The Boys made arguably one of the best LPs of the 70s with their self-title… Read Full Bio ↴The Boys made arguably one of the best LPs of the 70s with their self-titled first album and provided the template for superior Pop Punk before even the Buzzcocks had got out of first gear. Formed from the ashes of '70s glam outfit The Hollywood Brats, the Boys were responsible for four albums and ten singles, several of which were released under the name "The Yobs," always released just in time for The Christmas season. The track "First Time," from their debut EP, is a bona fide '78 second-wave UK punk classic, amidst such groups as Chelsea, The Undertones, The Lurkers, and Eater.

Yet for some reason The Boys occupy a neglected position in relation to London's early Punk scene, probably because they weren't clothed by Sex or managed by Malcolm McLaren. Being tagged the "Punk Beatles" couldn't have helped either, and by '81 they called it quits.

Plagued by mishaps, bad timing and plain bad luck they managed to keep smiling and come up with corking, hyper-speed pop classics like "Brickfield Nights" and "Rue Morgue". In short The Boys were a gem of a band and a total inspiration to any Punk band who value tunes over noise.

There are others artists with the same name:
2) Jheryl Busby signed the Abdulsamad Brothers, better known as the Boys, while employed at MCA Records. "The Boys" Khiry (born November 8, 1973), Tajh (born December 10, 1976), Hakim (born March 27, 1975), and Bilal Abdulsamad (born April 17, 1978) started singing in their hometown of Carson, CA, when Bilal was five and Khiry nine. They are best known for their 1988 hit single "Dial My Heart". Today, they live in Gambia on the West Coast of Africa

3) The Boys. Australia (1980), Made "When You're Lonely" 7" a nice new wave/power pop single.

4) The Boys were a Lincoln, Nebraska band power pop group. They put out three singles including "She's All Mine" (1975) and "You Make Me Shake" (1977).

5) The Boys was a powerpop group from Sweden.

6) The Boys is also an all-girl grunge band from Brisbane, Australia. Currently unsigned, they released a self-titled 3-song EP demo (September, 2012).

Living In The City
The Boys Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh I`m living in the city in the shadow of things to come Everywhere I turn neon lights like the midnight sun
Living in the city under traffic control
It`s just enough to make you believe
There’s a subway to heaven and an underground to kingdom come

Living in the city
Living in the city
Living in the city

Living in the city

Overall Meaning

In "Living in the City," The Boys explore the experience of living in an urban environment. The opening lines set the scene, with the singer describing the city as a place "in the shadow of things to come." This suggests a sense of uncertainty and anticipation, as if something big is about to happen but hasn't yet arrived. The city is also described as a place of constant stimulation, with neon lights shining everywhere like a "midnight sun." This creates a sense of perpetual activity and excitement, but also implies that it can be overwhelming or exhausting to live in such a busy environment.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh I'm living in the city in the shadow of things to come
I am currently residing in the city, anticipating what is to come in the future and living in its shadow.

Everywhere I turn neon lights like the midnight sun
I am constantly surrounded by neon lights that illuminate the city at night, making it seem like the sun never sets.

Living in the city under traffic control
I am living in a city where traffic is heavily regulated and controlled.

It's just enough to make you believe
The city's structure and environment are capable of making you believe anything is possible.

There's a subway to heaven and an underground to kingdom come
The city has various means of transportation that can take one to different destinations, whether it be to heaven or the depths of the earth.

Living in the city
Overall, the song talks about the experience of living in the city.

Contributed by Layla O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS