Most summer hits have little to do about this time of year. For every “California Gurls” celebrating “bikinis on top,” there are songs like “Papa Don’t Preach,” “Waterfalls,” and “Genie In A Bottle,” all of which have not a single tie to the season. Stand-out pop, for sure, but rare is the warm-weather smash that explicitly (or even implicitly) screams summer.

One song that does melt popsicles when put on blast, but was also something of a late bloomer is Bananarama’s “Cruel Summer.” Released in July 1984, the British girl group’s single didn’t peak at #9 until late September. Siobhan, Keren, and Sara’s downbeat tale of dejection — summer un-lovin’ — was all over the radio for weeks, perfectly timed as the heat got right out of hand.

Now Chapel Hill, North Carolina indie rockers Superchunk have covered “Cruel Summer” as the perfect B-side complement to their anthemic new single, “This Summer.” Cranking up the guitars and tempo for a frenetic and punky take on Bananarama’s classic track, I can’t help but think this is how “Cruel Summer” might sound if The Go-Go’s ever thought to cover it (exchanging Superchunk singer Mac McCaughan for the summer reign of Belinda Carlisle, of course).

Purchase Superchunk – “Cruel Summer” (Bananarama cover) via iTunes, Amazon MP3.