Song Review – Jason Eady’s “French Summer Sun”
Country songs braying on and on about how we should all be supporting the military and veterans are often just as much musical pablum pandering to a constituency as mainstream country songs about beer and trucks, or politically-charged anthems full of pithy statements, signaling, and grandstanding from the left side of the spectrum that renounce any of the nuance that’s at the heart of the best storytelling, or persuasive arguments.
As well-intentioned as this material might be—and as real as the concerns are for soldiers of the past and present, and the tribulations members of the military often face both abroad and upon their return from combat zones—if you’re a songwriter, it’s probably best you avoid this subject matter altogether lest to steer yourself headlong into cliche.
…unless you’re Jason Eady, apparently. If there was a songwriter out there with the acumen and muster to bust through all the bleeding-heart platitudes and overwrought sentimentally that makes so many of these songs immediately disposable, it would be him. And with the help of the equally-talented Drew Kennedy, they turn in a song that leaves you stunned, and blaming allergies for your red eyes.
“French Summer Sun” is not exactly autobiographical, but it is based off of true-to-life inspirations. “My grandfather fought at the Battle of Anzio in Italy in World War II, and a few years ago on tour I went to visit the beach where the battle took place,” says Eady.
In the song, the narrator does not enlist like his forefathers, but Jason Eady actually served in the Air Force for six years, learning Arabic, and then being shipped all over the world as a translator. Much of his work he can’t talk about because it was classified.
It’s one thing to write a great song. It’s another to craft one from such over-covered subject matter, and have it resonate and impact so powerfully. It’s Jason Eady levitating above his own existence to attain a 3D perspective upon life that graces this song with brilliance.
Much more could be said here, but it would constitute spoilers, so you should just find a quiet moment and listen for yourself. Rest assured though, it’s worth your five minutes.
Jason Eady’s new album Passage of Time is out August 27th.
Two guns way up (10/10)
June 23, 2021 @ 12:10 pm
I don’t remember ever seeing you give the score you’ve given this-
I have, before this, said, and I quote: Damn!
June 23, 2021 @ 12:15 pm
Song of the Year
June 23, 2021 @ 12:45 pm
Holy shit this is incredible
June 23, 2021 @ 12:58 pm
Holy crap!
Jason Eady is freaking amazing!
June 24, 2021 @ 7:14 pm
Eh.. sounds like Sam Hunt
June 23, 2021 @ 1:04 pm
May God bless Jason Eady.
June 23, 2021 @ 2:03 pm
I second this. And God Bless Guy Clark, not to compare the 2 but damn, this is as close a Guy song as you can get. And this is a good thing.
June 24, 2021 @ 6:48 am
You nailed it. Couldn’t figure out why it seemed familiar – the Guy influence is real!
June 23, 2021 @ 3:12 pm
With that dark ending, I can hear Red Sovine all over this song. A touch of Don Williams, too. So, so good.
June 23, 2021 @ 4:09 pm
Brilliance.
June 23, 2021 @ 4:24 pm
Wow. That ending hit like a ton of bricks.
June 29, 2021 @ 1:54 pm
My thought exactly. Can’t remember ever hearing a song like that.
June 23, 2021 @ 5:03 pm
Uhhh…it’s just ok….and, really, I didn’t get choked up at all, I swear.
June 23, 2021 @ 7:19 pm
Yeah, I was just cutting onions, too.
June 23, 2021 @ 5:10 pm
I like it a lot, but I don’t know if it’s something I’d want in my regular shuffle. It’s the kind of thing I’d have to want to hear by itself specifically.
June 26, 2021 @ 3:31 am
I don’t really even like it. It’s good song writing but the spoken word and weak chorus are off putting.
June 23, 2021 @ 7:17 pm
Wow! I haven’t cried like that in a while! My dad was not a part of Normandy or Omah, but was in Battle of Anzio as a medic. He passed Christmas Eve of 2010 at 85. Thanks, Jason! And thanks Trigger for posting this!
June 23, 2021 @ 8:10 pm
“Jason Eady actually served in the Air Force for six years, learning Arabic, and then being shipped all over the world as a translator.”
Thank You Brother. Many, Many Thanks.
From the 101st AG Co. Ft. Campbell, KY. & Lajes Field, Terceira, Azores.
♥️
June 23, 2021 @ 8:30 pm
Thank you Di.
June 23, 2021 @ 8:59 pm
I am a 9 time OEF/OIF vet. This song is a super boring lame effort. Zero emotion. Cant understand the rating. Please try again. 1/10 not even flower power.
June 25, 2021 @ 8:12 am
Grandfather landed on Omaha, fought ’till VE day. Ol Grover then turned around and landed on another beach named Inchon and fought through the Frozen Chosin.
Grandfather’s brother Russell served in China during the last bit of WWII. Fought through Korea and was then substantially killed on his 2nd tour of Vietnam as a 41 year old 0311 Marine, little place called Quang Ngai on 1/28/67.
Dad flew as an air crewman, flew for three tours in Vietnam. His 1st tour w/ the Ghost Squadron, VO-67, implanting listening sensors over the Ho Chi Mihn trail.
Now me…….I became a fucking phone man on my old man’s advice and never looked back.
I hear and respect your opinion loud n clear but when the song went from Gramps, to Dad to me becoming a phone man I lost it. I don’t have the elegant words like the author of this article but I have the soul of a man which the author of the song’s words cut right through.
Also, met Eady at a record release show in Ft Worth one night for I Travel On. Little join on the second floor. Met him, his wife and the band that night. Kinda makes this song even a little more special to me and I’m sure the thousands of others that have met these truly grounded and gifted people.
June 23, 2021 @ 9:08 pm
Quite the twist there. Eady is definitely the real deal.
Was lucky enough to catch Jason and Adam Hood playing five miles down the road from me the other night. It’s normally a treat to hear Jason work with Courtney, but he and Adam put on a heck of a show together. If they’re coming to your neck of the woods, don’t you dare miss them.
June 24, 2021 @ 12:40 pm
Was at two of the shows on his IL run with Kayla Ray. Night one was a little more rowdy, and he played the new album front to back. Can’t wait for it to come out this summer
June 24, 2021 @ 1:37 am
Trig got it right: ” …unless yuo’re Jason Eady”. I’m form Roma and Anzio is just nearby.
I remember he told me the whole story first hand the last time he played down here.
A texas treasure for sure in the long tradition of the best texan troubadours.
June 24, 2021 @ 4:00 am
So I take it he’s watched It’s A Wonderful Life a few times.
June 24, 2021 @ 5:27 am
Big fan of Jason’s. 10/10
June 24, 2021 @ 6:30 am
Wow!
June 24, 2021 @ 9:09 am
It’s great and all just not something I’d constantly have on repeat.
The title before reading the review made me think he might be trying to appeal to radio.
June 24, 2021 @ 9:42 am
Truly great songs are hardly ever songs that you would have on repeat.
June 26, 2021 @ 3:30 am
Huh?
June 27, 2021 @ 12:54 pm
What about that post was too difficult for you?
June 25, 2021 @ 12:33 am
my grandaddy fought so i could be who i want to be? are you serious? thats up there with we got to fight them over there cause they hate our freedom!
June 26, 2021 @ 11:03 am
Something tells me all our lives would be a little different had the Nazis won. Maybe it’s a bit of an overused cliche now, but perhaps not a concept to too easily dismiss either.
June 27, 2021 @ 12:55 pm
So much ignorance about what WWII could have led to…
June 27, 2021 @ 1:25 am
Powerful. This is special.
July 3, 2021 @ 8:19 am
This melodramatic song isn’t the song of the year. It belongs to the sappy 2000s soldier song genre. Good but not great.
Aaron Lewis just dropped the song of the year. A masterpiece.
July 24, 2023 @ 1:13 pm
As great as that song is – and it is – it makes me think this afternoon is time to get more familiar with Eady’s catalogue.