The Boo Radleys are a British guitar band of the 1990's who made experiment… Read Full Bio ↴The Boo Radleys are a British guitar band of the 1990's who made experimental indie music, and were briefly associated with the Britpop movement. They took their name from the reclusive character of Boo Radley from Harper Lee's classic novel To Kill A Mockingbird.

They were formed in Wallasey, England in 1988, with singer/guitarist Sice aka Simon Rowebottom, guitarist/songwriter Martin Carr, bassist Timothy Brown and original drummer Steve Hewitt. Hewitt was replaced by Rob Cieka following their first release, the extremely rare Ichabod and I.

In 1992, the band released Everything's Alright Forever but it was 1993's Giant Steps that finally brought the band to a mass audience, in the UK at least. They were on the illustrious Creation Records label with other British greats like the Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Scream, and My Bloody Valentine.

The Boos never were quite able to break in the US, even with the poppier 1995 Wake Up!. The album brought critical acclaim to the band, but was not promoted by their US domestic label, Columbia, and the band was subsequently dropped. During this time, Sice put out a solo album, First Fruits under the name Eggman. 1996 also saw the Boo Radleys bring about another change, the heavier C'mon Kids. The band split in 1999, just months after the release of Kingsize.

Martin Carr went on to form Brave Captain, putting out several albums. Despite a pledge to never play again, Sice formed a new band, Paperlung, in 2005.

More info can be found on their website: http://www.booradleys.co.uk/

Barney
The Boo Radleys Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Now it's getting colder
My hands chilled to the bone
I watch you breath and trace

It's steps as it mingles with my
Own. the lake is almost frozen
The grass is silver air
The wind is high in the blue sky

I wish that i could care.
I recall when we were younger
We shared the streets of home
Spoke of our dreams and soaring
Schemes and places we would
Go, if i stay much longer
I'll never leave again, i have to
Move i cannot stay, believe the
Voice that tells me leave it all
Behind me, i know that i know
That i am wrong, i'll never leave
Now it has been so long

And now i'm getting older, i still
Can't find the words to empathise
With what's inside, express the way
I feel and now i'm getting older
It's easier to hide, to run away
Day after day betray the voice that tells me leave it all behind me, i

Know that i know that i am wrong, i'll
Never leave now it has been so long

Overall Meaning

The lyrics above are from The Boo Radleys' song "Barney," a melancholic tune from their 1994 album, "Giant Steps." The song reflects on the passing of time and the growing distance between two friends. The opening lines describe the physical setting of the song: a cold, wintry day with a frozen lake and silver grass. These images set the mood for the rest of the song, which explores the emotional distance between two people who were once close.

The singer then reflects on his friendship with "Barney." When they were younger, they had "dreams and soaring schemes and places" they wanted to go. However, as they grew older, the singer started to feel like he was stuck in one place, unable to move forward. He feels like he's betraying the voice inside him that tells him to "leave it all behind," but he's unable to act on it. The song ends with the singer acknowledging that he's getting older, and it's easier for him to hide and run away from his problems than to face them head-on.

Line by Line Meaning

Now it's getting colder
As the weather turns cold, a sense of isolation and loneliness creep in

My hands chilled to the bone
The feeling of being physically cold mirrors the emotional chill felt by the singer

I watch you breath and trace It's steps as it mingles with my Own.
The singer watches their breath mix with their companion's, symbolizing their entwined lives and experiences

The lake is almost frozen The grass is silver air The wind is high in the blue sky
The stark, frozen landscape reinforces the feeling of cold and emptiness

I wish that i could care.
Despite the artist's efforts, they feel disconnected from their surroundings and can't muster enthusiasm

I recall when we were younger We shared the streets of home Spoke of our dreams and soaring Schemes and places we would Go,
The singer reminisces about a happier time, when they had a close friend with whom they shared their dreams

If i stay much longer I'll never leave again,
The singer is torn between wanting to stay in this nostalgic moment and the need to move on with their life.

i have to Move i cannot stay, believe the Voice that tells me leave it all Behind me,
Despite their attachment to the past, the artist knows they need to embrace change and move forward.

i know that i know That i am wrong, i'll never leave Now it has been so long
The artist knows that their reluctance to move on is holding them back but has become ingrained in their psyche over time.

And now i'm getting older, i still Can't find the words to empathise With what's inside, express the way I feel
The artist struggles to articulate their complex emotions and communicate with others

and now i'm getting older It's easier to hide, to run away Day after day betray the voice that tells me leave it all behind me,
Rather than confront their fears and push through discomfort, the singer resorts to avoidance and denial.

i know that i know that i am wrong, i'll never leave now it has been so long
The artist recognizes deep down that they are holding themselves back from growth, but their attachment to the past remains too strong.

Contributed by Emily T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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