Keith Urban – Long Hot Summer (CD Single Review)
Release Date – June 2011
Label – Capitol Nashville © Hit Red Records License to Capitol Records Nashville
Time – 4:33 (album version)
Writers – Richard Marx, Keith Urban
Rating (Out of 10): 7/10
After the weather gods were kind to The Royal Wedding they then seemed to turn their backs on England with soggy bank holidays and an average of 14C for the UK making it lowest for 13 years in the “Summer That Never Was”. This was typified by Darren Clark who enduring all the elements did not allow them to rain on his parade sweeping to victory in the British Open. On the other side of the pond Mr. Keith Urban has been applying the Factor 50 for 14 weeks as his latest single ’Long Hot Summer’ has slowly burnt its way up the Billboard Country Singles chart and currently holds a peak position of #5.
This is the third single to be released from his album GET CLOSER. The previous single ‘Without You’ topped the charts on June 18, 2011 and this latest single has topped the Canadian country charts this week.
Urban co-wrote the song with pop/rock heavyweight from the 80’s and 90’s Richard Marx known for his hits songs ‘Endless Summer Nights’, ‘Right Here Waiting’, ‘Now And Forever’, ‘Hazard’ and ‘Dance With My Father’ which Luther Vandross cut.
The openings chords to ’Long Hot Summer’ that are audible throughout the quieter sections remind me of something THE POLICE might have used, thus giving it an 80’s retro feel. Keith has always gravitated to the four-on-the-floor rhythm patterns in 4/4 time allowing him to rock out.
As the tension builds and with thoughts on his beau going through his mind a restless Urban is ready to head off on a road trip and is desperate to be by her side.
“Over at the lake and down by the river, You can feel it start to rise, Wanna jump in my car, go wherever you are, ‘Cause I need you by my side” he sings.
By the chorus lines this has all the hallmarks of an anthemic radio friendly wind down the windows hit song. With a driving rhythm and some unrelenting banjo which underpins the electric guitar and bass runs Urban sings with much gusto:
“It’s gonna be a long, hot summer, we should be together, With your feet up on the dashboard now, Singing along with the radio, it’s such a beautiful sound, And when you say my name in the middle of the day, I swear I see the stars come out , When you hold my hand in the back of my mind, just waiting on the sun to go down, the sun to go down”
Being happily married to Nicole Kidman it finds Keith as on previous outings in a loving up frame of mind but the words in the second verse refer to a fictitious bronzed beauty:
“I wanna see your brown skin shimmer in the sun for the first time, I try to be the one who knows just what to do to you to get me that smile, One chance of meeting, you were walking by me on the street and I said hi, And that was the beginning of my heart spinnin’ like these wheels in my head tonight “
If only some of that hotness could have found its way over to our shores while we were waiting for the sun to shine. Oh well there’s always next year! In meantime thanks Keith.
http://.keithurban.net/
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