The Meaning of Seals and Crofts’ “Summer Breeze”

Seals and Crofts’ “Summer Breeze” is one of the most iconic summertime anthems of all time, from the songwriting duo of Jim Seals and Dash Crofts. The soft, gentle summertime anthem was a hit upon release in 1972, as a single from the Summer Breeze album, and has remained popular both in its original form and through various covers ever since (including a very popular 1974 cover by The Isley Brothers).

The lyrics to “Summer Breeze” describe a beautiful summer day, when everything feels just fine. You know the feeling — the sun is shining, the temperature is comfortable, and it seems nothing can bother you thanks to that sweet summer breeze.

First you hear the iconic intro, with the peaceful harmonizing of guitar, flute, clarinet and various string instruments to create that wistful melody. Then the opening verse drops in to accompany the calm setting conjured by the musical arrangement:

See the curtains hangin’ in the window
In the evening on a Friday night
A little light a-shinin’ through the window
Lets me know everything’s all right

First verse to “Summer Breeze” by Seals and Crofts.

The first verse introduces this summer evening, with a man coming home from work to his happy, comfortable home. He sees a light shining through the window, and knows that everything is alright. It may have been a long day, but it’s summertime and he’s coming home — the day is done.

We don’t have to try very hard to figure out that it’s a fine evening, either, because the chorus is up next and tells us everything we need to know:

Summer breeze makes me feel fine
Blowin’ through the jasmine in my mind
Summer breeze makes me feel fine
Blowin’ though the jasmine in my mind

Chorus to “Summer Breeze” by Seals and Crofts.

Lyrically, the chorus connects the summer breeze with the jasmine in the singer’s mind. Jasmine is known for its sweet scent that is often associated with the onset of summer, as it tends to bloom right as things are starting to heat up.

There’s something to be said about the beginning of summer, and the special feeling that it carries with it in the air. Seals and Crofts wrote a song about that, and used the simple act of coming home from work to illuminate it.

Up next, we have the second verse:

See the paper layin’ on the sidewalk
A little music from the house next door
So I walk on up to the doorstep
Through the screen and across the floor

Second verse to “Summer Breeze” by Seals and Crofts.

He shows up at home to see the newspaper on the sidewalk, and the neighbors playing music. This is a nice scene, and one that many would hope to find upon arriving home on a summer evening.

Then, he walks inside, and then we have another hit of that glorious chorus before leading into the bridge:

Sweet days of summer, the jasmine’s in bloom
July is dressed up and playing her tune
And I come home from a hard day’s work
And you’re waiting there
Not a care in the world

Bridge to “Summer Breeze” by Seals and Crofts.

The bridge further cements this song right in the midst of summer, placing it sometime in mid-July, and again referencing the jasmine, this time in a concrete form saying that it’s in bloom. There are no worries, just a happy scene at home and perfect weather outside — the best thing to come home to after a long day’s work.

See the smile awaitin’ in the kitchen
Through cookin’ and the plates for two
Feel the arms that reach out to hold me
In the evening when the day is through

Third verse to “Summer Breeze” by Seals and Crofts.

To finalize the happy scene from “Summer Breeze”, we see the couple eating dinner together, with plates made for two set up in the kitchen to meet our singer as he arrives.

Now, this is not a scene that everybody has the pleasure to experience, but the image of it is quite nice, and it brings with it the warmth of summertime in a way that made the song a massive, longstanding hit.

Listen to the original “Summer Breeze” by Seals and Crofts below. Below that find the Isley Brother’s excellent two-part soul cover, and below that find the lesser-known (but still awesome) cover by The Main Ingredient.