By Alliance President Terry Gips
I’ll admit that six months ago I had never heard of the Grammy Award-winning Strokes. But a friend of my son Noah shared about them and we both became massive fans as were instantly captivated by the riveting voice of lead singer Julien Casablancas, driving drums and amazing guitar riffs of their three fabulous guitarists. We went to a Strokes benefit concert in Chicago and they took us and their fellow fans to new levels with each song, including Eternal Summer, which confronts climate change saying “This is the 11th hour” and “They got the remedy but they won’t let it happen.”
The song is featured on their appropriately named 2020 album, The New Abnormal. It seemed an appropriate way to begin our Earth Month celebration with its haunting lyrics:
Summer is coming
Won’t go away
Summer is coming
It’s here to stay
Eternal Summer by The Strokes
(This, and I never let it happen)
(Hey, hey, oh) (Hey, hey, oh)
When I think of you It’s always on my mind Is that story true?
No one saves the day (Hey, hey, oh)
Don’t you want the truth? Ignore reality
See I love that feeling too
Nobody’s gonna stop right now (Hey, hey, oh)
Summer is coming
Won’t go away
Summer is coming
It’s here to stay (Hey, hey, oh)
I can’t believe it
This is the 11th hour
Psychedelic Life is such a funny journey
Hercules, your service is no longer needed
It’s just like make believe (Hey, hey, oh)
They got the remedy
but they won’t let it happen
They got the remedy
but they won’t let it happen (Hey, hey, oh) (Hey, hey, oh)
Now that you heard the truth
All I need a friendly face
I hate that feeling too
But no one’s unafraid (Hey, hey, oh)
Don’t expect the truth
This is a fantasy
I fight that feeling too
But nobody’s gonna stop us now (Hey, hey, oh)
Summer is coming
Won’t go away
Summer is coming
It’s here to stay (Hey, hey, oh)
Lo and behold the salt of the city
Pillars like time are fading away
Symphony building up to a future
Mystery to solve for somebody else (Hey, hey, oh)
I can’t believe it
Life is such a funny journey Psychedelic
This is the 11th hour Hercules,
your service is no longer needed
It’s just like make believe
They got the remedy
but they won’t let it happen
They got the remedy
but they won’t let it happen
Everybody’s on the take
Tell me are you on the take too?
Everybody’s on the take
Tell me are you on the take too? (Hey, hey, oh) (Hey, hey, oh) (Hey, hey, oh)
Look up on the bright side
I’m not gonna give it to ya
Look at it on the bright side (Hey, hey, oh, oh)
Look up on the bright side
I’m not gonna give it to ya
Look at it on the bright side (Hey, hey, oh)
Look up on the bright side
I’m not gonna give it to ya
Look at it on the bright side (Hey, hey, oh, oh)
Look up on the bright side
I’m not gonna give it to ya
Look at it on the bright side…