Summertime Blues

The speaker feels trapped by work, lack of money, and rules set by other people. He wants time off and a chance to enjoy himself, but his parents, boss, and even his congressman offer no real help. The repeated question about what he can do gives the song a frustrated, comic tone: his complaints are serious to him, but the obstacles seem stubbornly ordinary.

“Raise a fuss” means to complain loudly or make trouble, while “work like a dog” is an idiom meaning to work very hard. The speaker’s wish to take his problem to the United Nations exaggerates how desperate he feels; he is treating a personal frustration as if it needs the attention of world leaders. “Summertime blues” names his unhappy mood, not simply sadness caused by the season.

The ending says there is “no cure” and that he must live with the problem, which sounds bleak. But the exaggerated complaints and playful delivery can also make the song feel humorous rather than hopeless. The speaker may be voicing a genuine desire for freedom, while the song also pokes fun at how powerless he feels when every solution is blocked.