If summer were a song, it would sound like the Jonas Brothers’ “Summer Baby.” The standout track, featured on their freshly released LP The Album, ushers in the unofficial start of the sunny season with their signature melodies, groovy beats, and infectious energy that has us looking forward to hotter weather and memorable summer nights.
Drawing from a host of collective musical influences, Joe, Kevin, and Nick Jonas keep the atmosphere of the track light and breezy, making it the perfect soundtrack for summer road trips and vacations to the beach. Taking cues from The Doobie Brothers, Earth, Wind & Fire, and the Bee Gees, as well as 1970s pop radio hits, The Album delves into the trio’s musical range, possessing a throughline of carefree summertime fun — and “Summer Baby” fully embodies that familiar lighthearted spirit.
Sonically, the track is built around catchy hooks and funky basslines. It opens with bouncy acoustic guitar stums, leading into the group’s saccharine melodies. Think contemporary pop meets The Doobie Brothers’ “What a Fool Believes.” Vocal work from both Nick and Joe is also powerfully reminiscent of their aforementioned Bee Gees influence, with high vocals that unmistakably resemble that of Barry Gibb’s falsetto. Fittingly, the group’s harmonies remain akin to that of the Gibb brothers throughout the majority of The Album, a nod to their mainstay childhood influences.
The lyrical content of “Summer Baby” finds the brothers confessing their love for their significant others. There’s a juxtaposition between admiration and wonderment that’s prevalent in so many of their songs, but here, they introduce domesticity to the recipe. “You’re a full blown problem lucky I’m your baby’s father,” Joe sings in the punchy first lines. Lyrics like the track’s lively chorus, “You feel like summer, baby, heatin’ up my body / Too much tequila now we’re dancin’ in the lobby,” paint a jubilant picture of a love that equates to the warmth of summertime. While their 2019 comeback LP, Happiness Begins, saw the brothers establishing their new era as a group, The Album comes as a true celebration of love — an emotional journey of sorts that explores the feelings of falling in love to cherishing it and reveling in its many joys.
For these reasons, “Summer Baby” easily renders itself the feel-good anthem of the summer. The sunny and upbeat ambiance of both the track and album as a whole reflect the personal growth of the Jonas Brothers, from navigating their Disney Channel days as teen heartthrobs to celebrating the contentedness of family life. It’s obvious within The Album that the trio are at a pivotal point in their career and they are more than happy to share some of that positive energy with fans. Overflowing with good vibes, “Summer Baby” is sure to heat up the airwaves this summer.