As Hurricane Dorian swoops in to wipe away any remaining ounce of summer for this year, Kenny James has released his new single, “Don’t Leave Me July,” along with a video lamenting the the end of warm (and dry) weather.
Written on the last day of July 2019, the song doubles as a bittersweet goodbye to both summer and a fictional girl James has created, bearing the month’s name and the absolute betrayal of everything good in the universe with the ending of the season.
“[July is] really the heart of the summer and in the Maritimes it’s kind of when the weather finally starts to warm up. [The song is] based on some kind of femme fatale relationship that comes and goes with the seasons,” says James. “He loves and hates it at the same time.”
The song is more than just a throwback to summer, but also contains the bones of happier times. Built on a simple jangle, “Don’t Leave Me, July” has a certain essence of Beatles, and is even reminiscent of Ringo Starr’s “The Christmas Dance,” though a bit seasonally inverted.
For the video, James willingly subjects himself to a light drenching as he stoically takes a pelting of water balloons. But, as they say, what is art without a little suffering?
“My daughter Kaylee brought home an army of her grade 11 friends,” says James. “They all took great pleasure in pelting me with water balloons and marshmallows…. I have no idea why marshmallows. It was my daughters idea. She insisted on the mini ones….The band OK Go has nothing on me.”
“Don’t Leave Me, July” is schedule to appear on Kenny James’ third and upcoming album which will be released sometime in the Spring of 2020.
Show Dates:
09.21.19 – Sackville, NB @ The Sackville Fall Fair*
*Tom Petty Tribute Show