I’m jumping back to the movies for my fourth show tune of the week (technically, Grease started as a stage musical, but the film is the version I know and love). I was going to cheat even further and post the title song today, but that felt like too much of a stretch.
Grease is one of the great movies of my youth, a film I know by heart after countless viewings on TV, VHS and DVD. It’s also one of the most amusing examples of actors who are practically middle-aged playing high-schoolers. I mean, seriously… Cha-Cha DiGregorio could have been in her 50s. Of course, when I saw this movie as a young boy, I just figured that’s what high school kids looked like.
‘Summer Nights’ is the first big number of the film and it’s a classic. The he-said/she-said lyrics are hilarious and the whole thing is so well-performed by the complete cast. My two favorite lyrical juxtapositions in this song are “Was it love at first site? / Did she put up a fight?” and “We made out under the dock / We stayed out til ten o’clock.” Priceless.
I think in my more innocent youth I always figured that Sandy’s version of events was the true one, while Danny was exaggerating to look cool in front of his friends. And things probably do tilt that way, to a degree. I mean, I doubt she nearly drowned, but on the other hand I’m pretty sure they did more than drink lemonade.
Finally, respect must be paid to John Travolta’s delivery of that final “ni-highhhtttss.” Way to put it out there, Johnny.
Summer lovin’ had me a blast
[Sandy]
Summer lovin’ happened so fast
[Danny]
I met a girl crazy for me
[Sandy]
Met a boy cute as can be
[Both]
Summer days driftin’ away, to uh-oh those summer nights
[Everyone]
Uh Well-a well-a well-a huh
[Thunderbirds]
Tell me more, tell me more
[Doody]
Did you get very far?
[Pink Ladies]
Tell me more, tell me more
[Marty]
Like does he have a car?
[Everyone]
Uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh
[Danny]
She swam by me, she got a cramp
[Sandy]
He ran by me, got my suit damp
[Danny]
I saved her life, she nearly drowned
[Sandy]
He showed off, splashing around
[Both]
Summer sun, something’s begun, but uh-oh those summer nights
[Everyone]
Uh well-a well-a well-a huh
[Pink Ladies]
Tell me more, tell me more
[Frenchy]
Was it love at first sight?
[Thunderbirds]
Tell me more, tell me more
[Kenickie]
Did she put up a fight?
[Everyone]
Uh-huh-uh-huh-uh-huh-uh-huh
[Danny]
Took her bowling in the arcade
[Sandy]
We went strolling, drank lemonade
[Danny]
We made out under the dock
[Sandy]
We stayed out ’till ten o’clock
[Both]
Summer fling, don’t mean a thing, but uh-oh those summer nights
[Everyone]
Uh well-a well-a well-a huh
[Thunderbirds]
Tell me more, tell me more
[Putzie]
But you don’t gotta brag
[Pink Ladies]
Tell me more, tell me more
[Rizzo]
Cos he sounds like a drag
[Everyone]
shoo-bop bop, shoo-bop bop, shoo-bop bop,shoo-bop bop, shoo-bop bop, shoo-bop bop, shoo-bop bop, YEH
[Sandy]
He got friendly, holding my hand
[Danny]
While she got friendly down in the sand
[Sandy]
He was sweet, just turned eighteen
[Danny]
Well she was good you know what I mean
[Everyone]
Woah!
[Both]
Summer heat, boy and girl meet, but uh-oh those summer nights
[Everyone]
woo, woo, woo
[Pink Ladies]
Tell me more, tell me more
[ Jan]
How much dough did he spend?
[Thunderbirds]
Tell me more, tell me more
[Sonny]
Could she get me a friend?
[Sandy]
It turned colder – that’s where it ends
[Danny]
So I told her we’d still be friends
[Sandy]
Then we made our true love vow
[Danny]
Wonder what she’s doing now
[Both]
Summer dreams ripped at the seams,
bu-ut oh, those su-ummer nights….
[Everyone]
Tell me more, tell me more!
Meet Me In Montauk 
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
It’s about as wonderful a song and sequence as any ever performed. How perfectly this song captures the jealousy among a social group. the need to impress, the peer pressure, the snide little asides and looks (mostly with the girls, of course), the use of stories (especially stories of sexual conquest) to assert a position of dominance in the group. I bet a college course could be created around this song alone (and the lunch scene from The Breakfast Club)
I did get a chance to see a stage version of the show – after the movie had already been released – and I remember enjoying it very much. Still, this is the scene that pops into my mind when I think of Grease. Apparently, there was a singalong even this summer, aiming to turn the film into another sort of Rocky Horror Picture Show. I was out of town or I would have been in that theater. Hope there is an encore!
I either revel in this song or cringe at its cheesiness, depending upon my mood. I suppose its the internal conflict I have between being a mushy bright guy and a curmudgeony pessimist. As with many other movies and songs, however, my initial childhood love of this song and Grease generally faded in college and through my 20’s, but was more recently rekindled when experiencing them through my children
Neither Grease nor any of its songs (from the musical anyway) will ever go down as great art, but who cares? They’re still fun, cheese and all.
I beg to differ. ‘Greased Lightning’ is, indeed, great art. 🙂
This is too wonderful! I can and have watched this movie so many times; I love all the numbers and just watching Travolta move is a treat! Oh yes Dana, this is great art 🙂