Austin, TX's The Strange Boys evoke a wild-eyed, porcelain-skinned innocenc… Read Full Bio ↴Austin, TX's The Strange Boys evoke a wild-eyed, porcelain-skinned innocence that is capable of summoning the wayward spirit of Brian Jones. The mystery of the South couples with the mastery of rhythm to create a sound completely timeless and familiar, yet absolutely raw and avant-garde. Greg Enlow's syncopated, organ-driven grooves hark back to The Seeds' Pushing Too Hard while guitarist Ryan Sambol's voice wavers beyond comparison. Older brother Philip Sambol keeps the pulse with the aptly named Matt Hammer, who unmercifully pounds an old Ludwig set.

The Strange Boys began as a duo (Hammer and the younger Sambol) in 2003. The other two joined in 2005 and the band has been on tour non-stop ever since. Since 2003 the Boys have recorded a wealth of material which was passed around at shows and to friends, but never officially released. In 2007, Dusty Medical Records put out the Nothing EP, and in 2008, In The Red released the Woe Is You and Me single. Now, finally, the band's proper debut album is seeing the light of day. It's easy to imagine The Strange Boys And Girls Club, a sixteen-track beast, blasting out of any stereo system between The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators and Wire's Pink Flag.

The Strange Boys were the backing band for Mighty Hannibal (the '50s R&B recording artist); were main support for Roky Erickson and the Explosives at the Chaos in Tejas festival; have played South by Southwest the last four years, the Fuck Yeah Fest the last three years, Austin City Limits, Festival in Music Fest Northwest, and Bamalama (all in 2008); shared bills with Daniel Johnston, Black Lips, Reigning Sound, The King Khan and BBQ Show, Jay Reatard, Mika Miko, No Age, and BRMC; have toured with The Black Angels, Fucked Up, The Carrots, and Crystal Antlers[a/rtist]; and will tour with Darker My Love and Mika Miko in '09.î

In 2010, Indierockcafe.Com listed Austin indie band The Strange Boys Be Brave, LP on their "Best Albums of 2010 (So Far)" and "Artists and Bands" favorites list.

A Man You've Never Known
The Strange Boys Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

To come
Under
Heavy need
Of another
I wonder
I wonder
Whether the wiser need not bother
I'm a man you've never known

Please
Understand
It's my job to write songs
And allow me to do
Whatever
I want
I'm a man you've never known
And the days
That I'm down
And I'm shaving
Just for fun
I think to myself
If only yellow knew
How blue red was
I'm a man you've never known

So until we meet
Please, treat me as so

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "A Man You've Never Known" by The Strange Boys speak about the feeling of being lost and in need of someone else. The lyrics are full of introspection and self-doubt as the singer wonders whether it is really necessary to find someone else to fill this need. The singer describes himself as someone who is unknown to others and has his own way of doing things, which might not be understandable to everyone. He feels like he is doing his own thing, and he won't stop even if it goes against the norm.

The lyrics also speak about the singer's profession, which is songwriting, and how it allows him to express himself in any way he wants. He sees himself as someone who is different from others and views his job as a songwriter as a way to be himself without any restrictions. The singer also talks about his emotional state, feeling down and shaving just for fun, pondering the differences of colors with the famous phrase "If only yellow knew how blue red was". The song ends with a plea to be treated as one who is unknown to others, to not be judged by who he is, but by what he is capable of.

Line by Line Meaning

To come
I have not arrived yet

Under
Beneath something, potentially struggling

Heavy need
Feeling an intense desire or longing

Of another
From someone else, needing their assistance or presence

I wonder
I am curious, uncertain or pondering something

I wonder
I am still curious, uncertain or pondering something

Whether the wiser need not bother
I question if the more knowledgeable people don't need to worry about certain things

I'm a man you've never known
I am someone you are not familiar with

Please
Kindly or respectfully

Understand
Comprehend or be aware of

It's my job to write songs
It is my profession to create music