Send My Picture to Scranton PA
B.J. Thomas Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Send my picture to Scranton, PA
Write them and say I'm the kid they used to laugh at
Send my picture along with the news
Of all the good things I've done
Since they said

Nothing good ever would become of me
They were so sure
Let them know just how wrong they all can be
Get someone to

Paste my picture all over the walls
In all the halls of the school I used to go to
I was mixed up and kind of confused
No one around to took the time to find out

What was wrong and to try to understand
They ignored me
Maybe now they'll give kids a helping hand

That's how it really ought to be
Not like the way it was with me

Well, no one there ever tried to understand
They ignored me
Maybe now they'll give kids a helping hand
I hope to God they cast aside





So I went out and really tried
Now they can point to me with pride.

Overall Meaning

The song "Send my picture to Scranton, PA" by B.J. Thomas is a reflective piece about a man's past and the desire to prove wrong those who doubted his ability to succeed. The singer asks for his picture to be sent to his hometown of Scranton, along with news of his accomplishments, to show that those who laughed at him in the past were wrong. He wants his picture to be posted on the walls of the school he attended so that the students can see that there is always hope for those who may be struggling.


The singer reflects on his own experiences of being "mixed up and kind of confused" and feeling ignored by those around him. He hopes that his success will inspire others to give children a helping hand, and not to brush them aside as he was. The song emphasizes the importance of understanding and support, as well as the negative impact of ignoring or misunderstanding those who may be struggling.


Overall, "Send my picture to Scranton, PA" is a message of hope and redemption. It shows that even those who may have been dismissed or overlooked in the past are capable of achieving great things with hard work and perseverance.


Line by Line Meaning

Send my picture to Scranton, PA
Please mail a copy of my photo to Scranton, Pennsylvania.


Write them and say I'm the kid they used to laugh at
Inform them that I am the person they used to mock.


Send my picture along with the news
Include my photo as well as the information.


Of all the good things I've done
Of all the positive achievements I have accomplished.


Since they said
After they made a statement about me.


Nothing good ever would become of me
I was unlikely to attain any success.


They were so sure
They had complete confidence in their prediction.


Let them know just how wrong they all can be
Inform them about how incorrect they were.


Get someone to
Please ask another individual to help.


Paste my picture all over the walls
Place my photo on every wall.


In all the halls of the school I used to go to
Throughout the corridors of the educational institution I once attended.


I was mixed up and kind of confused
I was uncertain and lacked clarity.


No one around to took the time to find out
There was no one accessible who made the effort to comprehend.


What was wrong and to try to understand
To recognize the issue and attempt to comprehend it.


They ignored me
They disregarded my situation.


Maybe now they'll give kids a helping hand
Perhaps they will assist children in need.


That's how it really ought to be
This is truly how it should be done.


Not like the way it was with me
Unlike my previous experience.


Well, no one there ever tried to understand
No one at that location attempted to comprehend.


They ignored me
They disregarded my situation.


Maybe now they'll give kids a helping hand
Perhaps they will assist children in need.


I hope to God they cast aside
I hope they abandon their preconceptions.


So I went out and really tried
As a result, I tried my hardest.


Now they can point to me with pride.
They can now refer to me with a sense of satisfaction.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BURT BACHARACH, HAL DAVID

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@gilbertobartras8151

Send my picture to Scranton, PA
Write them and say I'm the kid they used to laugh at
Send my picture along with the news

Of all the good things I've done
Since they said
Nothing good ever would become of me.
They were so sure
Let them know just how wrong they all can be.

Get someone to
Paste my picture all over the walls,
In all the halls of the school I used to go to
I was mixed up and kind of confused
No one around took the time to find out
What was wrong and to try to understand.
They ignored me
May be now they'll give kids a helping hand.
That’s how it really ought to be.
Not like the way it was with me.

Well, no one there ever tried to understand.
They ignored me.
Maybe now they'll give kids a helping hand.
I hope to God they cast aside
So I went out and really tried.
Now they can point to me with pride.



All comments from YouTube:

@stuartbritton4811

One of my favourite Bacharach compositions and also my favourite BJ Thomas one.

@wmbrown6

The label shown was a pressing by Columbia's Pitman, NJ plant, with the label design way off center. Pitman did their own label type, and Queens Litho likely printed the label blanks. This was a window into what specs went into the printing of 45 label sheets, especially styrene. The bleed for a 3.5" trim label was 3.75", spaced 3.75" center-to-center. The inner bleed was ~1.2421875" (a shade under 1.25"). That purplish-graying looking middle was ~20% halftone, with black and the slightly dark warm red as used by Scepter mixed in. The circles in-between that halftone were about 3.875" diameter. The paper on which this was printed was 70 lb. C1S (from Nashua Corporation, formerly Nashua Gummed & Coated Paper Co.), treated on the back with adhesive that glued onto the record when pressed. (Newton Falls Paper manufactured 70 lb. C2S which was used for vinyl in both 45 (for Santa Maria, CA pressings) and LP.)

@tvgator1

Man, this is a TOUGH find! Thanks so much for putting this up. I haven't heard this since I played this 45 years ago.

@carlcarro7291

tvgator1

@kristineb.mcanelly3304

I own one. Lived there. *wiggles eyebrows.

@scottmcewan2744

A rare gem. Thanks for sharing.

@dennistedder3384

Loved this since '68. Dennis Tedder

@willyBOB77

One of the best B-side songs of all time.  What a message!  Glad you finally posted it, 45rpmMike.  

@pibly7784

Thanks so much for this !

@ritamunz4735

My current ear worm love this song

More Comments

More Versions