At their height, the band comprised distinctive and diminutive Scottish singer Jimmy Somerville, backed by fellow Scot Steve Bronski and Londoner Larry Steinbacheck, both of whom played keyboards and percussion.
Formed in 1983, their debut hit came the following year - the striking tale of a boy who was cast away by his family and neighbours for being gay. Called Smalltown Boy, it peaked at Number 3 in the UK and was accompanied by a memorable video of Somerville leaving home, forlornly eating an apple on a train, being attacked by a homophobic gang and being returned to his family by the police.
The song quickly established the trio as an outlet for gay issues – all three members were homosexual – and the follow-up single Why? pursued the same energetic and electronic formula musically, while the lyrics focussed more centrally and darkly on anti-gay prejudice. Again, it made the Top 10 in the UK.
At the end of 1984, the trio released an album which was provocatively titled The Age Of Consent. The sleeve inside listed the varying ages of consent for homosexual sex in different nations around the world. At the time, the age of consent for gay men in the UK was 21.
A third single was released from it, again causing controversy. It Ain't Necessarily So, the George and Ira Gershwin classic (from Porgy and Bess) which questions the authenticity of Biblical tales, reached the UK Top 20. Playing the clarinet solos in the song was Richard Coles, with whom Somerville would later team up to form The Communards.
In 1985, the trio joined up with Marc Almond to record a version of the Donna Summer classic I Feel Love. The full version was actually a medley, also incorporating snippets of "Love to Love You Baby" and "Johnny Remember Me." It reached Number 3 in the UK charts, equaling the feats of "Smalltown Boy," and was memorably described by one critic as "the gayest record ever made".
Following the remix album Hundreds & Thousands, Somerville quit the band, stating he wanted a career which was "more political". Presumably this related to internal politics rather than the lyrical direction of the band, as his new project relied almost entirely on unpolitical songs and cover versions – and they were a huge success in doing so. He teamed up with Coles to form The Communards and in 1986 outsold all other singles in the UK with their version of Don't Leave Me This Way.
Bronski Beat recruited John Foster as Somerville's replacement. A very catchy single called Hit That Perfect Beat managed to equal the two previous biggest hits by reaching Number 3 in the UK charts. In 1986, they released their second album, Truthdare Doubledare.
In 1989, Jonathan Hellyer became lead singer, and the band extensively toured the U.S. and had one minor hit with the song Cha Cha Heels, a one-off collaboration sung by American actress and singer Eartha Kitt.
Bronski Beat released their third and final album, Rainbow Nation, in 1995. They split that year.
The songs "Smalltown Boy" and "Why" were sampled by producers Steve Angello and Axwell under the moniker Supermode (originally Supermongo) for their song "Tell Me Why". "Tell Me why" peaked at #13 on the UK singles chart.
In 2018, London Records issued a remastered and expanded 2CD edition of their debut, The Age of Consent. Remastered from the original 1984 analogue tapes, it includes demos, BBC sessions, remixes and unreleased tracks.
Why ?
Bronski Beat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As I turn to kiss his lips
Broken I lie
All my feelings denied
Blood on your fist
Can you tell me why?
You in your false securities
Tear up my life
Name me an illness
Call me a sin
Never feel guilty
Never give in
Tell me why?
You and me together
Fighting for our love
Can you tell me why?
The song "Why?" by Bronski Beat is a powerful and emotional ballad that speaks to the pain and confusion of a person who is in a relationship with someone who is ashamed of their love. The lyrics are full of vivid and disturbing images that capture the sense of betrayal and rejection that the singer is feeling.
The opening lines of the song describe the contempt that the other person has in their eyes as the singer turns to kiss their lips. The fact that the singer is broken and all their feelings denied is evidence that the other person is not accepting of the relationship. The reference to blood on their fist suggests that there may have been physical violence, and the singer's plea for an explanation - "can you tell me why?" - shows that they are trying to understand what is happening.
The chorus of the song is particularly powerful, as it asks a series of questions that highlight the sense of despair and confusion that the singer is feeling. They ask to be named an illness or called a sin, but the other person never feels guilty and never gives in. The final question - "Can you tell me why? You and me together, fighting for our love" - shows that despite the pain and rejection, the singer is still holding onto hope and trying to fight for their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Contempt in your eyes
You are looking at me with disdain
As I turn to kiss his lips
I am showing affection to someone else in front of you
Broken I lie
Emotionally shattered, I am lying here
All my feelings denied
You are dismissing all of my emotions
Blood on your fist
You have hit me and drawn blood
Can you tell me why?
I am asking you to explain your actions
You in your false securities
You are hiding behind a façade of confidence
Tear up my life
You are destroying my life
Condemning me
You are blaming me for everything
Name me an illness
You are accusing me of being sick or wrong
Call me a sin
You are labeling me as sinful or immoral
Never feel guilty
You don't feel remorse for your actions
Never give in
You refuse to change or compromise
You and me together
We are in a relationship
Fighting for our love
We are struggling to maintain our relationship
Can you tell me why?
I am still seeking an explanation from you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CALVIN E. (GENE) TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@eaaquamarine
"YOU IN YOUR FALSE SECURITIES TEAR UP MY LIFE, CONDEMNING ME, NAME ME AN ILLNESS, CALL ME A SIN, NEVER FEEL GUILTY, NEVER GIVE IN, TELL ME WHY? YOU AND ME TOGETHER FIGHTING FOR OUR LOVE" - great song
@heidijonck4590
Rita Du Preez.. Dit jou vraag...?
@biddylisduff
RIP Steve Bronski. Such an important band, message in a banging tune. This and "Small-town Boy" really told the story, heartbreaking and powerful at the same time.
@BillAnt
Looking back at these older videos at 0:21 the sausages hanging sure gives new meaning. hehe
@stadiumarcadium2351
@port nut Bronski had a stroke in 2018 which limited his mobility. He died from smoke inhalation in a fire at his home in Soho, London, on 7 December 2021, at the age of 61
@NeilNZ
Didn't realise he died. Just looked it up. They certainly left their mark for good music and Steve was behind it. Thank you Steve 🙏 RIP 🙏
@455kold
@@NeilNZ he will be missed
@BossySwan
@@stadiumarcadium2351stroke inhalation
@kre8a361
RIP to Steven Forrest and Larry Steinbachek who was a composer, song writer and synthesiser keyboardist for Bronski Beat. The trio from the greatest decade of music will never be forgotten.
@edgeGabe
Greatest decade.