1) The Broadways were … Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name:
1) The Broadways were a punk band from Chicago, Illinois. The group formed in 1996 after the break-up of ska-punk band Slapstick, with their vocalist Brendan Kelly and trumpet player Dan Hanaway combining with Rob DePaola and Tricky Dick guitarist Chris McCaughan.
Musically, The Broadways frequently drew comparisons to Crimpshrine and Jawbreaker. The band is notable for the intelligent political, social, and introspective nature of their lyrics, as well as their complex, non-traditional song structures and above-average punk musicianship.
The band released Broken Star in 1998 on Asian Man Records before breaking up the same year. After the breakup, Kelly and McCaughan formed The Lawrence Arms, while Hanaway and DePaola started The Honor System. A collection of unreleased material and songs collected from their EPs was released posthumously in 2000 as Broken Van.
2) The Broadways were a R&B band from the mid-60's. Line up: Ronnie Coleman, Billy Brown, Leon Trent, Moe . They originally recorded as The Uniques but as The Broadways they released a couple of singles on MGM which are much prized by the Northern Soul fraternity. Billy Brown went on to become a member of The Moments. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFj5GwfqrtU
3) The Broadways are band from West London. They released their debut single 'Just A Dreamy Day' through New Slang Records of Kingston in Novemeber 2007 and it reached number 6 in the UK Indie Charts. The are currently putting the finishing touches to their debut album 'Greetings From The Broadway' with Arctic Monkeys producer Alan Smythe for release in Japan in August. For listeners of The Metros, The Clash and The Hold Steady. www.myspace.com/broadwaysuk
What Happened?
The Broadways Lyrics
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now it's filled with so many strip malls
and wendys and shitty mcdonalds
and all the houses look the same
all the people look the same
what happened to my park it looks like a plastic prison
how are the girls and boys ever gonna have fun?
they said it was cheaper this way
all the parks look the same
all the children look the same
can't you see what they've done to us?
they've cloned and reproduced us
made us into f**ked up machines
stole our imagination. take off the blind fold
i work from 9 to 5 from 6 to 10 i watch tv
there's millions of others like me
ask yourself how can i be a man?
just be yourself, please
just be yourself, please
The song "What Happened?" by The Broadways is a reflection on the homogenization and commercialization of America. The singer begins by expressing their shock and disbelief at how their hometown has changed. What was once a unique and special place has been turned into a soulless landscape of strip malls and chain restaurants. The houses all look the same, the people all look the same, and even the parks have been reduced to plastic prisons.
The singer laments how this transformation has impacted children. With all the parks looking and feeling the same, how are they ever going to be able to have fun and exercise their imaginations? The commercialization of America has stripped away their ability to be unique individuals and transformed them into cogs in the machine.
The song ultimately becomes a call to action. The singer urges listeners to take off their blindfolds and see the truth about what's happening in America. They encourage people to resist the pressure to conform and instead embrace their own individuality. Instead of blindly following the path laid out for them, they urge listeners to be true to themselves and find their own way in life.
Overall, "What Happened?" is a powerful critique of the commercialization of America and a call to action for people to resist the pressure to conform and embrace their individuality.
Line by Line Meaning
i hardly recognize this place i used to call it my home
The singer finds it difficult to recognize the place which used to be their home.
now it's filled with so many strip malls
The area is now cluttered with numerous strip malls.
and wendys and shitty mcdonalds
There are several fast-food chains like Wendy's and McDonald's in the locality.
and all the houses look the same
All the houses in the area look identical.
all the people look the same
The people in the locality look similar to one another.
what happened to my park it looks like a plastic prison
The singer's beloved park has turned into an unappealing, lifeless place.
how are the girls and boys ever gonna have fun?
The singer is concerned about the children's inability to have fun in the deprived environment.
they said it was cheaper this way
The authorities justified their choice by explaining that this development was more economical.
but what's more important than children?
The artist believes that nothing should come before the betterment of children's lives.
all the parks look the same
Every park looks alike and unoriginal.
all the children look the same
People have been made identical and indistinguishable from behind their flesh, gender, and appearances.
can't you see what they've done to us?
The artist expresses their desire to draw attention to the effects of the government's plans.
they've cloned and reproduced us
The authorities have turned society into an identical, monotonous world by repeated reproduction.
made us into f**ked up machines
People have been transformed into overridden, tragedy-packed machines.
stole our imagination. take off the blind fold
The authorities have robbed society of their imagination, and the people must stop believing in fake securities.
i work from 9 to 5 from 6 to 10 i watch tv
The artist functions in a mundane, unvaried schedule that involves working from 9 to 5 and watching TV from 6 to 10.
there's millions of others like me
Several other people operate on a similar schedule to the artist's.
ask yourself how can i be a man?
The singer wants people to question what programming components make someone a man.
just be yourself, please
The singer encourages people to be themselves rather than being a product of societal reengineering.
just be yourself, please
The artist encourages people to be themselves rather than being a product of societal reengineering.
Contributed by Alaina C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
ethan
on Police Song
i love police do you