Tod Weidner Covers "The Boys of Summer"

You know the tune. The quick tempo and unmistakable 80s flavor has likely blasted from your car speakers dozens of times, windows rolled down, and you got your hair combed back. 

Of course, this is Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer,” originally released in ‘84. For those familiar with the song, it may associate with feelings of nostalgia, joy, maybe the feeling that you can’t be stopped. But despite the punching back beat and major chord lifts, the lyrics relate to a darker reality, masked in all that 80s flash—one that Tod Weidner has tapped into with his new tribute to the classic hit. 

Tod Weidner has always had an affinity for the song. He was about 15 years old when it came out. Today, Tod lives in California, paying the seemingly never ending songwriter dues, and on New Year’s Day, began plucking out a version of “The Boys of Summer,” just on a whim. 

“I thought, ‘what can I do with this?’” said Weidner. “It’s nostalgic, evocative and puts me back in a certain place and time. I think it has a mystical quality to it in that so many people seem to relate to it.” 

So on the first day of this year, he sat in his home studio and worked away at what would become his own slowed-down, stretched-out version of “The Boys of Summer.” A cover that highlights Tod’s gravely, soulful vocal, that takes some unexpected turns and liberties with the melody we are all so conditioned to. The cover is unique in the way Tod draws out certain lines as if slowly carving out a definitive feeling from a hard block of conflicting emotions. 

“I sent it to my [manager] Jack Piatt (Highway West Entertainment, Founder), who said ‘we should release this!’”

When asked about his approach to forming his version of the song, Tod shared that he wanted to tap into the moody darkness that the lyrics evoke. 

“The narrator is looking back on a failed love affair,” he said. “If you read too much into the lyrics, it almost sounds like the story of a creepy dude stalking someone! [laughs] I noticed a darker edge to the lyrics so I wanted to use this dark, Americana chord progression I came up with. You can’t top what Mike Campbell did on the guitar [in the original] so I chose to go totally my own way, and create this sort of spookier rendition. I took it and ran with it. I put my stamp on it. 
I didn’t have a master plan. I like the fact that it's a little vulnerable.”

Tod joked about something he heard in an interview with Eddie Van Halen once, where he said if you cover a hit, you’re halfway there, because people already know the song. Tod points out that since people definitely know this song, they might lean in and listen a little closer to hear what’s different. 

“I usually fall into the trap of overthinking,” said Tod. “This time I didn’t.”

This release marks the third of a string of songs Tod has set for release—the first two, as well as the rest are all originals which feature a heavy cast of musicians with significant accolades, who Tod’s manager and producer helped line up. 

“

I’m still kind of floating from the sessions,” said Tod. “The fact that I had Tom Petty’s drummer, and Michael Jackson’s bass player and Prince's vocalist and Eric Clapton’s keyboardist and The Rolling Stones’ background vocalist … the fact that these people were available and enthusiastic about playing on my songs; I’m still wrapping my head around that.”

Tod is a humble creator. He may tell you that he’s still a ‘struggling artist’ but it’s true that we can expect some great music from Tod Weidner this year as he comes into his own and is lifted up by his peers.

“It wasn’t long ago I was a struggling musician in the midwest,” said Tod.

No doubt, It’ll be worth checking in on this dedicated artist. His love for music and the craft of making it stands strong, even after his cover of “The Boys of Summer” has gone … viral. 

Listen to Tod Weidner’s cover of “The Boys of Summer” on Spotify.