Youtube Analysis Available Here: https://youtu.be/l0TYmRy-8bU
During the chorus of Summer’s End, the dense texture of the instruments provides the perfect backdrop upon which to experiment with melodic choices in the vocal.
The first section features a descending sequence of C# minor, B and A, played twice over. The first melodic line follows six key tones, E and C# over the C# minor, E and C# over the B, and then C# and B over A major. Here is how that looks:
Whilst the first chord is tertiary, featuring the root and third of C# minor, the next two deviate with 9ths or suspended 2nds (sus2), the suspended 4th is also included over B. The effect of suspended harmony on the listener is that we can retain the shape of major or minor chords, whilst also including some tension and mystery, or “suspense” for want of a better term.
The suspended tones add colour and warmth to the chords much in the style of groups such as Steely Dan, who were famous for using the ‘Mu’ Major chord, which was designed to strengthen the sound of a major chord without making it too jazzy. The use of suspended 2nds/9ths can be found all throughout Steely Dan’s work and is something I have utilised in my own.
The choice to end on G#7 in the chorus, and possibly alter it to a G#7 (b9) at the discretion of the performer, is to create tension and interest in what could otherwise become a repetitive and bland progression. Secondary dominants are a recurring theme both in my work, and in jazz music, perhaps this is similar to the secondary dominants used in “Georgia on my Mind,” which add small pieces of colour to an otherwise quite standard progression. Secondary dominants in this case, often appear in the place of chord III, (G# being the third of the key centre, E) and allow us to move to other keys if we do so choose. A writer may use the G#7 to move to C# Major for example, which is the enharmonic submediant major, but in ‘Summer’s End,’ it just acts as a hint of a different key, before returning to the main progression.
Lyrically the song deals with the fears of growing up and being left behind as other people’s lives take their natural course. Whether you are involved in their future or not is sometimes out of your control, but it is easy for people to hope too hard that they will just be allowed back into others’ lives as soon as they re-emerge. There is a level of description of becoming mentally mature, introspectively asking “was I in over my head to expect these things to stick around,” it goes without saying that life does not stand still, and to expect the world to stop because you’re having a bad time, or you can’t keep up is naïve and selfish.
This song also tries to positively spin on becoming aware of the changes we face in day-to-day life, and how it can transform the way we look at ourselves, and others.
Youtube Analysis Available Here: https://youtu.be/l0TYmRy-8bU
Tom C- Blog and Collected Works 