Local Boy
The Rifles Lyrics


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Jimmy was a local boy but he's seen much more than the change in the weather,
Sitting in a uniform of the three-piece suit and ribbons from his past,
Looking for a little boy at the bar with the mouth who thinks his clever now,
Dreaming of a day that he got home from a war to his childhood sweetheart.

Now he don't need anyone, there's no one there for him,
Just a feeling of an empty place deteriorating
Jimmy was a local boy, but he's seen much more than im bound to ever,
A member of a dieing breed that sat and wait as it all just falls apart,
Thinking of a day that's oh so long ago, that he can't remember right,
There was a time a man can still be a man and be proud to use his heart,

Now he don't need anyone, there's no one there for him,
There was really only one,
Now he misses how she sounds he frowns lines them up and he puts them down,
Its sad this town seems to fail appreciate the man

Now he don't need anyone, there's no one there for him,
No he don't feel any more coz jimmy's so thick skinned,
And a long long time ago, when he could break her heart,
There was really only one,
He misses how she sounds he frowns, line em up and he puts em down
Its sad this town seems to fail appreciate what he's about,
Line them up and he puts them down
Its sad this town seems to fail appreciate the man


Jimmy was a local boy but he's seen much more than the change in the weather,
Sitting in a uniform of the three-piece suit and ribbons from his past,




Looking for a little boy at the bar with the mouth who thinks his clever now
Dreaming of a day that he got home from a war to his childhood sweetheart.

Overall Meaning

The Rifles's song "Local Boy" is a profound commentary on the effects of war on soldiers and the loneliness that comes with the transition back to civilian life. The song tells the story of Jimmy, a local boy who has been to war and returned home to find that the world has changed. He wears a three-piece suit and ribbons from his past, suggesting that he is a decorated veteran. But he is alone, with nobody to talk to, and he spends his time at the bar hoping to find someone who understands him. The lyrics "Now he don't need anyone, there's no one there for him, just a feeling of an empty place deteriorating" convey a sense of isolation and despair that is all too common among soldiers returning from war.


The song captures the sadness and regret of lost opportunities, with Jimmy dreaming of a day when he could return home to his childhood sweetheart. There is a sense of longing and nostalgia in his recollections of a time when things were simpler and men could be proud to use their hearts. The lyrics "There was a time a man can still be a man and be proud to use his heart" express a wistful yearning for a time that has passed.


Overall, "Local Boy" is a poignant and moving song that speaks to the universal experiences of loneliness, regret, and loss. It is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices that soldiers make and the emotional toll that war takes on those who fight.


Line by Line Meaning

Jimmy was a local boy but he's seen much more than the change in the weather,
Jimmy, despite being a local boy, has been through a lot more than just the changing weather conditions.


Sitting in a uniform of the three-piece suit and ribbons from his past,
Jimmy is dressed in a three-piece suit along with ribbons from his past achievements.


Looking for a little boy at the bar with the mouth who thinks his clever now,
Jimmy is searching for a young man at the bar who thinks he is smart and witty.


Dreaming of a day that he got home from a war to his childhood sweetheart.
Jimmy dreams of returning to his childhood love after serving in a war.


Now he don't need anyone, there's no one there for him,
Jimmy feels like he doesn't need anyone anymore because there is no one there for him.


Just a feeling of an empty place deteriorating
Jimmy feels a void deep inside him which is slowly getting worse.


Jimmy was a local boy, but he's seen much more than im bound to ever,
Jimmy's experiences far surpass anything the singer is likely to ever encounter.


A member of a dieing breed that sat and wait as it all just falls apart,
Jimmy belongs to a dying generation that has witnessed everything falling apart without being able to do anything about it.


Thinking of a day that's oh so long ago, that he can't remember right,
Jimmy thinks of a long forgotten day that he can't quite remember anymore.


There was a time a man can still be a man and be proud to use his heart,
There was a time when men could express their emotions freely and be proud of it.


Now he misses how she sounds he frowns lines them up and he puts them down,
Jimmy misses the sound of his childhood sweetheart's voice and drinks to forget his sorrows.


Its sad this town seems to fail appreciate the man
The town fails to appreciate the value and worth of this man.


No he don't feel any more coz jimmy's so thick skinned,
Jimmy has become emotionally numb and has developed a thick skin to guard his heart.


And a long long time ago, when he could break her heart,
In the distant past, Jimmy had the power to break his childhood sweetheart's heart.


There was really only one,
In Jimmy's life, there was only one person who truly mattered to him.


Line them up and he puts them down
Jimmy drinks in succession to forget his sorrows and mask his pain.


Its sad this town seems to fail appreciate what he's about,
The town fails to recognize and acknowledge Jimmy's true worth and value.




Contributed by Dominic O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@kemalburakb

Jimmy was a local boy but he's seen much more than the change in the weather
Sitting in a uniform of a three-piece suit and the ribbons from his past
Looking through a little boy at the bar with the mouth who thinks his clever now
Dreaming of a day that he goes home from a war to his childhood sweetheart

Now he don't need anyone, there's no one there for him
Just a feeling of an empty place deteriorating
Jimmy was a local boy, but he's seen much more than I'm bound to ever
A member of a dying breed that sat and wait as it all just falls apart
Dreaming of a day that's oh so long ago, that he can't remember right
There was a time a man can still be a man and be proud to use his heart

Now he don't need anyone, there's no one there for him
There was really only one
Now he misses how she sounds, he frowns, line 'em up and he puts them down
It's sad this town seems to fail to appreciate the man

Now he don't need anyone, there's no one there for him
No he don't feel any more 'cause jimmy's so thick-skinned
And a long long time ago, when he could break her heart
There was really only one
Now he misses how she sounds, he frowns, line em up and he puts em down
Its sad this town seems to fail to appreciate what he's about
Line 'em up and he puts them down
It's sad this town seems to fail to appreciate the man



All comments from YouTube:

@jarroadallongay3183

Most underrated band ever.

@rubenwhitfield8717

Best band

@user-jw5we5oq7i

воистину друг, 15 лет назад из России, хороший британский поп рок

@steezyofficial6610

Facts

@barberoriley5059

Conveyor belt indie boredom, for the over 45s

@leeparker1053

@@barberoriley5059not indie music, signed to a major record company, and they apeal to the under 45,s aswell.💄

@schrodingerdiscovery

This song should be more famous. Such an underrated song.

@touka-chan6000

The most underrated band alive !!

@ryanmac1334

Up there.

@alvarocomblain3876

in some age of my life this music had a great meaning to me, it´s kinda nostalgic to hear it nowadays, thanks bruvs! from Chile 🇨🇱

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