Born in Valdosta, Georgia, and raised in Marietta, Georgia, Royal became a local star at the Bamboo Ranch in Savannah in the 1950s and 1960s. He is best known for the 1965 US Top 10 pop hit "Down in the Boondocks", which, along with the singles "I Knew You When" (Top 20, 1965) and "Hush" (1967), were written and produced by Joe South. Another South composition, "Yo-Yo," just missed the top 40 in Canada and charted poorly in the U.S. when Royal released it in 1967, but a later remake by The Osmonds was a much greater success. His 1969 single, "Cherry Hill Park", peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the 1970s his recording of "Heart's Desire" gained popularity among Northern soul enthusiasts and was regularly played in Northern soul nightclubs.
During the 1980s, Royal had a successful comeback with several Top 10 country hits, including "Tell It Like It Is", "Burned Like a Rocket", and "I'll Pin a Note on Your Pillow".
Royal's career experienced a second major period during the 2000s due to regular airplay on "oldies" radio stations. His music was further exposed to younger generations through a movement known as The Beat Army, an online music forum based on Facebook which is operated by author and music producer Paul Collins. Royal continued to tour regularly, performing concerts at casinos, music festivals and clubs in Canada, the United States, Japan and throughout Europe. His set lists include a mixture of songs representing multiple genres from the 1960s to the present.
Royal played Robert Ally in the indie Western film Billy the Kid (2013), co-starring country singer Cody McCarver.
Royal died in his sleep on October 6, 2015 in Morehead City, North Carolina.
Under The Boardwalk
Billy Joe Royal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And burns the tar up on the roof
And your shoes get so hot
You wish your tired feet
Were fireproof
Under the boardwalk
Down by the sea, yeah
That's where I'll be
From the park, you hear
The happy sounds of a carousel
Mmm, you can almost taste
The hot dogs and
French fries they sell
Under the boardwalk
Down by the sea, yeah
On a blanket with my baby
That's where I'll be
Out of the sun
We'll be having some fun
People walking above
We'll be falling in love
Under the boardwalk, boardwalk
Whoa, under the boardwalk
Down by the sea, yeah
On a blanket with my baby
That's where I'll be
On a blanket with my baby
That's where I'll be
The song "Under The Boardwalk" by Billy Joe Royal is all about finding respite from the scorching sun on a hot summer day. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the lyrics' protagonist on a rooftop, feeling the heat of the sun beating down and even wondering if his feet are "fireproof" due to the hot and unforgiving sidewalk. It's understandable why they would seek out a cooler location, and the titular boardwalk down by the sea is the perfect place to find solace.
The scene of the boardwalk is one that many of us can relate to, with carnival sounds in the background, hot dogs and French fries being sold, and the hustle and bustle of people out for a good time. However, the singer's focus is on the blissful moment with their partner, snuggled up on a blanket and feeling the relief of the cool breeze. As the sun fades into the evening, the couple falls even more deeply in love, and it is clear that this is a special memory that they will cherish forever.
Line by Line Meaning
When the sun beats down
When it's extremely hot outside
And burns the tar up on the roof
And the asphalt on the roof becomes so hot that it's almost melting
And your shoes get so hot
And the shoes you're wearing also become excessively hot
You wish your tired feet
You wish that your exhausted feet
Were fireproof
Could withstand the heat
Under the boardwalk
Beneath the wooden pier
Down by the sea, yeah
Next to the ocean
On a blanket with my baby
Lying on a blanket with the person I love
That's where I'll be
That's where I plan to be
From the park, you hear
From the amusement park nearby, you can hear
The happy sounds of a carousel
The joyous music emanating from a carousel ride
Mmm, you can almost taste
You can virtually experience
The hot dogs and
The delicious hot dogs, as well as
French fries they sell
The appetizing French fries being sold there
Out of the sun
Away from the sunlight
We'll be having some fun
We'll be enjoying ourselves
People walking above
Individuals walking on the pier's deck above us
We'll be falling in love
We'll be falling in love with each other
Under the boardwalk, boardwalk
Beneath the boardwalk, the wooden pier
Whoa, under the boardwalk
Wow, under the boardwalk
On a blanket with my baby
Lying on a blanket with my significant other
That's where I'll be
That's where I intend to be
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Arthur Resnick, Kenny Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daniel Burns
this song only went to #82 on the pop charts in 1978!!!