A live off-the-floor tape was given to Arthur Fogel by a friend who help arrange for the band open for The Pretenders concert at the CNE in the summer of 1982. Shortly after, the band was signed to Canadian independent label Anthem (for Canada only) and EMI Capitol (for USA)and recorded their first LP with label mate Rush's Geddy Lee behind the boards. The first and only LP released by the band features two hit singles, The Passion Of Love and Melody. However, perhaps their greatest song was Saigon, which sharply depicts the desolation, loneliness and helplessness of the questioned war.
Tony Lester guitarist AKA "Tones" [registered TONES ™ in Canada and USA for the independent music releases, left the group after the 1st LP and extensive touring in USA and Canada in 1984. Tones as an independent writer producer has produced 6 independent full CD releases to date(2011) [http://www.tonessongs.com/tonediscography.html]
Malcolm Burn would leave the group to work as an engineer and understudy for Daniel Lanois at his Grant Avenue Studios, before graduating on to his own projects producing and/or engineering major diverse artists like Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, Iggy Pop, Emmylou Harris, Midnight Oil, Hothouse Flowers, Patti Smith, Aaron Neville, The Neville Brothers, Lisa Germano, The Devlins, Marc Cohn, and Blue Rodeo.
Melody
Boys Brigade Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And there was a place
And there are memories.
And there was a girl
Such a beautiful girl
Her name was Melody.
She had a smile
Could light the city skies at night.
And all the late night clubbers say they
Can still remember the way she used to dance.
Melody danced her way right into my heart
Melody stole my heart and danced away
And she used to have a man
And that man's name was Sam
(?) And he was the ultimate antihero (?)
And he used to drink and he used to fight
And he used to beat her almost every night
He used to hurt her so
And I would get so damn angry up in my small room
That I could only cry out for her
And to this day I still wonder
What it was that made her stay
Why did you stay?
Melody danced her way right into my heart
Melody stole my heart and danced away
Melody, (Melody) should be walking
By me, should be standing by me, Melody
Melody, (Melody) should be walking
By me, should be standing by me, Melody
And there was a time (Melody)
And there was a place (should be walking by me)
And there are memories (should be standing by me, Melody)
And there was girl (Melody)
Such a beautiful girl (should be walking by me)
Her name was Melody (should be standing by me)
Melody danced her way right into my heart
Melody stole my heart and danced away
Melody danced her way right into my heart
Melody stole my heart and danced away
Melody danced her way right into my heart...
The Boys Brigade's song Melody describes the story of a girl named Melody, who captured the hearts of people with her charming smile and dancing skills. The singer of the song is in love with her, but there's a problem; Melody is in an abusive relationship with a man named Sam. The singer is frustrated to see Melody suffer at the hands of her abusive partner and wonders why she's still with him.
The lyrics beautifully describe the emotions of the singer, who is deeply in love with Melody but can't do anything to help her. The song's upbeat tempo and catchy melody contrast with the dark themes of the lyrics, creating a bittersweet feeling. Melody's character is portrayed as a victim of domestic violence, and the singer laments that her talent and beauty are being wasted in an unhealthy relationship.
Overall, the song Melody is a touching tribute to a woman who captivated people with her charm despite the hardships she faced. It shows the devastating consequences of domestic violence and celebrates the resilience of people like Melody who keep dancing through adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a time
There existed a specific moment in the past
And there was a place
There existed a specific location in the past
And there are memories.
Memories exist from that time and place
And there was a girl
There was a female individual present in that time and place
Such a beautiful girl
This girl was visually lovely
Her name was Melody.
This lovely girl was called Melody
She had a smile
Melody had a facial expression conveying happiness
Such a shining smile
Her smile had a brightness about it
Could light the city skies at night.
Her smile was so radiant that it could illuminate the entire city at night
And all the late night clubbers say they
Individuals who frequented nightclubs in the past claim that they
Can still remember the way she used to dance.
Can recall how Melody used to dance
Melody danced her way right into my heart
Melody's dancing had a profound effect on my feelings and emotions
Melody stole my heart and danced away
Melody inspired strong feelings of affection and then left
And she used to have a man
At one point, Melody had a male partner
And that man's name was Sam
This male partner's name was Sam
(?) And he was the ultimate antihero (?)
Sam was a character who was diametrically opposed to the typical protagonist
And he used to drink and he used to fight
Sam had a history of consuming alcohol and engaging in physical altercations
And he used to beat her almost every night
Sam was guilty of physically assaulting Melody on numerous occasions
He used to hurt her so
Melody endured significant amounts of pain and suffering at the hands of Sam
And I would get so damn angry up in my small room
The artist would become incredibly enraged in their small living quarters
That I could only cry out for her
The artist could only shed tears and demonstrate empathy for Melody's situation
And to this day I still wonder
Up until the present day, the artist is still curious
What it was that made her stay
The singer is questioning why Melody chose to remain in such a harmful relationship
Why did you stay?
The artist is directly asking why Melody did not leave Sam
Melody, (Melody) should be walking
It is believed that Melody should be physically present, walking nearby
By me, should be standing by me, Melody
It is believed that Melody should be standing next to the singer
Melody danced her way right into my heart
Melody's dancing had a strong emotional impact on the singer
Melody stole my heart and danced away
Melody evoked feelings of love and then departed
Melody danced her way right into my heart...
Melody's dancing had a profound effect on the artist that has endured over time
Writer(s): Malcolm Burn, Anthony Lester
Contributed by Harper V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Stadia2024
Toronto in the 80's. We really made the scene. I remember the Boys Brigade opening for Rough Trade at a club on Jarvis or Sherbourne. A different time . . .
@diphantom
Since the first time I heard it when it debuted in '83, Melody has remained one of my favourite songs. What I didn't know is that Boys Brigade are Canadian!
@bowquin
True 80's splender!!! This song use to make me all emotional back in the day....Infact it still does.
@Venkman007
I friggin LOVE this song.
@7777wolfgirl
I have been racking my brain to remember this group, and finally got it, brings back memories, love it
@batfink007
Truly one of the great Canuck videos of all time! Think Papa Nez was inspired by it too. You never know...
@pterrbear94nwobhm
the cool 80's
@LunaticEntrails
Great vid, great song. I saw them play at Ontario Place when they openned for Red Ryder.
@junebud8
again, thank you so much for posting this. :) Another song that i forgot about. :)
@rockybudgeboa
LOVE this song and the video. I miss this type of music