Fat Old Sun & Love Street

sigmoid · Post by **sigmoid** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 4:41 pm

OK - Here's something that's always intrigued me.

Fat Old Sun:

When the fat old sun in the sky is falling
Summer evenin' birds are calling
Summer Sunday and a year
The sound of music in my ears

(I know some sources list this as "Summer's thunder time of year" but it isn't, is it? Can anyone confirm from an official source?)

Love Street by the Doors, lyrics by Jimi Morrison:

I see you live on Love Street
There's this store where the creatures meet
I wonder what they do in there
Summer Sunday and a year
I guess I like it fine, so far

Atom Heart Mother came out in Oct 1970, but of course was written some time before that.

Waiting for the Sun came out in July 1968, so I guess it is possible David borrowed the line from Jim.

But on another forum (a Doors website) people suggested the line was part of a poetic tradition predating both songs. If so, does anyone know the source? Shakespeare? John Donne? Christopher Marlowe?

Also, can anyone comment on its meaning?

Summer Sunday and a Year

emerald · Post by **emerald** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 4:11 am

Yes I've noticed that, I'd like to know the meaning of this line!

WishIwasthere · Post by **WishIwasthere** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 5:21 am

I guess it could be just a poetic saying once used in a poem or verse somewhere. Rather nice though.

fatoldbob · Post by **fatoldbob** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 5:26 am

I did fairly exhaustive google search and didnt turn up anything.

sigmoid · Post by **sigmoid** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 5:46 am

I did fairly exhaustive google search and didnt turn up anything.

Cheers for that Fat Old Bob. That has been my experience as well although I use http://www.altavista.com.

It seems like no references to this line of poetry can be found on the internet.

Anyway, I remembered that I have an cassette tape (remember those things?) of AHM with the lyrics on the insert. I checked and indeed, it is 'Summer sunday and a year'. The word Sunday is not capitalized for some reason.

Now I am trying to find the Doors website I posted on to see if anyone there has any insights.

goldeneagle33 · Post by **goldeneagle33** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 3:17 am

Maybe the door's line was stolen from someone else!

sigmoid · Post by **sigmoid** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 4:43 am

Maybe the door's line was stolen from someone else!

Yes, that's the general feeling: that neither writer 'stole' it from the other but that it is a line from an earlier poem or traditional song, but one that is rather obscure.

It is probably one of those things you discover when you're not looking for it.

David Smith · Post by **David Smith** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 1:13 pm

Ah yeah, never noticed that actually. Love street is one of my favourite songs, just i haven't listebed to fat Old Sun for ages now

my breakfast. · Post by **my breakfast.** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 3:05 pm

And Roger Waters has a song out called Hello I Love You!