Originally, they used the moniker 'The Nightlife Thugs'. The name "The Boomtown Rats" comes from a gang of down-and-outs from Woody Guthrie's autobiography, which the folk artist titled 'Bound for Glory'. The guys gained fame due to their often cynical tunes, having several notable singles, yet their record is overshadowed by the charity work on behalf of famine relief of their lead singer. Geldof, being nicknamed 'Bob The Gob' by the media for his big mouth, attained international fame after spearheading efforts such as 'Live Aid'.
The Boomtown Rats itself scored several Top Ten hits in the UK charts during their commercial peak, from 1978 to 79, and their most famous songs, still to this day, are "Rat Trap" (a U.K. #1) and "I Don't Like Mondays" (another U.K. #1), the latter being their biggest hit and achieving international notoriety. The track was written on a tour of the US in 1979 when Bob Geldof heard a telex machine spouting the story of Californian schoolgirl Brenda Ann Spencer, a girl that went on wild shooting spree at a San Diego high school with what seemed like no provocation before or remorse afterward. She justified her killing spree with the excuse "I don't like Mondays".
Bob Geldof has been gifted with the art of story-telling through songs. Lyrics are mostly in third person, have clever double entendre meanings, often relating some story or incident, eg "Dave". Geldof's charity work has been centred around the issue of famine relief, and includes being the organiser for the Band Aid single, for which he brought a superstar pop lineup together to record a song to aid famine relief (at the time was the fastest selling single in Britain of all time) and organizing the LiveAid concerts, a 2-continent superstar live concert that raised over 100 million dollars for famine relief.
Guitarist Gerry Cott left the band in 1981 and the band became a quintet. They disbanded in 1986 following a charity concert in Ireland. Most of the band members have now moved on to solo projects or new bands.
The Boomtown Rats reformed in 2013 going on tour again and released a new best of album Back to Boomtown : Classic Rats Hits which includes two new recorded songs.
When the Night Comes
The Boomtown Rats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Flickering their strip-light eyes, shivering they readjust their lives
From the air-conditioned heat.
The humdrum and mundane
Is nearly driving them insane.
But you get hooked so quick to anything
Even your chains,
You're crouching in your corner 'til they open up your cage.
Chorus:
And when the night comes
It'll help you disappear
And when the night comes
Forget about the day that brought you here.
Frankie takes the train and makes it home in time to catch the evening news,
Opening a can of beans he learns the world has turned without much help from him.
Hey Frank, why not get drunk tonight?
Hey Frank, I think it'll be alright,
You'll be too far gone to notice when the neighbors start complaining,
But they're used to it by now, every day's the same.
(repeat chorus)
And when the night comes,
He might get on the phone,
She's a stuck-up bitch,
But she lives on her own,
And he heard her talking dirty to the girls the other day,
And she knew that he had heard her and she looked "as if to say"
And then later up in marketing while going through the files,
She bent a little too far down, then turned around and smiled.
He got her number,
He got the phone,
He dialed the number,
He heard the tone.
He said "Tonight's the night that I've been waiting for,
Oh I know you've seen me worship you from afar,
And I might tell you that I love you and I will but just for
Tonight, one night, alright tonight."
In his three piece cunning camouflage nobody
can guess what Frankie's thinking,
Last night she said "I don't know if I'm drowning
Maybey it's because I'm sinking."
He said "It'll be okay
I'll get outta here one day"
And she said "Frankie, you're no different from any of the rest,
They've nailed you to that table and chained you to your desk."
But when the night comes....
(repeat chorus)
The Boomtown Rats' song "When The Night Comes" describes the mundane and repetitive lives of office workers. The song suggests that people turn to vices or unconventional actions to escape the monotony of their daily lives. The chorus "And when the night comes, it'll help you disappear" implies that people find solace in darkness and anonymity, using it as a way to forget the day that brought them to that point. The verse about Frankie feeling irrelevant in a world that has moved on without him and finding connection through a chance encounter suggests that there are ways to escape the drudgery, even if they're temporary.
The lyrics showcase the emotional detachment of workers who feel disconnected from society, but they also hint that there is an underlying restlessness in everyone, which can be risky if left unchecked. The song encourages the listener to question their priorities, potentially inspiring them to challenge the social contract for a chance at something greater instead of being tethered to a life of conformity.
The Boomtown Rats never claimed that "When The Night Comes" was a revolutionary song but instead used it as a love letter to their audience. The song speaks to the disenfranchised in every corner of the world, offering them a moment of clarity, a chance to escape, and explore possibilities. It's not just about being heard but being seen in the midst of the struggle.
Line by Line Meaning
The offices are emptying their pale-faced wards into the street,
People are leaving their offices, looking drained and tired, and heading out onto the street.
Flickering their strip-light eyes, shivering they readjust their lives
They look around with their tired eyes, shivering as they adapt to the outside world after being in air conditioning all day.
From the air-conditioned heat.
They're leaving the cool indoor environment for the outside heat.
The humdrum and mundane
Their lives are boring and repetitive.
Is nearly driving them insane.
It's making them go crazy with boredom.
But you get hooked so quick to anything
People are quick to latch onto anything that provides excitement or change.
Even your chains,
Even if you're chained to something, you'll gladly take a departure from the norm.
You're crouching in your corner 'til they open up your cage.
People are so desperate for change that they're willing to wait for it as if they were caged animals.
And when the night comes
The night offers a chance to escape from the mundane.
It'll help you disappear
You can disappear into the night, forgetting about your problems and escaping your routine.
And when the night comes
The night is a recurring symbol for the escape from everyday life.
Forget about the day that brought you here.
Forget about your problems and the boring day that you had.
Opening a can of beans he learns the world has turned without much help from him.
Frankie comes home and discovers that the world has continued without his input.
Hey Frank, why not get drunk tonight?
Frankie's friend encourages him to get drunk, perhaps to forget his worries.
You'll be too far gone to notice when the neighbors start complaining,
If he gets drunk enough, he won't even notice when his neighbors complain about the noise.
But they're used to it by now, every day's the same.
His neighbors are used to the noise because day after day, the same monotony occurs.
And when the night comes, He might get on the phone
Frankie might use the night to make a call, hoping to change his circumstances.
She's a stuck-up bitch, But she lives on her own, And he heard her talking dirty to the girls the other day
Frankie is interested in someone he heard talking to other girls and labels her negatively, but notes that she lives alone.
And she knew that he had heard her and she looked "as if to say"
She knew he was listening and gave him a look that conveyed some kind of unspoken message.
And then later up in marketing while going through the files, She bent a little too far down, then turned around and smiled.
Later, while at work, she leans down and smiles seductively at him.
He got her number, He got the phone, He dialed the number, He heard the tone.
Frankie calls her and gets through.
He said "Tonight's the night that I've been waiting for, Oh I know you've seen me worship you from afar, And I might tell you that I love you and I will but just for Tonight, one night, alright tonight."
Frankie is excited that they're finally going to meet up and intends to profess his love, but only for one night.
In his three piece cunning camouflage nobody can guess what Frankie's thinking,
Frankie's clothing obscures his true nature from others.
Last night she said "I don't know if I'm drowning Maybe it's because I'm sinking."
The girl tells Frankie about her troubles, expressing that she feels lost and overwhelmed.
He said "It'll be okay I'll get outta here one day"
Frankie reassures her that everything will be alright and that he'll escape his mundane life soon.
And she said "Frankie, you're no different from any of the rest, They've nailed you to that table and chained you to your desk."
She sees that Frankie is just like everyone else, chained to their desk job.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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