that if enough people start requesting a song, Cheryl is liable to eventually start doing it again. It worked with this song, and it worked with Little Kids.

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Lyrics

Summer Fly
Words And Music By:
Cheryl Wheeler

In another younger day I could dream the time away
In the universe inside my room
And the world was really mine from june to september
And if it wasn't really so I was lucky not to know
And I was lucky not to wonder why
'cause a pure and golden high is all that I remember
A summer fly was buzzin' every night
When I was young
In the gentle world my childlike senses knew
And the world was just my cousin
And the wind was just the tongue
In the voice my lonely moments listened to
And I look at me today all the dreams have gone away
And I'm where I never thought I'd be
Seein' things I never thought I'd see happen to me
And I lay awake at night till the darkness goes to light
Hearin' voices callin' out my name
Dronin' over and again the same message to me
Cryin' who's your partner, who's your darlin', who's your baby now?
Who wakes up at night to pull you in
It don't matter, you just make her lonely anyhow
Don't know why you even try to win
10/28/79
(P) May 27, 2003
Penrod And Higgins Music / Amachrist Music
ACF Music Group
International Copyright Reserved

Song Clips

No song clips available

Recordings

The song Summer Fly appears on the following 5 albums:

Ash Creek String Band: by Ash Creek String Band
Half a Book: by Wheeler, Cheryl
Three Little Words: by Jansen, Leoni
Helpless Heart: by O'Connell, Maura
Newport Songs: by Wheeler, Cheryl