1. The Riot… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two acts/bands called The Riot Squad.
1. The Riot Squad were a pop group from London, initially managed and produced by Larry Page and later, for their reunion, by Joe Meek. Members included Graham Bonney (vocals), Ron Ryan (guitar), Len Tuckey (guitar), Mark Stevens (keyboards), Mike Martin (bass), Mitch Mitchell (drums), Rodger Crisp, Terry Clifford, Butch Davis, Derek "Del" Roll. Their only constant member was to be Bob Evans (saxophone), who, after the band split for the first time, "reunited" The Riot Squad with all new musicians.
In early 1967 they were joined by David Bowie, who at the time was recording material for his self-titled debut album. The band consisted of six members: Bowie (lead vocalist, guitar, tenor saxophone), Rod Davies (guitar), Croke Prebble (bass), Bob Evans (saxophone, flute), George Butcher (keyboards) and Derek Roll (drums). This incarnation recorded several as-yet unreleased tracks, including a cover of the The Velvet Underground's "I'm Waiting for the Man" and a Velvets-influenced Bowie original called "Little Toy Soldier".
2. The Riot Squad was also a 'gabber' trance German techno band.
Silly Boy Blues
The Riot Squad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
People are walking the Potala lanes
A preacher takes the school
But one boy breaks a rule
Silly Boy Blue, blue
Silly Boy Blue
Cannot dissolve all the work you've not done
A chela likes to feel
That his overself pays the bill
Silly Boy Blue, blue
Silly Boy Blue
You wish and wish, and wish again
You've tried so hard to fly
You'll never leave your body now
You've got to wait to die
La la la la la, la la, la la la
La la la la la, la la, la la la
La la la, la la la
La la la, la la la
Silly Boy Blue, blue
Silly Boy Blue
Child of Tibet, you're a gift from the sun
Reincarnation of one better man
The homeward road is long
You've left your prayers and song
Silly Boy Blue, blue
Silly Boy...
The lyrics to The Riot Squad's song Silly Boy Blues are full of metaphors and references to Tibetan culture and religion. The first verse talks about the Mountains of Lhasa, a holy site in Tibet, and the Potala lanes, which are streets near the Potala Palace, the traditional residence of the Dalai Lama. A preacher takes the school, which could refer to the Chinese occupation of Tibet and their attempts to control Tibetan education. But one boy breaks a rule, a reminder that even in the face of oppression and authority, individual actions can make a difference. The chorus, Silly Boy Blue, could be a reference to someone who is naive or foolish, but the blue could also be a nod to blue-skinned deities in Tibetan Buddhism.
The second verse continues with references to Tibetan culture, with yak butter statues that melt in the sun. These statues are a traditional art form in Tibet, but they also symbolize the impermanence of life and the importance of mindfulness. The chela mentioned in the lyrics is a student of a spiritual teacher, someone who is seeking enlightenment or self-improvement. The overself mentioned paying the bill is a reference to the idea of a higher consciousness or divine self that guides us on our spiritual journey. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the idea of someone who is trapped or stuck in their current existence.
The final verse refers to the child of Tibet as a gift from the sun, a reference to the importance of the sun in Tibetan mythology and religion. The idea of reincarnation is also mentioned, which is a fundamental belief in Tibetan Buddhism. The homeward road being long could refer to the difficulty of achieving spiritual enlightenment or the journey of the Tibetan people to reclaim their autonomy. But despite leaving their prayers and song behind, the silly boy blue is still present, still struggling to break free from their current state.
Line by Line Meaning
Mountains of Lhasa are feeling the rain
The mountains in Lhasa feel the rain just like any other place
People are walking the Potala lanes
People are walking in the streets of Potala
A preacher takes the school
A teacher leads the school
But one boy breaks a rule
But there is one boy who breaks the rules
Silly Boy Blue, blue
Making fun of someone who is not following the rules
Yak butter statues that melt in the sun
Butter statues melt in the sun
Cannot dissolve all the work you've not done
Not doing work will not solve anything
A chela likes to feel
A disciple likes to feel
That his overself pays the bill
That his superior consciousness is responsible for his life
You wish and wish, and wish again
You keep wishing
You've tried so hard to fly
You've tried hard to succeed
You'll never leave your body now
You'll never escape your current situation
You've got to wait to die
You have to wait to be free of your troubles
La la la la la, la la, la la la
N/A
Child of Tibet, you're a gift from the sun
You are special because you are from Tibet
Reincarnation of one better man
You are the reincarnation of a better person
The homeward road is long
The journey home will take a long time
You've left your prayers and song
You've left behind your faith and heritage
Silly Boy Blue, blue
Making fun of someone who is not following the rules
Contributed by John J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@juliebenford1311
Even this early in his career his talent shines through
@TatuSaloranta
Bowie is such a stellar songwriter AND singer that even this demo sounds very, very good. Of course he also did metric tons of demos (was famous for it) so quality of demos probably better than your average musicians. But even then... I'd rather listen to most of his demos than 90% of other top music. :-)
@SilentReports
Such unusual choice of words in his lyrics. He was never one for choosing easy songs to sing that's for sure!