Their best known tunes include "Our Lips Our Sealed", "Vacation", and "We Got The Beat" among others. Their trend-setting debut album, 'Beauty and the Beat', didn't just reach #1 after its 1981 release but is also considered one of the cornerstone albums of American new wave. In the beginning, they played primarily what was known as 'pop punk', and they then made their sound more sunny and romantic, having later associated themselves with the distinct sound of 80s pop rock. The Go-Go's had five Top 40 hits in their heyday.
Website: http://www.gogos.com/
In addition, there was a group from Newcastle in the U.K. known as "The Go-Go's" in the 60s. That artist is known for their 1964 novelty Christmas single, titled "I'm Gonna Spend My Christmas With A Dalek", which referenced the budding 'Doctor Who' craze. Like the later U.S. band of the same name, the group's name was a reference to go-go dancing.
London Boys
The Go-Go's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you look real good
Pale blank faces - black and white keen
London boys - cigarette lean
London boys
Wish you were here
London boys
London boys
Seem real cool
London boys
Wish you were here
London boys
Wish we were there
London boys
Seem real cool
London boys
If we had the money
If we were only rich
We'd take a jet plane get outa this scene
And make the switch
London boys
Wish you were here
London boys
Wish we were there
London boys
Seem real cool
London boys
Wish you were here
London boys
Wish we were there
London boys
Seem real cool
London boys
Go go go
Seen your pictures in the 'zines
And you look real good
Pale blank faces - black and white keen
London boys - cigarette lean
London boys
Wish you were here
London boys
Wish we were there
London boys
Seem real cool
London boys
Wish you were here
London boys
Wish we were there
London boys
Seem real cool
London boys
London boys
London boys
The Go-Go's's song London Boys is a tribute to the punk rock scene in London, specifically to the boys who were part of it. The song speaks of how the band members had seen pictures of these boys in magazines and were drawn to their style, which they describe as having "pale blank faces" and being "cigarette lean." The lyrics reveal a longing to be a part of that scene, as the band wishes they were in London with those boys who they believe are "real cool."
The chorus of the song repeats the same wishful sentiment: "London boys, wish you were here / London boys, wish we were there / London boys seem real cool." The lyrics are simple but powerful, conveying a sense of longing and admiration for a group of people who are seen as rebels and outsiders.
It's worth noting that the song was released in 1980, at the height of the punk movement. The Go-Go's were an all-female band from Los Angeles who were gaining popularity in the new wave scene. The fact that they were singing about the punk scene in London was significant, as it showed that punk had become a global phenomenon.
Overall, London Boys is a tribute to the punk rock scene in London and a longing to be a part of it. The lyrics speak to a universal desire to belong to a subculture and to find acceptance among like-minded individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
Seen your pictures in the 'zines
We have seen your photos in the magazines
And you look real good
You look really attractive
Pale blank faces - black and white keen
The people in London are very pale and their faces stand out sharply, as they are dressed in black and white
London boys - cigarette lean
The men in London are portrayed smoking cigarettes and looking cool and relaxed
London boys/Wish you were here/London boys/Wish we were there/London boys/Seem real cool
The London boys seem cool, and the singer wishes they were there with them
If we had the money/If we were only rich/We'd take a jet plane, get out of this scene/And make the switch
If the singer had enough money, they would take a plane to London and start a new life
Go go go
The singer is enthusiastic about the idea of going to London and starting a new life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BELINDA CARLISLE, CHARLOTTE CAFFEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
theblackprince_1775
FREAKIN LOVE her voice....I remember standing at her toe at the whiskey stage before the album came out....they were wearing nothing but trash bags and 60s pumps hahah GREAT FUN
jamesgroome
Dang how had I missed THIS song before?!
Larz Gustafsson
Lovely girls. Great music.
Erna Telemaque
They should put this on Beauty and the Beat!
Erna Telemaque
Does anyone know how to play this song?