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).
Organ Grinder
The Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Steel/Dangerfield/Plain)
The organ grinder makes music, sometimes he works all night
Punching holes in music scrolls, to get the tunes just right
He gets up in the morning, and makes his way to town
The music fills the market square and the people gather round
Yeah, yeah, the monkey dances
One day the monkey came to say, it's time for me to leave
Consider, said the grinder, we work best as a team
You're wrong screeched the monkey, it's me they come to see
Watch them when we're playing, their eyes are all on me
Oh yeah, and the monkey dances
Yeah, yeah, the monkey dances
Down in the city, with the grifters and the thieves
The grinder plays his music, it satisfies his needs
The monkey joined the circus and moves from town to town
Working for peanuts and playing with the clowns
The lyrics of The Boys' song "Organ Grinder" tell the story of an organ grinder and his monkey companion. The organ grinder is dedicated to his craft, spending long hours working on music scrolls to perfect the tunes he plays. He goes to town every morning, filling the market square with music, attracting people to gather around and listen. The monkey, meanwhile, dances along with the music, capturing the attention and admiration of the audience.
However, one day the monkey expresses his desire to leave, suggesting that they work best as a team. The organ grinder disagrees, arguing that it is the monkey that people come to see. He points out how their eyes are fixated on the monkey when they perform. Despite this disagreement, they continue working together, with the monkey captivating audiences with his lively dancing.
The song also touches on the contrasting lives of the organ grinder and the monkey. While the organ grinder satisfies his needs by playing music in the city among grifters and thieves, the monkey joins the circus, constantly moving from town to town, working for minimal rewards and interacting with the clowns.
Overall, "Organ Grinder" highlights the dynamic between the organ grinder and his monkey companion, showcasing how their individual talents contribute to their success while also differing in their contributions to the performance.
Line by Line Meaning
The organ grinder makes music, sometimes he works all night
The organ grinder tirelessly creates music, occasionally working through the night
Punching holes in music scrolls, to get the tunes just right
He meticulously shapes the music scrolls by punching holes to achieve the perfect melodies
He gets up in the morning, and makes his way to town
Every morning, he begins his journey to the town where he performs
The music fills the market square and the people gather round
His music resonates throughout the market square, attracting a crowd of people
Oh yeah, and the monkey dances
In addition, the monkey entertains by dancing alongside the organ grinder's music
Yeah, yeah, the monkey dances
Yes, indeed, the monkey continues to dance
One day the monkey came to say, it's time for me to leave
One day, the monkey expressed its desire to part ways with the organ grinder
Consider, said the grinder, we work best as a team
The organ grinder proposed that they function most effectively when working together
You're wrong screeched the monkey, it's me they come to see
The monkey vehemently disagreed, claiming that it is the main attraction for the audience
Watch them when we're playing, their eyes are all on me
Observing the audience's focus, the monkey insisted that all attention is directed towards itself
Down in the city, with the grifters and the thieves
In the city, amidst the deceitful and dishonest individuals
The grinder plays his music, it satisfies his needs
The organ grinder performs his music, deriving satisfaction from his art
The monkey joined the circus and moves from town to town
The monkey opted to join a circus, regularly shifting locations as they travel from one town to another
Working for peanuts and playing with the clowns
Engaging in menial tasks for meager rewards, while also interacting with the circus clowns
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Casino Steel, Honest John Plain, Matt Dangerfield
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind