Picadilly Circus
Frank Boeijen Groep Lyrics

The song 'Picadilly Circus' by the Frank Boeijen Group captures the experience of a foreigner in London's central hub that is Picadilly Circus. The opening lines convey the sense of disorientation that the singer feels as they state to 'watch out' since 'the traffic drives the other way'. The singer on the street corner sings on behalf of them, making the experience a shared one. As they head to their destination, Criterion, the singer describes the glamour that the locale holds. London's pride is brought out through the glimmering gold and the trendy fashion that fills the atmosphere of the place.

The more the singer explores Picadilly Circus, the more they realize that everything seems different than they thought it would be. They describe the limit on politeness that is only surface-level and the coldness that permeates the air. However, amidst all this, the singer realizes that they miss the chaos, the disorder that they were oh so familiar with. They even miss the 'little ugly flat country,' indicating that the singer had come from the Netherlands. The reference to rain emphasizes that the singer has experienced a culture shock that was not expected.

The last stanza encapsulates the singer's realization that despite feeling 'unknown in a foreign land,' Picadilly Circus was waiting for them, as though it was destiny that they meet. The song, on one level, is about the experience of a foreigner in a new country, but on a broader level, it is about the feeling of displacement that can happen anywhere.