Amidst their relentless touring schedule, this female fronted power trio have won the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands for a place on the Vans Warped Tour, four of the Georgia Straight Readers Choice Awards (Best Album, Best Band, Best Guitarist and Best Drummer), secured the number 1 and number 2 slots on Exclaim Magazine’s Earshot Loud Charts, made appearances on Much Music’s Going Coastal and MTV Canada’s 969, and spent 13 weeks in medium rotation on MTV2 with their music video for the song “You Get What Everyone Gets (You Get A Lifetime)”. Their music was used in shows like Joan of Arcadia, Radio Free Roscoe, Degrassi and the Collector, and you could even see their video in American Eagle, Vans and West49 outlets.
So how does such a young band accomplish so much in so little time? It’s simple: “We realized a long time ago that no one’s going to save us...this is our life, and we have a responsibility to make it as awesome as possible!”
Good Intentions
Billy and the Lost Boys Lyrics
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Raising up their weapons to the sky because the past lied
Picking up the anger of so many generations
Fighting for a nation that'll stick 'em in the station
Your good intentions
Weren't good enough
Your good intentions
With no one to run to, she's a woman in distress
Getting judged at the doctor's office 'cause a stranger got her in a mess
And before she can even leave their stares behind her
One decision, one incision kills the life inside her
Your good intentions
Weren't good enough
Your good intentions
Weren't good enough
Could it be that everyone of us is right
In the right person's eyes
You'll find them if you try
Could it be there's two sides to this coin
Well let's just hope the one you join
Is the one where everybody's going
Or maybe you'll be on the other side
Just fighting for your life
To do what you think is right
Well let's just hope the side you join
Is the one where everybody's going
The one where everybody's going
Well your good intentions aren't good enough
Your good intentions aren't good enough
Your good intentions aren't good enough
Your good intentions...
The lyrics of "Good Intentions" by Billy and the Lost Boys show the struggles faced by different groups of people and how their good intentions are not enough to bring about the necessary changes. The first verse suggests the anger and frustration of the oppressed people of South Africa during apartheid, who have been fighting for generations for their rights, but have been left disappointed by their leaders. The lines "Your good intentions/Weren't good enough" imply that the promises of the liberation movement were not fulfilled, and the people continue to suffer discrimination and imprisonment.
The second verse focuses on the plight of a woman who finds herself in a difficult situation after an unwanted pregnancy. The judgmental attitude of doctors and society towards her choice reflects the lack of empathy towards women's reproductive rights. The lines "Your good intentions/Weren't good enough" suggest that the woman's right to choose was not protected, and her choice was limited to one decision - abortion. The song ends with an optimistic note about everyone having a choice to join the right side, but warns that good intentions alone are not enough to bring about change.
Overall, "Good Intentions" is a powerful commentary on the struggle and limitations faced by minorities and marginalized groups in society, and it challenges the notion that intentions alone are enough to bring about justice and equality.
Line by Line Meaning
Crying out apartheid on the south side
Speaking out against the segregation and discrimination on the southern side of town
Raising up their weapons to the sky because the past lied
Hoisting their arms to the heavens in response to the falsehoods and injustices of history
Picking up the anger of so many generations
Taking on the anger that has built up across many generations
Fighting for a nation that'll stick 'em in the station
Fighting for a country that will imprison them
Your good intentions
The intentions you had were well-meaning
Weren't good enough
But they didn't have the desired impact
With no one to run to, she's a woman in distress
Without anyone to turn to, she is a distressed woman
Getting judged at the doctor's office 'cause a stranger got her in a mess
Being scrutinized at the doctor's office because a stranger got her into a difficult situation
And before she can even leave their stares behind her
Before she can even escape the weight of their gazes
One decision, one incision kills the life inside her
A single choice, a single cut, takes the life from within her
Could it be that everyone of us is right
Is it possible that each of us is correct
In the right person's eyes
Depending on who you ask
You'll find them if you try
You can discover the truth by making an effort
Could it be there's two sides to this coin
Is it possible that there are two sides to this situation
Well let's just hope the one you join
Hopefully, you will choose the right side
Is the one where everybody's going
The side that everyone is taking
Or maybe you'll be on the other side
Or perhaps you will be on the opposing side
Just fighting for your life
Struggling to survive
To do what you think is right
To do what you believe is correct
The one where everybody's going
The path that everyone is following
Your good intentions aren't good enough
Despite your well-meaning intentions, they fall short
Your good intentions...
Your good intentions are not enough
Contributed by Christian C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.