Suddenly Last Summer (song)
Encyclopedia
"Suddenly Last Summer" is a song by The Motels
released as a 7" single in September 1983, backed with "Some Things Never Change." The song reached number 1 on the U.S. Billboard Top Tracks chart and number 9 on the Billboard Billboard Hot 100
in November 1983.
Lead singer Martha Davis has said in various radio interviews that the song was written while reflecting on her life and how you know summer is ending when you hear the ice cream truck go by for the last time and you know he won't be back for a while. Tennessee Williams
, writer of the earlier same-named 1958 off-Broadway one-act play
, died in February 1983, the same month The Motels returned to the recording studio prior to releasing the associated album Little Robbers.
The song has the distinction of being the only Motels song to reach the #1 position on any music chart. Two bootleg dance versions have been made of the song, one with a techno-like
dance beat and another with a semi-tropical beat to it.
The song was featured in a music video
made for the song in 1983 directed by Val Garay. The video features one of Martha's daughters.
The song was included on the 1990 compilation album, No Vacancy: Best of the Motels.
The Motels
The Motels are a New Wave music band from the Los Angeles area best known for "Only the Lonely" and "Suddenly Last Summer", each of which peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1982 and 1983, respectively. Their song "Total Control" reached #4 on the Australian charts in 1980...
released as a 7" single in September 1983, backed with "Some Things Never Change." The song reached number 1 on the U.S. Billboard Top Tracks chart and number 9 on the Billboard Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in November 1983.
Lead singer Martha Davis has said in various radio interviews that the song was written while reflecting on her life and how you know summer is ending when you hear the ice cream truck go by for the last time and you know he won't be back for a while. Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
, writer of the earlier same-named 1958 off-Broadway one-act play
Suddenly, Last Summer
Suddenly, Last Summer is a one-act play by Tennessee Williams. It opened off Broadway on January 7, 1958, as part of a double bill with another of Williams's one-acts, Something Unspoken. The presentation of the two plays was given the overall title Garden District, but Suddenly, Last Summer is...
, died in February 1983, the same month The Motels returned to the recording studio prior to releasing the associated album Little Robbers.
The song has the distinction of being the only Motels song to reach the #1 position on any music chart. Two bootleg dance versions have been made of the song, one with a techno-like
dance beat and another with a semi-tropical beat to it.
The song was featured in a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
made for the song in 1983 directed by Val Garay. The video features one of Martha's daughters.
The song was included on the 1990 compilation album, No Vacancy: Best of the Motels.
See also
- List of number-one mainstream rock hits (United States)