Blueboy's songwriting touches on the timeless indie-pop motifs of intimacy and vulnerability, with a modicum of sexual ambiguity, both in lyrics and cover artwork. Their sound combines the jangly guitar-based pop sound of their genre with elements of bossa nova and shoegazer.
Blueboy can also refer to any of a number of bands/artists called Blueboys that are redirected to this page.
Meet Johnny Rave
Blueboy Lyrics
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johnny rave, eyes like treasure
was a boy built just for pleasure
london is full of itself and such misery
proust-like you hypnotise oceans
fab two o'eight love potions won't win this frail heart
i'm sorry eternally there must be more to life
than just getting by, oh so much more
was a boy built just for pleasure
london is full of itself
and such misery
such misery
such misery
misery, oh
In Blueboy's song "Meet Johnny Rave," he reminisces about the past and how things used to be. He describes Johnny Rave, a boy with eyes like treasure, who was built for pleasure. The song takes place in London, which Blueboy describes as full of itself and misery. Blueboy mentions Proust, the famous French author, and how Johnny Rave hypnotizes oceans with his charm. He also talks about love potions not being enough to win over his fragile heart. The song is a reflection on life's purpose and how there must be more to it than just getting by. The chorus repeats the line, "London is full of itself and such misery," emphasizing the negative aspects of city life.
The lyrics in this song evoke a sense of nostalgia for the past with a hint of regret at not having lived life to the fullest. The characters in the song, particularly Johnny Rave, represent a carefree and exciting lifestyle that Blueboy may have missed out on. The use of specific references, like Proust and love potions, adds to the overall dreamlike quality of the song. Ultimately, Blueboy is searching for something more meaningful than the superficial pleasures of city life.
Line by Line Meaning
do you remember the way things were?
Asking if you recall how things used to be in the past.
johnny rave, eyes like treasure
Describing the captivating gaze of Johnny Rave.
was a boy built just for pleasure
Implying that Johnny Rave was created purely for enjoyment and amusement.
london is full of itself and such misery
Expressing a negative view of the city of London as being arrogant and unhappy.
proust-like you hypnotise oceans
Comparing someone's hypnotic abilities to the mesmerizing power of the sea as written about by Marcel Proust.
fab two o'eight love potions won't win this frail heart
Stating that even the strongest love spells won't win over a vulnerable heart.
i'm sorry eternally there must be more to life
Expressing regret and acknowledging that there must be more to existence than what one is currently experiencing.
than just getting by, oh so much more
Further emphasizing that there is more to life than simply surviving and existing.
johnny rave, eyes like treasure
Repeating the earlier line to draw focus on the captivating nature of Johnny Rave's eyes.
was a boy built just for pleasure
Repeating the earlier line to emphasize that Johnny Rave was purely made for enjoyment.
london is full of itself
Repeating the earlier line once more to highlight the singer's negative view of the city.
and such misery
Concluding with the same line repeated three times to emphasize the misery that London brings about.
misery, oh
Finalizing with a cry out to emphasize the misery that the singer feels.
Contributed by Austin A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Frederik Jan van Ingen
One of their finest, but they have a lot of pretty songs :)
Colin Newlands
Favourite Sarah single.