Featured singer/guitarist Brandon Butler who went on to form groups The Farewell Bend (with Boys Life bassist John Rejba and Giants Chair drummer Paul Ackerman) and Canyon (with Boys Life guitarist Joe Winkle). He now performs as a solo artist. The drummer John Anderson formed the bands Higher Burning Fire and White Whale.
There was an earlier Boys Life as well, from Boston in the early 80s, or Malden, if you're really making intra-128 distinctions. Best remembered for their 1982 12" on Seco Records.
Golf Hill Drive
Boys Life Lyrics
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And whoever life it is, I'll gladly send it right back home
He was the milkman
I was there to watch him go
He was the airplane pilot
Who landed a bit too slow
Dreams die and planes fly
The lyrics to Boys Life's song "Golf Hill Drive" speak to the feeling of being trapped in a life that is not one's own. The first line, "Stuck in this life that's not my own," captures the sense of being trapped in a situation that is beyond one's control. The singer goes on to say that they would gladly return this life to whoever it actually belongs to. This speaks to the longing for freedom and the sense that one's true identity is beyond the constraints of the present situation.
The second verse further elaborates on this theme, with the singer describing two different professions - a milkman and an airplane pilot - who each symbolize the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The milkman represents the constancy and reliability of routine, while the airplane pilot embodies the excitement and risk of adventure. In this way, the song expresses a tension between stability and adventure, between the desire for security and the need for growth.
The final line, "Dreams die and planes fly, but the milk gets there on time," encapsulates the central idea of the song. Life is full of ups and downs, changes and challenges, but some things endure. Amidst the flux and uncertainty of life, there are certain constants that anchor us: routine, community, and the things that keep us going even when everything else seems to be falling apart.
Line by Line Meaning
Stuck in this life that's not my own
Feeling trapped in a situation that does not feel personally fulfilling
And whoever life it is, I'll gladly send it right back home
Willingness to return someone else's life, and take charge of one's own destiny
He was the milkman
Introduction of a character who is involved in delivering milk products
I was there to watch him go
Observing the leaving of the milkman from view
He was the airplane pilot
Introduction of another character, a pilot
Who landed a bit too slow
Describe the pilot's mistake of landing too slowly, which could be seen as a metaphor for failure
Dreams die and planes fly
Highlighting the contrast between the failure of a dream and the mechanical success of an airplane
But the milk gets there on time
And despite dreams failing, or planes landing too slowly, the transactional reality of the milk delivery goes on as planned
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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