1)The Boys Next Door
"Boys Next Door" was formed in 1973 by Nick Cave, … Read Full Bio ↴1)The Boys Next Door
"Boys Next Door" was formed in 1973 by Nick Cave, Mick Harvey, and Phill Calvert and others while they were attending Caulfield Grammar School outside of Melbourne, Australia. They were later joined by Tracy Pew on bass in 1975, and Rowland S. Howard in 1978 on guitar, thereby solidifying the line-up that would be the Birthday Party, to which they changed their name in 1980.

2) Boys Next Door
Known to some as "the Beach Boys of the Midwest, ", The Boys Next Door were among the relatively few competent emulators of the Beach Boys/Jan Dean vocal/hot rod/surf sound, and certainly among the very few competent emulators to emerge from outside of California. Formed in Indianapolis, they issued a few singles in 1964-67, the first of these billed to the Four Wheels before they reverted to the name

The Boys Next Door (which they'd been known as before making their recording debut). They were made up of James Adams, Steve Lester, Jim Koss and Steve Drybread. The group had an extremely clean-cut image and sound, right down to the circa-1964 Beach Boys pinstripe shirts seen in some photos.

Actually, however, their recordings were pretty good and energetic, with melodic harmonies and a fairly kinetic drive. The early Four Wheels singles were convincing SoCal hot-rod pastiches, and singles such as "Mandy" were respectable approximations of the Beach Boys sound circa 1964-65 that could have fit in well as tracks on Beach Boys LPs of the period. The Boys Next Door were also no producer's concoction, writing much of their material and gigging frequently in the midwest, opening for stars like Herman's Hermits, the Hollies, Jerry Lee Lewis, and of course the Beach Boys.

The Boys Next Door were briefly produced by Bobby Goldsboro, who also wrote a few songs for them. They remained little known outside of Indianapolis, however, and split in late 1967 in disputes over musical direction, lead singer Steve Kester wanting to move into West Coast psychedelia, drummer Jim Koss and keyboardist Skeet Bushor wanting to play RB. A comprehensive CD collection, including the Four Wheels sides, Girls Next Door singles, and a bunch of unissued material, was released in 1999. Richie Unterberger - All Music Guide

3) http://www.discogs.com/artist/604266-Boys-Next-Door-2

Shivers
The Boys Next Door Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've been contemplating suicide
But it really doesn't suit my style
So I think I'll just act bored instead
And contain the blood I would've shed?
She makes me feel so ill at ease
My heart is really on it's knees
But I keep a poker face so well
That even mother couldn't tell

But my baby's so vain
She is almost a mirror
And the sound of her name
Sends a permanent shiver down my spine
Down my spine

I keep her photograph against my heart
For in my life she plays a starring part
All alcohol and cigarettes
There is no room for cheap regrets
She makes me feel so ill at ease
My heart is really on it's knees
And I keep a poker face so well
That even mother couldn't tell

But my baby's so vain
That she is almost a mirror
And the sound of her name
Sends a permanent shiver down my spine
Down my spine

Spine
Spine

Overall Meaning

The Boys Next Door's song "Shivers" is a haunting and evocative piece about the singer's obsession with a woman. The lyrics speak of the singer's contemplation of suicide, but instead of going through with it, they decide to "act bored instead" and hold back the blood they would have shed. The woman in question makes the singer feel uneasy, but they keep a "poker face" to hide their emotions. Despite this, the woman's vanity and the sound of her name "sends a permanent shiver down my spine."

The singer keeps a photograph of the woman close to their heart, as she plays a starring role in their life. The mention of "alcohol and cigarettes" suggests that the singer may be indulging in self-destructive behavior, possibly to cope with their feelings for the woman. The repetition of the lines "she makes me feel so ill at ease, my heart is really on its knees" emphasizes the intense emotional turmoil the singer is experiencing.

Overall, the song is an exploration of the pain and obsession that can come with unrequited love. The imagery of holding back blood and feeling shivers down one's spine creates a haunting atmosphere that perfectly captures the singer's inner turmoil.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been contemplating suicide
I have been considering taking my own life

But it really doesn't suit my style
However, committing suicide doesn't fit with who I am

So I think I'll just act bored instead
So I'll pretend to be uninterested instead

And contain the blood I would've shed?
And hold back the urge to harm myself?

She makes me feel so ill at ease
Her presence causes me significant discomfort

My heart is really on it's knees
My emotional distress is overwhelming

But I keep a poker face so well
But I successfully hide my true emotions

That even mother couldn't tell
That not even my mother can sense my inner turmoil

But my baby's so vain
However, my lover is very self-centered

She is almost a mirror
She reflects my own narcissism

And the sound of her name
And even hearing her name