Melancholy Summer Songs

“It’s about this couple who have an intense summer romance, then the boy goes away, dumps the girl by letter, and she’s, like, obsessing. It’s Gottie and her feelings about Jason at the beginning of the book, in a beach-romance nutshell. As the lyrics go, ‘Oh no, oh no, oh no, no, no, no…’”

“Forget the girls-surfing-cars trifecta and bask in sadness – written the day before JFK’s assassination and recorded right after, it’s a song that clings to memories for crumbs of comfort. Bleak. Grey would have listened to this in one of his dark and thunderous moods.”

“Pulp’s songs are all weird little short stories. This one’s about a hot, sultry summer of skinny-dipping and picnics and parties, a love story that you both know won’t last. This reminds me of Gottie’s memories of Jason – making out in shorn corn fields and swimming in the canal.”

“Bummer summer songs are always about the past – this one’s a particularly sweaty 1980s fever dream of old romances. The synths and the hairspray coifs are perfect for Spandex-wearing guitar hero Ned – his band Fingerband would definitely cover this.”

“Mmmm, the apotheosis of misery, Scott Walker lends his bleak baritone to this Stevie Wonder cover, taking it from quite miserable to emo Tumblr text post levels. I can picture Papa playing this on vinyl at the bookshop, thinking about his wife and about Grey.”

“Gottie’s friend Sof is a temperamental glitter-wearing artiste, given to fits of dramatics, weird outfits and posing. She suits the woe-is-me mardiness of this summer-in-the-city song down to an off-the-shoulder tee. Boredom, hot tarmac, pouting and sighing – and video outfit goals.”

“Theoretically, the lyrics here are happy and everything’s (about to be) wonderful. The way Percy sings it though, someone just stole his truck, kicked his puppy and cancelled the good weather. That’s my Gottie!”

“This song perfectly encapsulates the distant, dreamy feel of summer holidays – and the bittersweet knowledge that it won’t last. You have to leave summer romance and friendship behind. Thomas would absolutely listen to this, and romanticise his lifelong BFF friendship with Gottie.”

“Joni is one of my go-tos to listen to while editing. Is there anything more miserable than watching the fun of summer, without being allowed to participate in it? A classic of the weird-minimalist-romantic-jazz genre, it’s almost too cool – which makes it perfect for the character Meg.”

“You might recognise this from the Rushmore soundtrack. It’s very la-la-la light in tone, but once again it’s a summer romance that goes to pieces once autumn comes. It’s bittersweet but not totally bleak – one for Gottie to have on repeat at the end of the book.”