Formed in 1985, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones started playing in Boston clubs in the mid-1980s. After a brief period of inactivity due to the schooling commitments of its members, they reformed and released their album Devil's Night Out on Taang! Records. The Bosstones toured relentlessly throughout the 1990s, playing hundreds of shows a year, releasing albums and spinning off the popular rock radio hit "Someday I Suppose". They were eventually signed to Mercury Records. The band appeared in the movie Clueless. In 1997, the success of their single "The Impression That I Get" and its follow up, "The Rascal King" earned them mainstream recognition. In 2000 they put out their critically acclaimed disk Pay Attention. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones released their last album on Side One Dummy Records. They officially went on hiatus in 2003, citing too much time on the road and desire to branch out and do different things. In 2007, the Bosstones announced that they were reforming. They played their 10th Hometown Throwdown in Boston and released a new album, Medium Rare, which consists of rare B-sides, and 3 new songs, including the single, "Don't Worry Desmond Dekker".
The band announced their split in early 2022.
A Sad Silence
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones Lyrics
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Same corner, neighborhood, his friends, the gang
Two years and extra days, a bigger kid would crack his eye
No real reason, explanation and everyday no one knew why
The bigger kid was crazy, that made the gang afraid
When he told the gang to shut their mouths, the gang obeyed
You've got to have a place to be, you need a place to hang around
No one spoke, no one moved, no one made a sound
The left one was always black
His lips they never moved
They stayed still with each attack
His ears were always ringing,
In his head he'd hear a hum
And all the kids on the corner
Knew what it was from
Well then one day it happened, he took his daily crack
His eyes rolled up, like yesterday, he started falling back
The kids that watch this everyday, now watched him hit the ground
No one spoke, no one moved, no one made a sound
And no one made a sound
Both his eyes would twitch
The left one was always black
His lips they never moved
They stayed still with each
Attack his ears were always ringing,
In his head he'd hear a hum
And all the kids on the corner
Knew what it was from
No one spoke, no one moved, no one made a sound
A sad silent situation, now he's not around
No one spoke, no one moved, no one made a sound
A sad silent situation, now he's not around
Well no one spoke and no one moved and no one made a sound
A sad silent situation he's not a, he's not around
No one spoke no one moved he's not around
A sad silent situation now he's not around
The lyrics of "A Sad Silence" by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones tell the story of a boy who was a part of a gang and spent his days on a street corner with his friends. However, one day, a bigger kid in the neighborhood randomly decided to assault him regularly, and the gang was too afraid of the bully to intervene. The singer describes how the boy's physical and mental state were affected by the ongoing abuse, causing him to have twitching eyes, a blackened left eye, and ringing ears. One day, while taking his daily beating, the boy collapsed, and the entire street corner fell silent in shock. The song implies that the boy has either died or moved away and that his absence is a loss and a "sad silent situation" for all those who knew him.
The song is a poignant reflection on the senseless violence that can occur in communities where youth gangs are prevalent. The lyrics suggest that the other kids on the corner were powerless to help or intervene, despite the obvious need for intervention. The song's tone is mournful and regretful; highlighting the waste of a young life, the brutality of bullying, and the consequences of silence.
Line by Line Meaning
Two years and extra days, a block away he'd head to hang
He would hang out at the same block with his gang for two years and some extra days.
Same corner, neighborhood, his friends, the gang
It was the same corner in his neighborhood where he would meet his gang friends.
Two years and extra days, a bigger kid would crack his eye
A bigger kid hit him in the eye without any reason after two years and some extra days.
No real reason, explanation and everyday no one knew why
There was no explanation or reason behind that kid's attack, and nobody could figure out why it happened every day.
The bigger kid was crazy, that made the gang afraid
The bigger kid had mental issues that scared the gang members.
When he told the gang to shut their mouths, the gang obeyed
Whenever the crazy kid told the gang to be quiet, they would obey him.
You've got to have a place to be, you need a place to hang around
Having a place to hang out is important for socializing and spending time together.
No one spoke, no one moved, no one made a sound
Nobody reacted or responded to the kid's repeated attacks.
Both his eyes would twitch, the left one was always black
He had a visible physical injury from the repeated attacks, and his eyes would twitch.
His lips they never moved, They stayed still with each attack
He didn't say anything or retaliate during the attacks.
His ears were always ringing, In his head he'd hear a hum
He had other physical symptoms like ringing in his ears and a constant hum in his head from the attacks.
And all the kids on the corner, Knew what it was from
Everyone in the gang knew about the kid's attacks, but nobody did anything about it.
Well then one day it happened, he took his daily crack
The kid received another attack, which had become a daily routine for him.
His eyes rolled up, like yesterday, he started falling back
The kid lost consciousness as a result of the attack, just like the previous day.
No one spoke, no one moved, no one made a sound
The other kids in the gang watched him fall without any reaction.
A sad silent situation, now he's not around
The kid tragically died as a result of the repeated attacks, and the atmosphere is now full of sadness and silence.
Well no one spoke and no one moved and no one made a sound
The people that watched the kid die were silent and immobile.
He's not a, he's not around
The kid is no longer present in that location or in life.
No one spoke no one moved he's not around
The absence of the kid is felt, and everyone remains silent and still.
A sad silent situation now he's not around
The atmosphere continues to be one of sadness and stillness after the kid's death.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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