Part of The Big Four-O Tour Blog Series
Author: Blume, Judy
Book: Summer Sisters
Vacation rating: You Pierce My Soul
Our car drives across the Vineyard wouldn’t have been complete without our curated Summer Sisters playlist. I went through my ragged little paperback copy, took down every mention of music in the story — song, artist, and genre — and added it in narrative order.
Summer Sisters is a book that names a lot of tracks specifically by title, so most of the list was pretty easy to compile. But there were a few where I had to dig a little to find the right one. Like, I had never listened to any flamenco, so how would I choose the song for Caitlin’s “fiery, seductive dance”? (Thank you /r/Flamenco for the advice. But also, Caitlin, why did you go to Buenos Aires to dance flamenco and not, say, tango??) And I was especially happy to find the Johnny Coltrane song “After the Rain” for a key scene that happens, well, after the rain.
50 songs: 3 hours and 11 mins total. It’s a public playlist on Spotify, so if you’re ever in the mood for some nostalgic vibes with Caitlin and Vix, take a listen here:
| Track # | Song | Artist | Song Release Date | Book Mention Date | Book Citation | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dancing Queen | ABBA | August 1976 | 1977-1980 | 8 (Ch. 1) | Part One Dancing Queen 1977-1980 As Caitlin spoke Vix could swear she heard Abba playing in the background. “Dancing Queen” … |
| 2 | Hey Jude | The Beatles | August 1968 | July 1977 | 21 (Ch. 2) | Lamb tapped the steering wheel, keeping time to the music on the tape deck. “Hey, Jude.” |
| 3 | 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover | Paul Simon | December 1975 | July 1977 | 24 (Ch. 2) | She sings along with Paul Simon as she packs her bags. Just slip out th back, Jack, Make a new plan, Stan … |
| 4 | SOS | ABBA | 1975 | July 1977 | 30 (Ch. 3) | They vamped and sang to Abba, the Eagles, Shaun Cassidy — “Da Doo Ron Ron.” |
| 5 | Hotel California | Eagles | May 1977 | July 1977 | 30 (Ch. 3) | They vamped and sang to Abba, the Eagles, Shaun Cassidy — “Da Doo Ron Ron.” |
| 6 | Da Doo Ron Ron | Shaun Cassidy | April 1963 | July 1977 | 30 (Ch. 3) | They vamped and sang to Abba, the Eagles, Shaun Cassidy — “Da Doo Ron Ron.” |
| 7 | Lady Madonna | The Beatles | March 1970 | July 1977 | 45 (Ch. 5) | Vix had never known anyone like Lamb. All he asked of her was that she learn the lyrics to the Beatles songs, which wasn’t exactly a hardship. |
| 8 | And Your Bird Can Sing | The Beatles | June 1966 | July 1977 | 45 (Ch. 5) | Vix had never known anyone like Lamb. All he asked of her was that she learn the lyrics to the Beatles songs, which wasn’t exactly a hardship. |
| 9 | Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da | The Beatles | November 1968 | July 1977 | 45 (Ch. 5) | Vix had never known anyone like Lamb. All he asked of her was that she learn the lyrics to the Beatles songs, which wasn’t exactly a hardship. |
| 10 | All You Need Is Love | The Beatles | July 1967 | July 1977 | 50 (Ch. 5) | Every day Lamb sang in the outdoor shower. “All You Need Is Love,” “Come Together,” “We Can Work It Out.” |
| 11 | Come Together | The Beatles | October 1969 | July 1977 | 50 (Ch. 5) | Every day Lamb sang in the outdoor shower. “All You Need Is Love,” “Come Together,” “We Can Work It Out.” |
| 12 | We Can Work It Out | The Beatles | December 1965 | July 1977 | 50 (Ch. 5) | Every day Lamb sang in the outdoor shower. “All You Need Is Love,” “Come Together,” “We Can Work It Out.” |
| 13 | Night Fever | Bee Gees | January 1978 | July 1978 | 66-67 (Ch. 7) | The girls escaped by closing themselves in their room at night where they became Disco Queens, dancing to the Bee Gees. They’d seen Saturday Night Fever six times. They were in love with John Travolta. |
| 14 | Stayin Alive | Bee Gees | December 1977 | July 1978 | 66-67 (Ch. 7) | On the night that Gus came to dinner wearing a mop on his head and tennis balls inside his shirt, singing Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive, as if he were capable, as if he were worthy of imitating either them or John Travolta, Caitlin dubbed him The Pustule. |
| 15 | Nobody Does It Better | Carly Simon | July 1977 | August 1978 | 85 (Ch. 9) | With a VIP plate spelling out SHRKY. Then Carly can write a song about him. Nobody Does It Better … |
| 16 | Upside Down | Diana Ross | June 1980 | July 1980 | 122 (Ch. 13) | Max clapped his hands and started singing “Upside Down,” a three-year-old Diana Ross impersonator. |
| 17 | Rapture | Blondie | January 1981 | 1982-1983 | 137 | Part Two Rapture 1982-1983 |
| 18 | Backfired | Debbie Harry | 1981 | July 1982 | 140 (Ch. 15) | On July Fourth she and Caitlin were singing along with Debbie Harry as they cruised up island in Caitlin’s rusted red pickup. |
| 19 | Heartbreaker | Pat Benatar | October 1979 | July 1982 | 144 (Ch. 15) | All she could hear was her heartbeat and Pat Benatar warning her — Heartbreaker … love taker … |
| 20 | The Edge of Seventeen | Stevie Nicks | February 1982 | July 1982 | 153 (Ch. 17) | When the slimeball and his girlfriend came home in a huff that afternoon and found Caitlin and Vix still cleaning up, listening to Stevie Nicks on the tape deck, he exploded. |
| 21 | Don’t You Want Me | The Human League | November 1981 | July 1982 | 156 (Ch. 17) | They lit candles, slipped their tapes into the boom box — Don’t you want me, baby? Don’t you want me, oh — and danced until they’d heated up the place and themselves. |
| 22 | (Oh) Pretty Woman | Van Halen | January 1982 | July 1982 | 158 (Ch. 17) | Van Halen played on the tape deck. |
| 23 | Eye of the Tiger | Survivor | May 1982 | July 1982 | 163 (Ch. 18) | She closes her eyes, tilts her head way back, and sings “Eye of the Tiger.” A command performance. |
| 24 | How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) | James Taylor | June 1975 | July 1982 | 169 (Ch. 19) | On the boom box James was singing “How Sweet It Is” … then Carly joined in on “Devoted to You,” which made Vix sad because everyone knew they’d split up. |
| 25 | Devoted to You | Carly Simon | 1978 | July 1982 | 169 (Ch. 19) | On the boom box James was singing “How Sweet It Is” … then Carly joined in on “Devoted to You,” which made Vix sad because everyone knew they’d split up. |
| 26 | Wild Thing | The Troggs | April 1966 | July 1982 | 171 (Ch. 19) | Then they were dancing on the beach, Caitlin and Vix, twirling to “Wild thing … you make my heart sing …” |
| 27 | We Are the World | U.S.A. For Africa | March 1985 | 1983-1987 | 217 | Part Three We Are the World 1983-1987 |
| 28 | Amoureux solitaires | Lio | 1980 | February | 230 (Ch. 27) | Caitlin called at four A.M. from Paris. “I had an affair with a woman. She reminded me of you … But she was possessive … She accused me of being a political lesbian, not a biological one.” |
| 29 | Love and Affection | Joan Armatrading | 1976 | September 1984 | 235 (Ch. 28) | But now they had two classes together and Vix was surprised by Maia’s intelligence. Not only that, but they both enjoyed Mexican food, the hotter, the better, foreign movies, even bad ones, and Joan Armatrading. |
| 30 | Jump | Van Halen | December 1983 | November 1984 | 236 (Ch. 28) | For the first time it occurred to her that he had no books in the cabin, that she’d never seen him with a book. He probably never read more than the Gazette, if that. He was still listening to Van Halen. |
| 31 | Back to the Night | Joan Armatrading | 1975 | November 1984 | 236 (Ch. 28) | He was still listening to Van Halen. He hadn’t even heard of Joan Armatrading. |
| 32 | No Woman No Cry | Bob Marley | 1975 | December 1985 | 249 (Ch. 30) | The following Christmas, when she was a junior, Vix took Bru to Santa Fe. They drove out in his truck, listening to Bob Marley, Elvis Costello, James and Carly. |
| 33 | Sweet Dreams | Elvis Costello | 1981 | December 1985 | 249 (Ch. 30) | The following Christmas, when she was a junior, Vix took Bru to Santa Fe. They drove out in his truck, listening to Bob Marley, Elvis Costello, James and Carly. |
| 34 | Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight | James Taylor | 1972 | December 1985 | 249 (Ch. 30) | The following Christmas, when she was a junior, Vix took Bru to Santa Fe. They drove out in his truck, listening to Bob Marley, Elvis Costello, James and Carly. |
| 35 | That’s the Way I’ve Always Heard It Should Be | Carly Simon | 1971 | December 1985 | 250 (Ch. 30) | The following Christmas, when she was a junior, Vix took Bru to Santa Fe. They drove out in his truck, listening to Bob Marley, Elvis Costello, James and Carly. |
| 36 | Libertango | Astor Piazzolla | 1974 | 1986 | 276 (Ch. 34) | Caitlin called from Buenos Aires. “I’m studying dance.” “Dance?” “Yes. Flamenco. I think I’ve found my true calling.” |
| 37 | Didn’t We Almost Have It All | Whitney Houston | August 1987 | 1987-1990 | 287 | Part Four Didn’t We Almost Have It All 1987-1990 |
| 38 | Mi cara morena – Tangos | Carmen Linares | 1984 | 1987 | 294 (Ch. 35) | That night Caitlin danced for her decked out in full flamenco — red and black dress cut down to reveal the tops of her breasts, a slit up to her crotch, her hair pulled back, a flower tucked behind her ear — heels and castanets clicking. A fiery, seductive dance that ended with her body on the floor … hands outstretched to her audience of one. |
| 39 | Sappy | Nirvana | 1993 (But recorded as a demo in 1980s) | December 1987 | 300 (Ch. 36) | A postcard from Caitlin dated December 2, 1987, Seattle. Forget Madrid. This is it! I’ve finally found my place. It’s young, it’s cool … and I don’t just mean the weather. Start packing. |
| 40 | Lullaby of Broadway | Doris Day | 1945 | Summer 1988 | 305 (Ch. 37) | The next morning on her way to work Vix stopped to listen to the Bag Lady on the corner of Fifty-sixth and Sixth as she sang her version of “Lullaby of Broadway,” substituting Timbuktu for ballyhoo. |
| 41 | You’ve Got a Friend | Carole King | 1971 | Summer 1988 | 306 (Ch. 37) | The Bag Lady responded with “You’ve Got a Friend.” |
| 42 | Ride on Time | Black Box | 1989 | October 1988 | 307 (Ch. 37) | “But here’s the best … we’re calling it Eurotrash. After me. Don’t you love it?” |
| 43 | Say You, Say Me | Lionel Ritchie | October 1985 | Fall 1989 | 323 (Ch. 39) | She leaned over and snapped off the CD player. “What?” he asked. “It’s over, Will.” “No, it’s not. He does ‘Say You, Say Me’ next.” “I’m not talking about Lionel Ritchie, I’m talking about us.” |
| 44 | I Am Woman | Helen Reddy | 1972 | June 1990 | 338 (Ch. 41) | She staggered home in the record heat. Her Bag Lady was singing, I am woman, hear me roar … |
| 45 | Steal the Night | Stevie Woods | 1981 | 1990-1995 | 345 | Part Five Steal the Night 1990-1995 |
| 46 | After the Rain | John Coltrane | 1963 | May 1991 | 376 (Ch. 45) | She hears John Coltrane playing on the CD. Gus has changed into a T-shirt and jeans. At first he’s not sure what she has in mind. |
| 47 | Love’s a Hard Game to Play | Stevie Nicks | September 1991 | May 1992 | 379 (Ch. 45) | Finally, she nods and says, “Love’s a hard game to play, my darlings. Play it well.” |
| 48 | Let It Be | The Beatles | May 1970 | 1992 | 388 (Ch. 45) | Sometimes she’ll find him standing over Maizie’s crib, watching her breathe, tears streaming down his face. He’s listening to the Beatles again, for the first time since John Lennon was killed. |
| 49 | In My Life | The Beatles | December 1965 | 1992 | 388 (Ch. 45) | Sometimes she’ll find him standing over Maizie’s crib, watching her breathe, tears streaming down his face. He’s listening to the Beatles again, for the first time since John Lennon was killed. |
| 50 | Yesterday | The Beatles | September 1965 | August 1996 | 397 (Epilogue) | Wren, who is so shy she makes Sharkey seem gregarious, surprises all of them by singing the Beatles’ “Yesterday,” in a clear, beautiful soprano. |
36 Eggs 