Boys Don't Cry
Singer/songwriter Tiffany Arbuckle-Lee (born March 9, 1975 in Indianapolis,… Read Full Bio ↴Singer/songwriter Tiffany Arbuckle-Lee (born March 9, 1975 in Indianapolis, IN) fronted the Dove Award-winning alternative rock band Plumb during the late '90s, and adopted the name Plumb for her subsequent solo career. She was born in Indianapolis and grew up in Atlanta, where she took several gigs as a backup singer and wound up touring in that capacity instead of going to college, as she'd planned. She relocated to Nashville, where she landed a record deal based on her session and backup work, and formed Plumb with neighbor/songwriter/producer Matt Bronleewe.

Boys Don't Cry
Plumb Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You sit there on the couch
Sipping your scotch and ice
You turn the t.v. on
And tune me out again

So what would you say to me
If you could talk to me
You could ask anything
I wouldn't mind
But you're okay with this
Damaging awkwardness
So I'll just play it safe
And keep it inside

Boys don't cry

I used to hold your hand
Sometimes there was no question
But now even when you're near
I've never felt so alone

So what would you say to me
If you could talk to me
You could ask anything
I wouldn't mind
But you're okay with this
Damaging awkwardness
So I'll just play it safe
And keep it inside

Boys don't cry
Boys don't cry
Boys don't cry
Boys don't cry

If you'll just stand beside me
I'll keep you in my life
Tell me how much you love me
And I'll be just fine

Don't be
Afraid of me

So what would you say to me
If you could talk to me
You could ask anything
I wouldn't mind
But you're okay with this
Damaging awkwardness
So I'll just play it safe
And keep it inside





Boys don't cry
Boys don't cry

Overall Meaning

In Plumb's song "Boys Don't Cry," the singer sings to a man who she feels is emotionally distant from her. She watches him sitting on the couch, sipping his scotch and tuning her out as she tries to connect with him. She wonders what he would say to her if he could talk openly, and she wishes they could have a conversation where he could ask her anything. However, she feels that he is okay with the "damaging awkwardness" between them and decides to keep her feelings to herself. She repeats the phrase "Boys don't cry" throughout the song, which speaks to the societal stereotype that men should not show emotion or vulnerability. The singer wishes that her partner would not be afraid of her and could express his emotions freely.


The song's lyrics explore the theme of emotional distance and the difficulty of communication in a relationship. The singer feels alone even when she is with her partner and longs for the emotional connection they used to have. The phrase "Boys don't cry" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the societal pressure for men to fit into a certain masculine stereotype and not show their emotions. The singer desires for her partner to feel comfortable expressing his feelings around her and to break away from those confining gender roles. The song is a call for emotional openness and vulnerability in relationships, regardless of gender.


Line by Line Meaning

You sit there on the couch Sipping your scotch and ice You turn the t.v. on And tune me out again
You seem to be avoiding me by not engaging in conversation and instead choosing to drink your scotch and watch TV, leaving me feeling ignored.


So what would you say to me If you could talk to me You could ask anything I wouldn't mind But you're okay with this Damaging awkwardness So I'll just play it safe And keep it inside
I long for you to communicate with me, but you seem fine with the awkwardness between us. So, to be safe, I'll keep my emotions bottled up instead of risking them by bringing them up to you.


Boys don't cry
I feel like I can't express my emotions because of societal pressure that men should not show their feelings and should instead remain composed and strong.


I used to hold your hand Sometimes there was no question But now, even when you're near I've never felt so alone
There used to be a deep emotional connection between us, but now, even when we're physically close, I feel like we're worlds apart, and that makes me feel lonely.


If you'll just stand beside me I'll keep you in my life Tell me how much you love me And I'll be just fine
All I want from you is your presence and support in my life; if you could share your feelings for me, that would be enough to ease my loneliness.


Don't be Afraid of me
I want to break through the emotional tension and awkwardness between us, but I don't want you to be afraid of my emotions or my vulnerability.


Boys don't cry Boys don't cry Boys don't cry Boys don't cry
I keep repeating this because it's the societal belief that men cannot show vulnerability greater than it simply being a one-time mention. It's a constant reminder of the emotional pressure I feel to keep my emotions hidden.


So what would you say to me If you could talk to me You could ask anything I wouldn't mind But you're okay with this Damaging awkwardness So I'll just play it safe And keep it inside
Once again, I long for you to talk to me and ask me anything, but you seem content with the awkward silence that keeps our distance from each other. I'll just internalize my emotions to avoid making things worse.


Boys don't cry Boys don't cry
Repeating these words again reflects my true feelings of being restricted by society's gender stereotypes and keeping my emotions unexpressed.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MATT BRONLEEWE, TIFFANY ARBUCKLE LEE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@dimplax1

You sit there on the couch
Sipping your scotch and ice
You turn the TV on
And tune me out again

So what would you say to me
If you could talk to me
You could ask anything
I wouldn't lie
But you're okay with this
Damaging awkwardness
So I'll just play it safe
And keep it inside
'Cause boys don't cry

I used to hold your hand
So tight there was no question
But now even when you're near
I've never felt so alone

So what would you say to me
If you could talk to me
You could ask anything

I wouldn't lie
But you're okay with this
Damaging awkwardness
So I'll just play it safe
And keep it inside
'Cause boys don't cry

If you just stand beside me
I'll keep you in my life
Tell me how much you love me
And I'll be just fine
Don't be afraid of me

So what would you say to me
If you could talk to me
You could ask anything
I wouldn't lie
But you're okay with this
Damaging awkwardness
So I'll just play it safe
And keep it inside
'Cause boys don't cry



All comments from YouTube:

@aprilladaran8789

I used to listen to this song late in the night and just stare into my window. Absorbing the stillness of the night while drinkin my coffee and a cigarette on one hand. I loved my solitude. Those were priceless moments.

@alisonacchow

I just stumbled upon Plumb today and I gotta say she's one of the most underrated singers EVER @.@ Such beautiful tunes!!

@jaredrosen6094

I am glad you discovered her.. I hope you now know all of her work from the start..

@cynthiastephie

Big fan of Plumb.

@sergiocabezuela9713

What a song! Clearly one of the top well written Rock songs. The power/drive of this gem never sounds dull as the years pass by. One of my favorites.

@rickbox3793

Anyone still listen this song

@JM-ss7sc

me

@rickbox3793

@@JM-ss7sc what do you think about this song ?

@JM-ss7sc

@@rickbox3793 I can relate to the song. It's same with my current relationship.

@AndrewNeslo

Yes. Carried me through some tough times, and carrying me again tonight.Having a bit of an emotional breakdown, but this will pass too.

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