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Classic Songs
Revisited
Smalltown Boy
written by Steve Bronski, Jimmy Somerville and Larry Steinbachek
produced by Mike Thorne
I’m making this page on June 23rd, 2021, the day after the 60th
birthday of James (Jimmy) William Somerville, the lead singer of
synth-pop band Bronski Beat, as well as that of BB-follow-up The
Communards. Happy Birthday, JS!!
Falsetto-voiced Jimmy Somerville was born in Greenock, Scotland, and worked with Bronski Beat and The Communards before going solo into the late ’80s and beyond. This song covered on this page in fact kicked off his career with Bronski, as the lead single released from their debut album. Its synth-pop is little short of brilliant, rather a la Pet Shop Boys. But even more so than Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, George Michael and so on, Jimmy himself become responsible for immersing himself in and spreading awareness of gay culture through the mainstream.
“Smalltown Boy” here, along with several other Somerville numbers, carried messages of political commentary on gay culture in their lyrics. Said commentary was echoed in the song’s gutsy music video, which may just traumatize you a bit; so do proceed with caution.
Have notes to add? Let me know!
YT:
1984
Lyrics
To your soul, to your soul / Cry, cry, cry / You leave in the morning with everything you own in a little black case / Alone on a platform, the wind and the rain on a sad and lonely face / Mother will never understand why you had to leave / But the answers you seek will never be found at home / The love that you need will never be found at home / Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away / Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away / Pushed around and kicked around, always a lonely boy / You were the one that they’d talk about around town, as they put you down / And as hard as they would try, they’d hurt to make you cry / But you never cried to them, just to your soul / No, you never cried to them, just to your soul / Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away (crying to your soul) / Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away (crying to your soul, crying to your soul) / Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away (crying to your soul) / Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away (ohhh) / Cry, boy, cry / Cry, boy, cry / Cry, boy, cry, boy, cry / Cry, boy, cry, boy, cry / x2 / x1 / x2 / Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away / Run away, turn away, run away, turn away, run away (to your soul)/[fade]
first release: Smalltown Boy (single) (1984/06)
second/album release: The Age Of Consent (1984/10/15)
audio treated sample
This page was originally made on June 23rd, 2021 and last edited on July 28th, 2021