Suburbia
The Pet Shops Boys Lyrics


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Suburbia, where the suburbs met Utopia
(Where the suburbs met Utopia)

Lost in the high street, where the dogs run
Roaming suburban boys
Mother's got a hairdo to be done
She says they're too old for toys
Stood by the bus stop with a felt pen
In this suburban hell
And in the distance a police car
To break the suburban spell

Let's take a ride, and run with the dogs tonight
In Suburbia
You can't hide, run with the dogs tonight
In Suburbia

Break a window by the town hall
Listen, the siren screams
There in the distance, like a roll call
Of all the suburban dreams

Let's take a ride, and run with the dogs tonight
In Suburbia
You can't hide, run with the dogs tonight
In Suburbia

I only wanted something else to do but hang around
I only wanted something else to do but hang around
(Hang around, hang around)

It's on the front page of the papers
This is their hour of need
Where's a policeman when you need one
To blame the colour TV?

Let's take a ride, and run with the dogs tonight
In Suburbia
You can't hide, run with the dogs tonight
In Suburbia
In Suburbia
In Suburbia

Run with the dogs tonight
You can't hide
Run with the dogs tonight
You can't hide
(You can't hide, you can't hide)
In Suburbia

(Suburbia, where the suburbs met Utopia)
(What kind of dream was this, so easy to destroy?)
(A world together, the cities of the past)
(Mews, slums of the future)
(Suburbia, where the suburbs met Utopia)




(Suburbia, where the suburbs met Utopia)
(Where the suburbs met Utopia)

Overall Meaning

The Pet Shops Boys's song "Suburbia" explores the contrast between the idea of Utopia and the reality of living in a suburban environment. The lyrics describe a sense of boredom and frustration as well as a lack of adventure and excitement that is often associated with living in the suburbs. The song opens with the line "Suburbia, where the suburbs met Utopia" which sets the scene for the rest of the song.


The first verse describes a group of boys who are lost in the high street, seemingly without any direction or purpose. They are described as "roaming suburban boys" who are too old for toys. Their mothers are preoccupied with getting their hair done and there is a sense that there is not much else to do but stand around by the bus stop with a felt pen. The presence of a police car in the distance is seen as a reminder of the restrictions of this suburban environment.


The chorus then offers an escape, a chance to "run with the dogs tonight in Suburbia". The idea of running with the dogs suggests a sense of freedom and wildness, something that is lacking in the suburban environment. The second verse describes an act of rebellion, breaking a window by the town hall and listening to the siren screams. This is also seen as a reminder of the limitations and restrictions of suburban life.


Overall, "Suburbia" is a critique of the monotony and limitations of suburban life. It suggests that there is a need for excitement and adventure, and that the conformity of suburban living can sometimes be suffocating.


Line by Line Meaning

Suburbia, where the suburbs met Utopia (Where the suburbs met Utopia)
Describing Suburbia as a place where suburban life met with an ideal utopian city. The repetition of the phrase emphasizes the contrast between the reality of Suburbia and the idealized Utopia.


Lost in the high street, where the dogs run
Feeling disoriented and out of place in the busy, commercial part of town, where even the dogs roam free.


Roaming suburban boys
Young men from the suburbs aimlessly wander, perhaps feeling unfulfilled or lost in their hometown.


Mother's got a hairdo to be done
A mother is preoccupied with her appearance, as though she has nothing else to focus on in her life.


She says they're too old for toys
The mother sees her sons as grown men who should have matured beyond playing with toys, yet is perhaps unaware of the discontent they feel with their current lives.


Stood by the bus stop with a felt pen
In a boring and mundane suburban life, even something as simple as waiting for the bus can be an opportunity to express oneself.


In this suburban hell
The singer is expressing their disdain for the lack of excitement and opportunity in the mundane lifestyle of the suburbs.


And in the distance a police car
The presence of a police car implies that even in the seemingly safe and idyllic suburbs, there is still danger and unrest.


To break the suburban spell
The idea that the typical suburban life is an all-encompassing spell, and that the sight of a police car is enough to disrupt it.


Break a window by the town hall
Actively rebelling against the established norms of suburban life, even if it means breaking property.


Listen, the siren screams
The sirens of emergency vehicles are common sounds in the suburbs, and the singer is using this as a metaphor for the underlying feelings of danger and restlessness.


There in the distance, like a roll call
The sirens seem to be a call to action, to rebel against the boredom and monotony of life in the suburbs.


Of all the suburban dreams
Dreamy and idealized visions of life in the suburbs are shattered by the harsh reality of Suburbia depicted in the song.


I only wanted something else to do but hang around
The singer is expressing their desire for something more fulfilling than the monotony of everyday life in Suburbia.


It's on the front page of the papers
Even the mundane and seemingly unimportant events of Suburbia can make national news.


This is their hour of need
The people of Suburbia are facing a crisis or conflict, despite their perceived safety and security.


Where's a policeman when you need one
Ironically, the presence of police in Suburbia is seen as a means of maintaining the mundane and safe status quo, rather than as a means of addressing real issues.


To blame the colour TV?
Shifting blame for the problems of Suburbia away from real issues and onto trivial things like a color television.


Run with the dogs tonight
Encouraging the listener to embrace a sense of freedom and wildness, and to escape the stifling confines of Suburbia.


You can't hide
Implying that no matter how hard one might try to blend in and conform to suburban life, the sense of restlessness and desire for something more will always be present.


(Hang around, hang around)
Repeating the phrase from earlier in the song, emphasizing the artist's sense of feeling trapped and unfulfilled.


(What kind of dream was this, so easy to destroy?)
Reflecting on the idealized vision of Suburbia as a dream, only to have that vision shattered by the harsh reality of life in the suburbs.


(A world together, the cities of the past)
Remembering a time when people were connected and lived in closer communities, rather than the sprawling and disconnected suburbs of the present.


(Mews, slums of the future)
Perhaps a commentary on the unsustainable nature of suburban development and the negative implications it could have on future generations.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BUTCH WALKER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Miroslaw Czarachewicz

Lost in the high street, where the dogs run
Roaming suburban boys
Mother's got a hairdo to be done
She says they're too old for toys
Stood by the bus stop with a felt pen
In this suburban hell
And in the distance a police car
To break the suburban spell

Let's take a ride, and run with the dogs tonight
In Suburbia
You can't hide, run with the dogs tonight
In Suburbia

Break the window by the town hall
Listen, the siren screams
There in the distance, like a roll call
Of all the suburban dreams

Let's take a ride, and run with the dogs tonight
In Suburbia
You can't hide, run with the dogs tonight
In Suburbia

I only wanted something else to do but hang around
I only wanted something else to do but hang around
I only wanted something else to do but hang around
I only wanted something else to do but hang around

It's on the front page of the papers
This is their hour of need
Where's a policeman when you need one
To blame the colour TV?

Let's take a ride, and run with the dogs tonight
In Suburbia
You can't hide, run with the dogs tonight
In Suburbia

Take a ride, and run with the dogs tonight
In Suburbia
You can't hide, run with the dogs tonight
In Suburbia

Run with the dogs tonight
In Suburbia
You can't hide
In Suburbia
In Suburbia
In Suburbia
In Suburbia
In Suburbia



AVportau

anonimus drum there aint too many songs i get goosebumps over just thinking about the track... as an 1980 to 90's nightclub DJ i got burnt out on certain sounds like the horrible onslaught of Stock, Aitken, & Waterman regurgitated pop songs... but even just thinking of the magical atmosphere this track gives is enough to give me goosebumps... just the intro, then lyrics, the build up to the magical chorus... it's what i would term a 10/10... suits everything from a wedding to any dance party... and still respected as a legitimately good song in virtually every other genre and not just a generic copy eg: the Rick Astley era (eeek).

if i played 10 best or immortal dance tracks in a set of the 1980s club scene, then this PSBs track would be in that set... here's the playlist order... starting off with a classy track that was again a hit in the 90's...

1. In The Evening by Sheryl Lee Ralph...
2. Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order... 
3. Relax by Frankie Goes To Hollywood... 
4. Tainted Love by Soft Cell... 
5. Beat It by Michael Jackson... 
6. Love Shack by B52s...  
7. 1999 by Prince... 
8. Suburbia by Pet Shop Boys... 
9. Never Ending Story by Limahl (and of course Giorgio Moroders production)... 
... but for me, the best song of the 1980s was.... i'd end the set with a slow one...    
10. Dont Dream It's Over by Crowded House.

now if it was a top 50 ??? oh boy...  Billy Idol missed out on the top 10... but a few of his tracks were great too... maybe you were too young to remember him? 



All comments from YouTube:

Dec Farrell

My mum of 87, died two weeks ago. She loved the PSB, this was her favourite. Rest in peace mum.

hihowareyouthen

Sorry for your loss Dec, that's very tough 💔

Gary Patterson

I've also lost my mother to cancer. Then my 2 brothers age 49 and 51. May they R.I.P. I still miss them everyday. Grievances are difficult but believe me, time is a great healer. But living is part of losing. God bless you. x.

Elie Chaya

Rest In Peace

zaftra

can't argue at 87, good innings

71 More Replies...

Tyler Durden

That piano... those melodies, holy shit this is truly art. Thank you PSB, your songs are immortal.

Esteban

Alf song

brewmars

the saxophone part is golden too

Osvaldo Jose Echeverria Collante

I agree.

Noname Noname

Все эти шикарные мелодии и piano- студийная работа мощнейшего компьютера. Это чисто электронная музыка, никогда вживую они не пели. Но сделано все на таком высочайшем уровне, так мастерски,- что слушатель этого всего не ощущает.👍👏🙌💯

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