This whole thing began years ago. Almost forty years ago. The adventures. The fun. The friends… It all began many, many years ago, around ‘87. But, the real action, the real superhero stuff, the late-night adventures… They all began around ’89. This blog is merely one outcome as a result of those good times and good friends.
For a while now, I have been trying to put those adventures into a song—for simply personal reasons. I was inspired by the song “Summer of ’69” (released in 1985) by Bryan Adams. It took me a while to gather what I thought were the key ideas and then filter and sort them out—in addition to prioritizing. But, while I do think of myself as a decent writer, a poet I can be, a song-master I am not. So, I turned to some resources and—with some help—I was able to get a song written and put to music. Now, what to do with it?
As the completion of this project was near the Christmas Season, I figured I would send it to those fellows who were involved—the ones who were there—as a Christmas present. Then, I thought, “Why not also share it on the blog?” So, I am.
If you have been a follower of my blog, this song pretty much encapsulates it all. All the missteps, sidesteps, and other steps. There is even a reference to the ‘Gopher Incident’. If you’re new to this blog, thank you for visiting, and also, this song pretty much encapsulates it all. All the missteps, sidesteps, and other steps. There is even a reference to the ‘Gopher Incident’.
Here is the song. The ‘album’ cover. And, the lyrics.
Enjoy, and have a very Happy Christmas!
It Started in the Summer of ’89
We were wanna-be heroes with wooden swords,
Charging down the alleys and backyard boards.
Friday nights at the park, under busted lights,
Kick-the-can battles turning into jailbreak fights.
No driver’s licence, no engines to roar—
Just sneakers on pavement and a curfew we’d ignore.
All those loud ideas
From those wild, young minds—
We thought the whole world was ours to find.
It started in the summer of ’89,
Where every heartbeat hit like a storyline.
We were running free on a thin, bright shine—
Living like legends before our time.
Yeah—the summer of ’89,
When every night felt bigger than the skyline.
I had a second-hand ninja suit, stitched and torn,
But I wore it like armor from dusk ‘til morn.
Leaping over fences, rolling through the yards,
Pretending we were heroes guarding stolen stars.
Down by The Crick, where the water ran fast,
We’d dare each other further than we should’ve past.
Laughing through the danger,
No thought of the signs—
We kept pushing the edge of the comfort line.
It started in the summer of ’89,
Where every misstep felt like a grand design.
We were making friends, chasing girls in stride—
All fire and trouble we couldn’t hide.
Yeah—the summer of ’89,
Every risk felt sweet and borderline.
We claimed an old barn and named it Turtle Tower,
The secretive Sewer became our lair of power.
We roamed the mountain heights through the rain and snow,
And tried a couple caves just to see how far we’d go.
And that one fiery, inflated gopher, man—
Pulling pranks with water balloons all over the land.
Close calls with the bad guys we thought we’d fight,
And the cops who chased us out of the park at night.
It started in the summer of ’89,
Where the nights were wild and the stars aligned.
Friday-night parties that swallowed the time,
Running from shadows that felt divine.
Yeah—the summer of ’89,
Still burns like lightning in this heart of mine.
Almost Heroes 