Têtes Raides is a French group whose music reunites elements of french poet… Read Full Bio ↴Têtes Raides is a French group whose music reunites elements of french poetry, theater, visual arts and the Big Top circus antics to create a very particular brand of contemporary french folk rock.

The group was founded in Paris during the 1980s. Originally, they played music heavily influenced by the punk movement and depended on electric instruments. Their third album featured Anne-Gaëlle, a classically trained cellist, and marked a turning point in the group’s music toward a more acoustic sound. The group’s later efforts misleadingly took shape of casual folk songs while actually using stunning musical arrangements, experimental soundscapes and poetic lyrics rife with very dark humor.

Listeners find the influence of classic French musicians like Jacques Brel, Georges Brassens and Les Négresses Vertes.

Boy
Têtes Raides Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hey boy
It's a dream
Wake up
It's a dream
You make me puzzled
You've got the death in your head
Hey boy
Don't talk so loud

I can't stand
Listening your voice
I would like so much
To make you forget

Hey boy
You're so cold
Children they use to smile
You've closed your earth
You make me crying
Boy
It's a dream boy
Wake up
It's a dream
You make me puzzled
You've got the death in your head

Boy boy
Can you stop now
Boy boy
It's to hard
Boy boy
I'm going to break down
Boy boy
I know for a long time

Boy boy
That you're my boy

Overall Meaning

The song "Boy" by Têtes Raides is a hauntingly beautiful piece that is open to interpretation. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the song is its minimalist style, with just a few instruments and the emotionally charged lyrics carrying the weight of the song. The first verse addresses a "boy" who is lost in a dream, possibly alluding to the idea that he is living in a state of denial or escapism to avoid dealing with the harsh realities of the world. There is a sense of urgency in the lyrics as the singer tries to awaken the boy from his dream, knowing that it is not reality.

The second verse paints a picture of a child who once smiled but has since shut down emotionally, causing the singer to cry. The repeated phrase "it's a dream" may be referring to the boy's detachment from reality, or perhaps the singer's hope that this is all just a bad dream and not the harsh reality of the world. The singer continues to plead with the boy to stop, acknowledging that it's too hard for him to continue on this path. There is a sense of sadness and despair in the singer's voice, as he seems to be powerless to help the boy.

Overall, the song "Boy" seems to be a poignant commentary on the plight of lost youth, and the singer's plea for the boy to wake up and face reality is a heartfelt one. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but the underlying message is clear: there is a need to be present in the moment and face the harsh realities of the world in order to truly live.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey boy
Addressing a young male

It's a dream
Life is passing by and this isn't real

Wake up
Stop wasting your time and face reality

You make me puzzled
Your behavior confuses and worries me

You've got the death in your head
You're preoccupied with death and it's affecting you

Hey boy
Addressing a young male again

Don't talk so loud
Lower your voice, it's uncomfortable

I can't stand
I'm unable to tolerate

Listening your voice
Hearing you speak

I would like so much
I want to help you

To make you forget
To help you move on and forget your troubles