Duncan's future fellow band member, Matt Dangerfield, had a basic 4 track studio in the coal cellar of his Maida Vale appartment. It was at this flat that members of The Sex Pistols, Clash, Damned, Generation X and others took their first recording steps along the path which would change Rock n Roll forever. One of the bands which coalesced out of this youthful melee was The Boys, the band which recruited Duncan Reid as bass player and singer.
The Boys became known as "the Beatles of Punk", a title given to them due to their, at that time, unique fusion of harmonies and pop sensibility with raw punk. By the time The Boys had recorded their 4 albums and toured extensively throughout Europe and the US, their influence had spread far and wide to groups like Green Day and Die Toten Hosen, as well as being quoted by the likes of Joey Ramone as his favourite group.
It was during a tour with The Ramones that Duncan, together with fellow Boys member Casino Steel, provided backing vocals for the live version of their hit, "Baby I Love You". In this way Duncan became one of only 2 people in history to play with The Ramones while not themselves being called Ramone.
The Boys also recorded periodically as The Yobs creating a whole genre of comedy punk with their versions of The Worm Song and Christmas Carols, a genre much copied since. 18 years after they first split The Boys were persuaded to reform for 2 gigs in Tokyo. Pressure for new gigs had come from a new generation discovering their music for the first time.
For years The Boys played worldwide, headlining in front of audiences in the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Norway, Sweden, Japan, United States, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and elsewhere.
After a further recording with other Boys members under the name "The Mattless Boys",
and writing songs for other bands such as The Cute Lepers, Duncan finally released his first solo album in 2012 - Little Big Head - bringing a unique angle to the pop punk genre, and taking it into new realms of melodic sweetness.
In September 2014 Duncan Reid released his second album, The Difficult Second Album, this time under the name Duncan Reid and the Big Heads.
Can't Stop
Duncan Reid and the Big Heads Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tons to do, can't get lead astray
Well that's alright, that's ok
If I don't work then I don't get paid
But Game of Thrones is on the VOD
Sitting there winking up at me
Well What do you think, what do you say
Can't stop
You can never stand still
Don't stop
Or you'll be sliding downhill
I won't stop
Can only eat what I kill
Can't stop
But then maybe I will
Working hard in the studio
Playing songs is the way to go
Well that's alright, that's ok
If I don't write there'll be no songs to play
But Mauro's putting on a show tonight
Everyone's going it'll be alright
Well What do you think, what do you say
Should I go or baby should I stay
Oh, the party's in full swing
And life's for living
Don't fight it, just give in
No misgivings -please
Lead me into sin
Temptation's what I crave
Before I hit the grave
The lyrics to Duncan Reid and the Big Heads' song "Can't Stop" describe the daily struggles of balancing work and leisure activities. In the first verse, the singer acknowledges that there is a lot to do but can't afford to get sidetracked since not working would mean not getting paid. However, the temptation of watching a TV show, such as Game of Thrones, presents a dilemma. The chorus then proclaims that one can never stand still and must keep going to avoid sliding downhill. The singer then recognizes that playing songs in the studio is the way to go, but going to see a friend's show is also worthwhile. The final verse reveals a party in full swing, and the singer is torn between yielding to temptation and making the most of life before they eventually die.
The song speaks to the universal struggle of finding balance in life. Everyone faces choices between work and play or socializing and solitude, and "Can't Stop" acknowledges the difficulty of these choices. The song encourages listeners to continue moving forward but also to enjoy life's pleasures while they can.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey there world it's another day
It's just another day in the world
Tons to do, can't get lead astray
I have a lot of work to do but can't lose focus
Well that's alright, that's ok
It's okay if I can't finish all my work today
If I don't work then I don't get paid
If I don't work, I won't receive payment
But Game of Thrones is on the VOD
The TV show Game of Thrones is available on video on demand
Sitting there winking up at me
The option to watch Game of Thrones is tempting me
Well What do you think, what do you say
Should I watch the TV show or focus on my work?
Should I watch or baby should I stay
Should I watch Game of Thrones or continue working?
Can't stop
I cannot stay idle
You can never stand still
I shouldn't stay in one place for too long
Don't stop
I need to keep moving forward
Or you'll be sliding downhill
If I stop working, my progress will decline
I won't stop
I'll continue working hard
Can only eat what I kill
I'll only receive payment if I finish my work
But then maybe I will
There is still a possibility that I might stop working
Working hard in the studio
I am working in the recording studio
Playing songs is the way to go
Playing music is a good way to spend time
If I don't write there'll be no songs to play
If I don't write songs, I won't have anything to play in the future
But Mauro's putting on a show tonight
Mauro is performing tonight
Everyone's going it'll be alright
Everyone is attending, so it should be fun
Oh, the party's in full swing
The party is at its peak
And life's for living
Life should be lived to the fullest
Don't fight it, just give in
I shouldn't resist the temptation to have a good time
No misgivings -please
I have no reservations about enjoying myself
Lead me into sin
Entice me with things that might be considered bad
Temptation's what I crave
I'm tempted by things that might not be good for me
Before I hit the grave
I want to enjoy life before I die
Writer(s): Duncan Reid
Contributed by Evelyn T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.