Ben met Tracey when they were at Hull University and she was singing in pop girl-band Marine Girls. Ben contributed a photograph, for a forthcoming album cover, after which, the pair became partners (later getting married). They formed Everything But the Girl in 1982, the name inspired by a Turner's Furniture advertising slogan (a popular store near the university). For a period, Tracey was active in both bands and the album with Ben's photo materialised, Lazy Ways (Apr 1983), which was to be Marine Girls' last. EBTG soon achieved national success and singles from The Language of Life (1990), got VH-1 airtime - heralding USA notoriety.
Once internationally established, they successfully achieved one of the greatest stylistic changes in modern music; originally a 'folk-pop with jazz influences' band, their fortunes changed with Amplified Heart (Jul 1994) and Todd Terry's successful remix of its track "Missing" (Aug 1994). Since then, EBTG have become more widely known as an electronic act, with Walking Wounded (May 1996), being a well-received example of their metamorphosed sound.
As of 1999, EBTG as a duo are currently on hiatus, as the couple raise their children, out of the public eye. Watt is a very successful club DJ, Buzzin Fly label-manager and remixer, releasing several 'Lazy Dog' mix compilations (named after his London-based deep house night).
Thorn's 2006 collaboration with Tiefschwarz, on the underground hit song "Damage", seems to have re-awoken her artistic spirit and she released a second solo album, Out of the Woods (Mar 2007).
As of March 2023 evidence that the hiatus will end soon emerges in an interview with Alexis Petridis, in which the release date of the new album 'Fuse' is given as 21 April. This new music was first mentioned by Tracy Thorn on twitter in late 2022, and now it emerging, with 2 new singles already released
The Only Living Boy In New York
Everything But the Girl Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know your part'll go fine
Fly down to Mexico
Da-n-da-da-n-da-n-da and here I am
The only living boy in New York
I get the news I need on the weather report
Oh, I can gather all the news I need on the weather report
Da-n-do-da-n-do-da-n-da-da and here I am
The only living boy in New York
Half of the time we're gone but we don't know where
And we don't know where
Here I am
Half of the time we're gone but we don't know where
And we don't know where
Tom, get your plane right on time
I know that you've been eager to fly now
Hey let your honesty shine, shine, shine now
Da-n-da-da-n-da-n-da-da
Like it shines on me
The only living boy in New York
The only living boy in New York
Here I am
Here I am
The Only Living Boy In New York by Everything But The Girl is a song that is known for its enigmatic and ambiguous lyrics. The song was originally written and performed by Simon & Garfunkel in 1970 as part of their "Bridge Over Troubled Water" album. The song became a hit for Simon & Garfunkel and has been covered by many artists over the years. Everything But The Girl's cover of the song has a slightly different feel to it, with a more melancholic tone that speaks to the feeling of loneliness in a crowded city.
The song starts with Tom being asked to get his plane right on time, with the singer wishing him well on his journey. The singer then finds themselves alone in New York, with no one to talk to and nothing to do. The only solace the singer finds is in the weather report, which gives them a sense of comfort and familiarity. The line "Half of the time we're gone but we don't know where" speaks to the transience of life and the feeling of being lost in an ever-changing world.
The chorus of the song is a plea to Tom to be honest and to let his light shine, much like the singer has allowed their light to shine. The song ends with the singer repeating the line "Here I am" as if to emphasize their presence and their loneliness. The song speaks to the feeling of isolation and the need for human connection, even in a city as bustling as New York.
Line by Line Meaning
Tom, get your plane right on time
Tom, make sure you are punctual with your flight departure
I know your part'll go fine
I trust that you'll do well in your part of the journey
Fly down to Mexico
Take a flight to Mexico
Da-n-da-da-n-da-n-da and here I am
With a playful melody, the singer notes their presence
The only living boy in New York
The singer notes their loneliness in the city
I get the news I need on the weather report
The singer finds solace in basic news, like the weather report
Oh, I can gather all the news I need on the weather report
The singer emphasizes their reliance on simple news sources
Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile
The singer is content to be happy with nothing to do
Da-n-do-da-n-do-da-n-da-da and here I am
With the same playful melody, the singer notes their continued presence
The only living boy in New York
The singer again notes their loneliness
Half of the time we're gone but we don't know where
The singer coments on how half the time they are lost, without direction
And we don't know where
The singer restates the previous line for emphasis
Here I am
The singer returns to themself, implying they feel lost like others
Half of the time we're gone but we don't know where
The same previous line appears again to emphasize how often people feel lost
And we don't know where
The repetition of the line again provides emphasis
Tom, get your plane right on time
The singer again requests their friend Tom be punctual with their flight
I know that you've been eager to fly now
The singer knows that Tom is excited to leave on this flight
Hey let your honesty shine, shine, shine now
The singer urges Tom to be honest and true, seemingly hoping this will help him find direction
Da-n-da-da-n-da-n-da-da
The melody continues, indicating a change in mood
Like it shines on me
The singer is reflecting on how honesty can guide oneself
The only living boy in New York
The closing refrain repeats once more, highlighting the singer's loneliness
The only living boy in New York
The song ends with this final refrain
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL SIMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jimtek59
Everything but the Girl's cover was featured in the 2002 film Tadpole
The original recording is featured as part of the soundtrack for the 2004 film Garden State
Used as part of the soundtrack of the 2009 film New York, I Love You.
Honda has used sections of this song for their television commercials of the 2011 Accord.
The original recording is featured during the final scenes of the second season finale of Alphas.
The original recording is used in the credits of the film Koch
The original recording was used in the first season finale of BBC3's comedy Uncle.
Used in the final scene of the HBO film version of Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart (2014).
Used in the film with the same name: The Only Living Boy in New York (2017).
Everything But The Girl
More music from Everything But The Girl: https://EBTG.lnk.to/Stream
BIG CITY
I know one thing...Ben is ageannious. ( A genius. )
TOM SHINE
Still a fantastic dispay and music to my ears ❤
TheWtfnonamez
I was about to say "doing a cover of Only Living Boy in New York is sacrilege", but then saw it was you guys. I worked at one of your gigs back near the turn of the century. You were impeccable professionals and a lovely band to have in the venue. I wish you all the very best, and love your cover.
Clive Fane
Nobody in the history of popular music made so many brilliant covers of songs from so many diverse artists. All that but their amazing original work as a duo. And their superb solo work. And Tracey’s collaborations. Truly, two musicians who formed the backdrop of my quiet, unremarkable life with their remarkable work.
Hobiemarty
I love this version of the song and absolutely love the video. There is so much artistic nuance that most don't see in that video. I love it.
Irish Philomena
Spot on !!! I was a huge fan and I still miss those days … seeing them was magical x
Michael Kennedy
Love this comment! Mesmerising cover.
gavmusic
I love this. As much as I adore Tracey Thorn's voice, it's good to hear a song with Ben's voice to the fore. I've said before that I think the blend of their 2 voices is underrated.
gavmusic
@P Cee Many thanks for this - just heard That's the Way Love Is - and I'm looking forward to exploring his solo work