Lies of Summer

Album: Mental Illness (2017)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about a compulsive liar. Aimee Mann explained to Billboard magazine: "I wrote 'Lies of Summer' about somebody who's had a specific kind of crisis, and all their lies and craziness exposed. I think once you realize that somebody's a pathological liar, then you kind of scroll back through all the encounters that have just been slightly off, and then you see those in a different light."
  • This is one of several songs on Mental Illness about crazy, dysfunctional people – hence the album title. Mann explained to Elle:

    "I told a friend that I was working on a record and they said, 'What is it about?' And I said, 'Oh, you know, my usual songs about mental illness.' They said, 'Oh, you should call it Mental Illness,' being a smartass. Then I thought, Wait a minute, that's kind of great. Because it's so ridiculous, but it's also accurate, so it really did make me laugh."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes

Chris Robinson of The Black CrowesSongwriter Interviews

"Great songwriters don't necessarily have hit songs," says Chris. He's written a bunch, but his fans are more interested in the intricate jams.

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

Concert Disasters

Concert DisastersFact or Fiction

Ozzy biting a dove? Alice Cooper causing mayhem with a chicken? Creed so bad they were sued? See if you can spot the real concert mishaps.

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?Song Writing

Katy Perry mentions McDonald's, Beyoncé calls out Red Lobster, and Supertramp shouts out Taco Bell - we found the 10 restaurants most often mentioned in songs.

Adam Duritz of Counting Crows

Adam Duritz of Counting CrowsSongwriter Interviews

"Mr. Jones" took on new meaning when the song about a misguided view of fame made Adam famous.

Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.