Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love (Like That)". Beginning in late 1986 with the release of their single Sometimes, Erasure established themselves on the British charts; albums such as The Circus, Wild!, Chorus, I Say I Say I Say, Loveboat and Nightbird demonstrated a further diversity of sound.
The album that boosted their career tremendously was The Innocents, which was released in 1988. A Little Respect and Chains of Love both hit the Billboard Top 100. Most people will probably remember Erasure for A Little Respect, which became one of their signature songs.
Clarke formerly was a member of Depeche Mode and later had a successful career with the duo Yazoo (known as Yaz in the US). Later he split with Yazoo partner Alison Moyet and briefly formed The Assembly with producer Eric Radcliffe. After a successful Assembly single ("Never Never"), Clarke released an unsuccessful one-off single with vocalist Paul Quinn ("One Day"). He then placed a blind advertisement in Melody Maker looking for a vocalist for a new musical project. He selected Andy Bell, who was the forty-first to audition (and whose voice would often be compared to Moyet's). From the start, their success was founded upon their songwriting skills. Clarke's talent for writing melodic, catchy pop songs was evident from his years with Depeche Mode and Yazoo. Bell's gifts as a lyricist and melodist added depth and character to Clarke's style (additionally, Bell was openly gay from the beginning, and he reflected this in his lyrics at a time when society as a whole was more ignorant around queer issues than it is today - making Erasure's success all the more phenomenal). As pop craftsmen, the pair's work bears comparison with that of Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Eurythmics, OMD, Alphaville, a-ha, Roxette and other pop songwriters.
Though their productivity and record sales declined beginning in the second half of the 1990s, Erasure scored at least one Top 30 hit with the release of every new album. Few electronic bands have demonstrated the durability of Erasure.
In 2005 Erasure made a comeback with their number one position on the US Dance Chart, eighteen years after their first chart-topper. This success was mirrored in the UK with the debut single from Nightbird ("Breathe") reaching number four in the charts. Erasure also enabled fans to configure and buy their own remixes of the single 'Don't Say You Love Me' through the band website. Each variant of the song was limited to a single download.
2006 saw the release of the album Union Street, which features a collection of previously released Erasure songs that the band have reinterpreted with an acoustic / country & western style. The album is named after the recording studio in Brooklyn where it was recorded.
A new album, Light at the End of the World, was released in 2007.
BOY
Erasure Lyrics
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The child in me again, he plays the fool
Cry for joy, amen
For after all, it`s only life
And the way you stir your coffee, like an angel in the morning
Still you dare to change your mind
You`ll be sorry when it`s over
Don`t come crying on my shoulder
Save your tears, don`t mean much
Is the guilty party me? I don`t think so
And it, it`s no bed of roses lying here
Tossing and turning
Still you dare to change your mind
You`ll be sorry when it`s over
When you`ve had your taste of freedom
Don`t come crying on my shoulder
And these, these years of love and giving surely
Must be something to you
The lyrics of Erasure's song "Boy" speak to the experience of love and heartbreak, as well as the complex emotions that come with relationships. The opening lines, "Love you boy, till I fall / The child in me again, he plays the fool / Cry for joy, amen / For after all, it`s only life" suggest a vulnerability and an openness to love. The singer is willing to be foolish and child-like in their love, willing to cry from both joy and pain. The phrase "for after all, it's only life" is a reminder that love is just one part of a larger existence, but also hints at the fact that love is still an important and powerful part of life.
The song continues with the lines "And the way you stir your coffee, like an angel in the morning." This image of someone stirring their coffee like an angel suggests that the singer finds even the smallest actions of their loved one to be beautiful and perfect. However, the tone of the song quickly shifts as the singer warns their lover that if they leave, they'll regret it. "Still you dare to change your mind / You'll be sorry when it's over / When you've had your taste of freedom / Don't come crying on my shoulder."
The final lines of the song, "And these, these years of love and giving surely / Must be something to you" express a sense of sadness and resignation. The singer seems to be acknowledging that their relationship may not last, and that even if it does, it may not be enough to make their lover stay. The phrase "years of love and giving" suggests that the singer has put a lot of effort into the relationship and may be feeling unappreciated or overlooked. Overall, the song captures the bittersweet reality of love and the oftentimes complicated attitudes that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Love you boy, till I fall
I love you so deeply that it feels like I could fall endlessly for you, boy.
The child in me again, he plays the fool
Being with you brings out the carefree and playful side of me, the child who is unafraid to look foolish.
Cry for joy, amen
Sometimes my love for you is so overwhelming that I can't help but cry tears of joy, praising the heavens above for bringing you into my life.
For after all, it`s only life
Even though our love is everything to me, I know that life goes on and there are other important things beyond our relationship.
And the way you stir your coffee, like an angel in the morning
You do even the simplest things with grace and beauty that it feels like you are a heavenly being, especially when you stir your coffee in the morning.
Still you dare to change your mind
Even though we've been together for a long time, you still have the audacity to change your mind and possibly break my heart.
You`ll be sorry when it`s over
If you do end our relationship, you will regret it and realize what you've lost.
When you`ve had your taste of freedom
If you choose to leave, it will be because you want to experience freedom and independence.
Don`t come crying on my shoulder
If you do leave and regret your decision later, don't expect me to comfort you because you will have made your choice.
Save your tears, don`t mean much
Even if you do cry, it won't change how I feel or the fact that you left.
Is the guilty party me? I don`t think so
I don't believe I'm to blame for why you might leave, but maybe I'm not seeing things clearly either.
And it, it`s no bed of roses lying here
Being alone and heartbroken is not easy or fun.
Tossing and turning
Being unable to sleep due to the emotional turmoil caused by a break-up.
And these, these years of love and giving surely
The time and effort I have put into our relationship must mean something to you.
Must be something to you
I hope that our relationship has meant as much to you as it has to me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLES SPAULDING GLADFELTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind