“Eternal Summer” by The Strokes
In this song, it is inferred that “summer” is some type of unfavorable event. What exactly The Strokes are alluding to in that regard is not embellished upon. However, it has been put forth that they are singing about the potentially-irreversible effects of climate change. Indeed with the utilization of choice language such as allusions to “the eleventh hour”, we can see that the “summer” being spoken about is a harrowing event indeed.
And further along this storyline, Julian Casablancas refers to a mysterious “they”. In fact it sounds a bit as if the band is venturing into conspiracy-theory territory. And what he is saying is that these unspecified individuals “got the remedy” to the aforementioned “eternal summer”. But apparently they won’t utilize it, instead letting doomsday – or whatever unfavorable event – occur. And basically the way this song portrays the entire scenario is as one that is grounded in inevitability, as in there being no “bright side” to the situation. So if The Strokes are talking about climate change, obviously they perceive this issue as one that can be rectified with adequate effort. However, they are still not optimistic that such a turn for the better will actually occur.
Quick Facts about “Eternal Summer”
The individual members of The Strokes wrote this song alongside sibling musicians Tim and Richard Butler.
The producer of “Eternal Summer” is long-standing music legend Rick Rubin.
This track came out, via RCA Records and Cult Records, on 10 April 2020. It is part of The Strokes’ album entitled “The New Abnormal”.
I agree it’s about climate change. However, I don’t see it as a conspiracy theory take. I think they’re just suggesting that those resisting a hard push towards renewable energy (insert “big oil,” conservative politicians “on the take,” or whatever other entities they believe to be the villains in this scenario…) are stubbornly ignoring what Casablancas considers to be unquestionably established “reality” in an effort to maintain the lucrative status quo.
I agree
I give this paper an A-.
The lyrics “Lo and behold the salt of the city
Pillars like time are fading away” Seems to harken back to the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorra. In that story one man and his family are allowed by god’s providence to escape the twin cities’ total destruction. However, the mans wife looks back on their home being destroyed(something they were warned not to do), and in so doing offends god, who in turn turns her to a pillar of salt.
Within the view of this song being about climate change the salt of the city is the world at large, and those pillars of salt are the many people who are mournfully watching the world end. The song grimly says they’ll “fade away” as to imply their concerns are irrelevant to the unstoppable force of destruction that is so imminent upon their home.
I initially thought it’s about a summer romance and the remedy thing is a joke, but only the Strokes will know…
I always thought it was about an acid trip because of the lines:
“I can´t believe it, life is such a funny journey,
Psychedelic, this is the eleventh hour.”
And all of the song is about the thoughts in the acid trip, like the remedy thing or the pillars of time. It wouldn´t surprise me if the guys took LSD in the making of the album.