Billy Joe Royal (April 3, 1942 – October 6, 2015) was an American pop and c… Read Full Bio ↴Billy Joe Royal (April 3, 1942 – October 6, 2015) was an American pop and country singer.

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.

Up On The Roof
Billy Joe Royal Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When the sun beats down
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

On a blanket with my baby
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

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Billy Joe Royal's song "Up On The Roof" paint a picture of a hot summer day, where the sun is scorching down and the tar on the roof is burning hot, making it uncomfortable to wear shoes. The verses then contrast this oppressive city heat with a romantic escape to the seaside, where you can find relief from the heat by sitting under a boardwalk by the sea enjoying French fries and hot dogs on a blanket with your significant other. The sounds of a carousel in the park add to the atmosphere and help to transport you to a more carefree and relaxing place.

The song includes elements of urban life that can be unpleasant, but it also offers a solution to escape and find a haven by the sea. The repeated refrain of "Under the boardwalk, down by the sea, on a blanket with my baby, that's where I'll be" connotes a sense of contentment, liberation, and love, transporting the listener there to a place and a moment in time where they can escape the trials of city life.

Line by Line Meaning

When the sun beats down
During hot summer days

And burns the tar up on the roof
When the sun heats the roof so much that the tar is melting

And your shoes get so hot
When the heat penetrates through your shoes

You wish your tired feet
Experiencing exhaustion from standing too long

Were fireproof
Wishing feet were immune to heat

Under the boardwalk
Beneath the wooden platform at the beach

Down by the sea, yeah
At the shoreline of the ocean

On a blanket with my baby
Cuddling with my loved one on a sheet

That's where I'll be
My preferred location

From the park, you hear
Noise from the amusement park can be heard

The happy sounds of a carousel
A musical ride in the amusement park