Barns Courtney (born Barnaby George Courtney on 17 November 1990 in
Ayle… Read Full Bio ↴Barns Courtney (born Barnaby George Courtney on 17 November 1990 in
Aylesbury, England) is an English singer, songwriter and musician.

Courtney spent a large part of his childhood in Seattle,USA, before returning to home country UK as a 15-year-old. This change of scenery comes across as clearly in his eclectic mix of US blues-rock, hip-hop and grunge with British indie melodic sensibilities, as it does in his hybrid US-British twang.

Playing in various projects and bands growing up whilst developing his sound, Barns incarnation as a solo artist has been an unexpectedly fast paced one. At the end of 2015, his first track ‘Glitter & Gold’, with its rocking gospel-blues and Barns’ honey & sand delivery, soared to #1 on the UK Spotify Viral Chart, #2 on the iTunes Alternative Chart, was added to the BBC Introducing Playlist, clocked hundred of thousands of plays on YouTube, and was featured on the ITV Winter 2015 drama reel, all in the span of two months.

‘Goodbye John Smith’, a poignant piano ballad that channels ageless song-and-voice men such as Johnny Cash and Tom Waits, hit the radars of tastemakers online and further spread the word about Barns, earning him a spot as one of Channel 4’s Future Sounds artists that year.

Barns Courtney released his debut EP, ‘Hands’, a four-track collection, in 2016 on Virgin EMI.

Little Boy
Barns Courtney Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Little boy inside my chest
Beat my heart just like a drum
Tell him I'll never forget
How it was when we were young

'Cause you and I, we dreamed a dream
On the road in '93
To tell him it's not over yet

I still got some fight in me

Woah, I'm gonna lie low
Smoke in my hand, oh
Lying awake in my hotel bed, oh
Down in the valley, down in my love, oh
Darling I pray something picks me up

I'll never let this go
I'll do this on my own

Little boy inside my chest
Breathe some life into my bones
I've been lost and wandering
Down and out and missing home

'Cause you and I we dreamed a dream
On the road with my guitar
So beat a little louder now
I can't hear you anymore

Woah, I'm gonna lie low
Smoke in my hand, oh
Lying awake in my hotel bed, oh
Down in the valley, down in my love, oh
Darling I pray something picks me up, hey

I'll never let this go
I'll do this on my own

And we never got too tired
And we never got too old
We just ran through the streets forever, arm in arm
And the setting sun was higher than it ever was before
And we never knew perfection like it was

Woah, I'm gonna lie low
Smoke in my hand, oh
Lying awake in my hotel bed, oh
Down in the valley, down in my love
Darling I pray that you'll hold

I'll never let this go
I'll do this on my own

Overall Meaning

The song "Little Boy" by Barns Courtney is a nostalgia-filled anthem about never forgetting the dreams and passion of our youth. The "little boy inside my chest" is a metaphor for the artist's youthful spirit, which beats like a drum and fills the singer with the drive to pursue his dreams. The song starts off with the singer reminiscing about his past and the dreams he shared with someone close to him. He is determined to hold on to that spark and push himself, regardless of the setbacks he may face in pursuing his dreams.

As the song progresses, the singer admits to feeling lost and out of place, missing his home and the people he left behind. He then remembers the dream he had shared with someone special of traveling with his guitar, making music, and living life to the fullest. The chorus becomes a rallying cry, promising to never let go of his dreams and to continue the fight, even when the going gets tough.

The final verse shifts to a scene of the two individuals running through the streets together, experiencing a moment of perfection that they would never forget. The song ends with the singer pleading for that special someone to hold on, as he will never let go of their dreams and will continue the journey on his own.

Overall, "Little Boy" is a powerful song filled with hope, determination, and the promise of never forgetting the passion and fire of our youth.

Line by Line Meaning

Little boy inside my chest
Refers to the youthful, adventurous spirit that the singer still holds within himself

Beat my heart just like a drum
The excitement of the singer's adventurous spirit and his desire to pursue his dreams has led to his heart racing like a drumbeat

Tell him I'll never forget
The singer is addressing his own inner child, promising to never forget the youthful spirit he possesses

How it was when we were young
The singer is reminiscing about the good old days of his youth

'Cause you and I, we dreamed a dream
Refers to a shared dream that the singer had with someone else

On the road in '93
Referring to a specific time period where the dream was born or pursued

To tell him it's not over yet
The singer is once again addressing his inner child, telling him that there is still hope and potential for the dream to be achieved

I still got some fight in me
The singer is still determined to fight for his dream and make it a reality

Woah, I'm gonna lie low
The singer is taking some time to rest and recuperate

Smoke in my hand, oh
The singer is smoking to calm his nerves or ease his mind

Lying awake in my hotel bed, oh
The singer is finding it hard to sleep, perhaps due to internal struggles or external stressors

Down in the valley, down in my love, oh
The singer is feeling down or low, but is also thinking of a loved one

Darling I pray something picks me up
The singer is hoping for something positive to happen that will lift his spirits

I'll never let this go
The singer is determined to never give up on his dream

I'll do this on my own
The singer is willing to go it alone if necessary to achieve his dream

Breathe some life into my bones
The singer needs his inner child to give him the energy and passion to pursue his dreams

I've been lost and wandering
The singer has been struggling to find his path and direction in life

Down and out and missing home
The singer is feeling low and disconnected, perhaps longing for the comfort of his childhood home

So beat a little louder now
The singer is trying to rekindle his passion and enthusiasm for his dream

I can't hear you anymore
The singer is losing focus or clarity in his pursuit of his dream

And we never got too tired
Referring to the memory of a time when the singer had boundless energy and endurance

And we never got too old
The singer and his companion(s) never lost their youthful spirit and passion

We just ran through the streets forever, arm in arm
The singer and his companion(s) shared a deep, meaningful connection that allowed them to run towards their dreams together

And the setting sun was higher than it ever was before
Refers to a time when the world seemed full of possibilities and potential

And we never knew perfection like it was
The singer is referring to a moment of pure, unadulterated joy and happiness that they shared with someone else, which they have never experienced since

Darling I pray that you'll hold
The singer is once again addressing a loved one, hoping for comfort and support

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BARNABY COURTNEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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