The Boys Of Summer
Paul Young Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Nobody on the road
Nobody on the beach
I feel it in the air
The summer's out of reach

Empty lake, empty streets
The sun goes down alone
I'm driving by your house
Though I know you're not home

But I can see you
Your brown skin shining in the sun
You got your hair combed back and your
Sunglasses on baby
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer, have gone

I never will forget those nights
I wonder if it was a dream
Remember how you made me crazy
Remember how I made you scream
Now I don't understand
What happened to our love
But babe I'm gonna get you back
I'm gonna show you what I'm made of
I can see you
Your brown skin shining in the sun
I see you walking real slow
Smiling at everyone
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer, have gone

Out on the road today
I saw a deadhead sticker on a cadillac
A little voice inside my head said:
"Don't look back, you can never look back"
I thought I knew what love was
What did I know?
Those days are gone forever
I should just let them go but,

I can see you
Your brown skin shining in the sun
You got the top pulled down
Radio on baby
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

I can see you
Your brown skin shining in the sun
You got your hair slicked back and those
Wayfarers on, baby




I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer, have gone

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Paul Young's "The Boys of Summer" explore themes of nostalgia, lost love, and the fleeting nature of youth. Throughout the song, the singer describes an idyllic summer that has since passed, when he used to spend time with his lover on the beach and drive by her house, even when she wasn't home. He reminisces about their love, which he now feels has slipped away, but still holds onto the hope that it will endure long after their memories of youth have faded.


The chorus of the song is particularly poignant, as the singer declares that his love for his partner will still be strong "after the boys of summer have gone." This line refers to the transient nature of youth and the fact that, even though we may feel invincible in the moment, time moves on and memories fade. Nonetheless, the singer is still holding onto the love he once shared with his partner and believes that it will endure.


Overall, "The Boys of Summer" is a bittersweet reflection on the impermanence of youth and the enduring nature of love. While the song is imbued with a sense of melancholy, it also carries a message of hope, as the singer believes that true love can survive even the passage of time.


Line by Line Meaning

Nobody on the road
There are no cars on the road


Nobody on the beach
There are no people on the beach


I feel it in the air
I sense something in the atmosphere


The summer's out of reach
Summer is unattainable


Empty lake, empty streets
Both the streets and lake are vacant


The sun goes down alone
The sun sets unaccompanied


I'm driving by your house
I am passing by your dwelling


Though I know you're not home
Even though I know you are not present


But I can see you
But still, I can visualize you in my mind


Your brown skin shining in the sun
Your tanned skin glistening in the sunlight


You got your hair combed back and your
Your hair is slicked back and you're wearing your


Sunglasses on baby
Sunglasses, baby


I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
My affection towards you will continue to be potent


After the boys of summer, have gone
Even when summertime comes to an end


I never will forget those nights
I'll never forget those nights


I wonder if it was a dream
I have to question if it was a dream


Remember how you made me crazy
Remember how you drove me insane


Remember how I made you scream
Recall how I induced screams from you


Now I don't understand
Now, I am unable to comprehend


What happened to our love
What happened to the love we shared


But babe I'm gonna get you back
But honey, I'm going to win you back


I'm gonna show you what I'm made of
I'm going to prove my worth to you


I see you walking real slow
I perceive you walking leisurely


Smiling at everyone
Smiling at each and everyone


Out on the road today
Today, driving down the street


I saw a deadhead sticker on a cadillac
I noticed a deadhead sticker on a cadillac


A little voice inside my head said:
A small voice inside me said:


"Don't look back, you can never look back"
"Don't reflect on the past, you cannot reverse it"


I thought I knew what love was
I believed I comprehended the meaning of love


What did I know?
But what did I really know?


Those days are gone forever
Those days have vanished for good


I should just let them go but,
I should abandon them, nonetheless,


You got the top pulled down
You have the roof down


Radio on baby
The radio is blasting, baby


You got your hair slicked back and those
Your hair is styled back and you're wearing those


Wayfarers on, baby
Wayfarer sunglasses, baby




Contributed by Hunter H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions