Bell Boy
The Who Lyrics

The beach is a place where a man can feel
The beach is a tranquil place where a man can be at ease

He's the only soul in the world that's real
A man on the beach may feel that he is the only one who truly exists

Well I see a face coming through the haze
In the midst of the fog or confusion, a face becomes clear

I remember him from those crazy days
The artist recalls a person from a period of wild, chaotic times

Crazy days, crazy days
The artist emphasizes the madness of that time

Ain't you the guy who used to set the paces
The singer recognizes the person as someone who used to lead the way for others

Riding up in front of a hundred faces
The person used to ride ahead of a large crowd of people

I don't suppose you would remember me
The artist doubts that the person would remember them

But I used to follow you back in sixty-three
The artist used to tail the person in the year 1963

I've got a good job, and I'm newly born
The artist has just acquired a good job, as if starting anew

You should see me dressed up in my uniform
The singer is enthusiastic about their job and proudly wears a uniform

I work in hotel, all gilt and flash
The artist works in a lavish hotel, sparkling and shiny

Remember the place where the doors were smashed?
The singer recalls a past incident where doors were broken

Bell Boy, I got to get running now
The person being addressed, a bellboy, must hurry to complete a task

Bell Boy, keep my lip buttoned down
The singer warns the bellboy to keep quiet about something

Bell Boy, carry this baggage out
The task the bellboy must complete is carrying luggage out

Bell Boy, always running at someone's pleading heel
The artist remarks on how the bellboy must always be at the beck and call of others

You know how I feel
The singer believes the bellboy understands their point of view

Some nights I still sleep on the beach
Occasionally, the singer still slumbers on the beach

Remember when stars were in reach
The artist reminisces about the time when the stars seemed to be within arm's reach

I wander in early to work
The artist arrives at work bright and early, at times

Spend my day licking boots for my perks
The artist spends their day pandering to others for their own benefit

People often change
The singer observes that people often alter over time

But when I look in your eyes
However, when the artist looks into the bellboy's eyes, observing a steadfastness

You could learn a lot from a job like mine
The singer claims that the bellboy could gain insights from their experience in this position

The secret to me
The singer indicates that they have a secret

It ain't flown on a flag
This secret does not lie in any symbol or banner

I carry it behind this pretty little badge
The artist claims to keep this secret hidden under a seemingly innocuous badge

What says Bell Boy, I got to get running now
The bellboy is reminded again to hurry up and complete their task

Bell Boy, keep my lip buttoned down
The singer again warns the bellboy to keep quiet

Bell Boy, carry the bloody baggage out
The singer modifies the earlier job, using a more intense wording

Bell Boy, always running at someone's heel
The artist reminds the bellboy of their subservient role

You know how I feel
The artist reiterates their belief that the bellboy can empathize with them

Always running at someone's heel
The song ends with a final observation about the nature of the bellboy's job