INVINCIBLE SUMMER Playlist: Song 2

SONG #2: "Island in the Sun" by Weezer.

A lot of the appeal of this song is the image that flashes in my head when I hear it. Though it was by no means the first time I heard the song, the most memorable time was at my very first concert, when I was fourteen.

The lights went off all of a sudden, and when they came up, Rivers Cuomo, Weezer's lead singer, was standing on a platform in the middle of the audience. He played this song alone, with one spotlight on him and his acoustic guitar. Around him, everyone was screaming, cheering, singing along, but Rivers was quiet the whole time. For him, it was him and his guitar.

It's one of the most peaceful songs I know, which made it ideal for following "Turn Up The Sun." Because the gritty grungy rock feel of "Turn Up The Sun" is the tone of the entire book, but Chase's first summer is notably more peaceful.

There's an idyllic feel to "Island in the Sun." This is a song without any obvious conflict, but there's a strange undercurrent of unease throughout the entire song. There's something there that isn't quite right.

It's a song about pretending things are okay. About standing in a platform in the middle of a crazy audience.

SAMPLE LYRIC:

On an island in the sun
We'll be playing and having fun
And it makes me feel so fine
I can't control my brain

We'll run away together
We'll spend some time forever
We'll never feel bad anymore

CORRELATING PASSAGE:

"You don't want your new sister to be born on the beach, do you?"

I look at Mom, practically bursting through her maternity swimsuit, chatting with Mr. and Mrs. Hathaway, sipping a Diet Coke. By the ocean, Shannon's holding Gid by his waist, twirling him around, and Claudia's crying, "He'll get dizzy! He'll get dizzy!"

I kind of can't think of a better place for her to be born than right here on the beach, but I know that's stupid. I know babies need hospitals, but right now I can't imagine anyone needing anything more than this.

Dad kisses the top of my head. "Where do you think Noah goes?"

"Anywhere. He sits in bookstores or sleeps on people's couches or something. He doesn't care where he goes. I get that part."

"You get that part?"

I nod, tracing my initials in the sand.

"Which part don't you get, Chase?"

I clear my throat. "Why he goes."

--p. 36




PLAYLIST SO FAR:
1) "Turn Up The Sun" by Oasis
2) "Island in the Sun" by Weezer