I think the character singing (not the girl) is dead, possibly one of the sailors "slipping to sleep". I imagine that he gets excited by summer because that's when his girl comes to the beach and lounges, "the bend of her hand" (or her wrist) digging into the sand evokes an image of her seated on the beach, leaning back and resting her weight on her hands. This seems the right mix of whimsy and tragedy for the Decemberists.
I think the character singing (not the girl) is dead, possibly one of the sailors "slipping to sleep". I imagine that he gets excited by summer because that's when his girl comes to the beach and lounges, "the bend of her hand" (or her wrist) digging into the sand evokes an image of her seated on the beach, leaning back and resting her weight on her hands. This seems the right mix of whimsy and tragedy for the Decemberists.