VIDEO PREMIERE: Christine Lavin "The Best Summer"

It’s Memorial Day Weekend, the unofficial start of summer, and while it’s not going to be beach weather in the Northeast, Christine Lavin has released a video that will make you want to break out the sunscreen. It’s an exercise in nostalgia about Martha’s Vineyard called “The Best Summer,” and I think it’s one of her best songs. The New Folk Initiative is excited to offer this exclusive premiere.

Christine says, “It was a magical time, 1993 on Martha's Vineyard. But what does it mean when I sing that my best summer happened 28 years ago?  It means that when you hear this song is a good time to take stock of your life and decide to make this summer of 2021 your best summer.  Don't expect someone to come along and make this happen for you, you make it happen.  If we've learned anything during this pandemic, we've learned we are the lucky ones if we haven't gotten sick, so we need to take a moment to count our blessings, then plan for how we want the rest of our lives to unfurl.  

“But that can wait till Fall. For now, cut yourself some slack, hop on your bike, and experience the joy of what I hope will be your best summer.”

“The Best Summer” may make you think of Christine’s song, “Wind Chimes,” but where that was sardonic, this is just sweet.  There’s a gentle cello in the mix and a “Surfer Girl” quality to the backing vocals. Christine has become passionate about producing videos (usually a labor of love), and this one, with great footage of breaking waves and ocean sunsets, is a great match for the song.  I’ll be playing it on “Sunday Supper” this week, and it’ll be available on Christine’s website and CD Baby.