While a first album (entitled Better Than the Rest) was recorded in 1974, the major recording debut came with the release of the eponymous album 'George Thorogood & The Destroyers', released in 1977 (Better Than the Rest was eventually released in 1979). The next album, entitled Move It On Over, was released in the autumn of 1978 and included the hit "Move It On Over" . Other singles from the album included "Please Set A Date" and "Who Do You Love".
During the 1980s, and 1990s, the band recorded some of their most well-known works, "Bad to the Bone" (used to great effect during the bar scene in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and in the opening scene of John Carpenter's Christine), "I Drink Alone" (from the 'Maverick' album), "You Talk Too Much", and "If You Don't Start Drinking, I'm Gonna Leave".
Thorogood himself is best-known for his animated stage presence and loud, raucous electric slide guitar playing. He is also known as "Lonesome George".
Also seen as or called George Thorogood and the Destroyers on Last.fm.
Official Website: George Thorogood And The Destroyers
Bad Boy
George Thorogood & The Destroyers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Moved into my neighborhood
He won't do nothing right
Just a sitting got to look so good
He don't wanna go to school
And learn to read and write
Just sits around the house and plays
Well he put thumb tacks on teacher's chair
Put chewing gum in little girl's hair
Now Junior, behave yourself!
Buys every rock and roll book
On the magazine stand
Every dime that he gets
Oh he's off to the jukebox man
Well he worries his teacher
Till at night she's already to poop
From rocking and a rolling
Spinning in a hula-hoop
Well his rock and roll has gotta stop
Junior's head is hard as rock
Now Junior, behave yourself, ow!
Gonna tell ya mamma
You'd better do what she said
Get to the barber shop
And get that hair cut off your head
You shoot the canary
and you fed it to the neighbor's cat
You have the cocker spaniel
A bath in mother's Laundromat
Well ya mamma said it's gotta stop
Junior's head is hard as a rock
Now Junior, behave yourself! Woo
The song "Bad Boy" by George Thorogood & The Destroyers tells the story of a mischievous and rebellious kid who causes mayhem in his neighborhood. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a boy who refuses to conform to the expectations of society, particularly in regards to education and behavior. He spends his time listening to rock and roll music, which his teacher disapproves of, and comes up with creative ways to annoy those around him. He puts thumb tacks on his teacher's chair and gum in a little girl's hair, showing a lack of respect for authority figures.
Despite his chaotic behavior, the boy is unrepentant and continues to engage in reckless activities. He spends all of his money on rock and roll magazines and visits the jukebox man regularly. His antics cause his teacher to become frustrated and exhausted. In the end, the singer urges the boy to listen to his mother and change his ways before he gets into real trouble.
Line by Line Meaning
A bad little kid
There is a mischievous child who has moved into my neighborhood
Moved into my neighborhood
The child has relocated and is now living close by
He won't do nothing right
The child has a tendency to misbehave and cause trouble
Just a sitting got to look so good
Despite his misbehavior, the child takes pride in his appearance and likes to look good
He don't wanna go to school
The child has no interest in attending school
And learn to read and write
He doesn't see the value in education or improving his literacy skills
Just sits around the house and plays
The child spends most of his time at home and engages in activities that he enjoys
That rock and roll music all night
His favorite pastime is listening to rock and roll music at all hours of the night
Well he put thumb tacks on teacher's chair
The child has a habit of playing pranks on his teacher, like placing thumbtacks on her chair
Put chewing gum in little girl's hair
He also enjoys teasing and playing tricks on his classmates, such as sticking gum in their hair
Now Junior, behave yourself!
Someone in a position of authority is attempting to discipline the child
Buys every rock and roll book
He spends his money on books related to rock and roll music
On the magazine stand
He purchases these books from the local magazine stand
Every dime that he gets
He spends all the money he earns on his hobby
Oh he's off to the jukebox man
He frequently visits the jukebox and is particularly invested in this form of musical entertainment
Well he worries his teacher
The child's teacher is concerned and bothered by his behavior
Till at night she's already to poop
The stress from dealing with the child has caused her to become exhausted
From rocking and a rolling
The child's love for rock and roll music is a major contributing factor to his behavioral issues in the classroom
Spinning in a hula-hoop
He engages in activities that are not appropriate or distracting when he should be learning
Well his rock and roll has gotta stop
Someone has decided that the child needs to be reined in and prevented from engaging in his favorite pastime
Junior's head is hard as rock
The child is stubborn and resistant to suggestion
Gonna tell ya mamma
Someone is planning to tattle to the child's mother
You'd better do what she said
The child's mother has presumably given instructions for him to behave in a certain way
Get to the barber shop
One of the ways in which the child is expected to behave differently is through a change in his physical appearance
And get that hair cut off your head
The child's long hair is seen as a sign of rebellion or nonconformity and needs to be addressed
You shoot the canary
The child has acted out in cruel and violent ways towards animals
and you fed it to the neighbor's cat
He has fed dead animals to other people's pets
You have the cocker spaniel
He has also been abusive or neglectful towards his own pets
A bath in mother's Laundromat
He has used unconventional methods to clean his pets, such as washing them in a washing machine meant for clothes
Well ya mamma said it's gotta stop
The child's mother has acknowledged that there is a problem with her son's behavior that needs to be addressed
Junior's head is hard as a rock
The child is once again characterized as stubborn and unyielding
Now Junior, behave yourself! Woo
There is an urgency and insistence in the request for the child to improve his behavior and comply with rules and expectations
Contributed by Olivia O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.