1.) The D… Read Full Bio ↴There have been two punk rock bands called the Ducky Boys:
1.) The Ducky Boys are a street punk band from Boston, Massachusetts. Since forming in 1995 in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, the band has spanned over ten years with two tenures that have led to four full-length albums and over 50 songs. The band derives its name from the name of an Irish street gang in the 1979 movie, "The Wanderers".
Lead on bass and vocals by band frontman Mark Lind and drums by mainstay Jason Messina, while featuring a rotating cast of guitarists, the band released four full length albums before being put on hiatus in 2007. The band is currently operating on a "part-time" basis, performing a small amount of shows throughout the year, featuring the lineup of Lind, Messina, and Sullivan.
Over the last ten years, the band's sound has evolved from quick punk riffs to more stripped down rock music and a developing message of social consciousness. However, the band's influences, which include Rancid, Social Distortion, The Clash, Bruce Springsteen, and dozens of other punk and rock n' roll bands, still remains a prevalent element in the band's sound.
Members:
Mark Lind - bass, lead vocals
Jason Messina - drums
Douglas Sullivan - guitar, vocals
Former members:
Mike Marsden - guitar, vocals
Mike O'Leary - guitar, vocals
James Lynch - guitar, vocals
Joe Riot - guitar, vocals
Tom DeRecco - guitar, vocals
2) The first Ducky Boys put out at least one 7" EP in 1982 on Spoiler Records. The EP was called Mercenary and the front cover shows the band trying to look tough in military regalia. Both photos show only four people, yet five band members are listed.
Members:
Al Catraz - guitar, vocals
Charlie Cutemup - bass
Alma Merced - vocals
Phlegm - drums
Broadway Turk Superstar - vocals
The Way It Used to Be
The Ducky Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd give anything
To be back home
Safe and warm inside
I can't stand the crowds
Or the smell that surrounds me
The cloth and key
Take me back so I can see
The way it used to be
I lay down and enter a dream
Unlike anywhere I've been
All is silent and sweet
Then I'm falling down to the ground
And I'm lost from what I've found
Can't stand the sounds no more
Take me back so I can see
The way it used to be
The way it used to be
Move me from the water
Too cold to swim
Bring me to the land
Move me from the water
That I see within
Bring me to the land
Radio waves
Splash through my head
To a rhythm that I crave
Radio waves
Relive the moment
Seems like yesterday
Take me back to Twelve Mile Bay
Where I'll sit at the edge with my feet in the water
Take me back as the sun fades away
Break down the walls so I can breathe
Move me from the water
Too cold to swim
Bring me to the land
Move me from the water
That I see within
Bring me to the land
Move me from the water
Too cold to swim
Bring me to the land
Move me from the water
That I see within
The way it used to be
The way it used to be
Move me from the water
Too cold to swim
Bring me to the land
Move me from the water
That I see within
Bring me to the land
Move me from the water
Too cold to swim
Bring me to the land
Move me from the water
That I see within
The Way It Used to Be by The Ducky Boys is a song about homesickness and longing for the past. The first stanza describes the singer feeling physically and emotionally sick, desiring the safety and warmth of being back home. He expresses his distaste for the crowds and the smell that surrounds him, highlighting his discomfort with his current situation. The reference to the cloth and key still preaching chastity could be referring to the singer's religious upbringings or a nod to the straight edge movement.
The second stanza describes the singer entering a dream, characterized by silence and sweetness, before falling down to the ground and feeling lost. He can't stand the sounds anymore and yearns to go back to the way things used to be. In the third stanza, the singer seems to find solace in radio waves and the rhythm he craves. The line "relive the moment, seems like yesterday" highlights the nostalgia that runs throughout the song, with the singer yearning to be taken back to a specific moment in time.
The chorus repeats the desire to be taken from the water (perhaps representing the struggles he faces outside of his hometown) and brought to the land (his home, where he is safe and happy). Overall, The Way It Used to Be is a song about the pain of being disconnected from the place you call home and the longing to go back to a simpler time.
Line by Line Meaning
Feelin' sick once again
I'm feeling ill, just like before
I'd give anything
I would do anything to change this situation
To be back home
To be in the comforts of my own home
Safe and warm inside
Feeling protected and cozy indoors
I can't stand the crowds
I am uncomfortable in large groups of people
Or the smell that surrounds me
I dislike the scent around me
The cloth and key
The society's morals and values
Still preach chastity
Still advocating for abstinence
Take me back so I can see
Bring me back to the past to experience it again
I lay down and enter a dream
I am drifting off to sleep and dreaming
Unlike anywhere I've been
This dream is different from any other experience I've had
All is silent and sweet
It's quiet and peaceful in this dream
Then I'm falling down to the ground
I'm experiencing a sudden drop or decline
And I'm lost from what I've found
I feel disconnected or unsure about what I've discovered
Can't stand the sounds no more
I can't tolerate the noise around me anymore
Move me from the water
Take me away from this situation
Too cold to swim
The situation feels uncomfortable, like cold water
Bring me to the land
Take me to a place where I feel comfortable and safe
That I see within
Referring to a feeling inside me
Radio waves
The media and entertainment industry
Splash through my head
These have an impact and influence on my thoughts
To a rhythm that I crave
The media and entertainment create a desired pattern
Relive the moment
Re-experiencing events from the past
Seems like yesterday
These events still feel recent and fresh
Take me back to Twelve Mile Bay
Bring me back to a specific place in the past
Where I'll sit at the edge with my feet in the water
Describing a peaceful and comfortable scene from the past
As the sun fades away
Describing the end of a day
Break down the walls so I can breathe
Remove the barriers that are suffocating me
The way it used to be
Yearning for things to be like they were in the past
Contributed by Mackenzie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.