Top Ten Songs of the Summer
#2 – Rick Springfield – ‘Jessie’s Girl’ (1981)
The 80s are my favorite musical decade, so it’s no surprise that my top two Songs of the Summer are from that great era.
Rick Springfield’s 1981 hit ‘Jessie’s Girl’ was a slow builder, creeping up the Hot 100 until it finally reached #1 in August. That was enough to give it the Song of the Summer title over second place finisher ‘Better Davis Eyes.’ That Kim Carnes classic would have likely made my top five had it earned the crown, underscoring what a great time it was to be a music fan.
This rocking ode to jealousy and unrequited love is one of the great power pop songs of the 80s. It was Springfield’s only #1 hit in the U.S., though ‘Don’t Talk to Strangers’ made it to #2 the following year and ‘Love Somebody’ reached #5 in 1984.
‘Jessie’s Girl’ had a renaissance when it was featured in the great Alfred Molina drug deal scene in 1997’s Boogie Nights, along with Nena’s ’99 Luftballons’ and Night Ranger’s ‘Sister Christian.’ Now that was a mixtape!
Jessie is a friend
Yeah, I know, he’s been a good friend of mine
But lately something’s changed that ain’t hard to define
Jessie’s got himself a girl, and I wanna make her mine
[Pre-Chorus]
And she’s watching him with those eyes
And she’s lovin’ him with that body
I just know it
And he’s holding her in his arms late, late at night
[Chorus]
You know I wish that I had Jessie’s girl
I wish that I had Jessie’s girl
Where can I find a woman like that?
[Verse 2]
I’ll play along with this charade
That doesn’t seem to be a reason to change
You know I feel so dirty when they start talking cute
I wanna tell her that I love her, but the point is probably moot
[Pre-Chorus]
‘Cause she’s watching him with those eyes
And she’s lovin’ him with that body
I just know it
And he’s holding her in his arms late, late at night
[Chorus]
You know I wish that I had Jessie’s girl
I wish that I had Jessie’s girl
Where can I find a woman like that?
Like Jessie’s girl
I wish that I had Jessie’s girl
Where can I find a woman…
Where can I find a woman like that?
[Bridge]
And I’m lookin’ in the mirror all the time
Wonderin’ what she don’t see in me
I’ve been funny; I’ve been cool with the lines
Ain’t that the way love’s supposed to be?
[Interlude]
Tell me where can I find a woman like that?
[Guitar Solo]
[Chorus]
You know I wish that I had Jessie’s girl
I wish that I had Jessie’s girl
I want Jessie’s girl
Where can I find a woman like that?
Like Jessie’s girl
I wish that I had Jessie’s girl
I want, I want Jessie’s girl
Meet Me In Montauk 
Ah, this takes me back to the days when I would come home from school and watch General Hospital at 3pm on ABC. As memory serves, Springfield actually performed (or lip synced) this song on the show. Fun times!